The Time Capsule Film Spotlight

Today’s film spotlight focuses on the feature film The Time Capsule directed by Erwann Marshall.

What is the title of your film and what inspired said title?

The title of the film is The Time Capsule. When writing the script we wanted a title that captured the sense of nostalgia the story was exploring with a touch of sci-fi. The title felt like a perfect fit.

Tell us a little bit about the story and origins of your film.

The logline of the film kind of says it all: In the near future, a jaded politician escapes to the lake house of his youth where he runs into his first love, who has just returned from a 20-year space voyage and hasn’t aged a day. My writing partner and I wanted to examine what would happen if confronted by someone from your past that remembered you exactly as you were when younger. What would they think of you? What would you suddenly think of yourself when confronted so directly by your past? The script was born of those initial questions.

Any films or filmmakers that inspired this film?

We were inspired by many grounded sci-fi and low budget romance films such as Robot & Frank, Her and Like Crazy. Most importantly, we looked to a lot of Twilight Zone episodes (Walking Distance in particular). Many episodes examine larger questions by placing ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, often low key. The Time Capsule was written with that goal in mind.

What is the goal of the film for you?

Telling a story I hope will get viewers wondering about the important people in their lives they may have lost touch with – asking themselves the same questions our protagonist does regarding where they are now versus where they hoped to be when younger.

What has the journey been like getting the film into production?

Difficult. Like most low budget indies (and films in general) – peppered with ups and downs. We lost cast, faced delays, battled through a tight schedule, and finally got the film in the can only to be faced with the global shutdown caused by Covid mid-way through post. This effectively froze the film for a couple of years. Thankfully, we weathered the many storms and it’s finally getting out there.

One thing you learned from this project?

Practical lesson? On smaller budget films, write less dialogue! The Time Capsule is dialogue heavy, and those scenes can take a lot of time to shoot. When your schedule is tight it can limit how much coverage you’re able to get.

How can folks find you and your film online?

The film is currently out and available on most Digital and On Demand services.

Any last pieces of advice for fellow filmmakers?

Don’t be patient, be persistent.

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