By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
After nearly four years of filming, fine-tuning and fundraising, Sean Williamson is ready to share his finished product with captive audiences.
Williamson, a Whitewater native with an interest in the cinematic arts, has made his directorial debut in the independent film, “Heavy Hands.”
This weekend, he will be screening the film locally at the Sommers Theater on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus.
A year ago, Williamson entered the post-production phase of his creation and sought donations to present a truly polished product. He
created an account on online campaign site Kickstarter and said he received the funding necessary to see the project to completion.
“Once I got the Kickstarter account up and running and took that step, everything fell into place,” Williamson said.
The story has a darker tone and focuses on anti-hero Jimmy Lee, who is embroiled in a careless and selfish act and needs to deal with the ramification of the decisions he has made. Set amid the backdrop of a country town, family tension is prevalent throughout the film.
“I think the story is there; it’s strong,” Williamson said. “There are a lot of good points mentioned in the film that people can relate to.”
Filming took place in a variety of locations. With its rural setting, Williamson took advantage of his original stomping grounds and shot footage in Whitewater, Janesville and Delavan. But he also ventured to other areas, including New York City, different areas in Kansas and internationally in Colombia.
“There are some interesting things in the film for people who grew up in the Midwest,” Williamson said.
Stylistically, Williamson said he intentionally strayed away from modern technology in an effort to provide a production that is authentic and maintains a true independent perspective.
For example, he used old-fashioned Super 8 mm stock film while shooting “Heavy Hands,” giving the production a feel that is similar to old home movies.
Although a trailer of the film has been posted online, Williamson said he chose not to place the entire production into cyberspace – opting instead to share his creation in traditional theaters so viewers enjoy a truly cinematic experience.
“My goal is for people to sit down and watch this, from start to finish, and not be distracted,” Williamson said. “There’s some cool music and camera work, and it could be missed if a person was watching it at home. There are a lot of things going on throughout.”
Williamson aspires to screen “Heavy Hands” at a number of film festivals and, for the time being, is attempting to have it shown on as many theater screens as possible as a precursor. He unveiled the film in mid-December at the Oriental Theatre on Milwaukee’s east side.
While “Heavy Hands” marks Williamson’s directorial debut, he already has amassed a resume that includes authoring two novellas – “House of Will” and “The Wild Introduction” – and co-founded an online art and literature magazine, WorldWideDirt.com.
IF YOU GO …
WHAT: screening of Whitewater native Sean Williamson’s film, “Heavy Hands”
WHEN: 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10
WHERE: Sommers Theater at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, 800 W. Main St.
ADMISSION: free
