The Responsibility of Superpowers is at the Heart of Doorman
When it comes to wishing for superpowers, a daydreamer can imagine what role he or she might take in combating evil in the world. For a regular kid in school, there is the possibility of exacting revenge against a bully tormenting their walk home from school. In Haley Harmon’s film Doorman, the main character, Charlie (Christian Campbell), discovers he has the ability to walk through a door and come out anywhere else in the world. Think the Keymaker from Matrix Reloaded, except he doesn't have to fumble around for the correct key.
Harmon started working on it while coming up with ideas for a high school film project. As a college freshman, she pitched it to the Short Film Club and put together a crew with the help of her producer Robert Tagliafarro.
“In the original script the bully wasn't even present, but it also didn't really have a conflict, so I added the bully, Tommy, to give the main character motivation to use his powers,” says Harmon.
By the end of the film the audience learns there is more to Tommy (Clay Ezzell) than just being a bully. Harmon’s plot is family-oriented with a message on how bullies could be misunderstood as children.
Harmon says, “Words hurt, and I think verbal bullying is one of the hardest things to prevent.”
Kids are prone to rash judgments of things they don’t understand. She feels that working to teach tolerance and acceptance of people's differences can help eliminate bullying. When someone is a bully, it's important to consider that person may be inept at expressing their own feelings.
Doorman keeps a lighthearted mood throughout. Zachary Gonzalez appears to relish the role of Charlie’s best friend Ronnie, who is delighted to find out his best friend has superpowers. Gonzalez brings awe-struck energy that pairs well with the calm demeanor of Campbell.
As director of photography, Kylie McLaughlin executed character-focused shots with high-key lighting to stay true to the lighthearted vibe of the film. Visual problem solving is her favorite part of the job, and she does well to keep the door transfers looking good.
In Harmon’s future she anticipates making more family films. She has a second film in post-production, titled Inked, for which she anticipates an autumn premiere. She is even more proud of the new production after going through Doorman as her directorial debut.
“I loved my cast and crew,” says Harmon. “We had a blast on set and I think that was the most important thing for me. I want us to have fun making films together and learning about our craft.”
Doorman
Writer/Director: Haley Harmon
Director of Photography: Kylie McLaughlin
Producer: Robert Tagliaferro
Editor: Valarie Gold
Starring: Christian Campbell, Zachary Gonzalez, Clay Ezzell