Sensation of Sight

Ian headed to New Hampshire in November 2005 to work on the indie movie Sensation of Sight.

Writer/Director: Aaron Wiederspahn
Producer: Buzz McLaughlin, David Strathairn, Aaron Wiederspahn
Starring: David Strathairn

A fusion of dream/reality, this off-beat drama about man’s search for meaning amidst the ache of despair chronicles Finn, a middle-aged English teacher, as he enters a mid-life crisis impelled by a recent tragedy. As he sets afoot selling encyclopedias to the town locals, encounters ensue and sales are made, but Finn’s anxieties begin to consume him as he finds himself pursued by an unrelenting ghost. Circling through sleepless nights and desperate days, The Sensation of Sight intertwines lives of loneliness and disconnection, fatefully leading Finn toward an unexpected and sublime awakening.

[Finn? A middle-aged English teacher? Am I the only one with a sense of deja-vu here?]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2008

New Hampshire-based Either/Or Films is pleased to announce the acquisition of their first independent feature THE SENSATION OF SIGHT by Monterey Media, Thousand Oaks, California. A late summer/early fall theatrical release is planned, followed by a winter DVD release.

THE SENSATION OF SIGHT, filmed entirely in Peterborough, NH, stars Academy Award Best Actor nominee David Strathairn, who is also one of the film's producers along with Either/Or Films partners Aaron J. Wiederspahn, the film's writer/director, and Buzz McLaughlin, executive producer.

Other producers include Strathairn's longtime manager Madeline Ryan and Darren Moorman, both of Los Angeles; and Mark Constance of Brentwood, New Hampshire.

The film has received accolades from festival audiences throughout the U.S. and abroad, including Spain, Brazil, China, Lithuania, Poland, and Estonia, and continues to garner critical acclaim. It won Best Feature at the New Hampshire Film Festival and Best Cinematography at the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa.

Monterey CFO Jere Rae-Mansfield enthusiastically remarks, "On the heels of our tremendous success with audience favorite STEEL TOES, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to distribute our second film starring David Strathairn."

McLaughlin says Either/Or Films is honored to be partnering with Monterey Media. "We've had a great run at festivals on five continents, and now look forward to making THE SENSATION OF SIGHT available to audiences throughout the United States and Canada."

Monterey Media holds all North American rights to the film. McLaughlin reports Either/Or Films is currently in negotiation for foreign distribution.

A fusion of dream/reality, THE SENSATION OF SIGHT comtemplates relationships, communication, and the meaning of life as it follows Finn (Strathairn), a middle-aged English teacher whose involvement with a tragedy has left him asking the age-old question, "Why?" Leaving his family and career, he sets about selling encyclopedias to town locals, including Dylan (Daniel Gillies of SPIDERMAN 2), a former student who's estranged from his father (Scott Wilson of JUNEBUG) and sister (Elisabeth Waterston of THE PRINCE AND ME); Alice (Jane Adams of ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND), a waitress and single mother with whom he has a brief and awkward romantic encounter; and Drifter (Ian Somerhalder of LOST), a musician grieving the death of his brother (Joe Mazello of JURASSIC PARK). The interaction of these characters affects and alters each of them, ultimately leading Finn to an unexpected and sublime awakening.

The Sensation of Sight selected for competition at San Sebastian Film Festival
Posted: August 22, 2006

(Munsonville, NH) - New Hampshire based Either/Or Films has announced that its first project, a feature-length independent film titled The Sensation of Sight, has been chosen for competition at the 2006 San Sebastian International Film Festival. The film’s world premiere on Friday, September 22nd will be the first of six screenings it will receive during the festival, which takes place September 21–30 in San Sebastian, Spain. A drama written and directed by Aaron J. Wiederspahn, The Sensation of Sight is the only American film of the 18 that were selected for the festival’s Zabaltegi-New Director’s section, which highlights exceptional work by first- and second-time directors from around the world. Filmed in 2005 entirely on location in Peterborough, New Hampshire, the film will compete for the Altadis-New Director’s Prize ($115,000) and the Montblanc New Screenwriters Award ($20,000).

Wiederspahn is thrilled that his first project has been recognized by San Sebastian, a festival respected for presenting high-quality films and celebrating the art of cinema. “This is the moment every filmmaker longs for, the opportunity to share your art with the world,” he relates, “and San Sebastian is the perfect place to do so.” Buzz McLaughlin, cofounder with Wiederspahn of Either/Or Films and executive producer of the film, is pleased to see the company’s first project finally coming to fruition. “It’s been over two years of work and I can’t think of a better place to launch the movie than at a major international showcase for new films and filmmakers. We’re very grateful for the opportunity this affords us.”

An offbeat drama about a teacher’s mid-life crisis, The Sensation of Sight features an accomplished cast led by 2006 Academy Award best actor nominee David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck), who also lends his backing—for the first time ever—as a producer. “Buzz sent me the script and I loved it immediately,” Strathairn recalls. “It’s something I found special. The vision Aaron had was new; it wasn’t conventional, the way he wanted to tell this story.” The cast also includes Ian Somerhalder from the hit TV series Lost; Daniel Gillies (Superman 2), Jane Adams (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Ann Cusack (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), Joe Mazzello (Jurassic Park), Elisabeth Waterston (The Prince and Me), and Scott Wilson (In Cold Blood).

In addition to McLaughlin and Wiederspahn, the film’s producers include Mark Constance, a New Hampshire native and current resident of Brentwood; and Darren Moorman and Madeline Ryan, both of Los Angeles.

Maybe it's not Hollywood, but to filmmakers Buzz McLaughlin and Aaron Weiderspahn, that's the point.

The partners have founded their production company, "either/or films" in New Hampshire not only for the state's scenic location possibilities, but because it offers great potential for creative freedom.

"I love New Hampshire because of the quality of life, the beauty of it," McLaughlin said. "I've had a place here since 1980. In 1990, I bought 12 acres on a high ridge and spent the last 15 years developing it into a home, and in May I decided to make the move permanent. I didn't want to work within the confines of the Hollywood system, and so I decided to form my company here."

"They've been willing to do everything they can to make this come about," Weiderspahn said. "They've made phone calls, made introductions to key crew, contacted businessmen, developers and town managers. They've been really helping our project and want it to work."

That project is an $800,000 independent film entitled "Sensation of Sight," starring the well-known character actor David Straithairn.

Straithairn has appeared in more than 70 movies; he was memorable as the sleazy pimp in "L.A. Confidential," and in "Dolores Claiborne" he was able to accomplish what co-star Christopher Plummer could not - a credible northern New England accent.

His next film, "Good Night and Good Luck," in which he portrays legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow, will be released in October.

McLaughlin said he was able to bring Straithairn on board because the two have been friends for a long time.

"David's star is definitely on the rise," said McLaughlin. "The word on the movie is brilliant, and they're promoting David for an Oscar nomination. The timing couldn't be better for us."

"Sensation of Sight" is scheduled to begin shooting in the Peterborough area starting in October.

"It's an off-beat drama," said Weiderspahn, who wrote the screenplay and will direct. "It's a kind of chronicle of a man's search for meaning in the wake of despair; he's caught up in a mid-life crisis due to a recent tragedy."

The film comes at a time when Hollywood is complaining of a box-office slump, but McLaughlin and Weiderspahn do not see this as daunting.

"That's definitely not a factor," Weiderspahn said. "In fact, it's actually better. The box office is down because people aren't turning out for formulaic action movies and romantic comedies. There is also the potential for a higher percentage of return on an independent film.

"Take 'The Station Agent.' It cost $500,000 to make, but brought in $5.7 million domestically. Compare that to a mundane romantic comedy that was made for $50 million but only brought in $27 million. If you have a good story, you can make a good film for little money."

McLaughlin said that, unlike other independent film companies, either/or should have no trouble finding a distributor for its films.

"A lot of companies don't make any headway with distribution," he said. "We do have the connections to attract a first-class cast that gets the attention of a distributor."

No matter what happens, McLaughlin said he intends to keep his company in New Hampshire.

"This is not a one-shot, one-movie production," he said. "We're in it for the long haul. We have a number of screenplays waiting in the wings. Aaron's written one, I've adapted my play, 'Sister Calling My Name.' Our game plan is to make New Hampshire our home."

For more information on the company and "Sensation of Sight," visit its Web page at www.eitherorfilms.com.

Playwrights and filmmakers Buzz McLaughlin and Aaron Wiederspahn recently moved to the Peterborough area to start either/or films. Their first feature film will be The Sensation of Sight, shot on 35mm with an estimated budget of nearly $1 million. Filming starts somewhere between the end of February and the beginning of April, depending on their as-yet unnamed, nearly secured primary actor.

"We basically want to produce independent feature films, and our plan is to start with our first feature being shot in New Hampshire here in Peterborough," says Wiederspahn, director and screenwriter. "I'd been living in Orlando, Fla., for the past seven years. (Buzz, playwright and producer) has had a summer home in New Hampshire. We decided to go full time. We figured, it's good quality of life, we could base our company here."

The partners are also working negotiating a co-production deal, so they can hit film festivals with a known name in their credits. "That would actually put us in a whole other stratosphere," Wiederspahn notes.