While “The Valley” was enjoying a virtual run in July as part of the LA Shorts International Film Festival, the film by Los Gatos High School senior Emerson Morley had its world premiere on the big screen in front of an audience of family, friends and backers.
The 20-minute movie details the struggles of a high school student, played by Emerson, as she tries to get into her dream college despite having learning disabilities. Emerson said her script is based on personal experience but isn’t autobiographical, as she’s gotten more support over the years than her protagonist Elsie does.
“A few teachers have been on my side since elementary school,” she told the audience at Campbell’s Pruneyard Cinemas at the July 22 premiere.
The 17-year-old filmmaker said her family has also been more supportive than Elsie’s mother is in the film. She thanked her parents “for making me delusionally ambitious” and her brothers “for keeping me humble.”
Eric Morley, Emerson’s dad, said in an email that he and his wife Holly “are blown away that as a 17-year-old, Emerson wrote the screenplay; raised money from friends and family for the production; hired the director, producer and crew; wrapped up filming in February and is now on the 2021 domestic and international film festival run. Holly’s and my goal has been pretty much to stay out of her way.”
Emerson said she found director Unni Rav on Google. “It probably wasn’t the safest way,” she acknowledged.
Rav said he was attracted to Emerson’s script in part because he suffers from dyslexia. His production company, Visual Narrative Films, is based in Campbell.
Much pre-production work for “The Valley” was done online due to the pandemic. Producer Pratiksha Shah said casting was done via Zoom auditions. One actor was already close at hand; Hannah Feldman, who plays Elsie’s best friend Gemma, is a classmate of Emerson’s.
“Hannah and I had bio together, which is normally where you find Hollywood starlets,” joked Emerson.
Emerson said being both the screenwriter and the lead actor “was easier than I thought it was going to be.”
Shah said she was impressed that the young filmmaker was willing to trust others with her project during production.
“Once we were in filming mode, she handed it over to Unni,” the producer added.
Shah said she was also impressed by Emerson and Hannah’s professionalism when the cameras were rolling. “Suddenly, two scared, giggling girls became actors,” she added.
For Emerson, that transformation was indicative of her whole filmmaking experience.
“You can do what you want entirely imperfectly, and it can all work out just fine,” she said.
For more information about “The Valley” and to watch a trailer, visit www.thevalleyshortfilm.com.
