‘Soldier Island’ is an upcoming feature-length film by mignolo arts. Shot over the course of a month and a half at three locations, this is the by far the most ambitious project I’ve been fortunate to be a part of to date. The film is a translation and modern interpretation of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, visually inspired by the 1940’s motion picture of the same name. This set of photos takes place at the historic Nathaniel Drake House in Plainfield, NJ. Built in 1742, and hosting General Washington and Alexander Hamilton during the Battle of Short Hills, the house lent a character and a depth of its own to the piece. To create in a space that has stood witness to so much was bewildering at times—it felt as though the spirits and stories of the house were watching as our chapter in the house’s history merged into the greater volume of time.
While there aren’t many of them pictured in this set, I was also happy to lend a good deal of antique props to the project, and it was a damn joy to see them coming to life on screen. Most of these items I scavenged from flea markets and trash heaps and lovingly nurtured back to health, whispering affirmations in their ears and singing them to sleep each night, hoping to one day find a purpose for what could be a slippery slope to my own “Hoarders” episode. Really though, this project has been a huge step in multiple linked directions for me, and I can’t wait to start piecing it all together in the compositing phase.
Keep up with Soldier Island progress HERE
Donate to the ongoing care and outreach of the Nathaniel Drake House HERE