production notes For Red Dirt, Tag created four unique characters. Griffith a young man torn between responsibilities to family and his own sense of happiness, he dreams of a life far beyond the confines of his hometown, and the burden of his family. Emily, Griffith's cousin, a complex young woman struggling to reconcile the disparities within her life. Aunt Summer, an agoraphobic woman trapped in a dark world of paralyzing fears, and Lee the stranger passing through like a breath of fresh air who offers hope and deliverance to Griffith. The casting was crucial for Tag. These were characters that had existed in his mind for a good part of his life. To capture them on film seemed a daunting task, but capture them he did. Red Dirt is Writer/Director Tag Purvis' feature film debut. The idea for Red Dirt came to him two years ago. He then wrote the script, raised the funding and set about to make his film. Since it was a labor of love, Tag felt that there was only one place to set the film, his birthplace: Meridian, Mississippi. According to Red Dirt Producer Cyril Bijaoui "Whenever I speak to anyone in Meridian, the excitement in their voice strongly reflects the pride they feel from having Tag as one of their hometown heroes. His choice to go back to Meridian honors them." "Shooting in Meridian was such a joy, " said Purvis. "Everyone was delighted to see a film being made. There was a true feeling of hometown pride, and I'm glad that I was able to share it with them." Not to mention that the Meridian location made for an extraordinary looking film. According to Red Dirt Editor Nikko Tsiotsias "When I first saw the film on the flatbed I was amazed. The film looked as though it had been shot for about five times its actual budget and the general look of the film was better than anything I have ever worked on." For Red Dirt, Tag created four unique characters. Griffith a young man torn between responsibilities to family and his own sense of happiness, he dreams of a life far beyond the confines of his hometown, and the burden of his family. Emily, Griffith's cousin, a complex young woman struggling to reconcile the disparities within her life. Aunt Summer, an agoraphobic woman trapped in a dark world of paralyzing fears, and Lee the stranger passing through like a breath of fresh air who offers hope and deliverance to Griffith. The casting was crucial for Tag. These were characters that had existed in his mind for a good part of his life. To capture them on film seemed a daunting task, but capture them he did. |