THE HISTORY OF CAVES
The History of Caves revolves around the Snow family and the few credulous young women who dare to enter their world. Evan Snow, a forty year-old watchmaker, spends his hours working from his run down home in the Hollywood Hills. His three children; Velvet, Cassius, and Azalea exist around him as they reel from the loss of their mother who is never mentioned in the film. To bury his own pain, Evan takes to sleeping with young women, and vacillates between extremely affectionate behavior toward his children and blatant neglect. After bearing witness to a particularly stinging example of their father's womanizing with a girl named Sarah who arrives as a potential client to Evan, the children decide take matters into their own hands and rid the Snow house of Sarah and any other women that threaten to alter their peculiar yet functional family dynamic. As Evan spends the day courting Sarah in the self-conscious dance of budding romance, Velvet concocts a dark plan to cast an earth shattering spell, and enlists her siblings to help execute it, to strange and unexpected results. The film captures the moment of a family being irrevocably changed. From the parent child relationship and the recklessness with which adults will inevitably affect their children, to siblings testing the limits of their bonds and subverting deference in the secret ways that change dynamics forever.
SHOOTING THE FILM
Tillman shot The History of Caves in an abandon house in Laurel Canyon, which is in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. According to legend, the house was built in 1915 has been owned by both Tom Mix and Frank Zappa over the course of its existence. Tillman's fascination with the house developed over the course of the winter she met her husband, who lived up the street at the time. She drove by it so frequently and was so charmed by its dark, empty mystery that she began to ask about it around the Canyon. Before long she had been given her own key by the caretaker of the house, and from there The History of Caves developed quickly. Tillman began shooting in the house during the spring of the following year and during that time spent most of her time there.
As you can see in the film the house has a pond, two trees growing in the kitchen and living room, a 5 foot deep soaking tub tiled in gold leaf, and an underground wine cellar with a real creek running through the middle of it. During production, lead actor Rick Charnoski lived in the house as well as Azalea, the youngest daughter in the film with her father and her little brother, Igor.
DIRECTOR EMMA TILLMAN
Emma Elizabeth Tillman was born in Santa Barbara and lived in there into her twenties, long after all her school friends left. This fostered her natural proclivity toward seclusion which she has maintained the thread of throughout her life. She met Josh Tillman in Los Angeles at the Laurel Canyon Country Store. They were married in Big Sur California and reside in New Orleans. The History of Caves is her directorial debut. Her personal photographs can be seen at www.lovetheghost.tumblr.com and www.workedasalaundress.com
CAST & CREW
Cinematographer
Christopher Blauvelt is an experienced director of photography with an extensive filmography. His most recent credits include Sophia Coppola's The Bling Ring, Kelly Reichart's Night Moves, and Harmony Korine's Lotus Community Workshop.
Producer
Jaime Dukehart is a longtime producer and production manager for film and commercial work. She resides in Los Angeles.
Art Director
Adrianna Iantorno art directed, costume designed, and production designed The History of Caves. Iantorno is a textile designer and stylist. She lent her impeccable taste and invaluable creative vision to the film. Her work can be seen at adriannaiantorno.com
Hank Snow
The character of Hank Snow is played by filmmaker and visual artist Rick Charnoski. Charnoski agreed to play the lead role of Hank never having acted before. His art and films can be seen at sixstair.com
Velvet Snow
The character of Velvet Snow is played by 14 year old Sadie Wilking. Although she is experienced as a young actor for the stage, The History of Caves is Sadie's on screen debut.
Cassius Snow
Cassius is played by 13 year old Lux Lennox. The History of Caves is also his on screen debut.
Azalea Chapman
The character of Azalea is played by Azalea Chapman. With no acting experience Azalea came onto the set of The History of Caves at the last moment and performed the role of the youngest Snow child as her on screen debut.
Sarah
The character of Sarah is played by actress and singer Lucy Mae Sunday. She resides in Los Angeles.
Girl in the Red Light
The beautiful girl featured in the first scene of the film with Hank Snow is played by Alyson Kennon. Alyson is a multi instrumental musician residing in Los Angeles. The History of Caves is her on screen debut.
Virginia
The character of Virginia is played by artist Lola Rose Thompson. Lola is an accomplished painter and visual artist. Her work can be seen at lolarosethompson.com
The History of Caves revolves around the Snow family and the few credulous young women who dare to enter their world. Evan Snow, a forty year-old watchmaker, spends his hours working from his run down home in the Hollywood Hills. His three children; Velvet, Cassius, and Azalea exist around him as they reel from the loss of their mother who is never mentioned in the film. To bury his own pain, Evan takes to sleeping with young women, and vacillates between extremely affectionate behavior toward his children and blatant neglect. After bearing witness to a particularly stinging example of their father's womanizing with a girl named Sarah who arrives as a potential client to Evan, the children decide take matters into their own hands and rid the Snow house of Sarah and any other women that threaten to alter their peculiar yet functional family dynamic. As Evan spends the day courting Sarah in the self-conscious dance of budding romance, Velvet concocts a dark plan to cast an earth shattering spell, and enlists her siblings to help execute it, to strange and unexpected results. The film captures the moment of a family being irrevocably changed. From the parent child relationship and the recklessness with which adults will inevitably affect their children, to siblings testing the limits of their bonds and subverting deference in the secret ways that change dynamics forever.
SHOOTING THE FILM
Tillman shot The History of Caves in an abandon house in Laurel Canyon, which is in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. According to legend, the house was built in 1915 has been owned by both Tom Mix and Frank Zappa over the course of its existence. Tillman's fascination with the house developed over the course of the winter she met her husband, who lived up the street at the time. She drove by it so frequently and was so charmed by its dark, empty mystery that she began to ask about it around the Canyon. Before long she had been given her own key by the caretaker of the house, and from there The History of Caves developed quickly. Tillman began shooting in the house during the spring of the following year and during that time spent most of her time there.
As you can see in the film the house has a pond, two trees growing in the kitchen and living room, a 5 foot deep soaking tub tiled in gold leaf, and an underground wine cellar with a real creek running through the middle of it. During production, lead actor Rick Charnoski lived in the house as well as Azalea, the youngest daughter in the film with her father and her little brother, Igor.
DIRECTOR EMMA TILLMAN
Emma Elizabeth Tillman was born in Santa Barbara and lived in there into her twenties, long after all her school friends left. This fostered her natural proclivity toward seclusion which she has maintained the thread of throughout her life. She met Josh Tillman in Los Angeles at the Laurel Canyon Country Store. They were married in Big Sur California and reside in New Orleans. The History of Caves is her directorial debut. Her personal photographs can be seen at www.lovetheghost.tumblr.com and www.workedasalaundress.com
CAST & CREW
Cinematographer
Christopher Blauvelt is an experienced director of photography with an extensive filmography. His most recent credits include Sophia Coppola's The Bling Ring, Kelly Reichart's Night Moves, and Harmony Korine's Lotus Community Workshop.
Producer
Jaime Dukehart is a longtime producer and production manager for film and commercial work. She resides in Los Angeles.
Art Director
Adrianna Iantorno art directed, costume designed, and production designed The History of Caves. Iantorno is a textile designer and stylist. She lent her impeccable taste and invaluable creative vision to the film. Her work can be seen at adriannaiantorno.com
Hank Snow
The character of Hank Snow is played by filmmaker and visual artist Rick Charnoski. Charnoski agreed to play the lead role of Hank never having acted before. His art and films can be seen at sixstair.com
Velvet Snow
The character of Velvet Snow is played by 14 year old Sadie Wilking. Although she is experienced as a young actor for the stage, The History of Caves is Sadie's on screen debut.
Cassius Snow
Cassius is played by 13 year old Lux Lennox. The History of Caves is also his on screen debut.
Azalea Chapman
The character of Azalea is played by Azalea Chapman. With no acting experience Azalea came onto the set of The History of Caves at the last moment and performed the role of the youngest Snow child as her on screen debut.
Sarah
The character of Sarah is played by actress and singer Lucy Mae Sunday. She resides in Los Angeles.
Girl in the Red Light
The beautiful girl featured in the first scene of the film with Hank Snow is played by Alyson Kennon. Alyson is a multi instrumental musician residing in Los Angeles. The History of Caves is her on screen debut.
Virginia
The character of Virginia is played by artist Lola Rose Thompson. Lola is an accomplished painter and visual artist. Her work can be seen at lolarosethompson.com