DESCRIPTION

ORIGINS: During our third quarter of school at the Centre for Arts and Technology, the six students in my class were assigned to write and direct our own one minute short films. We only had a few weeks to have them completed and I immediately began jotting down ideas. Originally, I'd conceived a plot about a man who is stalked by the ghost of a woman he once knew and at the end he discovers that he too is a ghost. I ending up pitching the story to Adam Savory, who worked with my on my previous film (The Love Triangle, 2008) and he didn't think it was that interesting of a story for a one minute film. And he was right. So in a matter of days I had re-worked the story into the film we've come to know as "The Ghost of a Rose."

Right from the start I'd always planned to shoot the film in Sydney, NS. I love the scenery of the cemetery on Hardwood Hill, which I had used it in another film I'd done before (A Great Marriage, 2007) and was really looking forward to making use of the location again. Prior to the casting of Sara Frison, April Roberts was originally in talks to play the role of Rose aka the "Ghost Girl" and Devan White was set to play Che's character, Michael. Much of the story and the visuals presented in the film were heavily inspired and influenced by the Blue Oyster Cult song, "Don't Fear The Reaper," from their 1976 album: "Agents of Fortune."

At the present time: July 12, 2010, the original Ghost of a Rose video has 7,200 views!

The Centre for Arts and Technology and Fantasy Mission Force Productions present: "The Ghost of a Rose"

SYNOPSIS: Caught up between his mixed emotions and his haunted past, Michael constantly finds himself alone, even when those closest to his heart are present. Fed up with Michael's problems and now out of options, his girlfriend Stacy decides to take the most important step of her life and end all of Michael's misery...

"The Ghost of a Rose" is a truly tragic experience painted with romance, and standing the fine line between life and death. This visual poem stars Sheumas R. Penny (Zombie Romeo, It's About Vincent), Alicia Marie Rose MacLean, Sara Frison, and introducing Joshua Dollimount.

Written and Directed by Matthew A. Gardiner

Release Date: February 13th, 2008.

Genre: Tragic Romance / Drama / Ghost

Run Time: 2 minutes 28 seconds.

Country: Canada

Color: Color

Aspect Ratio: Widescreen

Rated PG.

*Shot on location in Hardwood Hill Cemetery, Sydney, Nova Scotia*

ATTN: This short film is completely unrelated to the song by "Ghost of a Rose" performed by the band Blackmore's Night.