Story
While packing their great grandmother’s house, a father and daughter discover their relatives were a part of the Sacramento gold rush. A story about a father and daughter & their discovery of historic relatives during the Sacramento gold rush.
Synopsis
The Golden Tree was written for Access Sacramento's “A Place called Sacramento” Screenplay contest and Film Festival.
The story follows Sierra [ Kyriè Sierra Davenport], her Dad [ Gary Udell], and Sierra's little sister Brooke [ Karly Avva] in the discovery of their ancestors who were a part of the Gold Rush in Sacramento through a journal written by William Riley Wimmer [ Aria Leven Davenport].
Based off of real people back in 1855, we travel back with outlaws Rattlesnake Dick [ Jason Michael Shannon], George Skinner [ Joseph Baldrige], Cyrus Skinner [ Alex Harris], Rafael Excobar [ Carey White Jr.], and Romero [ Noble Engle] who rob two prospectors — Arlen [ Bill Bettencourt] and Henry [ Rob Tillitz] — panning for gold along a river bank.
The journal — that Sierra finds in her Great Great Grandma Cecilia Wimmer's [ Toni Corbett] house — takes us back to 1848, the day John Sutter [ Mark Hoffman] takes his wife Anna DuBelt [ Meghan Bird] to his mill in Coloma, California where they meet up with James Marshal [ Dan L. Walters] and the Wimmer's: Peter [ Steven Sommer], Jennie [ Amber DeAnn], George [ Nolan Bourassa], young Sarah [ Grace Rose], and young William [ Adrien Bourassa], along with their house maid, Beatrice [ Courtney Leonard-Maye] to confirm the discovery of gold.
The journal also tells of a possible treasure that William may have buried near Sutter's Fort. One day, his quiet walk, to his buried gold, was not quiet at all. William sees Samuel Brennan [ Steve J. Dakota] and Mee Lien [ Yinique Myo-Flores] who happened to be on a morning stroll. William also tells of his encounters with Victoria Marie [ Haley Hicks] — a girl who is infatuated with him — and her big brother Zeke [ Rob Hayes]. William also sees his older sister Sarah [ Susan Slaven] who happened to be looking for Benjamin [ Aramis Liam], William's younger half brother who was following william, and Martha Jane [ Claire Elizabeth], williams younger half sister, who was following Benjamin.
Sierra, her Dad, and Brooke — fueled by the historic family information from the journal — search for The Golden Tree.
Projected Details
A Place Called Sacramento: October 3rd, Screening:
Length:
10 minutes
Full project
Length:
30 minutes +/-
Prospected
Shooting Locations
Sacramento: Sutter's Fort
Grass Valley: North Star Properties
Nevada City: Interior room.
Lotus, California: South Fork of the American River
Production Status:
May 12, 2010 Winning entry into the 11th Annual “Place Called Sacramento Film Festival.”
May 26, 2010 Casting completed.
May 28, 2010 Script draft 5.3.5 completed (basically the 25th revision since starting it back in May of 2009)
May 31, 2010 Two new actors cast
June 4, 2010 Script draft 5.3.6 completed (the 26th revision)
June 19, 2010 First day of Principle photography Finished
June 25, 2010 Script draft 5.4.4 completed (basically the 34th revision since starting it back in May of 2009)
July 13, 2010 Script draft 5.4.6 completed
July 17, 2010 Second day of principle photography in Grass Valley
July 24, 2010 Third day of principle photography In Lotus, California
July 25, 2010 Fourth day of principle photography at Sutter's Fort
July 31, 2010 Fifth day of principle photography in Lotus + wrap party
Shooting Dates
June - July 2010
Post Production
August 2010
Big Screen World Premiere
October 3rd, 1:00 pm, at the Crest Theater in Sacramento, California