While probably best known for her work as Executive Director of POW Film Fest, the Portland Oregon Women’s Film Festival, and the POWGirls Education Program, TARA JOHNSON-MEDINGER is so much more than that. Working in the television and film industry for more than 18 years, Tara began her career in television, even landing at FOX Broadcasting Company for six years. But, Tara knew she had more in her and headed to Portland where she founded her own production company and began producing documentaries; her first, The Winding Stream, followed by Rock N Roll Mamas, and then onto narratives with City Baby.
And now, Tara has put on her director’s hat to give us one of the freshest, sweetest, and most fun films of the year, MY SUMMER AS A GOTH.
As Tara herself admits, her work as a producer was crucial to her making the leap into feature film direction because it helped her “understand what it takes to get it there.”
“I knew how I wanted my film to go in terms of production and what I wanted to see on screen. I also knew what I didn’t want. Because of my years of experience and other aspects of the industry, I’ve had a chance to watch a lot of different movies and a lot of different films and [was able to] really determine this is what I like and what I don’t like. So when I had that opportunity to say, ‘Okay, it’s, it’s my turn. It is time.’, it felt like a natural progression in terms of my development as a storyteller.” And what a storyteller she is!
Directed by TARA JOHNSON-MEDINGER and co-written by Tara and Brandon Lee Roberts, MY SUMMER AS A GOTH is a coming-of-age story about the search for one’s identity and love in your teens, complete with all the fun and foibles, as well as laughter and tears. After the sudden death of her father, 16-year-old Joey Javitts is shipped off to her somewhat eccentric grandparents who clearly were at their peak during the 60’s and the Summer of Love. Her mother, a successful author, is on her current book tour and while she doesn’t have time for Joey, she also doesn’t want her staying at home alone. Dreading a summer away from her friends, it doesn’t take long for Joey to fall head-over-heels for the Goth boy next door, Victor. With puppy love batting its cute little eyes, Joey easily falls under Victor’s Svengali-like spell as he and his fellow Goths, Pen and Cob, transform Joey into one hip little Goth. Shot over two summers in Portland, MY SUMMER AS A GOTH follows Joey’s journey as she navigates life, new friends, a first love, and yes, even heartbreak.
Boasting solid production values, the real strength of MY SUMMER AS A GOTH comes from its cast and most notably, Natalie Shershow as Joey and Jack Levis as the object of Joey’s affection, Victor. Joining them in this perfect ensemble are Carter Allen and Jenny White as Cob and Pen, respectively, along with Eduardo Reyes who soars as Antonio. Not only does this case mesh beautifully, but they are genuine, believable, resonant. Every aspect of this film benefits from not only her directorial skills and her watchful eye and keen attention to detail but from her passion for the project. TARA JOHNSON-MEDINGER is a welcome voice in the cinematic spectrum.
Take a listen to this exclusive interview with writer/director TARA JOHNSON-MEDINGER as we dive deep into MY SUMMER AS A GOTH, unearthing the cinematic aspects that came together for this charmer, among them:
- What made this the film for Tara to break out her directing talents with this first narrative feature; what was it about this story to say “direct me”, besides the fact that it is just so fun?
- Finding that very casual, matter of fact, natural feel that is one of the heartbeats of the film. There is a casual acceptance of life and kids who want to dress Goth, with no bullying by peers, no demands or disdaining by adults at the “Goth” look; just everyday normal life of being a teen coming of age
- Cinematography and the visual design and visual tonal bandwidth. The film is not only light from a visual standpoint, but with the lighting itselfyour visual design, your visual tonal bandwidth, I am in love with you keep this film, not just totally light from a visual standpoint, but the lighting itself which cinematographers Lauren Guiteras and Moria Morel keep nice and bright. There is no shroud. Nothing is dour.
- Shooting in a cemetery. Yes, Tara and company shot in an actual cemetery, and the night scenes, in particular, are exquisite. But logistics were challenging in order to execute these very poignant and important sequences.
- Set dress and costume
- Metaphor – visual and emotional metaphor
- Color – from the color palette of characters to the tonally shifting color palette of the film as a whole
- Editing
- Shifting perspective of the film due to the socio-political climate in 2016 and 2017 when the film was shot and thereafter in editing, as well as “life” over the course of 11 years since the idea for MY SUMMER AS A GOTH originated. How did that change the perspective of Joey towards herself and others, as well as how she was viewed?
- Developing fully realized three-dimensional characters from audition to casting to filming, most notably Joey and Victor.
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 11/04/2020
