“The Nth Ward,” directed by Camille Brown, is set to release independently on August 29 on Amazon. The film is a thriller taking place in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, an area particularly devastated by the effects of Hurricane Katrina. It focuses on the story of Madison (Juliette Bennett, “Shame the Devil,” “The Couple”, “As Good As Dead”), an engineer with the US Army trying to uncover why efforts to rebuild the destroyed city have repeatedly been shut down. Missing persons, lies and voodoo plague her journey.
Catrina Brown, the film’s producer and the sister of the director, was available for an interview in which she talked about the film itself, the process of filmmaking, being a producer and the responsibilities that come with it and her time at Southern New Hampshire University.
The idea for the film came from Catrina Brown, the director, after she visited the Ninth Ward to see the destruction for herself. She and Camille began working on the idea almost immediately.
“The timeline between her trip to the time and when we began shooting the film was only a matter of months,” said Brown.
The film, however, did not start out as one. “The idea initially started as a television series. But Camille and I decided it could be a film instead, and that we could shoot it ourselves,” said Brown. Getting a TV series off the ground was met with too much difficulty, making an independent film was a more feasible option.
Catrina’s role on the film was that of the producer. “The producer must often wear many hats, particularly on low budget films. I handled the accounting, call sheets, and even took care of transportation and craft service, among other tasks.” Essentially, Brown was on hand to help wherever she was needed.
Brown made it known that she was not forced to bear each responsibility alone, however. “I produced the film alongside Camille, and Jennifer Moran was just as instrumental, as she oversaw the project from development, to scouting locations, to post-production,” she said.
“The Nth Ward” is one of several projects Brown has worked on, also with her sister Camille. After earning her Master’s Degree in finance from SNHU, Catrina put what she learned to good use. “I was definitely able to take what I received from my studies and put it towards the management of the film’s finances, and to translate it into the field of filmmaking as a whole,” she said.
Brown believes that her time at SNHU was well spent, and that her degree is being put to good use. “My time at SNHU was wonderful. The education I received was part of the building blocks in my film making endeavors,” she said when asked about her experience on campus.
She also had a few words of advice to offer. When asked what she would say to other students working in her field, and aspiring filmmakers, she said, “Everyone has a different path in which to make art. Find your path, work with like-minded people, and be prepared to dig in and do hard work. But also celebrate rewards and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it.”
With “The Nth Ward” being released on Amazon on Tuesday, August 29, Catrina and her sister have a few hopes for the release. ‘We hope people will be entertained by it, and that they’ll support us by telling others to buy a copy.” But their plans go beyond “The Nth Ward.” “After the release of the film, we hope to continue making films in the future,” Ms. Brown said when asked about her plans for the future.
When asked about any messages tied to the film for viewers to take away, Ms. Brown said “The most important message tied to the film has been the process of making the film itself. Creating art can be difficult, but also a labor of love.” She also said, “To be a part of this project, and finish something that was challenging at times, is an accomplishment we are truly proud of.”
“Our message is to work towards your dreams, and make them a reality,” said Brown.
To read more about “The Nth Ward,” and the people that made it, visit www.thenthward.com.
