Welcome to Gehenna, Part 1: August 2026 Recap
Welcome to Gehenna is a monthly series of journal entries taken during the production of our next film, Gehenna. Follow along as I share the experience bringing this story from script to screen. Except when discussing plot points, these entries are completely unedited.
Sunday, August 9, 2026
The biggest chunk of filming is still months away, set for May 2027. But between now and then, we’re laying down a foundation. Backstory. This isn’t just for the cast and their characters, but for the dynamic of our team. Our goal isn’t to rehearse lines or block scenes, as important as that will be later, but to immerse ourselves in this world, letting unexpected relationships and quirks emerge.
Except for a few scenes here and there, we aren’t relying much on the actual script. Not yet. Each morning, I’ll hand the cast a general idea for the day. Maybe it’s a scenario, a feeling, or a question to explore. From there, it’s all improv. Messy. Unpredictable. And electric. Then we wait. We wait for moments of real discovery. And it may not happen. That’s perfectly okay. What I want to see will happen when nobody is trying. Someone may say something offhand or make a haphazard choice that works and surprises even themselves. Authenticity born out of months of play.
Of course, there’s anxiety. We’re leaping into the unknown, not sure if what we’re doing will actually work. But my experience tells me it will. My mind reminds me there’s no wrong way to do this—only honest attempts, honest reactions. We’re here to play, to experiment. We’re here to trust that the story will reveal itself through the risks we’re willing to take. That’s what makes this process feel alive.
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
When I first set out to make Gehenna, I pictured it as a small film with a minimal cast and crew, using only one or two locations. I’ve always loved films like Polanski’s Repulsion (1965), especially the use of limited space. A claustrophobic story that mirrors a mind unraveling. What you feel as you see Catherine Deneuve’s Carole descend into madness fascinates me, and I wanted to experiment with that stylized, yet still intimate tone. If I’m being completely honest, though, the real purpose behind Gehenna was to scratch an itch while I sought funding for Phantom People, which to me was a much larger, more complicated, and personal project.
Well, like most of life, things didn’t go quite as planned.
Tomorrow is our first day of shooting, and I find myself staring down at a script that somehow transformed from a tiny psychological thriller with traces of horror into a story about a man agonizing over existential questions about his life. Questions that I myself spent the last decade-plus struggling to answer and am still answering today. It wasn’t something I did intentionally. No eureka moment opened my eyes to who the lead character was or what the story had to say. It happened slowly. Very, very slowly. Though the film’s scope and genre remained the same, what I found buried beneath the written words caught me completely by surprise.
Personal? Yeah, I’m not sure it could be more personal.
It’s exciting to see, of course, but it’s also terrifying. And the thing is, I don’t think that’s bad. In fact, I believe being scared of what Gehenna has become is a good sign. Why spend years working on something if it doesn’t at some level feel important?
Here we go!
Thursday, August 13, 2026
The day starts with me waiting outside the hospital for Angie and Murri to show up. The air feels different. It’s supposed to be hot today, but it won’t be like this for long. Fall is almost here. Thank god. I hate summer. I keep glancing at my phone, half-expecting a message, half-hoping for a delay so I can gather my thoughts a bit longer.
My imposter syndrome won’t shut the hell up. I wonder if we’re truly ready, if I’m truly ready, or if anyone ever feels prepared for the first day. It’s been just a couple of months since the auditions, but this has been years in the making for me.
I catch myself rehearsing lines. Not lines from the script, because there are none today. Instead, I think of what to say. How do I lead them? How do I set the right tone?
Murri just turned the corner. Angie should be here any minute…
It’s time.
Deep breaths, Edd. Deep breaths.
Saturday, August 15, 2026
The footage looks great! Why does the spring have to be so far away?
Sunday, August 23, 2026
My knee’s bothering me again. Fuck, I’m getting old.
Yesterday was our second day. It was originally supposed to be the first, but the wildfires in the area had other plans. Months of preparation were suddenly paused by something completely out of my control. It sucked. Despite the AQI dropping significantly in the area and the fires being a ways from us, I emailed Patrick and Anna to say we were pushing it out. This shouldn’t have been that hard, but it was. I felt unprofessional. I worried about how they would take it. But as usual, I was nervous for nothing. I’m taking care of my team. Thankfully, they reminded me of that.
It was nice in the gorge. We shot on the same trail we used for portions of Beau Ideal. I enjoyed being back there. We even found our favorite tree. Looking back on the footage today, I saw Patrick make some joke to Anna about the river. I don’t remember what he said, and unfortunately my scratch mic didn’t pick it up, but it was funny enough that I almost tripped over some rocks.
That’s what I need—another torn ACL.
The dailies are exciting. Maybe this delay was a good thing. There’s a sense of renewal, an unspoken agreement to start fresh. As we get this rolling, I can’t help but feel grateful for the unexpected pause and the beauty of living in the Pacific Northwest.
Track our progress on the film’s official website.