In cinema, forests are scenes of transformation and conflict. This garden project depicts the spaces of camera and subject in the forest: it is an outdoor movie set.

 

The set includes four distinct areas: an entrance, a set with Beech trees, another set with White Pine trees, and a 250’ track for a chase scene. The Beech and Pine trees form two rooms. The site is graded into terraces to allow easy access for movement of equipment and crew. The Cinematic Forest is bordered by a stand of existing, dense trees of the forest of Waterman Farm. As one approaches and then walks around and through the forest, the changing viewpoint will allow for the shifting and varied views of the overall composition. 

 

The diorama is both an exploration of the borrowed view and the role of voyeurism in film. The small hill at the entrance is a strategic location for filming. It allows the camera to capture subjects entering the forest and follow them to the first set with a continuous shot. Drawing on the color palettes that appear in the night scenes of Harry Potter and Maleficent, the diorama evokes a night location shoot with dramatic lighting.