When the Sun Goes Dark: New Western to be Shot During Upcoming Eclipse

By Farah Cheded

‘Western Sol’ will be a cinematic first when it’s live-streamed on August 21st.

When the Moon completely covers the Sun on August 21, cameras will be rolling across the US. But newsreels and Snapchat stories aren’t going to be the only graphic evidence of this year’s total eclipse: Slackline Films and filmmakers Austin Glass and Ben Strickland are taking full advantage of this rare phenomenon, having timed the filming of their new live short, Western Sol, so that it will take place during the exact moment the stunning natural wonder will occur.

Since this rare event will be virtually unobservable outside the US, it’s only right that (as hinted in its title) the short will take the form of that quintessentially American genre: the Western. The eclipse’s path will actually only be visible in 15 states, but the team behind Western Sol want to make the event a universally inclusive, instantly shareable moment for people around the world — hence the live-streaming.

As expected, the moment the sun goes dark will play a pivotal role in the film. When a band of outlaws intimidate an honest rancher into robbing a bank on their behalf, everything looks set to go the bad guys’ way — until a mysterious “opportunity” presents a chance for the innocent man to “turn the tables on the outlaws”. No prizes for guessing what that might be.

Although Western Sol is the first to use an eclipse in a live-streamed movie, the filmmakers behind the 1961 Biblical movie Barabbas made use of that year’s solar eclipse in Italy for the filming of its crucifixion scene. If the vibe of Barabbas’ usage of the eclipse is anything to go by, I think the moment Western Sol’s day turns black will feel more than a little eerie.

The article When the Sun Goes Dark: New Western to be Shot During Upcoming Eclipse appeared first on Film School Rejects.