Carson Lind, a 13-year-old hockey star, loves his life in Minnesota. When his parents decide to move to Florida to open a wacky Mexican Restaurant, he must leave his home and his childhood friend.  The Linds purchase an old Spanish home for their business that they call “The Casa Minnehaha” (The House of Laughing Waters) and hire a Mexican chef, Diego.  Unfortunately, they never bother to find out that Diego is Dominican, not Mexican.  His daughter Amanda is not thrilled with these loony Minnesotans, or with her father's role in this irreverent restaurant.

  Amused by quirky decorations, Carson's mother particularly dotes over one little pinata that she affectionately calls “Little Burro”.  When Little Burro is discovered destroyed, Carson is immediately blamed. While cleaning up the broken pinata that night, Carson is alarmed by eerie noises and finally a voice: “Vayanse de mi casa!”  Knowing he can't face his parents, Carson appeals to Amanda who then leads him on a wild ghost hunt.  They explore the spooky hallways, trying to capture floating orbs and disembodied voices on tape.  It is all very new and strange to Carson - as well as his stirring feelings for Amanda.  The kids soon discover that a Spaniard, Juan Camarillo, had built the home years ago and that his wrath must stem from the Linds' complete disregard for its history.  If Carson could only convince his parents that this historical gem of a home deserves more respect and integrity, then maybe one day Juan could rest in peace.

 

 

 

 

As a child I experienced the ups and downs of moving around the country quite a bit.  Each new move would bring forth a series of demanding emotions – feelings of loss as established friends moved on with their lives, isolation and uneasiness.  It was rough being the “new kid” in school during crucial periods of growth and social establishment.  I would soon come to realize though, that each new location brought a different geographic landscape, new people, new cultures and a regional history that I would in time learn to appreciate.  I found myself enjoying the fun little idiosyncrasies that made each new community unique and soon learned to appreciate each new locale.

 

Loon presents a young teen who experiences a similar move during a crucial period of growth.  Carson Lind is torn away from his best friend just as he enters his teenage years.  He is forced to leave his beloved Minnesota behind when his eccentric parents dream up the “Casa Minnehaha”, a  stereotypical Mexican Restaurant, with no regard or concern for culture or history.  As Carson begrudgingly tries to accept his new situation, he discovers that their new restaurant is in fact housed in an old Spanish casa with its own colorful history.  With the support of a new friend, he soon realizes that he must stand up to his parents in order to preserve the integrity of his new home.

 

It has long been a dream of mine to make quality family films that can be enjoyed by both young and old: films that delight and span generations, while giving us a sense of hope. I believe it is important to use film as a means of bringing families together and to entertain, uplift and encourage us all.  It is my sincere hope that this USC thesis project, Loon, can be the first stepping stone towards the fulfillment of this dream and that in some way it may touch the hearts of others.

 

The completion of this project marks the culmination of my career at USC as a film student and grants me the MFA degree.  It could not have been done without the incredible dedication from a team of eager filmmakers, a truly impassioned cast, the love of family and friends and of course the unyielding support and dedication of my mentor.