Directors Statement

Adopt a Sailor
By Charles Evered

Adopt a Sailor was born out of my own experience, living as I was, at the intersection of two distinct worlds: the world I inhabited part time as a sailor, and the world I inhabit everyday as a writer.

I was encouraged at first, to sell the screenplay outright, but then realized----even if it were to get made----no doubt it would be made by someone with vastly more expertise than I might ever possess as a filmmaker, ---but it wouldnt be made by someone who cared about the story as much as I did. As far as politics go, it was important to me that this film not advocate anything other than humanity in general. Especially knowing that the film might start finding its way into the world during the final stretch of the US elections, I didnt want to simply preach to the choir. I wanted to tell a story about living in war time, but without writing a polemic. It was important to me, that I tell a story that could play in both red and blue states, even if I dont believe in that simplistic of a distinction between the two. In fact, after I wrote the screenplay and sent it around a little, I was struck by the fact that my decidedly liberal friends were absolutely convinced the film spoke to them---while my more conservative friends were totally convinced of the same thing.

Since this is my first time directing film, I knew the smartest thing for me to do would be to literally, shoot for story. When I had the pleasure of studying with George Roy Hill at Yale, he rammed it into our heads repeatedly: if you want to direct, get a story you care about, cast amazing actors and get out of the way. Well, thats what I tried to do. I was blessed with three amazing actors. While I know I wont be mistaken for any sort of visual whiz with the camera, I feel certain I did the right thing by shooting for story, rather than trying to impress with a visual flair that I frankly dont yet possess.

At the heart of this film, is a very simple story about a very complicated relationship between three very different people. People who meet by chance, and who, in less time than it takes to have dinner-- become a kind of family. From a structural standpoint, I of course considered opening up the movie further, ----Why not see them go to the deli? Why not show Patricia at her gallery? etc, but every time I tried to conceive the film that way, I seemed to be doing it for the sake of doing it----because convention seemed to dictate it. But in the end, I decided to come to terms with and respect what I think the core of this story is: Three people meet, have dinner, and change each others lives forever.

As I discovered in editing, more than at any other point in the process, ---the beating heart of this film----are the performances. This film was made under at times, very trying circumstances. We shot exteriors in New York City and aboard the USS Wasp. (A special thanks to all the amazing sailors on the Wasp!) The interior scenes were shot three thousand miles away and in less than two weeks time. The actors worked long, exhausting hours. Our skeletal crew was taxed to their limit. There are whole days of the experience that I swear, I dont even remember. But even given all that, if I had the chance to do it over again---with a bigger budget, or more time, I can honestly say Im not sure I would. The truth is, the relationships we built on the sets----the trials we went through, the sacrifices so many of us made----somehow, to me, that has become part of the very fiber of this film. My producer, Kim Waltrip, did an amazing job of building a family. And that family, to me, is literally reflected in the adoptive family that emerges in the story. At some point, both families melded together. And that to me, was when I began to realize the magic of making a film. Of course I hope this film gets seen by more than just a few people, but regardless of how many people end up seeing it, that magic already exists for me. And I could not be more grateful for having had a chance to experience it.

Thank you very much for your kind consideration of Adopt a Sailor.