‘3 Days of Normal:’ Must-See NH-based Indie Film

Independent film producer Jared Parsons and his art film director buddy Ishai Setton joined forces to create a movie that was, in its own way, comparable to the tales of an archeology professor on which a producer named George and director named Steve collaborated. The less epic, but equally artistic in its own way, “3 Days of Normal” stars co-producer/co-writer/small town NH native Jace Mclean as earnest and naïve small-town cop Bill Morgan who has never left Washington, NH.  

“3 Days” is a terrific mash-up of the TV series “Due South,” “Northern Exposure,” and every good romantic comedy from “It Happened One Night” to “Pretty in Pink.” It has been submitted for the New Hampshire Film Festival that Portsmouth is holding October 11-14, 2012.

Picking this one for the festival simply makes sense. It is difficult to imagine that any other film surpasses this movie, which was filmed almost entirely on location in Hillsborough and Washington NH, in portraying the look and sensibility of New Hampshire.

The incident that transforms Morgan’s life occurs when he discovers starlet Nikki Gold, played by Mircea Monroe, practically passed out in her car. In true romcom style, Gold initially annoys Morgan to no end and his simple charms are lost on her.

The sweet and amusing ways that the characters come together during a “detoxification” period for Gold makes this film special, and the cinematography being as crisp and clear as the early October air in which it was filmed was a great bonus.

Before discussing the entertaining insights that Setton shared in a true Hollywood style telephone interview while driving to meet the sound engineer on his current project, Parsons’ former projects (no pun intended) deserve mention. This man who has taken lots of successful chances before and kept his streak going with “3 Days” brought us both the wonderfully quirky independent flick “How I Got Lost” and the fall on the floor hilarious “Snuggle Bunny: Man’s Most Lovable Predator” short film trilogy. “Bunny” is available at funnyordie.com and is as good as anything from Monty Python or The Kids in the Hall.

Setton’s love for the area strongly came through in a manner that I, as a New Hampshire native who spent several summers at Camp Interlocken in Hillsborough, felt that I could read his mind. Setton initially stated that “the script was written with New Hampshire in mind; "Jace grew up in New Hampshire.” Setton added “I love shooting in small towns … [and] trying to capture honestly what happens in that place.”

Setton stated that he chose October 4-20, 2011, as the period for filming “3 Days” because he “was pretty dead set on filming at peak foliage time.” He went on to talk about how the leaves’ brilliant colors really added to the film and remarked that that time of year “hadn’t really been accurately portrayed in film before.”

Setton and I also discussed an important scene that occurred in Black Pond in Hillsborough. I know personally that that beautiful body of water is very cold in late-August. Setton told me that he dove in those chilly waters in September to allay McLean’s anxiety about diving into there in October. I learned as well that Mclean and Monroe were real troupers who nailed that scene in one take and that the leeches left our intrepid director and stars entirely alone.

Other touches of realism included using locals in supporting roles; Setton provided the example of the waitress at Hillsborough’s Corner Store playing the waitress at the Corner Store in the film.

On a more general level, Setton shared that he “gravitated toward older romantic comedies” in making “3 Days” and that he “loved old screwball romantic comedies.” He specifically mentioned “The Philadelphia Story” and said that he considered Morgan a Jimmy Stewart type everyman who had difficulty expressing his emotions.

Setton further expressed his sincerity and love for “3 Days” in asking that discussing his most recently completed project not overshadow that film. Setton is putting the finishing touches on “The Kitchen,” which will be a truly great film if it is half as good as its awesome poster.

“The Kitchen” is a comedy starring Laura Prepon of the TV series “That ‘70s Show” and “October Road” and Bryan Greenberg of the TV series “October Road” and “How to Make it in America.” It occurs entirely in the kitchen of Prepon’s character during her 30th birthday party. Setton is getting me a copy, and I promise to share my (and Setton’s) thoughts on this one when I get to see it.

Although all of the action in “The Kitchen” occurs in one location, and the film was shot in an actual kitchen, Setton stated that he did not make the movie in one single take ala Hitchcock’s “Rope.” When I commented that “The Kitchen” might make a good stage play, Setton stated that that possibility was being explored.

My conversation with Setton ended with my asking if he planned to continue making high-quality art films or wanted to move onto larger projects. He replied with a very strong smile in his voice that “I would like to make things where everyone gets paid.”