Trivia / Fallen (2021)

• Actor-Inspired Element:
  • Adam Douglas decided that George would carry the copy of The Strand magazine protectively for the walking scenes.
  • Michele McNally came up with Eden's makeup herself. She also had a hand in pitching suggestions for her costume.
• Based on a Dream: The Reveal was in fact inspired by a dream Bobby Calloway had years previously.
• Corpsing: Before shooting their scene, Michele McNally had joked that she kept thinking her line referenced 'Queens' or 'Queensland' rather than Yorkshire. As a result, when actually filming her closeups, Bobby Calloway kept bursting into hysterical giggles (even though Michele was saying the line right). He had to actually turn away from her for that line to avoid Corpsing.
• Creator Recovery: Bobby Calloway had attempted to get the film shot twice during the COVID-19 pandemic, but shelved it out of nerves. Winning an award for the screenplay however encouraged him to properly get it done, and he credits the experience with helping him fall in love with film again.
• Deleted Scene: A scene was filmed where Alex tries to prove the Cottingley photos were faked and getting exasperated when George still won't stop believing, and the latter giving him a speech in response. It was cut because the sound was punctuated with screaming children walking near the set, as well as not adding anything to the narrative that hadn't already been said.
• Doing It for the Art: Ronya Phoenix made the corset for Eden herself, both her and Bobby Calloway paying out of their own pockets to make the costume as stunning as possible.
• Dyeing for Your Art:
  • Adam Douglas had his hair cropped short for the role. His cut off hair was then used as a prop in his first scene.
  • Michele McNally had been dyeing her hair pink at the time she was cast, and opted to go back to her natural brown rather than wearing a wig. She was also tight-laced into a corset, and had to perform a substantial amount of the film barefoot.
  • Bobby Calloway joked that he "ate very little for a week" to convincingly look like a starving World War I soldier.
• Fake Brit: Adam Douglas is Irish putting on an English accent as George. Bobby Calloway is Irish as well, but speaks with an English accent naturally. Word of God is that he'd have been happy to let Adam use his natural voice, but he himself couldn't do an Irish accent to match. Michele McNally uses her own voice as Eden.
• Never Work with Children or Animals: During one of the first scenes, a herd of sheep wandered nearby. Producer Greg Young basically ran after them loudly to chase them out of where they'd be visible in shot.
• Orphaned Reference: George tells Eden "I saw you the other day", referencing the planned first scene (see below). It does however still tie into his dreams/visions about her.
• Playing Against Type:
  • Michele McNally had mainly done Action Girl roles beforehand. Playing an ethereal Mysterious Waif was a different step for her.
  • Adam Douglas had done comedies like The Nutters and Mr Peterson playing various Lovable Rogues. A shell-shocked soldier trying to hold onto his idealism is a different turn, as well as being his first proper dramatic role.
• Production Posse:
  • Bobby Calloway, Adam Douglas, producer Greg Young and costume designer Ronya Phoenix had all worked together on Mr Peterson. Adam was even cast based off his work there.
  • Adam Douglas, Michele McNally, Bobby Calloway and crew members Greg Young and Dana Lee Al Qattan all appeared in Disembodied Hitman as well.
• Reality Subtext: Bobby Calloway later admitted that his and Adam Douglas's real life dynamic ended up paralleling their characters for a while.
  "I think it was one of those times where, without really intending it, we sorta became those characters for a while. I wonder how long it'll take to shake that off..."
• Throw It In!:
  • During George's "No More Holding Back" Speech, Adam Douglas improvised clapping Alex on the shoulder and saying "you're the only guardian angel I need, Alex".
  • The pendant Alex holds up in the last scene was just a prop that had been bought for another film, but Bobby Calloway opted to add it in.
• Tuckerization: George's last name 'Wright' comes from Elsie Wright, one of the girls who photographed the Cottingley Fairies. It also references Jack Wright, who was Adam Douglas's understudy.
• Typecasting: One of many soldier roles Bobby Calloway has played, and the second time he's played a World War I soldier after Victories.
• What Could Have Been:
  • The original script would open in the middle of the battle, where George would catch a glimpse of Eden. This was dropped to streamline the story.
  • Things were more overtly fantastical in the initial draft (including Eden first appearing as a ball of light), before getting toned down to Magic Realism.
  • Eden had multiple names such as Harmony, Faith and Fae - which were all changed for seeming too on the nose.
  • Eden was originally going to have a blue cape, as shown in this Instagram video, but they opted for the grey one instead. Costume designer Ronya Phoenix was pushing for her to wear a white one.
  • Adam Douglas suggested that George and Alex salute each other at the end, which everyone loved. But they forgot to do that when they were actually filming. Eden was also scripted to kiss George on the forehead, but that was dropped because of the height difference between the actors.