When we set out to make Thoughts Become Things, every creative decision was intentional. That included where we filmed. Each of the six locations was chosen not just for how it looks on screen, but for what it means to Bermuda and to the story we were telling.
Here is a brief look at each one.
Garage and Home Scene, Devil’s Hole, Smiths Parish This is Stephan’s own family home. Filming here was personal and deliberate. The neighborhood itself carries history in its name, which dates back to the eerie sound produced when the roof of a nearby cave collapsed and wind moved through the resulting hole. Early settlers thought it was the devil moaning.
Opening Dream Scene, Railway Trail Tunnel, Southampton Parish The Bermuda Railway operated between 1931 and 1948. What remains today are trails and tunnels that carry the quiet weight of that era. The tunnel felt like the perfect entry point into a dream.
African Ancestors Scene, Horseshoe Bay Beach, Southampton Parish One of Bermuda’s most iconic locations, Horseshoe Bay is also, a perfect place for conversations with the moon.
Native Ancestors Scene, St. David’s Island, St. Georges Parish St. David’s is home to Bermuda’s Native American community, dating back to the seventeenth century. Filming here was not just a location choice. It was an act of respect and acknowledgement.
Street Scene, Court Street, Pembroke Parish Court Street has deep roots in Gombey culture and a rich history of Black-owned businesses. For a film rooted in ancestry and identity, there was nowhere else this scene could have been filmed.
All Ancestors Scene, Southlands Park, Warwick Parish Southlands is 37 acres of land with 300 years of island history in its roots. It is also home to the biggest Banyan grove in Bermuda, remarkably made up of just three trees. When we needed a place where all the ancestors could gather, Southlands was the answer.
Every location was chosen. Every scene has roots.
