Corona del Mar High grad’s new film probes bullying and social media
Caryn Waechter did not encounter bullying during her days at Corona del Mar High School in the early 1990s. But when she recently directed her first feature, “The Sisterhood of Night,” she learned just how serious and common bullying can be for teenagers.
The New York resident used social media to find out how teenagers today communicate with each other. What she found was that bullying seems to be prevalent more than ever, thanks to the ease of communication and anonymity through online platforms.
“It’s a whole other experience of being a teenager today,” she said. “Back when I was a teenager, you were probably bullied and you came home, and that was it. Now, today, how kids communicate is, they’re always in touch with each other, and with the Internet, it’s easier for bullies to be mean. That’s scary. People are willing to say a lot more behind the mask of a computer rather than face-to-face.”
“The Sisterhood of Night,” which was released in select theaters April 10 and is based on a short story by Steven Millhauser, portrays a group of high school girls who swear off social media and find a different way to share thoughts and secrets. When Emily (Kara Hayward) finds out about the “sisterhood,” she tells others about the group, describing them through a blog as witches who experiment with sexuality and Satan worship.
With Georgie Henley of “The Chronicles of Narnia” as Mary Warren, the leader of the so-called cult, the casting of teenage actresses in the film helps its authentic feel.
“We looked everywhere for the best girls to fit the roles,” Waechter said. “It was a very long process to get the right girls, but when we got the auditions for Georgie Henley, Kara Hayward, Willa Cuthrell and Olivia DeJonge, there was no doubt. When we saw their auditions, it was magical. The girls are amazing and are such professionals at such a young age. I’m really excited for them for this movie.”
Kara, 16, said she was 13 when she filmed the movie. She described Waechter as a welcoming director who worked closely and was social with the teenage actors to better understand their characteristics.
“Caryn was really sweet, fun and excited to work with us,” Kara said. “The first night of filming, she took us out for ice cream. She was really sweet. She was an integral part in creating the sisterhood, and the energy that she brought was very important. ... Filming this movie was a wonderful experience, the whole shoot. We got to play around with improvising, which is something I didn’t get to do in my first film [Wes Anderson’s ‘Moonrise Kingdom’]. It was a great learning experience.”
For Waechter, who graduated from high school a good decade before the advent of social media, the film was a learning experience as well.
At Corona del Mar High, Waechter said, she was a relatively quiet, artsy girl who dreamed of becoming a writer and dancer. She didn’t realize her passion for filmmaking until grad school at Columbia University, where her professors urged her to think about becoming a director instead of a film critic.
“I feel like directing is like choreography, but with images,” she said. “I love my job because I’m so passionate about it, but it doesn’t feel like my job. It’s kind of funny. Looking back, I see how all the little things that I love came together.”
While some could compare “The Sisterhood of Night” to films like “The Craft,” Waechter said she didn’t research other teen movies for inspiration and instead learned from films such as the German war feature “Das Boot.”
“I wanted to see how society looks in a contained space,” she said. “I really looked to [‘Das Boot’] in terms of claustrophobia and watched ‘Dead Poets Society’ to learn about brotherhood.”
She said she also took inspiration from teenage photographers, which she found on social media platforms like Tumblr and Flickr. Waechter said seeing the photographs gave her insight into today’s teenage world and helped her movie feel more real.
“Nowadays, teenagers have these cameras where they can be so creative,” she said. “I really wanted the movie to feel authentic to today’s teenager, rather than an adult trying to be cool and trying to show what teens are like.”
Waechter also said that while the Internet can be a frightening place, it can also be a means of sanctuary for teenagers who come together through online forums and blogs. She shows this theme in the film through Emily’s blog, where random and anonymous teenage girls open up for the first time about their sexual abuse.
“I didn’t want to make the Internet bad or good,” Waechter said. “We can’t live without the Internet, so it just really shows how damaging or scary the Internet can be for teens today but how also it can bring people together.”
Like Waechter, Kara said she hasn’t encountered much bullying at her own high school, but she noted that the film shows a shocking reality of the consequences of posting personal or libelous information online.
The actress, whose character can be almost seen as a villain thanks to her blog attacking the sisterhood, said she hopes the film spreads a message to viewers that they should be cautious about what they post online. The harsh reality, she said, is that information can be spread more quickly and to wider audiences because of the Internet.
“I felt like ‘Sisterhood’ dealt with some very important issues and handled them in a wonderful way,” she said. “When used properly, social media can be a great tool for communication. I’ve seen bad things happen online but haven’t had any involvement. Why do people do this? There’s no reason why people should be saying things over the Internet like that.
“The thing that ‘Sisterhood’ talks about is how these things can spiral out of control, and I feel the film did a wonderful job dealing with that issue. Young kids may not understand the impact they have by posting certain things online.”
“The Sisterhood of Night” is currently being screened at two California theaters — the Burbank Town Center 8 and the 4 Star Theatre in San Francisco — as well as on iTunes.