Short film by Taylor Guterson is based on a story by his father David.

It isn’t the graceful lighting or the panoramic views of sagebrush flatlands that local filmmaker Taylor Guterson is most proud of when he speaks of his entry in this year’s Celluloid Bainbridge Film Festival.

“I guess I’m most proud that I got it done,” the 23-year-old island native said of “Opening Day,” his 22-minute short film about an old duck hunter coming to grips with his age.

A recent University of Washington cinema studies graduate, Guterson wrestled with uncooperative natural elements to produce a story that captures the silence of the hunt and deafening quiet of unspoken emotions.

“In school you always hear about these master directors with their awesome visions,” he said. “I had those too.

“But then you get out there and nothing – the places, the lighting – is how you wanted it to be.”

The pre-dawn hours, in which much of the film is set, never lasted long enough to complete full scenes or allow the three actors to nail their lines.

Based on a short story by Guterson’s father, author David Guterson, the young filmmaker found the printed words often didn’t flow off the living tongue.

“As soon as I abandoned my preconceived ideas, I got over it,” he said. “I quit trying to stick to a plan and it got better.”

Guterson adapted, shooting some early morning scenes late at night with actors revising lines for a more natural feel.

“This is a pretty important film for Taylor,” said Bob Burkholder, who plays the old hunter in the film. “It was taken from one of his dad’s short stories, so he wanted to do well by it. It was tough to do everything by himself, and I have great admiration for the young lad. He was very professional and has all kinds of patience.”

The film has perhaps the the broadest base of local connections in the festival. The story, the actors, the crew and director are all homegrown. Many scenes were shot on the island, including the Guterson family’s pond, Burkholder’s apartment and the Streamliner Diner.

Guterson’s younger brother Travis and Bainbridge Performing Arts actor Bob Cederwall rounded out the cast.

Guterson’s cousin Gillon Crichton was an indispensable helper, while Guterson’s mom cooked up the pancakes and eggs served to a dozen extras for a late-night breakfast scene.

Despite the early mornings and arduous three-day shoot in Eastern Washington, Burkholder, himself a longtime duck hunter, said he enjoyed learning about the filmmaking process.

“I learned two important things,” he said. “Number one: it’s a heck of a lot of work. Number two: nothing’s real. We were out there at night when it was supposed to be morning. We were looking up at the sky where there were no ducks. And when we shot at the ducks that weren’t there, we were shooting blanks.”

While Guterson credits Burkholder for many of the film’s best scenes, he said he probably wouldn’t have finished the film if it weren’t for the festival.

That’s why the festival exists, said program director Kathleen Thorne. The Bainbridge Arts and Humanities Council has organized the festival for seven years to give island filmmakers a goal and an audience, she said.

“(Guterson) is a good example of why we do Celluloid Bainbridge: to provide a venue for student and emerging filmmakers,” she said. “I suspect that some of the films we have shown through the years wouldn’t get finished if not for the knowledge that they would be shown at Celluloid Bainbridge, if nowhere else.

“And it gives aspiring filmmakers a real deadline – something we all sometimes need to make that extra push towards completion.”

Filmed last March and edited over the last year, Guterson said he’s glad to put “Opening Day” on the shelf and move on to a new project. He hopes to begin a new short film for next year’s festival based on another of his dad’s stories.

“To see your work on the big screen makes it all worthwhile,” he said. “The festival is really what pushes you.”

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A reel good time

The seventh annual Celluloid Bainbridge Film Festival runs Feb. 12-13 at Lynwood Theatre, with Taylor Guterson’s “Opening Day” screening at 6:22 p.m. Sunday.

Co-sponsored by the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council and the Lynwood Theatre, the festival showcases movies that were either filmed on Bainbridge or feature an islander in the cast or crew. The record 36 entries this year pushed organizers to expand the festival into a two-day event. Entries include documentaries, short dramas, animation projects, experimental works and feature length films.

Shows run this Saturday at 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The festival picks up again Sunday at 9 a.m. and ends at 8:30 p.m. Films made by and for children are shown primarily between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is by donation. All shows are at the Lynwood Theatre.

For more information, call 842-7901 or see the Bainbridge Arts and Humanities Council’s website at www.artshum.org for the complete schedule.