An Arrangement of Skin

Several years ago I taught at Salt Lake Community College in the film department as an adjunct staff member. My favorite part of the position allowed me to give students the support they needed to tell their stories through cinema. I am impressed with the professionalism and skill that comes from young filmmakers starting their storytelling journey.

In a chilling exploration of family ties and the macabre, Cayden Turnbow’s short film, ‘An Arrangement of Skin,’ takes viewers on a haunting journey into the world of taxidermy and fractured relationships. The 14-minute horror/drama, shot entirely in Utah, weaves a tale of desperation, fear, and the unexpected bonds that tie us together.

The film centers around Abraham, portrayed by Dave Martinez, as he attempts to reconnect with his taxidermy-obsessed brother, Malachi, played by David Van Freankenhuijsen, in the aftermath of their mother’s passing. Marianne Bess delivers a captivating performance as Mother, adding depth to the family dynamics.

In my exclusive interview, Cayden Turnbow delves into the origins of the film’s eerie concept. Turnbow recounts that inspiration struck after watching ‘Midsommar,’ leading Turnbow to explore the idea of a taxidermied human. However, it was the fear of losing the chance to mend his relationship with his own brother, who was serving in Iraq at the time, that infused the storyline with a personal touch.

“I didn’t have the best relationship with my brother at the time,” said Turnbow “and when I found out he was leaving I was scared that I would never get the chance to rekindle that relationship. We’re closer now but that fear is very much what inspired aspects of the plot in An Arrangement of Skin.”

As a student at the University of Utah, Turnbow made strategic use of available resources. Enlisting the help of talented alumni, including DP Jack Houghton and Sound Mixer Jasmin Xanthos, Turnbow managed to bring his vision to life. The Film Production Club, along with mentors Sonia and Miriam Albert-Sobrino, played crucial roles in supporting the ambitious project.

“I utilized literally every resource that was available to me for this film and beyond. The gear and students were one thing but I also had the pleasure of bringing on a number of alumni to the set,” said Turnbow. “I was able to receive a number of grants through the Undergraduate College that helped immensely. Funny enough I found another less traditional route that helped fund my film as well. That year I was able to receive a scholarship that paid for my housing on campus and I made the decision to leave that housing for my final semester because I could receive a refund for the remaining amount that would have otherwise been applied to my dorm, I put it all back into the movie.”

The casting process, Turnbow’s favorite part of directing, involved a wide search for talent.

“I chose to only film with three actors, and specifically only two with speaking roles so that I could push myself to focus on working with those actors specifically. I cast a wide net for auditions; talent agencies, Facebook groups, casting calls, and even actors I already knew. After initial video auditions, I had callbacks and eventually a chemistry test between 4 of my top picks. It’s funny though because even with all that preparation on the first day of set I received a call from one of my two actors, he had gotten Covid. So while the rest of my crew were setting up for the first shot my producer and AD were helping me track down the other actor that made it to that chemistry test. We eventually got ahold of him and he was there that day to take on the role of Malachi. The rest of the day I was running between giving direction on set and running back to rehearse with my actors. “

Despite facing unexpected challenges on set, the chemistry between the actors, David Van Frankenhuijsen and Dave Martinez, elevated the film to unforeseen heights. Turnbow also acknowledges the indispensable contributions of producer Bronwyn Laherty and Assistant Director Ali Akbari in navigating the casting hurdles.

Reflecting on the film’s production, Turnbow highlights the creation of a pivotal prop—a taxidermy version of a human head—as a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. The meticulous process involved collaborating with a talented artist, Emily Madsen, who brought the nightmarish vision to life.

“I didn’t know where to even start with this, but luckily I met someone in a web design class who created a portfolio site for a ton of cosplay costumes/props that she made from scratch. I talked to her after class about the possibility of creating a taxidermy human head and she was down to take a stab at it. We basically took one of those hairdresser plastic heads and built it out of plaster from there. We had to buy fake teeth, eyeballs, stitches etc. Then in post, I made some slight alterations in After Effects to make it work even better.”

However, not all challenges were artistic; acquiring taxidermy animals proved to be a daunting task. Turnbow shares the intricacies of securing the animals, from crawling through dusty attics to strategically mounting them on the set. The dedication of the art director, Ken Gondor, and Aura Martinez Sandoval, played a vital role in bringing the unsettling environment to the screen.

“Getting the taxidermy animals was a much larger ordeal than I could have ever imagined. One, finding people who had taxidermy animals that I could borrow was the first hurdle because renting them would be astronomically more expensive than I could afford. Luckily, I was able to use a combination of my uncle’s and my set designer’s late brother-in-law’s taxidermy collections to fill the space. It took multiple days of crawling through dusty attics and basements as well as strategizing a safe way to transport all of the animals to get them to set.”

” We also had to be extremely careful with how we mounted them on the walls, I was lucky enough to be using a friend’s house for this shoot so they let me put in a few nails in the walls but most of them had to be on command hooks. My art director even went the extra mile to weigh every animal that we hung on the wall and made extra sure to use more than what we needed for them to be secure.”

‘An Arrangement of Skin’ served as a transformative experience for Turnbow, igniting a passion for independent narrative filmmaking. While co-producing the upcoming film, “Post Credits,” Turnbow is already brewing ideas for his next project, promising something even more daring.

“I’ve been lucky to find myself within a talented cohort of filmmakers with a similar passion.”

For those eager to follow Cayden Turnbow’s filmmaking journey, he invites audiences to connect with him on Instagram (@caydenturnbow). Additionally, the film has its dedicated Instagram page (@aaos_film), providing a deeper insight into the eerie world of ‘An Arrangement of Skin.’