Where the Powder Horns Lie
Amidst the roar of muskets and the haze of a summer re-enactment, James grapples with the weight of history, the sting of black powder, and a burgeoning, confusing connection with Pavel, a boy from the 'other side'.
# Where the Powder Horns Lie - Project Treatment
## Project Overview
**Format:** Feature film, 90–105 minutes
**Genre:** Coming-of-Age / Queer Romance / Prestige Drama
**Tone References:**
* **_Call Me By Your Name_**: For its depiction of a sun-drenched, sensual, and formative summer romance, where unspoken feelings and minute gestures carry immense emotional weight.
* **_Moonlight_**: For its tender and poetic exploration of burgeoning queer identity and masculinity within a specific, rigid subculture.
* **_God's Own Country_**: For its use of a raw, physical landscape as a mirror for the characters' internal turmoil and the power of their non-verbal communication.
* **_Portrait of a Lady on Fire_**: For its masterful study of the forbidden gaze, stolen moments, and the creation of a private world within a world of strict rules.
**Target Audience:** The A24 prestige drama crowd; fans of character-driven, atmospheric queer cinema; audiences who appreciate nuanced, slow-burn storytelling.
**Logline:** In the hyper-masculine world of historical reenactments, a teenage boy playing a British soldier finds his loyalties tested when he develops a secret, burgeoning romance with a charismatic member of the opposing 'American' army.
## Visual Language & Cinematic Style
The film's visual identity will be a dance between the epic and the intimate. The battle sequences will be shot with a sense of chaotic grandeur, but always anchored to James’s subjective experience—lenses smeared with dirt, sun-flares obscuring vision, the frame choked with acrid grey smoke. The palette is dominated by the faded primary colours of the uniforms—scarlet red and navy blue—set against the parched, golden-brown of a late-summer field. We will use long lenses to compress the space between James and Pavel on the battlefield, creating a false intimacy amidst dozens of other men. In contrast, their private moments will be captured with a more fluid, handheld camera, often in tight close-ups that emphasize the texture of wool, the glint of sweat on skin, the grime under fingernails. The encampment at golden hour becomes a liminal space, where the light is soft and forgiving, transforming the canvas tents and crackling fires into a temporary, almost magical home where new identities can be forged.
## Tone & Mood
The emotional rhythm of the film is a symphony of contrasts, mirroring the world it depicts. It moves between the deafening, percussive roar of musket volleys and the charged, near-perfect stillness of a shared glance across a field. The tone is predominantly one of nostalgic melancholy, a bittersweet ache for a summer that feels both infinite and tragically fleeting. It is a slow-burn romance, where tension builds not in grand declarations, but in the spaces between words, in the accidental brush of fingers on a tin canteen, in the shared breath held during a moment of quiet understanding. While steeped in a dramatic yearning, the film will find moments of gentle, teasing humour in the boys' interactions, reflecting the genuine joy and giddiness of first love that can bloom in the most unexpected of places. The overall mood is one of introspection and discovery, capturing the feeling of being a historical actor and a contemporary teenager all at once.
## Themes & Cinematic Expression
The central theme is the performance of identity. James is literally playing a role—a soldier, a historical figure—which serves as a metaphor for the social roles he feels pressured to perform in his life. This is expressed visually through the motif of uniforms: the stiff, uncomfortable wool serves as both a costume and an emotional armour. When James and Pavel are together, out of sight, they often shed a piece of their uniform—a jacket, a hat—symbolizing them shedding their prescribed roles. Sound design will be crucial in exploring the theme of authenticity versus artifice; the booming, theatrical commands of Sergeant Davies will be contrasted with the subtle, natural sounds of the boys' private world: the chirping of crickets, the gentle lapping of creek water, the sound of their own breathing. The film explores how history is not just a collection of grand battles, but a series of quiet, personal moments that define who we are, and how true courage is not found in holding a line, but in daring to cross it for the sake of connection.
## Character Arcs
### James
James begins the story as a quiet observer, more comfortable in the defined role of a British redcoat than in his own skin. The reenactment is his escape from the undefined pressures of his future and the awkwardness of adolescence. His defining flaw is a deep-seated passivity, a fear of disrupting the carefully constructed order of things, whether it's a battle formation or his own suppressed feelings. His attraction to Pavel is the inciting incident of his internal war. Over the course of the summer, James's journey is one of learning to trust his own instincts over the "orders" he's been given his whole life. He is forced to confront the fact that his uniform is a hiding place. His arc culminates in an act of symbolic rebellion, where he chooses an authentic, messy human connection over the clean, heroic narrative of the reenactment. He ends the film not as a soldier, but as himself—quieter, perhaps, but no longer hiding.
### Pavel
Pavel is initially presented through James’s eyes as the confident, effortlessly charming "enemy." He moves with an ease and self-possession that James envies, his banter and winks suggesting a worldliness James lacks. However, his role as the alluring "other" is also a performance. Pavel's flaw is a carefully constructed emotional guard; he uses charm and confidence as a shield for his own vulnerabilities and loneliness. The reenactment is his escape, too, but from a different kind of pressure—perhaps a difficult family life or the loneliness of feeling different in his own town. His arc involves slowly letting that guard down, revealing the sensitive, thoughtful person beneath the roguish soldier persona. His connection with James becomes the first place he feels he doesn't have to perform. He learns to risk genuine intimacy, moving from a position of playful antagonism to one of profound emotional honesty.
### Sergeant Davies
Sergeant Davies is the embodiment of the reenactment world's rules and its rigid, traditional masculinity. He is not a villain, but an obstacle rooted in sincere passion. For him, history is a sacred text to be followed without deviation, and the bonds between men are forged in the simplicity of shared, noble conflict. His role in the story is to represent the system that James and Pavel must navigate and, ultimately, subvert. He is the voice of order, the bellowing command to "hold the line" that James must learn to ignore. Davies's arc is subtle; he may never understand the boys' connection, but a single moment of quiet observation—seeing a look pass between them that he can't quite decipher—may plant a seed of realization that there are histories being written on his battlefield that he knows nothing about, leaving him a slightly more complex, if not fully changed, figure.
## Detailed Narrative Treatment (Act Structure / Episodes)
### Act I
We are introduced to the hot, sticky, and thrilling world of a War of 1812 reenactment through the eyes of JAMES. He is dedicated but awkward, finding a strange comfort in the rigid structure and historical cosplay. During a chaotic skirmish, his focus is broken by PAVEL, a confident soldier on the opposing American side. Their eyes lock through the musket smoke—a moment of unexpected, electric connection. Later, the fragile truce of the encampment allows for small, charged interactions. The key sequence from the source material unfolds at the water pump: an awkward conversation, the accidental brush of fingers, and a shared understanding that something is passing between them that has nothing to do with the pretend war. Their relationship is established as a secret curiosity, a spark of vulnerability in a world of performative toughness. The act culminates when they agree to meet later, by the creek, away from the watchful eyes of the camp—their first intentional step across enemy lines.
### Act II
In the heart of the summer, James and Pavel's secret relationship blossoms in stolen moments. They find sanctuary in the woods bordering the camp, sharing secrets about their real lives—the lives they shed when they put on their uniforms. The physical and emotional intimacy grows, a stark contrast to the staged violence of their days. This idyllic bubble is threatened by near-misses; they are almost discovered by SERGEANT DAVIES, forcing them to be more careful. The midpoint is a moment of pure, unguarded connection—a clandestine night swim in the river, where out of uniform and under the moon, they are no longer soldiers, but simply two boys falling for each other. However, the pressures of their world mount. A disagreement between the "British" and "American" commanders creates real tension in the camp, forcing James and Pavel into a genuine feeling of opposition. The "All Is Lost" moment arrives when, during a particularly aggressive skirmish, Pavel is accidentally injured. In a moment of panic, James breaks rank to help him, earning the public scorn of Sergeant Davies and exposing their connection to unwanted scrutiny. Fearing the consequences, James retreats, pushing a hurt and confused Pavel away.
### Act III
The final weekend of the summer reenactment season has arrived. James is miserable, isolated within his own regiment and consumed by regret. He avoids Pavel, dutifully following Davies's orders, but his heart is no longer in the performance. The final, grand battle is the film's climax. The air is thick with smoke and the roar of cannon. In the midst of the chaos, James sees Pavel across the field, looking defeated and alone. He is faced with a choice: follow orders and complete the performance, or follow his heart. In a profound act of surrender, James lays his musket on the ground. He walks, not runs, across the open field, a lone red figure moving through the smoke toward the blue line. He isn't charging or retreating; he is simply crossing over. He reaches Pavel, and in front of everyone, their hands find each other. The battle falters around them as some men stop to stare, confused. It is not a victory for the British or the Americans, but a quiet, personal truce. The resolution finds the camp being packed away. The magic is fading. James and Pavel meet one last time, in their 21st-century clothes. They look like strangers, but they are not. They exchange phone numbers, a promise of a future beyond this summer. The final shot is of James in his car, driving away, the smell of gunpowder faintly clinging to him—a reminder of the battle he finally won.
## Episode/Scene Beat Sheet (Source Material)
1. James stands in the British line, physically uncomfortable in his wool uniform, his focus split between the battle and his inner world.
2. Sergeant Davies shouts the order to "Load! Present! Fire!"
3. James performs the rote actions of loading his musket, the taste of black powder on his tongue, his thoughts consumed by Pavel.
4. He fires, the kickback jolting him as another cloud of smoke obscures his vision.
5. Through a break in the smoke, James sees Pavel on the American side. Their eyes meet in a charged, significant moment.
6. Pavel gives a subtle, almost imperceptible nod, which James questions as real or imagined.
7. The whistle blows for a strategic retreat, and James stumbles, the unglamorous reality of the reenactment crashing in.
8. **Later, at the encampment:** James sits alone, cleaning his musket, feeling a profound sense of yearning and disconnection from the boisterous men around him.
9. Desperate for water, he heads to the camp's hand-pump.
10. He finds Pavel there, his back turned. James hesitates before approaching.
11. James's arrival startles Pavel, initiating an awkward but gentle conversation.
12. Pavel notes that James seemed "lost" during the battle, showing a perceptive concern.
13. Pavel offers James his canteen. As James takes it, their fingers brush for a fleeting, electric second.
14. James feels a jolt from the contact and quickly pulls his hand away.
15. They fall into easy, playful banter about their rival sides, breaking the tension.
16. Pavel departs with a charismatic wink and a warning: "Try not to die in the next big battle."
17. James is left alone by the pump, contemplating the encounter as twilight descends.
18. Leaning against a tree, he reflects on his confusing feelings, framing them within the context of the reenactment—a space between a recreated past and an unknown future. His internal battle, he realizes, is the only one that truly matters.
## Creative Statement
_Where the Powder Horns Lie_ uses the unique, vivid subculture of historical reenactment as a crucible for a timeless coming-of-age story. It is a film about the uniforms we wear, both literally and figuratively, to hide our true selves. In a world obsessed with authenticity, the story explores the paradox of finding one's most authentic self while engaged in a meticulous performance of the past. This is not just a queer love story; it is a story about the courage it takes to break rank, to defy the script you've been handed, and to cross the no-man's-land that separates who you are from who you are pretending to be. By setting this deeply personal narrative against a backdrop of staged, masculine conflict, we aim to explore the quiet, internal battles that truly define us. This film matters now because it speaks to a generation grappling with identity in a world of curated performances, reminding us that the most profound connections are often found in the unscripted moments, far from the roar of the crowd.
## Audience Relevance
Contemporary audiences, particularly younger viewers, are deeply engaged with themes of identity, performance, and the search for authentic connection in a fractured world. _Where the Powder Horns Lie_ taps directly into this zeitgeist. While the 1812 setting is unique, the core conflict is universal: the struggle to reconcile one's inner self with external expectations. The film's appeal lies in its fresh context for a familiar story, subverting the tropes of both the war film and the teen romance. Audiences fatigued by spectacle will be drawn to its quiet intimacy and emotional depth. The story resonates with the universal experience of a first love—the intensity, the awkwardness, the feeling of a secret world shared by only two people. It offers a hopeful and tender narrative for queer audiences, while its themes of bravery, identity, and finding one's place will connect with anyone who has ever felt like they were playing a part.
## Project Overview
**Format:** Feature film, 90–105 minutes
**Genre:** Coming-of-Age / Queer Romance / Prestige Drama
**Tone References:**
* **_Call Me By Your Name_**: For its depiction of a sun-drenched, sensual, and formative summer romance, where unspoken feelings and minute gestures carry immense emotional weight.
* **_Moonlight_**: For its tender and poetic exploration of burgeoning queer identity and masculinity within a specific, rigid subculture.
* **_God's Own Country_**: For its use of a raw, physical landscape as a mirror for the characters' internal turmoil and the power of their non-verbal communication.
* **_Portrait of a Lady on Fire_**: For its masterful study of the forbidden gaze, stolen moments, and the creation of a private world within a world of strict rules.
**Target Audience:** The A24 prestige drama crowd; fans of character-driven, atmospheric queer cinema; audiences who appreciate nuanced, slow-burn storytelling.
**Logline:** In the hyper-masculine world of historical reenactments, a teenage boy playing a British soldier finds his loyalties tested when he develops a secret, burgeoning romance with a charismatic member of the opposing 'American' army.
## Visual Language & Cinematic Style
The film's visual identity will be a dance between the epic and the intimate. The battle sequences will be shot with a sense of chaotic grandeur, but always anchored to James’s subjective experience—lenses smeared with dirt, sun-flares obscuring vision, the frame choked with acrid grey smoke. The palette is dominated by the faded primary colours of the uniforms—scarlet red and navy blue—set against the parched, golden-brown of a late-summer field. We will use long lenses to compress the space between James and Pavel on the battlefield, creating a false intimacy amidst dozens of other men. In contrast, their private moments will be captured with a more fluid, handheld camera, often in tight close-ups that emphasize the texture of wool, the glint of sweat on skin, the grime under fingernails. The encampment at golden hour becomes a liminal space, where the light is soft and forgiving, transforming the canvas tents and crackling fires into a temporary, almost magical home where new identities can be forged.
## Tone & Mood
The emotional rhythm of the film is a symphony of contrasts, mirroring the world it depicts. It moves between the deafening, percussive roar of musket volleys and the charged, near-perfect stillness of a shared glance across a field. The tone is predominantly one of nostalgic melancholy, a bittersweet ache for a summer that feels both infinite and tragically fleeting. It is a slow-burn romance, where tension builds not in grand declarations, but in the spaces between words, in the accidental brush of fingers on a tin canteen, in the shared breath held during a moment of quiet understanding. While steeped in a dramatic yearning, the film will find moments of gentle, teasing humour in the boys' interactions, reflecting the genuine joy and giddiness of first love that can bloom in the most unexpected of places. The overall mood is one of introspection and discovery, capturing the feeling of being a historical actor and a contemporary teenager all at once.
## Themes & Cinematic Expression
The central theme is the performance of identity. James is literally playing a role—a soldier, a historical figure—which serves as a metaphor for the social roles he feels pressured to perform in his life. This is expressed visually through the motif of uniforms: the stiff, uncomfortable wool serves as both a costume and an emotional armour. When James and Pavel are together, out of sight, they often shed a piece of their uniform—a jacket, a hat—symbolizing them shedding their prescribed roles. Sound design will be crucial in exploring the theme of authenticity versus artifice; the booming, theatrical commands of Sergeant Davies will be contrasted with the subtle, natural sounds of the boys' private world: the chirping of crickets, the gentle lapping of creek water, the sound of their own breathing. The film explores how history is not just a collection of grand battles, but a series of quiet, personal moments that define who we are, and how true courage is not found in holding a line, but in daring to cross it for the sake of connection.
## Character Arcs
### James
James begins the story as a quiet observer, more comfortable in the defined role of a British redcoat than in his own skin. The reenactment is his escape from the undefined pressures of his future and the awkwardness of adolescence. His defining flaw is a deep-seated passivity, a fear of disrupting the carefully constructed order of things, whether it's a battle formation or his own suppressed feelings. His attraction to Pavel is the inciting incident of his internal war. Over the course of the summer, James's journey is one of learning to trust his own instincts over the "orders" he's been given his whole life. He is forced to confront the fact that his uniform is a hiding place. His arc culminates in an act of symbolic rebellion, where he chooses an authentic, messy human connection over the clean, heroic narrative of the reenactment. He ends the film not as a soldier, but as himself—quieter, perhaps, but no longer hiding.
### Pavel
Pavel is initially presented through James’s eyes as the confident, effortlessly charming "enemy." He moves with an ease and self-possession that James envies, his banter and winks suggesting a worldliness James lacks. However, his role as the alluring "other" is also a performance. Pavel's flaw is a carefully constructed emotional guard; he uses charm and confidence as a shield for his own vulnerabilities and loneliness. The reenactment is his escape, too, but from a different kind of pressure—perhaps a difficult family life or the loneliness of feeling different in his own town. His arc involves slowly letting that guard down, revealing the sensitive, thoughtful person beneath the roguish soldier persona. His connection with James becomes the first place he feels he doesn't have to perform. He learns to risk genuine intimacy, moving from a position of playful antagonism to one of profound emotional honesty.
### Sergeant Davies
Sergeant Davies is the embodiment of the reenactment world's rules and its rigid, traditional masculinity. He is not a villain, but an obstacle rooted in sincere passion. For him, history is a sacred text to be followed without deviation, and the bonds between men are forged in the simplicity of shared, noble conflict. His role in the story is to represent the system that James and Pavel must navigate and, ultimately, subvert. He is the voice of order, the bellowing command to "hold the line" that James must learn to ignore. Davies's arc is subtle; he may never understand the boys' connection, but a single moment of quiet observation—seeing a look pass between them that he can't quite decipher—may plant a seed of realization that there are histories being written on his battlefield that he knows nothing about, leaving him a slightly more complex, if not fully changed, figure.
## Detailed Narrative Treatment (Act Structure / Episodes)
### Act I
We are introduced to the hot, sticky, and thrilling world of a War of 1812 reenactment through the eyes of JAMES. He is dedicated but awkward, finding a strange comfort in the rigid structure and historical cosplay. During a chaotic skirmish, his focus is broken by PAVEL, a confident soldier on the opposing American side. Their eyes lock through the musket smoke—a moment of unexpected, electric connection. Later, the fragile truce of the encampment allows for small, charged interactions. The key sequence from the source material unfolds at the water pump: an awkward conversation, the accidental brush of fingers, and a shared understanding that something is passing between them that has nothing to do with the pretend war. Their relationship is established as a secret curiosity, a spark of vulnerability in a world of performative toughness. The act culminates when they agree to meet later, by the creek, away from the watchful eyes of the camp—their first intentional step across enemy lines.
### Act II
In the heart of the summer, James and Pavel's secret relationship blossoms in stolen moments. They find sanctuary in the woods bordering the camp, sharing secrets about their real lives—the lives they shed when they put on their uniforms. The physical and emotional intimacy grows, a stark contrast to the staged violence of their days. This idyllic bubble is threatened by near-misses; they are almost discovered by SERGEANT DAVIES, forcing them to be more careful. The midpoint is a moment of pure, unguarded connection—a clandestine night swim in the river, where out of uniform and under the moon, they are no longer soldiers, but simply two boys falling for each other. However, the pressures of their world mount. A disagreement between the "British" and "American" commanders creates real tension in the camp, forcing James and Pavel into a genuine feeling of opposition. The "All Is Lost" moment arrives when, during a particularly aggressive skirmish, Pavel is accidentally injured. In a moment of panic, James breaks rank to help him, earning the public scorn of Sergeant Davies and exposing their connection to unwanted scrutiny. Fearing the consequences, James retreats, pushing a hurt and confused Pavel away.
### Act III
The final weekend of the summer reenactment season has arrived. James is miserable, isolated within his own regiment and consumed by regret. He avoids Pavel, dutifully following Davies's orders, but his heart is no longer in the performance. The final, grand battle is the film's climax. The air is thick with smoke and the roar of cannon. In the midst of the chaos, James sees Pavel across the field, looking defeated and alone. He is faced with a choice: follow orders and complete the performance, or follow his heart. In a profound act of surrender, James lays his musket on the ground. He walks, not runs, across the open field, a lone red figure moving through the smoke toward the blue line. He isn't charging or retreating; he is simply crossing over. He reaches Pavel, and in front of everyone, their hands find each other. The battle falters around them as some men stop to stare, confused. It is not a victory for the British or the Americans, but a quiet, personal truce. The resolution finds the camp being packed away. The magic is fading. James and Pavel meet one last time, in their 21st-century clothes. They look like strangers, but they are not. They exchange phone numbers, a promise of a future beyond this summer. The final shot is of James in his car, driving away, the smell of gunpowder faintly clinging to him—a reminder of the battle he finally won.
## Episode/Scene Beat Sheet (Source Material)
1. James stands in the British line, physically uncomfortable in his wool uniform, his focus split between the battle and his inner world.
2. Sergeant Davies shouts the order to "Load! Present! Fire!"
3. James performs the rote actions of loading his musket, the taste of black powder on his tongue, his thoughts consumed by Pavel.
4. He fires, the kickback jolting him as another cloud of smoke obscures his vision.
5. Through a break in the smoke, James sees Pavel on the American side. Their eyes meet in a charged, significant moment.
6. Pavel gives a subtle, almost imperceptible nod, which James questions as real or imagined.
7. The whistle blows for a strategic retreat, and James stumbles, the unglamorous reality of the reenactment crashing in.
8. **Later, at the encampment:** James sits alone, cleaning his musket, feeling a profound sense of yearning and disconnection from the boisterous men around him.
9. Desperate for water, he heads to the camp's hand-pump.
10. He finds Pavel there, his back turned. James hesitates before approaching.
11. James's arrival startles Pavel, initiating an awkward but gentle conversation.
12. Pavel notes that James seemed "lost" during the battle, showing a perceptive concern.
13. Pavel offers James his canteen. As James takes it, their fingers brush for a fleeting, electric second.
14. James feels a jolt from the contact and quickly pulls his hand away.
15. They fall into easy, playful banter about their rival sides, breaking the tension.
16. Pavel departs with a charismatic wink and a warning: "Try not to die in the next big battle."
17. James is left alone by the pump, contemplating the encounter as twilight descends.
18. Leaning against a tree, he reflects on his confusing feelings, framing them within the context of the reenactment—a space between a recreated past and an unknown future. His internal battle, he realizes, is the only one that truly matters.
## Creative Statement
_Where the Powder Horns Lie_ uses the unique, vivid subculture of historical reenactment as a crucible for a timeless coming-of-age story. It is a film about the uniforms we wear, both literally and figuratively, to hide our true selves. In a world obsessed with authenticity, the story explores the paradox of finding one's most authentic self while engaged in a meticulous performance of the past. This is not just a queer love story; it is a story about the courage it takes to break rank, to defy the script you've been handed, and to cross the no-man's-land that separates who you are from who you are pretending to be. By setting this deeply personal narrative against a backdrop of staged, masculine conflict, we aim to explore the quiet, internal battles that truly define us. This film matters now because it speaks to a generation grappling with identity in a world of curated performances, reminding us that the most profound connections are often found in the unscripted moments, far from the roar of the crowd.
## Audience Relevance
Contemporary audiences, particularly younger viewers, are deeply engaged with themes of identity, performance, and the search for authentic connection in a fractured world. _Where the Powder Horns Lie_ taps directly into this zeitgeist. While the 1812 setting is unique, the core conflict is universal: the struggle to reconcile one's inner self with external expectations. The film's appeal lies in its fresh context for a familiar story, subverting the tropes of both the war film and the teen romance. Audiences fatigued by spectacle will be drawn to its quiet intimacy and emotional depth. The story resonates with the universal experience of a first love—the intensity, the awkwardness, the feeling of a secret world shared by only two people. It offers a hopeful and tender narrative for queer audiences, while its themes of bravery, identity, and finding one's place will connect with anyone who has ever felt like they were playing a part.