Diverted Eden

I was tasked with coming up with an action-thriller story about a lonely military vet, dealing with the struggles of everyday life, who later becomes a hero. I was excited for the opportunity. More importantly though, I was yearning to write an intriguing story about family and a single father who had not only lost his wife to cancer, but was also faced with the tragic likelihood of losing his daughter in a kidnapping. This initial concept came to me primarily after I became a first time parent of my now three-year-old daughter, and had seen several friends and family battling cancer. I asked myself, what would I do if my entire life as I knew it, was shattered, in more ways than one. Generally, my instinct is to write stories that I could relate to, and hence, this project couldn’t have come at a better time. At first, I had developed my main protagonist, Dane – his military background, strengths, weaknesses and internal conflicts. I then had implemented Zoe and Eden, his wife and daughter; both named after a real life tattoo I identified on the lead actors wrist. Although absent for a fraction of the film, his family’s limited presence on-screen was key in creating an emotional engagement. Subsequently, I created the character of Dane’s best friend, Smith – a war vet who had who had resorted to alcoholism, attempting to overcome his past, after losing his hearing during an enemy attack abroad. For Smith, it was crucial that the character be played by a real deaf actor, which we were fortunate enough to enroll. Both Dane and Smith were characters that have difficulties living in an ordinary world; identical to characters I’ve created in my previous films and writings.

With the primary characters and concept in place, coupled with a fierce inciting incident, I blended a collection of other engaging characters, such as a strong female protagonist in the form of a lead detective, and subliminal messages embedded within the story’s core. Soon, I had brought a full-fledged crime story to fruition; with the help of a very supportive team of producers. It wasn’t long before we began assembling a talented team of industry professionals who believed in the film, to bring the script to life.

My goal was to create a personal film, but yet sweeping in scope, with heart pounding action sprinkled throughout, to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. This film has been an exciting challenge and an invaluable learning experience for me – one that I will undeniably admit is the most ambitious and satisfying accomplishment of my career thus far. I simply cannot wait to share “Diverted Eden” with worldwide audiences.

-Prince Bagdasarian