Spokane photographer captures the making of Oscar-nominated film ‘Train Dreams’

SPOKANE, Wash. — The forests, rivers, and rugged terrain of Washington state play a central role in the film Train Dreams. But behind the camera, another story was unfolding.

Daniel Schaefer, an IATSE Local 600 stills photographer, documented the production while also helping bring a sense of historical authenticity to the film.

“Washington in general has this incredible depth to the locations,” Schaefer said. “We have woods, we have rivers, we have cities, we have streams — pretty much anything you can find.”

The film follows the life of a logger and railroad worker in the Pacific Northwest, telling a story that spans decades.

That long timeline meant the production needed landscapes that could convincingly represent different eras. According to Schaefer, who was also a location scout on the production, Eastern Washington provided exactly that.

“Especially here in Spokane and Eastern Washington, we have just this incredible range of looks,” he said.

Schaefer’s role on set went beyond documenting production. As a specialist in vintage camera equipment, he found ways to match his photography with the time periods portrayed in the film.

“I was able to source lenses from the late 1800s, the 1920s, the 1940s, and the 1960s,” Schaefer said.

Using lenses from those periods helped give his images a unique authenticity.

“I’m photographing scenes set in the 1800s with glass from the 1800s, scenes from the ’20s with glass from the ’20s,” he said. “Optics that themselves have a legacy, that themselves have a story.”

At one point in the film, Robert Grainier (Joel Edgerton) and his wife Gladys (Felicity Jones) sit for a portrait taken by a photographer. Schaefer actually shot the image used in the film.

Joel Edgerton (left) and Felicity Jones (right) on the set of “Train Dreams.” (Photo by D.S. Schaefer, Outlierimagery.com)

“I was able to photograph the actual photo that then became a prop,” Schaefer said. “And I got to do that on period-correct optics. It looks exactly the way it would have if you shot it in that time.”

For Schaefer, photography plays an important role in preserving moments during production.

“In photography, we are anchoring memory, taking these moments and distilling them into a single frame,” he said. “Train Dreams is a story that is anchored in memory — this man’s memories of his time in the Pacific Northwest. A big element of that are these photographic frames, even within the movie itself.”

Felicity Jones (left) and Joel Edgerton (right) on the set of “Train Dreams.” (Photo by D.S. Schaefer, Outlierimagery.com)

One of the most dramatic sequences in the film involves a massive forest fire. The location for that scene carried a real-life connection. Just a year earlier, a wildfire burned thousands of acres near Medical Lake, outside Spokane.

“When we scouted there months later, there was still smoke coming out of the ground,” Schaefer said.

To recreate the fire, the crew built a massive lighting setup.

Behind the scenes of “Train Dreams.” (Photo by D.S. Schaefer, Outlierimagery.com)

“Kevin Cook and Mike Vukas, two of our local gaffers, built this incredible system of lights — I think it was 800 to 900 theatrical PAR cans — all gelled with red and orange flame colors,” Schaefer said. “Then Ryan Roundy and his VFX team brought in smoke, ash and sparks.”

The result was a powerful visual sequence made possible by the real-world landscape.

Joel Edgerton on the set of “Train Dreams.” (Photo by D.S. Schaefer, Outlierimagery.com)

“They were able to build out this incredibly intense scene in a space that was only made possible because it had been produced in the wake of tragedy,” Schaefer said.

Filming in a place that had recently experienced a devastating wildfire gave the moment added emotional weight.

“We were filming a sequence in a place where an actual fire had occurred,” Schaefer said. “That level of seriousness and appreciation was something the crew took very seriously.”

Behind the scenes of “Train Dreams.” (Photo by D.S. Schaefer, Outlierimagery.com)

Production took place in the Spring of 2024. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2025. A year later, Train Dreams was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

“Washington state has an Oscar-nominated crew,” Schaefer said.

Schaefer says productions like this also highlight the talent already working in Washington’s film industry. According to Schaefer, the state already has the crews, equipment, and facilities needed for major productions.

“This shows the talent of our crew with no question,” he said.

For Schaefer, documenting Train Dreams was about more than photography. It was about proving that Washington state has a lot to offer to any production looking for a home.

“To me, this is the beginning of a relationship,” Schaefer said. “This is the beginning of finding these people who initially come on as clients and leave as collaborators. This is a trading card that will be in our deck forever.”