Your new movie Old
Strangers - in a few words, what is it about?
Old
Strangers
is a story about reconnecting with people from our past. Set
against the backdrop of a post-pandemic world, Sarah, Michael, and Danny
try to rekindle the spark of their youth only to be confronted with the
harsh realities of their relationships. Just beyond their reunion, in the
deep woods, there is something otherworldly growing and feeding on their
pain.
At least to me, Old
Strangers captures the sentiments of the "lockdown era"
rather perfectly - so was the lockdown itself at all an inspiration or
merely an afterthought when writing the script? The
lockdowns were a key motivating factor. It was important for me to capture
the sentiment of the times. The effects of the pandemic were felt in many
different ways and I wanted to highlight that. Mental health, adulthood,
romantic relationships, how were these things affected by severe
lockdowns. (Other)
sources of inspiration when writing Old
Strangers?
I’m
a fan of the sci-fi genre and I wanted to pay homage to some of my
favorite films. Obviously Invasion of the
Bodysnatchers, The Thing,
The Shining, Alien, and horror classics like
Evil Dead. There was a modern
film, Deer Skin, that provided some visual and pacing inspiration.
Do talk about the science fiction
elements in your movie, and your approach to the genre!
I
wanted both concrete and abstract approaches to science fiction. There are
elements of the movie that are experiential and there are scenes that feel
very grounded and horrific.
We
highlight nature, the cosmos, but also human beings living in a pandemic
world. Technology is a part of our day to day life, and how are we dealing
with that?
A
few words about your locations, and what was it like filming there? Cold.
Very cold, haha. We bubbled in two cabins up in Big Bear Lake, CA. Our
hero cabin is where the cast stayed, and there was a second cabin for the
crew. We really wanted to make an isolated Big Bear one of the characters
of the film.
What
can you tell us about your overall directorial approach to your story at
hand? I
love to be prepared before I get to set. I story boarded or diagrammed
every scene. I collaborated with my DP, Blake Gaytan, early on in
pre-production, and we had a strong idea of how the movie would look and
the various setups. My co-EP and lead editor, Drew Marion, functioned as
an AD on set, and he and I have worked very closely together for a long
time. You also appear in front of the camera in Old
Strangers - so do talk about your character, and have you written
him with yourself in mind from the get-go? I
actually didn’t write it with myself in mind. The part was supposed to
be played by a few different people. Unfortunately we were in a pandemic,
it’s a small role, and Big Bear was expecting snow so it made it
difficult for additional actors to come up as day players. Do talk about
the rest of your cast, and why exactly these people? I
wrote the roles of Michael and Danny for Ted Evans and Colton Eschief
Mastro. Ted and I have worked together on sketches as well as other
projects for WB, and it was great to go on this adventure with him. Colton
was in a friend’s short called 2020, a parody of 1917, that was really
solid. You can check it out on YouTube. And Colton was excellent and I
really wanted to work with him. The role of Sarah was more difficult to
cast. I needed an actor who was willing to be out in the elements, shoot
long days, and really commit to this low budget project. Kait Matlock, our
HMU and makeup FX artist who did all the practical effects for the
picture, recommended Madeleine Humphries. Madz and I had a chat, she was
down and I cast her. The cast was brilliant and really grounded this
picture.
A
few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? This
was a really intense shoot with 16 hour days. Our first official day of
shooting was Sunday Feb 28, 2021. Principal photography was the first week
of March and we wrapped on Friday March 5. It was long days in cold
weather but it was the most positive set I’ve ever been on. Everyone was
committed to the project, there were no arguments or weirdness, haha.
Everyone brought their A-game. Anything
you can tell us about audience and critical reception of Old
Strangers? It’s
been a mix… I think this movie has struck a chord with people in
different ways. There’s been amazing praise and excitement around it and
there’s been some harsh criticism. What I can say is that this movie was
made by people who love and are passionate about the craft of filmmaking.
The budget was far lower than anyone would imagine, and I do think the
production value is elevated. I am also very proud of the story that was
told. Everything in the movie was done intentionally. Any future projects you'd like to
share? There
is a sequel to Old
Strangers called Not Like Us which further explores the
themes of the movie. I’m hoping we get a chance to make that picture. What got you into filmmaking in the first place,
and did you receive any formal training on the subject? I’ve
always been interested in the arts from a young age. I have a background
in fine art and I liked computers, haha. I went to Drexel University in
Philadelphia and studied Digital Media with a Film and Video Production
minor. I graduated back in 2005, so digital media as we know it today was
relatively new. Screenwriting is what really attracted me to movies. I
understood the visual and direct way a script needed to be written.
What
can you tell us about your filmwork prior to Old
Strangers? I
made my first feature in 2007, when I was 23, called Happy Birthday Harris
Malden. That movie premiered at the CineVegas 08 film festival and I
really thought my career would take off… it didn’t, haha. Then I made
Green a few years later. Both Happy Birthday Harris Malden and
Green were released on Netflix
and Hulu, and I learned a lot from them. Then I began to specialize and
focus on cinematography and editing. I wanted to hone those skills. I got
into shorts and sketches. My most popular short is Goodplumbas, which is a
mash-up of Scorsese movies and The Super Mario Bros. That led to a sketch
show with Machinima called Dank/Fire. Then I produced and directed the
talk show DC Daily for the DC Universe platform. Did some talk shows for
Amazon and then made Old
Strangers. How would you describe yourself as a
director? My
direction is visually motivated. I love the idea of key frames, almost
like a comic book. Iconic framing that resonates with the audience. I move
the camera when the shot calls for it but it’s not something I have to
do. I love sequences and building a scene out in multiple shots, that is
always a fun challenge. I love to storyboard so I show up to set prepared.
When dealing with actors I try to cast the right person for the role and
let them have freedom within the role. Ultimately I want my movies to be
honest and authentic - more substance than spectacle… even if the
message is subtextual. Filmmakers who inspire you? Scorcese,
Tarantino, Nolan, Casevettes, Aki Kaurismäki, P.T. Anderson, Wes Anderson,
and the Coens. Your
favourite movies?
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Casino.
I’ve written an article about that picture. I’ve paid homage to that
picture. It’s so much more than a Goodfellas clone. It’s about love,
friendship, ambition, and carving a place for yourself at the table. ... and of course, films you really
deplore?
The
theatrical cut of Justice League, haha. It’s the worst example of modern
Hollywood. Too many cooks, indeed. Your/your movie's website, social media,
whatever else? @OldStrangersMovie
on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And please rent or purchase Old
Strangers on Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, GooglePlay, YouTube, Vimeo, order a DVD
from Wal-mart or Amazon. Leave a review, follow the page. All the
social media to-do. Thanks for the
interview!
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