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Credits
(director, writer, DP, producer, etc.)
Director: Aaron Kodz
Writer:
Alex Harvey
Producer:
Farideh Rezagah
Director
of Photography: Alex Gallitano
Production
Designer: Terra McNerthney
Assistant
Director: Michael Sutphin
Cast: Azumi
Tsutsui, John Gardner, Dennis Holland, Kailyn Kaluna
Why this
script/concept? How does it reflect your vision as a commercial director?
I liked
the script for its strong ability to tell a meaningful, touching story without
the use of words. This allowed me to focus on the visuals, and I knew it
would be a great chance to express my style. It gave me an opportunity to
use a wide range of colors, various frame rates, as well as maintain tight
control on which lenses we used for which shots, which gives my work the look
it has. I viewed endless reels and talked with many DPs before I found
Alex Gallitano, who made this vision come to life as you see on screen.
What was
the casting process like?
We held
four casting sessions - three in NYC and one in Connecticut. We saw a ton
of people, and a lot of very distinct looks. Having said that, the four
leads of the spot were all far and away the best. We were lucky to get
all the talent we wanted, and I couldn't be happier with their performances.
They stunned my producers and I in the auditions, and
they definitely delivered in front of the camera.
How did
you search for/lock a location?
On our
budget, we had to scour the area and call in all our favors for locations.
I went back to my Alma Mater for the classroom scene, and they were
very accommodating and eager to help out. Their only
requirement was that we have some of the local kids on set, and they ended up
being great to have. For the convenience store, the owner was a tough,
fast talking guy named Doug. He initially declined, but after some
discussion it turned out he used to play ball with my father, and we were
allowed to film there on a slow Sunday night. The farm we got from the
Southbury Historical Society - they could not have been nicer, and I think that
location is truly stunning. They are currently doing restorations and
such to turn the property into a museum.
How did
you select your DP, crew?
My
producer Farideh Rezagah and I have worked together in the past, and she's
always a great creative mind. She consistently brings great ideas to the
table and comes up with unique solutions. I had worked with production
designer Terra McNerthney back during my time at NYU, and her schedule allowed
her to come aboard. I also went to school with Alex Gallitano, but it was
during our time on the set of The Wolf of Wall Street that we
ended up tossing around ideas. Michael Sutphin was a last minute hire to
be Assistant Director, and he was phenomenal despite the fact he no
time to prep. We had a few local hires, as well as a friend's brother,
and we lucked out on every one of them. They all knew their stuff and
were a pleasure to have around. I always love the sets when the
G&E guys are both hard workers and laid back - even during the most
stressful times they could always crack a good joke.
How did
shooting go? Any challenges?
We had
some last minute problems, just as any shoot does. Our previous AD
dropped out for personal reasons four days before the shoot. It ended up
being a blessing in disguise though, because we were able to hire Michael
Sutphin, and he was just the best. During our school shoot we were also
supposed to include a shot of a teacher instead of a wide, so we didn't have to
rely on so many extras. I enlisted my former video production teacher for
the role, which he seemed enthusiastic for it until he told me on the day he
only had 30 minutes to film. We were still loading in and I knew there
would be no way to get the shot off, so I told him to have a nice day and tried
to find last minute extras. Luckily, there was a concert that day, and a
lot of kids had stayed after. We even ended up having to turn people
away!
Tell us
about editing and finishing.
The edit
was pretty straightforward. Our post supervisor Brenna Perez transcoded
the files, and I was the editor. After the transcode we had a rough cut
within a day, and then it was just tweaking. We made the decision not to
have any sound on set, so I had to kind of guess and check the syncs, which
wasn't the most enjoyable time. However, it was necessary due to
budgetary constraints and a tight schedule.
In
retrospect, is there anything you would have done differently?
I had one
of the best crews I've ever worked with behind me, and we were spared any major
setbacks over three filming days in Connecticut. I'm very happy with the
final product, it's been getting some good buzz, and I couldn't ask to change a
thing.
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