Tinsel & Tine’s 5 QUESTION INTERVIEWS with FIRSTGLANCE FILM FESTIVAL FILMMAKERS 2018

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The 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia gets underway October 12-14, 2018. To further shine a spotlight on the talented filmmakers screening this year, I asked several of the directors and/or writers to answer the same 5 Questions, which resulted in varying and personal responses.  I did the same thing for Philly’s BlackStar Film Festival. Hoping it can become a Tinsel & Tine signature.  Please see filmmakers answers below:

ZOMBIED
Filmmaker/Actress: Juliana Forsberg-Lary
Screening Date: Sat. Oct 13 7:00pm
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#FGPA21 Winner: Best Horror Film

A disgruntled employee of a open all night supermarket finds something to really gripe about when she gets Zombied!

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Juliana Forsberg-Lary: In a nutshell–I was thinking about how I’ve never seen a zombie film that showed the process of becoming a zombie. It’s always something along the lines of the audience seeing someone get bitten and then there’s a zombie in the next shot. I decided I wanted to dive into the in between area and really show the pain (and also humor) involved as a young woman transitions. The movie “The DUFF” gave me the inspiration for using the stages of grief to mirror the stages of becoming a zombie.

2. T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Juliana: I did not direct this film, so Matt Van Vorst (one of my closest friends and) the director of this film would have to answer that question for you. However, I did create the concept, co-wrote it, co-produce it, and starred in it, and I think an area I shine is in looking on the bright side–there can be a lot of setbacks when making films–especially short films which are all about passion and not about monetary compensation. I learned, through the process of “Zombied” that I’m able to keep a level head and focus on the positives as opposed to the negatives (which can feel really discouraging and overwhelming) and I think it pays to have someone on the team who can always do that! Where Matt shines as a director is…everywhere! He respects his collaborators, knows how to bring out the best in his actors, pours his heart and soul into everything he does, and is an extreme perfectionist which ensures that the quality of his projects is always top notch!

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Juliana: Shoutout to everyone who worked on Zombied, from Jake (who flawlessly played Hesch and sunk right into character), to Daniela (our sound woman who was there holding our boom, contorting her body into some crazy positions to get what she needed, and making sure there was always a coat on hand for me in the outdoor scenes,) to Brandon (our DP who is a genius and got some killer shots), to Paul and Cee (who make up the husband/wife duo “Chiron Films” who helped with script feedback, and casting, etc.) to Kim DiPersia (who co-produced the film and took amazing behind the scenes photos among a million other things) to Karina (who was hyper efficient and always ready for whatever we needed), to our extras, to our makeup designer Elizabeth who made some gnarly zombie bites, awesome blue veins, and showed me her entire process along the way–we had a stellar team of people who made this movie what it is today! And obviously, to my partner through this whole process Matt Van Vorst–thank you for making this dream of an idea into a reality and for all you did (directing, editing, sound design, poster design, props, etc.)

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Juliana: Food does play a part in our film! A big part! As you can see in “Zombied” one of the stages Jordan goes through as she is becoming a zombie is “Hunger”. She tries eating a number of different things in the grocery store she works in–an apple, some veggie straws, soda, a banana, pickles, etc. She spits all of them out because they taste awful to her (now that all she wants is brains). We have an awesome little montage of Jordan (me) doing spit takes! It was one of my favorite things to shoot!

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Juliana: It was a huge honor to be accepted into FirstGlance. It was our first screening and really cool to have Matt’s family be there in the audience with us. This coming Monday (October 22nd) we will be screening in Rhode Island at the Vortext Sci Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Film Festival and I can’t wait to have my whole family in the audience! Philly is a really cool place and it was great to meet LeAnne as well as some of the other filmmakers and to have a beer tasting with Love City Brewery after one of the screenings.

10.29.18 Le Anne – Zombied was added post this post, it’s the one film I saw first and then put up the interview after. Love the zany zombie humor, this short really captured my attention at the festival along with its star Juliana!

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Mike Kunda is the world’s #1 Rocky fan, he has spent the last 40 years of his life focusing on every aspect of the Rocky films and on his fictional hero Rocky Balboa. This film documents Mike’s life as he struggles to find meaning in his Rocky obsession and become the person he really wants to be.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Jim Toscano: The drive to follow one’s passion no matter how crazy or how seemingly impossible  your dreams might be.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Jim: I thrive most when getting to know and interviewing people. Everyone’s story and motivations are interesting to me. I love connecting with people and learning from them.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Jim: Danny Gianino is the editor on this project and a true collaborator on the film, his energy and creativity pushed this project to the finish line.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Jim: The Philly Food Scene definitely played a huge role in our film. First of all, Pat’s steaks had to have a place in our film, its iconic to Philly and of course in the Rocky universe. Rocky Balboa has a famous scene in front of Pat’s and a plaque still marks this spot today that reads “Rocky Balboa stood here”. We were honored to be granted permission to film on the premises. On a more personal level, “The Victor Cafe” means a lot to us on the crew. The “Victor” is featured in the Rocky films as “Adrian’s” restaurant. We had a chance to film there and after a couple long shoot days with a very limited man power and running very low on energy, we were treated to a great meal on the house after filming! We shot this film on a shoe string budget, but that evening we ate like kings and it felt great. Ill never forget their hospitality.

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Jim: Philadelphia is Rockyland! This is our homecoming and will be the biggest screening yet!

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Do you create the evil or do your circumstances feed the beast in you? “Chimes” is the personal story of a serial killer. As a psychological thriller it shows a deep insight into his thoughts and the way his mind works. Affected from a brutal childhood, the portrayed killer never experienced any emotional feeling. He seems to justify his behavior with the fact that his circumstances created the evil inside him. Killing is his own way to come closer to a mental target he hasn’t even set in an explicit way. But when one of his plans eventually doesn’t work out, he makes a decision that allows him to finally see and reach his target – and to find out that the one responsible for the beast in him is only himself.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Jannine Benkhardt: My main inspiration for “Chimes” came from when I had to do a very in-depth research about serial killers, psychopaths and mental health issues for another project. I realized that all those psychopaths have something in common: They feel a drive which forces them to live their desires. It’s like being hungry – a natural force, something that can’t be suppressed. This issue and the whole thematic fascinated me.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Jannine: There were two very important things. First, I really knew what I wanted with this film. And then I was quite good in building a strong and powerful team around me. Those two facts came together. I was able to let the cast and crew know what we had to do and they were amazing in making it happen. You never make a film alone so it is important to find the right people who bring all their passion and skills into the project and I was blessed to have that.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Jannine: I want to thank the whole cast and crew for giving all their passion, time and energy into this project and working so hard and dedicated for it.
A massive thank you to my editor Eamonn Cahill. He is not only a fabulous editor but also there for any issue 24/7. Danielle Boyle was so crucial and brilliant as our set designer. She is someone I could rely on at any minute. I want to thank Cristina Ryan especially. She is not only a talented actress but also the main force to making the whole thing happen. She helped me with any aspect of the film and also gave such a powerful performance.
I was super blessed to work with Martin O’Sullivan who totally understood the main character. We had an amazing working-relationship and I will definitely work a lot with him in the future. Shane O’brien who is doing the soundest sound job you can imagine. He always knows where to stand, even if it means to lay under a church bench.
And of course, I would not have made this film without the support of my family and friends.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Jannine: As I am a vegan I organized a vegan catering for the cast and crew. First I wasn’t sure whether they will hate me or not but apparently everyone was surprised how good it was. Some even said it was the best food they ever had on set. Also Martin O’Sullivan, who is the lead character, is a vegan too. In one scene he had to eat raw meat which we cheated with a piece of potato soaked in fake blood.

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Jannine:It is a big privilege and honor for all of us to screen at the FirstGlance in Philadelphia. Especially as we made the film in Europe it means a lot not only to screen in the States but also to be included in such a big and long running festival as the FirstGlance. We could not be happier.

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Because We Can is a romantic comedy (or drama depending on your perspective) about an accidental marriage.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Elaine Chu: I’ll have the writer Jeff Thompson answer this one… “As far as inspiration goes, the idea behind the film is how people presented with the same situation will choose to cope with it in contrasting ways. Some people run into danger while others flee from it, some embrace dysfunction while others rush to fix things. Our main characters, Kylie and Evan, got drunk together and ended up married and both have to deal with the consequences of that. Especially now, I think a film that explores drunken mistakes is necessary to push the dialogue.”

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Elaine: I’m very decisive, which is essential as a director because you’re basically a professional decision-maker. From the way a line should be delivered to the color of a character’s shoes, I know exactly what I want. I’ve worked on crew as a 1st AD so I’m really efficient with my time and know what
each department needs to do their job well. I’ve also worked professionally as an editor so I can visualize how the shots will line up and make sure we get all the coverage we need. I’m most on point when it comes to directing child actors. A lot of directors are intimidated when working with children because kids don’t always know set terminology, but I see it as a fun challenge. I have a knack for getting the best performances out of child actors because I make acting fun for them and can speak their language (a skill I picked up from teaching elementary school for five years.)

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Elaine: Couldn’t have completed this film without the fantastic group that is Great Hair Productions. I also want to thank our wonderful cast Jillian Ferry, Joe Willard, Brigid Marshall, and Jeanene Beauregard. Behind the camera, I’m grateful that I got to work with the talented cinematographer Daud Sani, editor Tom Noelle, and our rockstar producer/writer Jeff Thompson.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Elaine: “Because We Can” was made on whiskey and granola bars. Granola bars because that’s what the character Kylie eats while she’s hiding behind the refrigerator. And whiskey because that was the drink of choice during our post-production process. We were happy with everything so it just seemed natural to celebrate while we watched the footage coming together.

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Elaine: This will be our East Coast premiere of “Because We Can” so we’re excited to share our story with an audience that’s outside of the Hollywood sphere. We hope you’ll laugh, cry, and laugh some more!

Pagg explores contemporary American identity from a Sikh American’s perspective. When a hate crime clouds the 4th of July, Mandeep, a Sikh-American, grapples with his fears and anxieties as he attempts to celebrate the holiday with his wife and infant son. As tensions rise through various microaggressions and racially charged encounters, Mandeep makes a tragic decision that changes his identity forever.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Nardeep Khurmi: Pagg was my response to the hate and fear that was rising as a result of the 2016 election cycle. Hate crimes were on the rise, particularly against South Asians, and they seemed to be barely reported on until a shooting in Kansas City where a man ran into a bar and screamed: “get out of my country” before killing a South Asian man. This particular hate crime seemed to hit the zeitgeist, and suddenly, the news began to report on hate crimes more frequently. Personally, the day after the election, I was walking down my neighborhood in the middle of Hollywood in Los Angeles when a couple of “good old boys” in a pick-up truck (I know, cliche) screamed, “time to go home, Osama.” I hadn’t heard that kind of rhetoric directed towards me since the years following 9/11. And it was happening in a liberal city, no less. Pagg was my way of sorting through the anger and hopelessness I was feeling. I wanted to shine a light on a marginalized and often maligned community and show that, though people may not be directly connected to these atrocities, they are deeply affected. I also wanted to show that, even if we look different, we are all American and share the same values.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Nardeep: I think I shine with a naturalistic and empathetic view of storytelling. I pride myself particularly in two areas: the ability to garner natural and lived in performances and beautiful compositions in the cinematography without the need for too much flash. I strive to create a warm and inviting environment for my actors to experiment so that they can really own what it is they are doing. We make sure to have time to rehearse before we start rolling and if possible before the shoot itself, giving the actors a structure while allowing them the freedom to really make the characters and beats their own.

I am lucky to work with Chris Low, a cinematographer I went to school with, who shares a similar visual approach and aesthetic with me. We really try to nail composition and let the frames emotionally tell the story. With Pagg, we went with natural light due to production concerns, and we made sure we allowed the light, like the composition, to emotionally tell the story so words weren’t necessary.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Nardeep: I’d like to thank our cast and crew, including our composer, Andrew Litts, who is a Philly local, for going above and beyond and making this little film sing. And most of all, I want to thank every one of our Indiegogo backers. Without them, this project would never have happened.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Nardeep:Food plays a huge part in my life! Jeez. I love food. I’m hungry right now typing this answer. The film focuses on a Sikh-American, so I think Indian food is the big thing. I grew up with it, I think it’s the best cuisine in the world, and I cook and eat it every chance I get. More specifically, I guess I can shout out NY delis. We set a key scene in the film at a deli because it feels so NY to me and a lot of them are owned by ethnic Americans. Our deli even provided lunch for our cast and crew that day, which meant delicious sandwiches. The film takes place on the 4th of July, and there’s a barbecue, so that meant burgers and hot dogs. We also had a nice little bit of improv about the merits of “grass-fed vs vegetarian” burgers, and again, we basically had a cookout for the cast and crew that day for lunch.

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Nardeep: Screening Pagg at First Glance in Philly is a homecoming for me. I grew up in the suburbs of Philly, in Downingtown, so I am thrilled to be able to share Pagg with the hometown crew.

DUKE
Filmmaker: Thiago Dadalt
Screening Date: Friday. Oct 12th 7:45pm
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When a nonverbal autistic teen’s family is falling apart, he must find his voice to keep them together.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Thiago Dadalt: The real Duke, who started typing after 17 years, and his family got surprised by so many things they don’t even know he was able to do or that he knew. From that, the whole film was formed.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Thiago: I believe filmmaking is a collaboration between artists and I always make sure to hear everybody, filter and make my decisions based on that. I have known a number of directors that don’t make listening to their team a priority, but I’m a team player.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Thiago: To Dru Miller, my co-writer, producer and executive producer in Duke. She’s the one who made this film possible from the beginning. Duke’s mother Dawn Goldstein-Robidoux, who allowed me to watch their family dynamic for a year, so I could make this film as close to reality as possible.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Thiago: We have an important dinner scene in the movie, that we can see the whole family reunited with Duke. You can see that Duke has a different diet and without much talking you get the mood and what’s going on with the family.

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Thiago: It means a lot, as my last project “Chocolate” screened at FirstGlance last year and we had a great time. Love this festival, love the people who organize and make it happen. Films, filmmakers and actors rely heavily on festivals for exposure, and FirstGalnce does this in a great way.

By 40, you’d think most men would have figured out a thing or two about life. But for four childhood friends navigating (mid)life in LA, turning 40 only proves that nobody has any f#cking clue what they’re doing.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Bill Caco: I wanted to do a slice-of-life piece with an ensemble cast that was both funny and dramatic. And turning 40 is a milestone that usually brings a lot of drama with it, so I thought it was the perfect backdrop for exploring some big life questions, like “Am I on the right path? Should I be doing things differently?” Those are questions that people of all ages grapple with, but 40 seemed like the age when they really come to the forefront.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Bill: There are so many things you need to juggle as a director, so multi-tasking and organization are essential, but I think working with actors to find the rhythm and the heart of a scene (and the joke) is something I’ve become good at. It’s almost like a piece of music where tone and melody and tempo need to come together in just the right way. Sometimes you can’t even put your finger on what’s wrong with a scene, but you’re just not hearing it, so you continue to tweak things until you get it right. We did a fair amount of improvisation during the shoot, and the rule was always, “Be real.” Something may be funny in the moment, but if it’s out of character or you hit the joke too hard, then it takes the audience out of it. They can sense the phoniness. You need grounded, realistic performances to anchor your story. Without them, all the beautiful cinematography, snappy dialogue, and technical style is meaningless.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Bill: My producers, Rick Garcia and Dave Cragnotti, have been with me since the first draft of the first script. They went above and beyond to make this show happen, and I can’t thank them enough. And, of course, the entire cast who brought all these characters to life in such beautiful and funny ways. The show would be nothing without their fantastic performances. Co-stars Josh Robert Thompson, Justin J. Johnson, and Jeff Pride were such great partners in making this group of guys so real and relatable. And the ladies of the cast were incredible: Carrie Schroeder, Brittany Falardeau, Michaela Myers, Sarah Jane MacKay…there are too many to name, actually. And our amazing crew made everything look and sound like a million bucks. It really was a team effort.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Bill: Food is everything on a film set. Even though we only had a small budget, we made sure the craft service was always a priority. Nothing sours a cast and crew faster than bad food. It doesn’t need to be the most expensive or elaborate spread, but it needs to be good, you need to have variety, and you need to take into account people’s dietary restrictions. It’s the most tangible way to show people that you care.

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your series at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Bill:It’s exciting! To screen your work for a festival audience means you’re getting in front of people who really love film and support independent work. With all the entertainment options available today, that kind of support is incredibly important. And screening at a festival like FirstGlance, with their long history of supporting independent voices, is really an honor.

SON TO SON
Director: Taron Lexton
Screening Date: Sun. Oct 14th 5:15pm
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Instagram: @txlfilms

This story demonstrates the ease with which an average American citizen can become an opioid addict. It also discusses the rationale an addict has towards transitioning to heroin or another drug as these are sometimes cheaper and easier for them to obtain. We have to make our voices heard and get the doctors and pharmaceutical companies that are marketing these dangerous drugs to better educate their patients and help wean them off these potentially dangerous substances.

Although the US only accounts for approximately 5% of the world’s population, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that 81% of the world’s supply of oxycodone is now consumed in the US.

Festivals:
9 Wins, 12 Nominations, and 20 Official Selections, including LA Shorts Int FF, USA FF, and Long Island (LIIFE)
Upcoming: 5 including Breckenridge Film Festival, FirstGlance Film Fest and Catalina Film Festival

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Taron Lexton:Writer Jim Meskimen was inspired to commit this story to paper in the summer of 2016 after reading an article on the spike in Heroin usage among Americans who had been prescribed Oxycontin and other opioids. Since that time the opioid crisis has been increasingly front and center in the national news, and has even become a subject of presidential activity, which it certainly deserves.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Taron: I like to find ways to let artists create. My goal on set is to create an atmosphere where talented people can feel free to express their talent, and helping to guide that toward a cohesive final product. It’s a balancing act but I love it.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Taron: First and foremost, my producing partners Nathan Lorch and Milena Ferriera. We’ve worked together for 10 years now and they’re not only phenomenal producers but incredible human beings. Nicole Pase was a key part of the production team as well – she’s amazing. Nick Lane somehow managed to star in the film and help produce it off screen as well. Kevin Garrison our fearless DP, Todd Jeffrey our ingenious Production Designer, and of course Jim Meskimen who conceived the whole idea and brought the fierce performance we see in the film.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Taron: For an indie film, good food is like solid gold. On every one of my sets, big or small, we make sure to have excellent food and plenty of it. In this case the restaurant itself helped provide food on and off camera — and fortunately, they have a great menu!

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Taron: I’m incredibly honored and thrilled. To be recognized by a festival of this stature and longevity is amazing. And it looks like we are in very good company, as the other selected films look incredible! That’s always the greatest compliment, to be able to share a screen with great films and be part of something that makes a difference.

THE SPEED OF ANTONE 
Filmmaker: Jason O’Connell
Screening Date: Sat. Oct 13th 3:30pm

Antone is a strong, determined young man who has overcome many odds. He amazes and surprises his supporters everyday. Antone has brought many wonderful people into his family’s life. Join us on our journey! The Adventures of Antone Facebook

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Jason O’Connell:The main inspiration for the film came from Antone himself. Antone is such an amazing young boy who lives life to it’s fullest everyday. Watching Antone though his Facebook page, “The Adventures of Antone” which his parents operate had simply just inspired me to tell his story. He overcomes so many obstacles in his day to day life and goes on so many adventures that you wouldn’t think someone with his disabilities could do but Antone does it and he does it well. This inspired me to get his story out there; I felt it was important to tell, for other people like Antone, who also deal with these odds, to see that you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Jason: I think I really shine as a filmmaker when it comes to crafting the story. I think that most student film makers get caught up in the type of gear they have available to work with and look at that as an instant deterrent to why their work can’t be something special. It’s something I hear a lot. But I feel like if you have a story that can grip an audience and is just screaming to be told, then you have a film – it doesn’t matter if you have an iPhone or Arri Alexa. If you have the story, the passion and the will to get the story told then you can come out on the other end with something quite special. This is where I feel comfortable as a filmmaker, with the story. The story is everything, if you don’t have a good story you won’t have a good film, but that’s not to say a good story can’t be a bad film. It’s all about how you direct where you want the story to go both onset and in the editing lab. My professor likes to say, “You write your story three times, once on paper, then again while shooting, and finally a third time while editing.” I’ve taken this to heart and keep it, in mind during my film making process because, she’s not wrong. You can write one story on paper and then get to set and realize there’s a completely different story here that needs to be told. Then, when you’re editing the final product, suddenly it all weaves together to create something you can be proud of.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Jason: I’d like to make a quick shout out to Linda O’Connell, who is not only an amazing mother but my number one fan and biggest supporter. When everyone else told me my dreams were to ambitious or that “I’d never get a job” and I should just give up, she stood by me and pushed me along from day one. I also have to thank two of the most important people in my life, Joshua Moulding and Dr. Christina Hodel, without the two of them the film wouldn’t be what it is and this amazing opportunity to take part in FistGlance would not be possible. I would not be the filmmaker I am today without these two amazing people who have taking time out of their busy schedules to help teach me everything they know, time and time again, while also guiding me through the tricky waters that is the film industry. Thank you both so much, know everything you do means the world to me and many other students.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Jason: I wish! When both shooting and editing the film most of the time I either didn’t have time to break to eat or completely forgot to eat all together. Probably not the healthiest thing but we are starving artist after all right? 😀

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Jason:I t means everything to me to screen my film at the FirstGlance. I’ve been striving all my life to be apart of the world of film and working even harder to make it this far. Having my work recognized and screened here is by far the most rewarding experience of my life. I can not wait to get down to Philly and check-out other films from other Directors and Artists taking part in the festival and just be apart of the culture surrounded by great talent all around.

The series is set in Philadelphia and “we are so excited to come back home.”
Interested In is a coming of age story about recently out college student, Parker (Michael Witkes). We follow his journey through gay sexcapades in Philadelphia, as he begins to find himself after “the closet.” During his first openly gay hook up, Parker realizes he has much to learn. Through help from his best friend, Danny—and various hook up encounters—Parker learns to reinvent himself.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Michael Witkes: I wrote Interested In because I felt lost after I came out. There were no examples on TV or film about what to do after the closet. Coming out was always presented as the end of the story, but it’s actually such a confusing time. After years of suppression, you have to reinvent yourself. And on top of that, you’re plunged into a completely new dating culture. Interested In explores what it means to be a gay man, as Parker freely expresses his sexuality for the first time.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Michael: I wrote, produced, and starred in Interested In. This was the first film I produced, so I was really learning every step of the way. I am grateful to be surrounded by talented people that helped create a product I know I’m so proud of. This has been a passion project for me for a long time. I wrote the first draft of the script in 2013! I’m so glad that the group of people behind Interested In elevated the project, and made it something better than I ever dreamed.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Michael: Shout out to our amazing team: Director Blayze Teicher, Director of Photography Brendan Swift, fellow producer Phillip Nguyen, Editor David Sicilliano! And so many more. Also thanks to everyone who helped support our fundraiser to help this get made!

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Michael: In episode two, Parker and his best friend, Danny, discuss boys over froyo. That was definitely hard to shoot because the froyo kept melting! We actually shot the scene over two days. So the first day we used actual froyo, that we had to work hard to keep cold. The second day, we used Greek yogurt. This worked much better, but my stomach didn’t love eating Greek yogurt with froyo toppings on it!

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your series at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Michael: “Interested In” is SET in Philadelphia, so it means the world to screen at FirstGlance. I was born and raised outside of Philly. Philly is where I came out and came of age. Woody’s was the first gay bar I went to when I turned 21. I’m so happy to return home and share the series where it all began!

Gun is a short film that deals with LGBTQ issues that are alive and well today. One interesting aspect to the movie is that it has been accepted into many gay and lesbian film festivals, it’s won many awards from Best Actor and Best Screenplay to Best Picture yet the movie was made by two straight men.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Edward William Wasser: The main inspiration was a friend I knew when I lived in the New York City area and also the current ugly political climate. My friend was raised a gay man in Texas and it was extremely difficult. The only thing that kept him sane was knowing that someday he could move to New York City which he viewed as an oasis. A city where he could be his real self. The film is really two stories that are brought together in a unique way, but I don’t want to give to much away.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Edward: My only real talent as a filmmaker is being able to locate people with amazing technical abilities. I guess I’m an OK writer and actor but once I got the crew of Chris Newhard, Chris Mercury, Joe Graves, and Joe DiFeo together the quality of everything I did expanded exponentially. So where I shine is locating people that are going places and hitching my wagon to them.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Edward: I had Ben Wong and Joe DiFeo on sound. Sound is vital to a movie. I don’t care if you made Citizen Kane, if the sound is bad nobody will pay attention to it. Trevor Leonard did an amazing original score. Joe Graves is a fearless gaffer that will do anything for a great shot. If you ask him to hang a light while hanging off the torch the Statue of Liberty holds, he’ll do it. Chris Mercury is one of those guys that doesn’t say much but when he offers an idea everyone stops and thinks “damn, that’s a great idea!” And Chris Newhard is just the best director of photography in the city of Philadelphia. At this point, I trust his judgement on shots and lighting 100%, I don’t even question it.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Edward: Food does not play a part in the story but you need to feed your cast and crew. A “hangry” crew is a miserable crew.

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Edward: We screened in Los Angeles and Chicago, and the people were very nice and gracious, but we’re Philly guys. This is our chance to share our work with our family, friends, and the city and we’re really looking forward to it.

A little bit about myself. I’m a 31-year-old Asian American female and my short film “Ready” is the first film I’ve ever written and directed. 8 years ago I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and through the years I have battled manic and depressive episodes, going in and out of hospitals. It was only when I decided to write and direct “Ready” was I able to find peace and forgiveness with myself. “Ready” is about my personal experience living with a mental illness and a short film I wished my younger, newly diagnosed, self could’ve watched so I would’ve felt less alone and be comforted by the fact that there was someone out there who was going through the same feelings and experience as I was at the time.

“Ready” is a short film about a mentally-ill woman having trouble living in the present after running into her past, sending her on a mental journey of self-love and self-forgiveness.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Debbie Yen: The main inspiration for my film was simply my personal experience living with a mental illness, specifically, Bipolar.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Debbie: I feel like my strong point is working well with others. The thing about filmmaking, it’s a collaborative effort, so working well with everybody is so crucial in making sure your film comes out the way you want.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Debbie: A big shout out to all of my crew, cast, and contributors for making my short film “Ready” exist. And a huge shout out to my producer Jared Lundy who believed in my story from day 1 and my director of photography Kenneth Keeler who made my vision come to life. Last, but not least, I’d like to give a shout out to my father Lyoni Yen who never gave up on me, even when I gave up on myself.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Debbie: Without food, my crew and I wouldn’t have been able to function. Luckily we had great crafty and one of our crew meals was sponsored and provided by Wurstküche, an amazing downtown Los Angeles restaurant that serves delicious and exotic hot dogs.

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Debbie: It means that my short film “Ready” will reach more people; and hopefully give those living with a mental illness, or those who know someone who is mentally-ill, hope and optimism for the present and future.

New mother Becky is awakened at close to midnight by Justine, an alcoholic on the brink of self-destruction. In order to reach Justine, Becky, her former sponsor, must open her own padlocked past and finds herself drawn close to the abyss than she ever expected.

1. T&T: In a nutshell what was the main inspiration for your film?

Susannah Nolan: I always wanted to work with Jeremiah Kipp. He told me if I wrote a monologue, he would make a small film of it for me on the cheap. So I wrote a monologue of a desperate woman on the phone struggling to get her first full day of sobriety, When I brought the script into our writer’s group, everyone said that the real story was the person on the other end of the line. So I then wrote that whole experience—but from her perspective. Which led to me having to bring in her husband and baby and well—-Before I knew it, I had a 13 minute short. Making it turned out to be no longer “on the cheap,” but a heck of a lot more interesting.

Jeremiah Kipp: I knew first and foremost I wanted to work with Sooz, whose combination of wit, tenacity, blunt honesty, feminist integrity and repressed vulnerability informs everything she writes. The character of Becky has many of Sooz’s qualities, and is thrown into a midnight of the soul situation that she can’t untether herself from. She’s incredibly courageous in a non-superhero way. We don’t often see damaged female protagonists as our heroes; so this project felt immediate and necessary in our current times.

2.T&T: Where do you really shine as a filmmaker? Please expand upon directing to include the aspect of the directing process where you know you are most on point?

Jeremiah: Working collaboratively with the actors is my favorite part of the process. Once we cast Emily Donahoe and Holly Curran as our two leads, we knew we had two grounded, honest performers who could easily make adjustments based on the requirements of the scene.

That truly comes in handy when working with an infant, who can only play their own reality of feeling safe or sleepy or angry. When a baby is on set, you’re making a documentary about their whims. But we created an on-set environment where the actors could improvise within those limitations. We didn’t change a word of Sooz’s script. But could keep the cameras rolling and play off of whatever surprises (and gifts) our remarkable baby actor Emilia Rodriguez threw at us.

Susannah: All of the actors just blew me away with the way they were able to create heartbreaking reality in such a short period of time. From the second Jeremiah came on set, everyone knew who to look to for leadership. He was the quiet center of the chaos. Jeremiah created an intimate grounded space where everyone was truly safe to create their magic. His sets are models of very tight discipline, humor and permission to “go there.” Take it to the edge. It is a special skill of his that I think is unique.

3. T&T: Give a quick shout out to your creative team and anyone who helped get your film from an idea to screening at FirstGlance.

Jeremiah: We owe a hell of a lot to producer Natasha Straley. Producers are the unsung champions of independent filmmaking. From crew to locations to morale and discipline, she was our backbone from production through post. I also cannot say enough about my sharp, incisive and endlessly creative frequent editor Katie Dillon Wedge. She describes herself as a “method actor” in the cutting room…and indeed she put together this film with one hand while rocking her infant’s crib in the other.

Susannah: Jeremiah and Natasha had worked with each other before and brought with them a whole community of creatives from our Director of Photography Taylor Camarot to our film editor Katie Dillon. I was astonished at the quality of their choices at each level. I must also give a shout out to our writer’s group, Present Tense Dramatic Writing Workshop where the script was developed. It is where I met Jeremiah so many years ago. The group is run by Mick Casale. The script would never have evolved the way it did without having the readings and critiques it did in those gatherings.

4. T&T: Does food play a part in your film? It can be something you like to eat on set, while editing, some great Craft Services, a scene involving food or a restaurant/bar/coffee shop.

Jeremiah: While a director can potentially survive on caffeine and adrenaline, the old saying is true: “Soldiers go to war on their bellies!” A happy film crew is a well fed crew, especially if attention is equally paid to vegetarians, vegans and those with unique allergies.

Susannah: Well, I know a screenwriter is next to useless on set, so I had a lot of nervous energy to expend before our two days of filming. I am a baker, so I baked dozens of muffins every morning for the crew’s breakfast and cookies for their breaks. Brownies one day, chocolate chip the next, I think it was. As Jeremiah said, an army travels on its stomach, yes? It was a way to show them how much I appreciated their efforts. I baked a lot of hope and dreams and wishes into those darned muffins. Erm…and I won’t go into the sad things that happened to a few bottles of wine in the making of the movie. When you see the film you will understand.

5. T&T: What does it mean to you to screen your film at the 21st Annual FirstGlance Film Festival in Philadelphia?

Jeremiah: Philadelphia is one of our great American cities, with a sense of history and camaraderie that inspires us all. Our movie is grounded in values of people helping each other against all odds, which sounds like the right fit for this esteemed film festival in the City of Brotherly Love. Its an absolute honor to share our project with the FirstGlance audience. We can’t wait to attend.

Susannah: I was born in Philadelphia (U of P Hospital, in fact!) and raised in Valley Forge and Chester County. My whole family lives in Paoli, King of Prussia and Haverford. It gives me tremendous pride that they will only need to drive down the Schuylkill Expressway to come see my film at this wonderful Festival. In a very real way I am indeed “bringing it home.”

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Local Brewery (1023 Hamilton St Phila) LOVE CITY BREWING attended FIRSTGLANCE FILM FESTIVAL to treat us to a tasting of 4 Beers, my favorite UNITY because it’s got big Citrus notes, their standard LOVE CITY LAGER crisp, clean, lightly malted, SESSION IPA not my cup of tea, too bitter and ERASERWOOD named after filmmaker David Lynch! 7.2 alcohol content.

Check out this mini interview with Melissa #LoveCityBrewing co-owner

#foodandfilm #filmblogging #phillylovesbeer #filminPhilly #FGPA21 FirstGlance Film Festivals (Hollywood, Philadelphia)first Craft Beverage Loverslove Love City Brewing Company
Posted by Tinsel & Tine on Sunday, October 14, 2018