Staff Pick The First Premiere "Dekalb Elementary" by Reed Van Dyck |
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The plot is based on a 911 phone call that became a national story in 2013. The Staff Pick premiere this week will be "Dekalb Elementary,""" an Oscar-nominated, short film by Reed Van Dyck.
Films made in a single room don't have any more meaning than this. In just two hours Van Dyck puts forth an remarkable feat of environment and speed. The suspense relies upon a spooky sense of isolation as well as an obvious impression that the threat is a dubious one. "I tried to investigate what we are unable to have a clue about," says Van Dyck. "Whether it's blocking the actor's face , or creating a mess of children screaming and running and not seen. I thought about the way you, as the viewer could create more fascinating images inside your head than I've ever imagined presenting to you." The play with space produces every second better than the last one.
The stunning performances given by principal actors Tarra Riggs as well as Bo Mitchell, it's no surprise that Van Dyck said he wouldn't have the ability to finish the project without right actors. This is a testament to the cast, crew as well as the attention to the art of filmmaking that tells stories "Dekalb Elementary" feels like a non-fiction account of an actual situation.
We had a conversation with Director Reed Van Dyck to talk about the inspiration behind his work, his challenges, and the control of the production.
HTML1 What was the reason in creating this film?
"'DeKalb" is a retelling of a 911 phone call that has made headlines in 2013. The person calling can be heard by Antoinette Tuff conversing about an unidentified man identified as Michael Hill, who walks across the school. Michael Hill is armed with the Atlanta primary school, equipped with an AK-47 and fifty rounds. I had not heard of the call when the story first came out, however I came across the information several years later while conducting research for a different project that was in the process of being completed about the shootings that took place. I was in my home within Los Angeles riveted and emotional as I listened to the fourteen minutes of recording. Over the course of weeks, I could not remove their voices from my mind. The strength of her love and love, as well as the despair and confusion of his. This story has was a powerful emotional experience for me. compelling angle, and I started to think about how I could capture their moments on film. "
Are you having trouble in creating your video?
"The film is essentially an action-film with two hands. The biggest challenge was finding the perfect actors for the roles. My decision was to create the film without actor. I spent a long time looking over IMDb and also examining casting lists of indie TV movies, series and TV shows. If I saw someone who seemed like the perfect fit for one of the actors , I'd put their name on the list. Once the list had expanded to around 30-40 people I would begin to look over every actor on the list as well as checking out their prior work (TV movies, performances or film, etc.) prior to reducing the list.
Then I'd start the whole process over. It was through this process that I found Tarra Riggs along with Bo Mitchell who play the major roles. I chose every actor in the film including the supporting roles, using this similar procedure. I was of the opinion that one false indication from anyone can deflect from the truth of the circumstances, and therefore I searched for the most talented actors that I could find to play each role. . "
It's difficult to set an exciting tone in a situation something as crucial as this. What strategies did you discover to work for you when creating this situation?
"My main inspiration for making this film was the 911 call. As I began to think about the most effective way to present the film visually and aurally I understood that less is more. It has such a lot of an emotional response in response to the message that it's nearly an audio-only play with only two voices. The end of the day, when I made the film I chose to study the aspects we're not able to see... whatever it's an actor's face blocked or the chaos of children [and] screaming off-screen and not hearing.
What I felt was that you, as the viewer will create interesting pictures in your mind that I might show you. Furthermore, by providing additional information in the form of visuals and the context of a narrative, it's possible that the viewers will be more involved in the film and enhance their involvement with the process. It was the intention at least in part . "
The movie has amazing control, making it seem like the film was made in a single day. How did the timeframe of the production appear like?
"The script contains 20 pages and we had to shoot for five days. I made sure that the daily pages count as low as I could due to the reasons you've mentioned. The more time my crew and I spent in production the more careful and thoughtful we were with regard to blocking of shots performance as well as costumes and designing the designs for production. To me, longer time equals more control. This is especially true for the lengthy preparation process . "
Which is your most effective tip for filmmakers who want to produce films?
"This isn't a real piece of advice. I grew up in a small city located in New Jersey called Mahwah. My residence is an the land of the Lunaape tribe that is unceded. I've read about the Lunaape extensively in preparation for the documentary I'm working on . One thing that really fascinated me and inspired me was the manner in which they viewed the stories. Stories were viewed as an effective way to heal everyone in the community. The Storyteller was an important character who traveled across the tribes to share stories and teach individuals what they must perform so that they could live. Stories form a significant aspect of how these communities and the people who lived within them evolved throughout time.
Personally, this is why I watch films. If I'm in a time of uncertainty, as is the case in the present, I look for movies and filmmakers who are who open and honest about their world and the people they surround themselves with. I'm looking for tales that can motivate me to continue waking. So my (selfish) hope or wish of future filmmakers is start this process and journey of taking a look at their environment as well as recording what they discover. . "
What's next? Are there exciting new projects that are in the works?
"I'm involved in two feature films at the moment. The first is an original script written by me. My production team and I are reaching out to actors for this. A second one is based on an New Yorker piece and we're in the process of securing rights and releases, among other arrangements. . "
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