1 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,639 Well, hello, and welcome to Wild Rivers Film 2 00:00:10,639 --> 00:00:13,455 Radio, the official podcast of the Wild Rivers 3 00:00:13,455 --> 00:00:15,315 Film Festival here on KCIW 4 00:00:15,855 --> 00:00:16,355 LP 5 00:00:16,815 --> 00:00:18,515 one hundred point seven FM. 6 00:00:18,975 --> 00:00:20,035 I'm Rick McNamer, 7 00:00:20,495 --> 00:00:22,355 and today, we're talking with filmmaker 8 00:00:23,054 --> 00:00:23,954 Alex Zajicek, 9 00:00:24,255 --> 00:00:26,914 writer and director of Sorry We're Dead, 10 00:00:27,219 --> 00:00:30,019 an official selection of the twenty twenty five 11 00:00:30,019 --> 00:00:31,559 Wild Rivers Film Festival. 12 00:00:32,340 --> 00:00:34,579 Before we dive in, we'd like to thank 13 00:00:34,579 --> 00:00:37,619 the Wild Rivers Film Festival's twenty twenty five 14 00:00:37,619 --> 00:00:38,679 presenting sponsor, 15 00:00:39,104 --> 00:00:43,344 the Tullahwydany Nation, whose generous support makes both 16 00:00:43,344 --> 00:00:45,684 our festival and summer film workshop 17 00:00:45,984 --> 00:00:46,484 possible. 18 00:00:47,104 --> 00:00:50,625 We also thank Oregon's Wild Rivers Coast, Sutter 19 00:00:50,625 --> 00:00:51,524 Coast Hospital, 20 00:00:52,145 --> 00:00:53,445 and the city of Brookings. 21 00:00:54,159 --> 00:00:56,799 To learn more about supporting independent film on 22 00:00:56,799 --> 00:00:58,659 the Wild Rivers Coast, visit 23 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:02,340 wildriversfilmfestival.com. 24 00:01:03,439 --> 00:01:05,859 If you're just discovering us, welcome. 25 00:01:06,254 --> 00:01:08,575 The Wild Rivers Film Festival is a four 26 00:01:08,575 --> 00:01:12,015 day celebration of indie and local cinema each 27 00:01:12,015 --> 00:01:13,155 August in Brookings, 28 00:01:13,694 --> 00:01:16,674 screening dozens of films across three venues, 29 00:01:17,215 --> 00:01:19,409 plus filmmaker q and a's, 30 00:01:19,810 --> 00:01:21,829 panels, and special events. 31 00:01:22,370 --> 00:01:25,170 This year's festival runs August 13 through the 32 00:01:25,170 --> 00:01:25,670 sixteenth, 33 00:01:26,210 --> 00:01:29,030 and passes are on sale now. 34 00:01:29,810 --> 00:01:30,310 So 35 00:01:30,770 --> 00:01:34,310 I screened the show today and loved it. 36 00:01:34,450 --> 00:01:35,350 So, Alex, 37 00:01:35,784 --> 00:01:37,084 welcome to the show. 38 00:01:38,185 --> 00:01:39,885 Hello. Thank you for having me. 39 00:01:40,505 --> 00:01:42,265 And we're like I said, it was just 40 00:01:42,265 --> 00:01:44,924 a a fun, wonderful film. And 41 00:01:45,225 --> 00:01:48,045 for listeners who haven't seen Sorry We're Dead, 42 00:01:48,859 --> 00:01:51,120 how do you usually describe the film? 43 00:01:51,579 --> 00:01:53,120 Because I was a little surprised 44 00:01:54,299 --> 00:01:55,680 after the title. Yeah. 45 00:01:57,020 --> 00:01:58,299 I yeah. I should I should have a 46 00:01:58,299 --> 00:01:59,819 better pitch for this, especially at this point 47 00:01:59,819 --> 00:02:01,614 in the process. But I guess I usually 48 00:02:01,614 --> 00:02:04,174 tell people it's it's a quirky meta dramedy 49 00:02:04,174 --> 00:02:06,015 about a young woman that wanted to make 50 00:02:06,015 --> 00:02:08,995 movies but has gotten stuck editing college lectures. 51 00:02:09,055 --> 00:02:10,995 Think like TED Talks but lamer. 52 00:02:11,375 --> 00:02:13,694 And she's kinda shriveled up and died creatively 53 00:02:13,694 --> 00:02:15,150 and emotionally from that job. 54 00:02:15,949 --> 00:02:17,150 And then if I have a little more 55 00:02:17,150 --> 00:02:18,430 time to speak, I will Oh, you have 56 00:02:18,430 --> 00:02:20,129 plenty of time. Well, 57 00:02:20,430 --> 00:02:22,590 yes. But, yeah, I guess, yeah, if if 58 00:02:22,590 --> 00:02:24,590 the pitch goes longer, then I say, because 59 00:02:24,590 --> 00:02:25,409 she's a filmmaker, 60 00:02:25,789 --> 00:02:28,030 the film itself kinda plays with the medium. 61 00:02:28,030 --> 00:02:29,784 So for example, there'll be a scene where 62 00:02:29,784 --> 00:02:31,864 she complains about handheld footage, and then the 63 00:02:31,864 --> 00:02:34,044 film itself will start using handheld, 64 00:02:34,664 --> 00:02:35,724 footage in moments. 65 00:02:36,104 --> 00:02:37,544 And so kind of a lot of things 66 00:02:37,544 --> 00:02:39,465 like this will keep happening throughout film, where 67 00:02:39,465 --> 00:02:41,564 the film plays with the tools of filmmaking 68 00:02:41,625 --> 00:02:43,405 itself. Exactly. It kind of usually 69 00:02:43,790 --> 00:02:45,629 hoax the audience and then go you know, 70 00:02:45,629 --> 00:02:47,790 warns them that this will happen beforehand or 71 00:02:47,790 --> 00:02:49,870 kind of Right. Yeah. Doesn't like something like 72 00:02:49,870 --> 00:02:51,729 that. Right. Yeah. 73 00:02:52,189 --> 00:02:52,689 So, 74 00:02:53,069 --> 00:02:55,870 where did the idea originate, and was there 75 00:02:55,870 --> 00:02:59,165 a moment, image, or question that sparked it? 76 00:03:01,705 --> 00:03:03,705 Yes. I mean, of course, it's something as 77 00:03:03,705 --> 00:03:05,305 big as a feature film. There's a million 78 00:03:05,305 --> 00:03:07,145 little different things that, 79 00:03:07,625 --> 00:03:08,605 make the movie. 80 00:03:08,985 --> 00:03:11,389 But at the most basic level, I myself 81 00:03:11,389 --> 00:03:12,129 was working, 82 00:03:12,830 --> 00:03:14,189 one of my first jobs out of college 83 00:03:14,189 --> 00:03:16,909 was filming college lectures for the college I 84 00:03:16,909 --> 00:03:19,310 graduated from, filming and editing lectures. Oh, my. 85 00:03:19,310 --> 00:03:21,629 So you you got that part. Yes. I 86 00:03:21,629 --> 00:03:22,770 I lived that experience. 87 00:03:23,229 --> 00:03:24,050 So after, 88 00:03:24,830 --> 00:03:26,984 I I really didn't film that many lectures. 89 00:03:26,984 --> 00:03:28,424 I was maybe only a few weeks into 90 00:03:28,424 --> 00:03:29,405 the job and, 91 00:03:30,104 --> 00:03:32,044 was just kinda making note of all these 92 00:03:32,424 --> 00:03:34,364 funny coworkers or just, like, 93 00:03:34,984 --> 00:03:37,084 things going wrong, like a lecturer 94 00:03:37,384 --> 00:03:39,305 lecturer's head being cut off in the frame 95 00:03:39,305 --> 00:03:40,810 that, you know, somebody else shot, and then 96 00:03:40,810 --> 00:03:43,129 we're trying to fix. And so it was 97 00:03:43,129 --> 00:03:44,650 kind of this running list of mistakes or 98 00:03:44,650 --> 00:03:46,090 maybe a lecturer was trying to show off 99 00:03:46,090 --> 00:03:47,770 something, but the camera angle was such that 100 00:03:47,770 --> 00:03:49,610 we cannot actually see the thing they are 101 00:03:49,610 --> 00:03:51,210 showing. You know, they we're either raising something 102 00:03:51,210 --> 00:03:52,969 in their hand, but an audience member's head 103 00:03:52,969 --> 00:03:54,409 is directly in the way so we can 104 00:03:54,409 --> 00:03:56,264 never see what it is they're showing. And 105 00:03:56,264 --> 00:03:58,424 there was just a blending list of mistakes 106 00:03:58,424 --> 00:04:00,504 that kept being made or Yeah. Or just 107 00:04:00,504 --> 00:04:03,064 funny things about the job that, a couple 108 00:04:03,064 --> 00:04:04,584 weeks into the job, I was like, oh, 109 00:04:04,584 --> 00:04:07,084 there's something funny here, and I started writing 110 00:04:07,224 --> 00:04:08,424 what I thought at the time was a 111 00:04:08,424 --> 00:04:11,199 short film about this funny job of filming 112 00:04:11,199 --> 00:04:13,599 and editing college lectures. So that's really the 113 00:04:13,599 --> 00:04:15,360 the inception point for the small little thing 114 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,199 that started it all. Wow. Well, so it 115 00:04:17,199 --> 00:04:19,199 sounds like you have a little bit of, 116 00:04:19,439 --> 00:04:22,800 Lana in in you when you doing this 117 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:23,300 movie. 118 00:04:24,875 --> 00:04:26,714 Certainly. I mean, I think it's impossible to 119 00:04:26,714 --> 00:04:27,774 make a film without 120 00:04:28,074 --> 00:04:30,235 some bit of you in in everything. Sure. 121 00:04:30,235 --> 00:04:32,714 But, yeah, Lana Lana definitely represents some of 122 00:04:32,714 --> 00:04:34,595 me, though I think Lana's a little more 123 00:04:34,595 --> 00:04:36,955 a little more dour than I am. Oh, 124 00:04:36,955 --> 00:04:39,295 quite a bit. Upbeat than she is. Okay. 125 00:04:39,740 --> 00:04:42,080 And, of course and the title is provocative. 126 00:04:42,379 --> 00:04:45,100 So what does Sorry We're Dead signal to 127 00:04:45,100 --> 00:04:47,180 you? Like I said, I I was not 128 00:04:47,180 --> 00:04:49,460 expecting what I saw. It was wonderful, but 129 00:04:49,580 --> 00:04:52,460 yeah. And and because I didn't expect to 130 00:04:52,460 --> 00:04:54,460 laugh as much as I did throughout the 131 00:04:54,460 --> 00:04:54,884 film. 132 00:04:56,245 --> 00:04:58,205 I'm glad you laughed. That was definitely one 133 00:04:58,205 --> 00:05:00,245 of the goals. Okay. Wait. And and I 134 00:05:00,245 --> 00:05:02,185 did many, many times. Yes. 135 00:05:03,365 --> 00:05:05,605 So the title originally comes from the sorry 136 00:05:05,605 --> 00:05:07,085 we're closed sign that, you know, as a 137 00:05:07,125 --> 00:05:08,939 Right. Still might put up when they're closed. 138 00:05:09,100 --> 00:05:11,259 Right. And in the film itself, our our 139 00:05:11,259 --> 00:05:13,259 main character, Lana, puts up that sign kind 140 00:05:13,259 --> 00:05:15,019 of as a joke on her workplace just 141 00:05:15,019 --> 00:05:16,540 because she doesn't want people to bother her, 142 00:05:16,540 --> 00:05:18,620 and then she puts an additional note over 143 00:05:18,620 --> 00:05:20,220 that to cover the word closed, and he 144 00:05:20,220 --> 00:05:21,680 had the word dead on it. 145 00:05:21,980 --> 00:05:24,334 Right. And, so the, you know, the the 146 00:05:24,334 --> 00:05:26,095 title references this moment in the movie, but, 147 00:05:26,095 --> 00:05:27,935 of course, it kind of it's represents all 148 00:05:27,935 --> 00:05:30,115 these deeper things as well. Lana is this 149 00:05:30,654 --> 00:05:32,495 as I said earlier, she sort of shriveled 150 00:05:32,495 --> 00:05:34,175 up and died from doing the job. She 151 00:05:34,175 --> 00:05:36,814 sort of closed off emotionally. So the story 152 00:05:36,814 --> 00:05:37,475 we're closed, 153 00:05:38,290 --> 00:05:40,529 Stein sort of represents her. You know, she 154 00:05:40,529 --> 00:05:42,529 sort of shut herself off from the world 155 00:05:42,529 --> 00:05:44,610 and sort of emotions and from trying to 156 00:05:44,610 --> 00:05:46,850 do more with her life. But then her 157 00:05:46,850 --> 00:05:49,110 putting that dead posted on it is this 158 00:05:49,250 --> 00:05:50,229 kind of silly, 159 00:05:51,329 --> 00:05:51,829 hyper 160 00:05:52,289 --> 00:05:52,789 exaggerated, 161 00:05:54,555 --> 00:05:57,855 sarcastic, dry joke that All of that. Represents. 162 00:05:58,795 --> 00:06:00,555 All of that. But the clear message was 163 00:06:00,555 --> 00:06:03,115 sent by by putting that up, I think. 164 00:06:03,115 --> 00:06:04,714 That would be good. Putting the dead in 165 00:06:04,714 --> 00:06:06,269 there. That would be great. I think it 166 00:06:06,589 --> 00:06:08,910 it's, whatever. It adds it adds that layer 167 00:06:08,910 --> 00:06:11,649 of, like, this sort of sarcasm or or, 168 00:06:12,990 --> 00:06:15,310 yeah, exaggeration that the film will follow. The 169 00:06:15,310 --> 00:06:16,829 title does have the problem that many people 170 00:06:16,829 --> 00:06:18,685 think it might be a zombie movie. I 171 00:06:18,685 --> 00:06:20,444 do acknowledge that that is a problem. Oh, 172 00:06:20,444 --> 00:06:21,504 no. But that's okay. 173 00:06:22,764 --> 00:06:24,125 It it it was fun all the way 174 00:06:24,125 --> 00:06:24,625 through. 175 00:06:25,165 --> 00:06:28,524 Yeah. Thank you. Hell, yeah. And so how 176 00:06:28,524 --> 00:06:30,605 early did you know what kind of story 177 00:06:30,605 --> 00:06:31,860 this wanted to be? 178 00:06:34,180 --> 00:06:37,459 I would probably say right from the beginning. 179 00:06:37,459 --> 00:06:39,300 I mean, it it maybe the very first 180 00:06:39,300 --> 00:06:41,800 things I was writing down were more comedic 181 00:06:41,860 --> 00:06:43,300 in nature. I I kinda thought we were 182 00:06:43,300 --> 00:06:44,659 just going to be making fun of a 183 00:06:44,659 --> 00:06:46,954 bunch of these silly things that happen. Right. 184 00:06:47,274 --> 00:06:49,194 But but also very early on after I 185 00:06:49,194 --> 00:06:51,354 made note of some of the funny things 186 00:06:51,354 --> 00:06:52,254 I wanted to, 187 00:06:52,634 --> 00:06:54,314 put into the story. And then as I 188 00:06:54,314 --> 00:06:56,314 started kind of deciding who the main character 189 00:06:56,314 --> 00:06:58,314 was, the character we end up within the 190 00:06:58,314 --> 00:06:59,294 film, Lana, 191 00:07:00,449 --> 00:07:02,849 was kind of coalesced very quickly as I 192 00:07:02,849 --> 00:07:04,449 was trying to decide what kind of character 193 00:07:04,449 --> 00:07:05,509 I want interacting 194 00:07:05,810 --> 00:07:06,550 and and 195 00:07:06,930 --> 00:07:09,169 having these mistakes happen around her. And I 196 00:07:09,169 --> 00:07:11,250 thought this type of character, you know, this 197 00:07:11,250 --> 00:07:14,324 sort of sarcastic and monotone character was the 198 00:07:14,324 --> 00:07:16,745 perfect foil to some of the more ridiculous 199 00:07:16,805 --> 00:07:18,485 aspects of the job and kind of a 200 00:07:18,485 --> 00:07:20,404 ridiculous coworker I really wanted to write in 201 00:07:20,404 --> 00:07:22,824 there. And then very naturally, a story 202 00:07:23,605 --> 00:07:25,524 formed around her of, you know, kinda trying 203 00:07:25,524 --> 00:07:27,105 to get out of the rut that she's 204 00:07:27,105 --> 00:07:29,086 in and and open back up a little 205 00:07:29,086 --> 00:07:31,067 bit more emotionally. Well, I think all of 206 00:07:31,067 --> 00:07:33,295 us have been through ruts. I think because 207 00:07:33,295 --> 00:07:35,276 I could identify with some of those ruts 208 00:07:35,276 --> 00:07:37,257 myself. Yes. Yes. I mean, same here, of 209 00:07:37,257 --> 00:07:39,733 course, which is how Yeah. It's some of 210 00:07:39,733 --> 00:07:41,714 how that ends up being written. Yeah. Yeah. 211 00:07:41,954 --> 00:07:44,675 And and the film does balance dark humor 212 00:07:44,675 --> 00:07:46,454 with emotional gravity. 213 00:07:46,995 --> 00:07:47,894 How intentional 214 00:07:48,274 --> 00:07:49,735 was that mix? 215 00:07:51,714 --> 00:07:54,480 Again, I would say quite intentional, I think. 216 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,000 Yeah. I used to as as I said, 217 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,560 the film started much more comedic when I, 218 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:00,639 or the the initial seed had a lot 219 00:08:00,639 --> 00:08:01,379 more comedy, 220 00:08:01,759 --> 00:08:04,259 but, and I always tend to write comedy. 221 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:06,080 But I found, especially as I was a 222 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:07,939 college student and writing a lot of absurdist 223 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:10,875 and comedic scripts that just kind of constant 224 00:08:10,935 --> 00:08:13,334 nonstop comedy, especially when it's absurd as some 225 00:08:13,334 --> 00:08:14,394 of my stuff is. 226 00:08:14,774 --> 00:08:15,594 It does 227 00:08:15,894 --> 00:08:18,774 it it, like, it becomes too ungrounded or, 228 00:08:18,774 --> 00:08:20,694 like, the jokes don't land as much. You 229 00:08:20,694 --> 00:08:23,649 almost need some something else, something to contrast 230 00:08:23,709 --> 00:08:26,370 to the comedy. Yeah. So I, over time, 231 00:08:26,589 --> 00:08:28,269 have have landed in this world where I 232 00:08:28,269 --> 00:08:30,269 will often have I guess, a dramedy is 233 00:08:30,269 --> 00:08:31,949 technically the word where there's kind of Okay. 234 00:08:32,110 --> 00:08:34,589 Kinds of moments of drama in between all 235 00:08:34,589 --> 00:08:37,475 the comedy. Yeah. So this was very natural 236 00:08:37,695 --> 00:08:39,134 of a script for the the way I 237 00:08:39,134 --> 00:08:41,534 have slowly found that seems to work the 238 00:08:41,534 --> 00:08:44,034 best for what I want to write. Okay. 239 00:08:44,095 --> 00:08:46,414 And, yeah, there was plenty of drama in 240 00:08:46,414 --> 00:08:47,934 comedy, and drama is, I guess, is the 241 00:08:47,934 --> 00:08:48,914 perfect way 242 00:08:49,534 --> 00:08:50,595 to describe that. 243 00:08:51,149 --> 00:08:54,289 I guess so. Yeah. And so what themes 244 00:08:54,750 --> 00:08:57,250 felt most urgent or unavoidable 245 00:08:58,110 --> 00:08:59,089 as you were writing? 246 00:09:00,829 --> 00:09:02,990 As you mentioned earlier, sort of we we've 247 00:09:02,990 --> 00:09:04,965 all kind of been stuck in some ruts 248 00:09:04,965 --> 00:09:06,485 at various times in the last Yes. I 249 00:09:06,485 --> 00:09:06,985 think. 250 00:09:08,085 --> 00:09:11,045 And so that theme just cropped up very 251 00:09:11,045 --> 00:09:12,965 early on in in the earliest writings. I 252 00:09:12,965 --> 00:09:14,725 was kind of pretty sure that we would 253 00:09:14,725 --> 00:09:15,225 be 254 00:09:15,779 --> 00:09:17,299 following that theme, and that would be one 255 00:09:17,299 --> 00:09:18,980 of the main things happening with Lana is 256 00:09:18,980 --> 00:09:20,919 her finding that she's stuck in this rut. 257 00:09:21,059 --> 00:09:22,039 I mean, I'm sure, 258 00:09:22,980 --> 00:09:25,539 creative people have all experienced this kind of 259 00:09:25,539 --> 00:09:27,320 having a job that isn't so creative, 260 00:09:28,179 --> 00:09:30,134 and feeling like, oh, maybe we need to 261 00:09:30,134 --> 00:09:31,654 break out of that, or or is it 262 00:09:31,654 --> 00:09:33,095 a good idea to break out because maybe 263 00:09:33,095 --> 00:09:35,334 it's scarier out in the try trying to 264 00:09:35,334 --> 00:09:37,894 actually do a creative job. Mhmm. Even for 265 00:09:37,894 --> 00:09:39,274 those that aren't creatives, 266 00:09:39,735 --> 00:09:41,654 you know, we've all probably felt stuck in 267 00:09:41,654 --> 00:09:42,855 some kind of job at some point in 268 00:09:42,855 --> 00:09:43,514 our lives. 269 00:09:44,289 --> 00:09:45,730 So that was one of the most most 270 00:09:45,730 --> 00:09:46,230 natural, 271 00:09:47,250 --> 00:09:48,769 things to poke at and and all the 272 00:09:48,769 --> 00:09:50,769 themes surrounding that. Like, does it does it 273 00:09:50,769 --> 00:09:52,690 make sense? How how much do you wanna 274 00:09:52,690 --> 00:09:55,669 rock the boat if you are relatively comfortable 275 00:09:55,730 --> 00:09:57,825 in your life, but I do feel like 276 00:09:57,825 --> 00:09:59,684 it needs some change. Yeah. 277 00:10:00,225 --> 00:10:02,945 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Common themes for almost any 278 00:10:03,184 --> 00:10:04,625 I mean, even for me, I worked in 279 00:10:04,625 --> 00:10:07,044 the railroad blue collar field and 280 00:10:07,745 --> 00:10:09,985 I good career. But, yeah, there were times 281 00:10:09,985 --> 00:10:11,664 when I was, man, I don't know. Maybe 282 00:10:11,664 --> 00:10:14,090 I'd I'd like to be a dancer. No. 283 00:10:14,090 --> 00:10:16,889 I'd never do a dance, but anything different. 284 00:10:16,889 --> 00:10:19,050 But yeah. Yeah. It's just yeah. There were 285 00:10:19,050 --> 00:10:21,610 just common themes. And you mentioned so comp 286 00:10:21,690 --> 00:10:23,870 do you like to focus on comedy 287 00:10:24,735 --> 00:10:26,434 in in your movies? 288 00:10:28,495 --> 00:10:30,095 I guess the answer is yes. It's it 289 00:10:30,095 --> 00:10:32,735 is the most default state for me. Almost 290 00:10:32,735 --> 00:10:34,174 everything I come up with is you know, 291 00:10:34,174 --> 00:10:36,735 I usually notice something funny. That's what most 292 00:10:36,735 --> 00:10:39,490 gets me interested in writing something. K. However, 293 00:10:39,490 --> 00:10:41,889 the film I'm currently most focused on actually 294 00:10:41,889 --> 00:10:43,730 contains very little comedy that the film I 295 00:10:43,730 --> 00:10:46,289 hope becomes my second feature film now, is 296 00:10:46,289 --> 00:10:48,309 actually not really a comedy at all. 297 00:10:48,929 --> 00:10:51,105 So it's not exclusively what I do, but 298 00:10:51,105 --> 00:10:51,605 I 299 00:10:52,279 --> 00:10:53,954 No. No. Okay. 300 00:10:54,629 --> 00:10:56,891 To comedy. Okay. Alright. 301 00:10:57,566 --> 00:11:02,178 And were there moments where humor felt like 302 00:11:02,265 --> 00:11:05,702 a necessity rather than a choice? 303 00:11:06,190 --> 00:11:07,169 Interesting question. 304 00:11:08,269 --> 00:11:08,769 The 305 00:11:09,070 --> 00:11:11,389 the initial answer that comes to me is 306 00:11:11,389 --> 00:11:13,309 there would be times when I'm writing that 307 00:11:13,309 --> 00:11:15,309 I would feel like, oh, we've just had 308 00:11:15,309 --> 00:11:17,329 a bunch of comedy, so it's time 309 00:11:17,789 --> 00:11:18,289 for, 310 00:11:18,669 --> 00:11:20,365 time for a more dramatic beat, and then 311 00:11:20,404 --> 00:11:22,085 Okay. No reverse would be you know, we've 312 00:11:22,085 --> 00:11:23,225 just had a lot of drama. 313 00:11:23,684 --> 00:11:26,565 It's time before before the next dramatic beat, 314 00:11:26,565 --> 00:11:28,485 I now want a lighter scene in between. 315 00:11:28,485 --> 00:11:30,325 So so in that way, I I would 316 00:11:30,404 --> 00:11:33,125 sometimes without knowing specifically what the funny scene 317 00:11:33,125 --> 00:11:34,485 might be, I would have this idea of, 318 00:11:34,485 --> 00:11:36,550 like, somewhere here wants to be a moment 319 00:11:36,550 --> 00:11:37,210 of levity. 320 00:11:37,670 --> 00:11:39,830 Okay. So if something like that was going 321 00:11:39,830 --> 00:11:41,290 on where there'll be times where 322 00:11:42,230 --> 00:11:44,710 I felt like the script now wanted something 323 00:11:44,710 --> 00:11:47,769 funny or lighter or in a moment. Yeah. 324 00:11:48,725 --> 00:11:51,785 And and and did the script evolve significantly 325 00:11:52,245 --> 00:11:53,304 during production? 326 00:11:55,524 --> 00:11:56,024 Yes. 327 00:11:56,725 --> 00:11:57,225 Though 328 00:11:57,684 --> 00:12:00,004 the finished film is still quite recognizable. If 329 00:12:00,004 --> 00:12:02,085 anybody read the earliest drafts, they would still 330 00:12:02,085 --> 00:12:02,585 recognize 331 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,000 the general idea of the film and the 332 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,500 main character. Right. But it 333 00:12:07,879 --> 00:12:09,559 started when I first sat down to write, 334 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,120 as I kinda said way earlier, maybe I 335 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:13,639 thought I was writing a five to ten 336 00:12:13,639 --> 00:12:14,620 minute short film. 337 00:12:16,955 --> 00:12:18,715 Oh. So right there, there was pretty big 338 00:12:18,715 --> 00:12:20,394 difference between the final film here, which I 339 00:12:20,394 --> 00:12:23,035 believe is eighty three minutes. Yeah. Yeah. So 340 00:12:23,035 --> 00:12:25,115 when I first sat down to write, I 341 00:12:25,115 --> 00:12:27,514 think I ended up with 29 pages, which 342 00:12:27,754 --> 00:12:29,674 a page is about a minute when, in 343 00:12:29,674 --> 00:12:31,429 the screenwriting format. So I wrote about a 344 00:12:31,429 --> 00:12:33,429 thirty minute film on my first sitting Wow. 345 00:12:33,509 --> 00:12:35,590 Which was the longest thing I had ever 346 00:12:35,590 --> 00:12:38,009 written up until that point. Yeah. Very unintentional. 347 00:12:38,230 --> 00:12:39,669 I thought I was writing a five minute 348 00:12:39,669 --> 00:12:41,910 piece, but I just kept writing in one 349 00:12:41,910 --> 00:12:44,149 single sitting until suddenly with 30 pages of 350 00:12:44,149 --> 00:12:44,649 screenplay. 351 00:12:45,144 --> 00:12:47,644 Wow. Well, I tell you, it never felt 352 00:12:47,865 --> 00:12:48,365 slow. 353 00:12:49,065 --> 00:12:52,184 It was entertaining throughout. It was really great. 354 00:12:52,184 --> 00:12:53,945 I'm glad to feel that one. Really, really 355 00:12:53,945 --> 00:12:54,924 great. Yeah. 356 00:12:56,184 --> 00:12:58,504 So and and what were you looking for 357 00:12:58,504 --> 00:13:00,450 in casting the lead role? 358 00:13:01,009 --> 00:13:03,090 And did you already have Sarah in mind? 359 00:13:03,090 --> 00:13:03,590 Or 360 00:13:05,090 --> 00:13:07,330 I did not already have Sarah in mind, 361 00:13:07,330 --> 00:13:09,169 though I should have because it turns out 362 00:13:09,169 --> 00:13:11,410 I had actually met her, though I didn't 363 00:13:11,410 --> 00:13:13,904 realize it prior to, casting her. 364 00:13:15,024 --> 00:13:16,705 When when it came time to cast oh, 365 00:13:16,705 --> 00:13:18,465 go ahead, Maria. I'd ask a question. Oh, 366 00:13:18,465 --> 00:13:19,904 no. No. No. That was it. That was 367 00:13:19,904 --> 00:13:20,785 it. Yeah. Okay. 368 00:13:21,185 --> 00:13:22,884 So when it came time to cast, 369 00:13:23,345 --> 00:13:24,625 as I had had a lot of people 370 00:13:24,625 --> 00:13:26,725 read the screenplay and offer their feedback, 371 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:29,679 one of the notes I kept getting was 372 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:31,679 that some people were very turned off by 373 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:33,220 by the character of Lana, 374 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,419 and, like, you know, that her her sarcasm 375 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:38,879 and and or her monotone behavior or just 376 00:13:38,879 --> 00:13:40,559 like the way she would treat her friends 377 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:41,299 or her coworkers, 378 00:13:42,654 --> 00:13:44,754 you know, they they they didn't like her. 379 00:13:44,975 --> 00:13:47,054 And I'm I don't believe that a character 380 00:13:47,054 --> 00:13:49,934 needs to be likable necessarily, but I do 381 00:13:49,934 --> 00:13:51,615 think that they're we want to have some 382 00:13:51,615 --> 00:13:53,549 type of empathy with a character at least. 383 00:13:54,029 --> 00:13:55,549 So one of the things I was looking 384 00:13:55,549 --> 00:13:57,149 for as I was casting was, like, who 385 00:13:57,149 --> 00:13:59,149 here do I feel like when they when 386 00:13:59,149 --> 00:14:01,649 they're going to be extremely sarcastic to me, 387 00:14:01,709 --> 00:14:02,769 who would I still 388 00:14:03,629 --> 00:14:06,429 either like or feel some feel some sense 389 00:14:06,429 --> 00:14:08,850 of empathy for as they do their sarcasm? 390 00:14:09,035 --> 00:14:10,634 Several people came in and did did a 391 00:14:10,634 --> 00:14:12,654 did a really, like, biting sarcasm 392 00:14:13,035 --> 00:14:14,795 that was that kinda made me go, like, 393 00:14:14,795 --> 00:14:16,154 oh, if you were a coworker of mine, 394 00:14:16,154 --> 00:14:17,915 like, you you would be sort of difficult 395 00:14:17,915 --> 00:14:19,115 to put up with if that was the 396 00:14:19,115 --> 00:14:21,375 sarcasm you brought every day to your home. 397 00:14:21,595 --> 00:14:22,095 Right. 398 00:14:22,875 --> 00:14:25,210 But then Sarah came in and just kind 399 00:14:25,210 --> 00:14:27,610 of nailed this sarcasm with often this, like, 400 00:14:27,610 --> 00:14:29,710 a little hint of a smile or somehow 401 00:14:30,250 --> 00:14:31,929 just I don't know. She she she managed 402 00:14:31,929 --> 00:14:33,789 this type of sarcasm that I found 403 00:14:34,649 --> 00:14:37,370 fun, and I I I was on her 404 00:14:37,370 --> 00:14:39,375 side when she was doing that. Well, I 405 00:14:39,375 --> 00:14:41,455 found a very against her. I found a 406 00:14:41,455 --> 00:14:43,475 very deep sweet and I gotta tell you, 407 00:14:43,774 --> 00:14:45,715 watching that, I I have 408 00:14:46,335 --> 00:14:48,654 she reminded me so much of my youngest 409 00:14:48,654 --> 00:14:50,355 granddaughter. It was unreal. 410 00:14:51,870 --> 00:14:52,610 My granddaughter's 411 00:14:52,910 --> 00:14:55,470 very sweet, lovable, but and she can be 412 00:14:55,470 --> 00:14:55,970 sarcastic. 413 00:14:56,509 --> 00:14:58,590 Throughout the film, I kept noticing that. So 414 00:14:58,590 --> 00:15:00,129 that was a real plus for me. 415 00:15:01,149 --> 00:15:02,129 It really was. 416 00:15:02,750 --> 00:15:04,875 Oh, great. Yeah. It was. And and and 417 00:15:04,875 --> 00:15:07,195 so what did Sara Lee bring to the 418 00:15:07,195 --> 00:15:09,754 performance that wasn't on the page? But you 419 00:15:09,754 --> 00:15:11,615 probably you've mentioned a few already. 420 00:15:12,235 --> 00:15:13,595 Yeah. Even as I was mentioning there, I 421 00:15:13,595 --> 00:15:14,955 mean, a big one is just her the 422 00:15:14,955 --> 00:15:17,115 the nuance which she brought to to her 423 00:15:17,115 --> 00:15:19,134 her sarcasm and her her monotone 424 00:15:20,170 --> 00:15:22,330 deliveries was, you know, something that not everybody 425 00:15:22,330 --> 00:15:23,930 was seeing on the page. So she she 426 00:15:23,930 --> 00:15:25,450 found a way, at least to me, that, 427 00:15:25,690 --> 00:15:28,110 she really made she made that stuff sing. 428 00:15:28,570 --> 00:15:30,810 I guess for some other some other little 429 00:15:30,810 --> 00:15:32,410 examples I could think of off the top 430 00:15:32,410 --> 00:15:34,330 of my head, just little bits of nuance 431 00:15:34,330 --> 00:15:35,825 she brought to a scene that I had 432 00:15:35,825 --> 00:15:37,924 never intended or even considered. 433 00:15:38,544 --> 00:15:39,985 There's a moment late in the film where 434 00:15:39,985 --> 00:15:43,105 where something bad happens to her or bad 435 00:15:43,105 --> 00:15:43,605 happens 436 00:15:44,065 --> 00:15:46,465 to thing people around her. Yeah. And in 437 00:15:46,465 --> 00:15:47,845 the script, I just had 438 00:15:48,789 --> 00:15:50,549 it written that she just kinda stands there 439 00:15:50,549 --> 00:15:53,029 and watches. And, obviously, she's affected by it, 440 00:15:53,029 --> 00:15:54,549 but she's not doing anything about it. But 441 00:15:54,549 --> 00:15:55,990 in the moment when we actually came to 442 00:15:55,990 --> 00:15:56,809 shoot that scene, 443 00:15:57,190 --> 00:15:58,789 she ended up kind of trying to speak. 444 00:15:58,789 --> 00:16:00,549 Like, she sort of blubbered out some lines 445 00:16:00,549 --> 00:16:03,134 without managing to say any actual words. It's 446 00:16:03,134 --> 00:16:04,495 like, what what what what? 447 00:16:05,535 --> 00:16:07,134 I'm doing a terrible job of that there, 448 00:16:07,134 --> 00:16:08,575 but she she did this thing where she 449 00:16:08,575 --> 00:16:09,235 just, like, 450 00:16:10,654 --> 00:16:12,355 bumbled through a nonsentence 451 00:16:12,975 --> 00:16:15,054 that was just, like, so beautiful, so much 452 00:16:15,054 --> 00:16:16,654 better than the thing I had written, which 453 00:16:16,654 --> 00:16:18,529 was she just stand there and does nothing. 454 00:16:18,750 --> 00:16:20,590 She found this way to do something and 455 00:16:20,590 --> 00:16:23,149 and, like, try to try to do something, 456 00:16:23,149 --> 00:16:25,629 try to fix the problem. Yeah. But the 457 00:16:25,629 --> 00:16:27,549 the script didn't allow her to fix the 458 00:16:27,549 --> 00:16:29,475 problem, but the, Sarah Lee, 459 00:16:30,034 --> 00:16:32,115 the woman who was playing playing Lana, found 460 00:16:32,115 --> 00:16:33,095 a way to 461 00:16:33,554 --> 00:16:35,815 to, like, try to do something without 462 00:16:36,595 --> 00:16:38,595 breaking the script and, like, because she's not 463 00:16:38,595 --> 00:16:40,194 allowed to do anything in that moment. And 464 00:16:40,194 --> 00:16:42,460 she's found this way to, like, bring to 465 00:16:42,460 --> 00:16:44,059 create a line almost, but there was no 466 00:16:44,059 --> 00:16:45,980 actual dialogue that she said. Anyway, that's a 467 00:16:45,980 --> 00:16:47,740 great moment. I always noticed that I had 468 00:16:47,740 --> 00:16:48,480 never written 469 00:16:49,019 --> 00:16:51,259 over just another real silly tiny moment that 470 00:16:51,259 --> 00:16:52,159 I always noticed 471 00:16:52,539 --> 00:16:54,860 is, she, at one point, meets another woman 472 00:16:54,860 --> 00:16:56,539 in a cafe, and that woman is quite 473 00:16:56,539 --> 00:16:58,504 sarcastic as well. Oh, yeah. And and she 474 00:16:58,504 --> 00:17:00,345 asks, can I sit can I sit down 475 00:17:00,345 --> 00:17:01,245 here? Bertha, 476 00:17:02,345 --> 00:17:05,785 yes. Bertha asks oh, sorry. Lana asks Bertha, 477 00:17:05,785 --> 00:17:07,625 can I sit down here? Bertha says something 478 00:17:07,625 --> 00:17:09,944 like, yeah. There was a ghost sitting there, 479 00:17:09,944 --> 00:17:11,500 but it's fine. That's fine. And then Lana 480 00:17:11,500 --> 00:17:13,849 just there is tiny little reaction. She almost, 481 00:17:13,849 --> 00:17:15,769 like, looks at the seat like, oh, wait. 482 00:17:15,769 --> 00:17:17,529 Was there a ghost in there? That was 483 00:17:17,529 --> 00:17:19,210 just I I had not written anything like 484 00:17:19,210 --> 00:17:20,490 that. I don't I don't think I've written 485 00:17:20,490 --> 00:17:22,490 any reaction for her in that moment, but, 486 00:17:22,730 --> 00:17:24,990 Sarah just So there was some ad libbing 487 00:17:25,210 --> 00:17:28,215 going on there in that Yeah. Okay. Definitely. 488 00:17:28,215 --> 00:17:30,215 Yeah. Definitely, the film has some ad libbing. 489 00:17:30,215 --> 00:17:32,955 So, you know, overall, it's still quite 490 00:17:33,894 --> 00:17:35,535 close to what I had written, but Sure. 491 00:17:35,654 --> 00:17:37,095 But I would not say there was no 492 00:17:37,095 --> 00:17:39,099 ad libbing at all. There was definitely lots 493 00:17:39,099 --> 00:17:40,619 of little things that either didn't get according 494 00:17:40,619 --> 00:17:41,819 to plan or that we made up on 495 00:17:41,819 --> 00:17:44,880 the spot or scuppered in the moment. Yeah. 496 00:17:44,940 --> 00:17:47,359 Yeah. Because I sure felt she was just 497 00:17:47,500 --> 00:17:49,839 wonderful in that part. I really did. 498 00:17:50,299 --> 00:17:51,679 Just, yeah, just great. 499 00:17:52,394 --> 00:17:54,234 Oh, yeah. She's amazing. Yeah. She did. And 500 00:17:54,234 --> 00:17:56,075 she she's nothing like her character, by the 501 00:17:56,075 --> 00:17:57,914 way. I you've probably discovered this with talking 502 00:17:57,914 --> 00:17:59,755 to her, but she's she's I know. Warm 503 00:17:59,755 --> 00:18:01,835 and bubbly in person, and not at all 504 00:18:01,835 --> 00:18:04,414 was kind of a monotone and sarcastic person. 505 00:18:04,660 --> 00:18:06,500 And a a a huge thing that we 506 00:18:06,660 --> 00:18:08,740 and I did yeah. We did interview her 507 00:18:08,740 --> 00:18:11,380 just before and was the it sounds like 508 00:18:11,380 --> 00:18:12,599 that the whole work 509 00:18:13,059 --> 00:18:15,799 the camaraderie among everybody on this film 510 00:18:16,259 --> 00:18:18,519 was just wonderful. Cast, crew, 511 00:18:19,414 --> 00:18:22,214 everybody getting along just swimmingly well. That's gotta 512 00:18:22,214 --> 00:18:23,674 be a big a big plus. 513 00:18:24,775 --> 00:18:26,134 Yeah. And that was definitely one of my 514 00:18:26,134 --> 00:18:27,894 goals in in setting down to make the 515 00:18:27,894 --> 00:18:29,654 movie because I I do work on other 516 00:18:29,654 --> 00:18:31,835 people's independent features for a living. 517 00:18:32,339 --> 00:18:35,220 And, you know, they vary. Sometimes they're kinda 518 00:18:35,220 --> 00:18:37,299 grueling, and you work, you know, sixteen hour 519 00:18:37,299 --> 00:18:39,400 days for three weeks straight. And 520 00:18:39,940 --> 00:18:42,259 and, you know, sometimes there's not not always 521 00:18:42,259 --> 00:18:44,819 the most pleasant people around. Yeah. Generally, I 522 00:18:44,819 --> 00:18:45,375 feel like 523 00:18:46,255 --> 00:18:47,855 I I am pretty lucky and end up 524 00:18:47,855 --> 00:18:49,214 on a lot of sets with really wonderful 525 00:18:49,214 --> 00:18:50,734 people, but, you know, you sometimes will end 526 00:18:50,734 --> 00:18:51,795 up with people that 527 00:18:52,255 --> 00:18:54,095 are not the best and they kinda drag 528 00:18:54,095 --> 00:18:55,775 the whole experience down. But I I have 529 00:18:55,775 --> 00:18:57,535 a handful of movies that I've worked on 530 00:18:57,535 --> 00:18:59,399 that were just such a dream to work 531 00:18:59,399 --> 00:19:01,240 on with the the crew all being kind 532 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:03,319 of best friends Yeah. By the end of 533 00:19:03,319 --> 00:19:05,720 it. And, I really when it it was 534 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:07,480 actually working on one of those that inspired 535 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:08,599 me to try to make my own movie 536 00:19:08,599 --> 00:19:10,039 because it was so much fun. It was 537 00:19:10,039 --> 00:19:11,079 some of the most fun I ever had 538 00:19:11,079 --> 00:19:12,200 in my life working on one of those 539 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:13,974 movies. Wow. I was like, I want to 540 00:19:13,974 --> 00:19:15,974 do that. I want to make that. One, 541 00:19:15,974 --> 00:19:17,815 I wanna make a movie. But, two, if 542 00:19:17,815 --> 00:19:19,674 I could curate the same experience, 543 00:19:21,095 --> 00:19:21,994 that would be 544 00:19:22,454 --> 00:19:22,954 amazing. 545 00:19:23,335 --> 00:19:25,015 Wow. Well, like I said, it it it 546 00:19:25,015 --> 00:19:27,330 sounded like it was just a a wonderful 547 00:19:27,630 --> 00:19:29,490 a wonderful cast and crew altogether. 548 00:19:30,029 --> 00:19:33,170 So were there scenes that demanded a lighter 549 00:19:33,230 --> 00:19:34,049 or heavier, 550 00:19:34,590 --> 00:19:35,090 directorial 551 00:19:35,710 --> 00:19:38,289 touch that you had to deal with? 552 00:19:40,454 --> 00:19:42,535 The certainly the answer is yes. Will I 553 00:19:42,535 --> 00:19:44,154 come up with good examples? 554 00:19:45,894 --> 00:19:48,454 There would be, one of our actors, the 555 00:19:48,454 --> 00:19:50,934 character who the actor who plays Bird, his 556 00:19:50,934 --> 00:19:53,914 name is David Morales. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. 557 00:19:55,779 --> 00:19:57,859 He ended up kind of ad libbing more 558 00:19:57,859 --> 00:20:00,419 of his stuff than almost anyone else. I 559 00:20:00,419 --> 00:20:02,279 mean, still, he he follows 560 00:20:02,579 --> 00:20:04,419 fairly closely with what he was written, but 561 00:20:04,419 --> 00:20:05,859 he would often just, like, try a new 562 00:20:05,859 --> 00:20:07,815 little twist, try a different move or just, 563 00:20:07,815 --> 00:20:09,335 like, changing a line in a in a 564 00:20:09,335 --> 00:20:11,894 surprising way where it still gave the same 565 00:20:11,894 --> 00:20:14,234 general thing we needed out of the scene. 566 00:20:14,855 --> 00:20:17,095 So he he I would kind of I 567 00:20:17,095 --> 00:20:18,535 felt like so many times I would just 568 00:20:18,535 --> 00:20:20,059 let him go. Like, I I would almost 569 00:20:20,059 --> 00:20:22,059 not do anything because he just kept discovering 570 00:20:22,059 --> 00:20:23,339 so many things on his own. I didn't 571 00:20:23,339 --> 00:20:25,200 wanna jump in there and break that. 572 00:20:25,579 --> 00:20:27,500 He was just doing so much to to 573 00:20:27,500 --> 00:20:29,519 create his character and find things. 574 00:20:30,460 --> 00:20:32,640 And, yeah, he definitely made stuff out of 575 00:20:33,180 --> 00:20:34,845 whole cloth or out of thin air, 576 00:20:35,325 --> 00:20:37,164 in so many scenarios. There's a moment near 577 00:20:37,164 --> 00:20:38,845 the end of the film where he walks 578 00:20:38,845 --> 00:20:40,544 out of the room and says something like, 579 00:20:40,605 --> 00:20:42,204 the bird is out, and then he he 580 00:20:42,204 --> 00:20:44,224 goes Yes. He took the with the black 581 00:20:44,365 --> 00:20:46,605 feathers as he walks out. That wasn't in 582 00:20:46,605 --> 00:20:47,884 the script. He just made that up as 583 00:20:47,884 --> 00:20:49,660 he left out one of the takes. Yeah. 584 00:20:49,660 --> 00:20:51,660 It's amazing. That was So I guess, yeah, 585 00:20:51,660 --> 00:20:54,220 he might be an example of, moments that 586 00:20:54,220 --> 00:20:56,059 that wanted more light touches or just kind 587 00:20:56,059 --> 00:20:57,740 of, like, set the set the mood of, 588 00:20:57,740 --> 00:20:59,420 like, we're all having fun here. Go for 589 00:20:59,420 --> 00:21:00,940 it. Try whatever you wanna try, and then 590 00:21:00,940 --> 00:21:02,400 just stand back. Yeah. 591 00:21:02,859 --> 00:21:03,345 Wow. 592 00:21:04,304 --> 00:21:06,144 So so what did it mean to screen 593 00:21:06,144 --> 00:21:07,845 this film at Wild Rivers? 594 00:21:10,384 --> 00:21:13,105 I unfortunately missed the screening myself because I 595 00:21:13,105 --> 00:21:15,284 think there was some terrible weather that prevented 596 00:21:15,505 --> 00:21:18,360 a a flight from landing or something. Well, 597 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:20,279 that happens. I I was going to the 598 00:21:20,279 --> 00:21:22,279 airport, but then kept getting these messages of, 599 00:21:22,279 --> 00:21:23,960 like, flight delayed, flight delayed. And then suddenly, 600 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:25,240 I got a message that was, like, delayed 601 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:26,680 to another day. And I was like, I 602 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:28,619 will miss the screening. I can't do that. 603 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:30,119 And by the point I got that message, 604 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:31,559 it was too late to try to find 605 00:21:31,559 --> 00:21:33,535 a backup plan even if I started driving 606 00:21:33,535 --> 00:21:34,755 because I I live in, 607 00:21:35,295 --> 00:21:37,695 in the San Francisco Bay Area. And so, 608 00:21:37,695 --> 00:21:39,855 technically, I could kind of make that drive 609 00:21:39,855 --> 00:21:40,515 in some 610 00:21:40,974 --> 00:21:43,055 eight hours or something. By by the time 611 00:21:43,055 --> 00:21:44,734 I knew, I basically couldn't even pull it 612 00:21:44,734 --> 00:21:46,654 off if I immediately jumped in my car. 613 00:21:46,654 --> 00:21:48,035 So I drove. Okay. 614 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:50,460 And that's that's a trend up the coast. 615 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:52,599 Yes. I mean, I I would have been 616 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:53,980 I hope I can come 617 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:55,960 maybe for my next film. I'll get to 618 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:57,880 actually come in person. Oh, that would be 619 00:21:57,880 --> 00:21:58,940 fantastic. Very 620 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:01,575 happy to be You bet. At the festival, 621 00:22:01,575 --> 00:22:03,654 though, even though I missed the actual screening 622 00:22:03,654 --> 00:22:05,894 itself. Okay. So sorry about that. Oh, no. 623 00:22:05,894 --> 00:22:07,494 Oh, no. That Next film, I get to 624 00:22:07,494 --> 00:22:08,795 be there. Alright. 625 00:22:09,894 --> 00:22:11,575 Now and you say you live in the 626 00:22:11,575 --> 00:22:12,315 Bay Area. 627 00:22:13,015 --> 00:22:15,420 Was that film all shot in the Bay 628 00:22:15,420 --> 00:22:15,920 Area? 629 00:22:16,779 --> 00:22:18,220 Correct. The whole film was shot in the 630 00:22:18,220 --> 00:22:21,279 San Francisco Bay Area. Oh, wow. Okay. 631 00:22:23,019 --> 00:22:25,099 Familiar with it only because I've worked in 632 00:22:25,099 --> 00:22:27,900 that area many, many times, all Oakland, San 633 00:22:27,900 --> 00:22:28,400 Jose, 634 00:22:29,794 --> 00:22:32,134 all over the place there. Yeah. Yep. Wow. 635 00:22:33,634 --> 00:22:36,454 So Not the most What? Go ahead. 636 00:22:37,075 --> 00:22:38,515 I was gonna say not not the, you 637 00:22:38,515 --> 00:22:40,355 know, it's not LA, not the most typical 638 00:22:40,355 --> 00:22:42,355 place for movies, but Well, no. Something always 639 00:22:42,355 --> 00:22:43,875 a little bit of movie work going on 640 00:22:43,875 --> 00:22:46,859 here. Yeah. Yeah. But there's some beautiful god, 641 00:22:46,859 --> 00:22:48,559 it's a beautiful place, I think. 642 00:22:48,859 --> 00:22:50,779 Might be a little crowded, but it's a 643 00:22:50,779 --> 00:22:52,399 beautiful place. Yeah. 644 00:22:53,259 --> 00:22:54,779 If you can get out to the outskirts 645 00:22:54,779 --> 00:22:56,380 in some areas more, and you're still kind 646 00:22:56,380 --> 00:22:57,659 of in the Bay Area, and you can 647 00:22:57,659 --> 00:22:59,565 be in some fairly Oh, yeah. Emptier place 648 00:22:59,565 --> 00:23:01,164 if you'd like. Oh, for sure. In fact, 649 00:23:01,164 --> 00:23:03,244 we've kind of filmed in more of the 650 00:23:03,244 --> 00:23:05,804 outskirts of the Bay Area Oh, good. Inside 651 00:23:05,804 --> 00:23:06,304 the 652 00:23:06,684 --> 00:23:09,345 more densely packed areas. Yeah. Yeah. 653 00:23:09,724 --> 00:23:12,845 So broad question, maybe, but what's next for 654 00:23:12,845 --> 00:23:15,240 you as a filmmaker? Anything right on the 655 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:17,420 horizon, or you just kinda 656 00:23:18,279 --> 00:23:20,779 taking a little break and figuring stuff out? 657 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:24,619 So while I was in the editing process 658 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,480 on this film, I wrote two other feature 659 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,625 scripts, which is funny because I'd never written 660 00:23:29,625 --> 00:23:31,464 even one prior to making this movie. I 661 00:23:31,464 --> 00:23:33,944 mean, except for this movie, but I've been 662 00:23:33,944 --> 00:23:35,625 too scared to try writing a feature film. 663 00:23:35,625 --> 00:23:36,444 But then suddenly, 664 00:23:36,744 --> 00:23:37,964 I don't know, that this 665 00:23:38,424 --> 00:23:40,585 the barrier was broken and suddenly writing a 666 00:23:40,585 --> 00:23:42,044 feature film is doable. 667 00:23:43,299 --> 00:23:44,600 So I've written two films 668 00:23:45,059 --> 00:23:47,220 during the editing process for this film, and 669 00:23:47,220 --> 00:23:49,000 then one of those I've kind of 670 00:23:49,380 --> 00:23:51,460 doubled down on and I'm pretty sure is 671 00:23:51,460 --> 00:23:52,680 my next film. 672 00:23:53,220 --> 00:23:55,880 I'm kind of trying to get all the 673 00:23:56,224 --> 00:23:58,545 all my eggs together? That's the wrong thing. 674 00:23:58,545 --> 00:23:59,825 All the all the ducks in a row, 675 00:23:59,825 --> 00:24:01,125 I guess. Okay. 676 00:24:01,585 --> 00:24:03,025 All the ducks in a row to be 677 00:24:03,025 --> 00:24:04,625 able to film it this year. I'm kind 678 00:24:04,625 --> 00:24:06,224 of hoping in the next few months here, 679 00:24:06,224 --> 00:24:08,384 I could manage to film it. Alright. But 680 00:24:08,384 --> 00:24:09,059 things aren't 681 00:24:09,539 --> 00:24:11,700 100% nailed down just yet that I can 682 00:24:11,700 --> 00:24:12,840 give any guaranteed 683 00:24:13,700 --> 00:24:15,700 production date or anything like that, but I'm 684 00:24:15,700 --> 00:24:18,680 hoping we're on it quite soon. Okay. Good. 685 00:24:18,740 --> 00:24:21,160 Well, we just got a couple minutes 686 00:24:21,539 --> 00:24:22,039 left. 687 00:24:22,984 --> 00:24:25,384 I was gonna ask you though, what age 688 00:24:25,384 --> 00:24:27,785 were you what brought you into this, you 689 00:24:27,785 --> 00:24:29,164 know, wanting to do this, 690 00:24:29,785 --> 00:24:30,924 kind of thing in film? 691 00:24:32,585 --> 00:24:34,105 To do this kind of thing like make 692 00:24:34,105 --> 00:24:35,910 make a movie? Yes. Yes. Yeah. 693 00:24:36,869 --> 00:24:39,509 Yeah. I've I've I've no one answer. I've 694 00:24:39,509 --> 00:24:41,509 somehow always kind of wanted to do that 695 00:24:41,509 --> 00:24:43,109 as far back as I can trace. I 696 00:24:43,109 --> 00:24:44,390 have, like, little movies I made as a 697 00:24:44,390 --> 00:24:45,750 kid when I was eight and my parents 698 00:24:45,750 --> 00:24:47,849 bought, you know, a little tiny digital camera. 699 00:24:47,910 --> 00:24:50,144 Oh, well, DVTIC camera. And so I can 700 00:24:50,144 --> 00:24:51,424 find a thing when I think I was 701 00:24:51,424 --> 00:24:52,865 five or six that I no. No. Sorry. 702 00:24:52,865 --> 00:24:54,545 Five or six. That's wrong. I I just 703 00:24:54,545 --> 00:24:56,144 said eight. Yeah. I think I must be 704 00:24:56,144 --> 00:24:58,144 eight. And I'm almost when I made that 705 00:24:58,144 --> 00:25:00,305 little movie, and it's just always been an 706 00:25:00,305 --> 00:25:01,825 item on the list to try to do 707 00:25:01,825 --> 00:25:03,845 a feature length thing one day. Alright. 708 00:25:04,339 --> 00:25:06,019 Well, I tell you, we were thrilled or 709 00:25:06,099 --> 00:25:07,779 we're thrilled to have you here to talk 710 00:25:07,779 --> 00:25:09,320 about this, and it was a wonderful, 711 00:25:09,779 --> 00:25:10,680 wonderful film. 712 00:25:11,059 --> 00:25:14,039 And thank you for being on the show, 713 00:25:14,420 --> 00:25:16,259 Alex Zajic, and I hope I have that 714 00:25:16,259 --> 00:25:17,079 name correct. 715 00:25:17,619 --> 00:25:19,059 I got it right. Thank you so much 716 00:25:19,059 --> 00:25:21,595 for having me. Okay. So Sorry We're Dead 717 00:25:21,595 --> 00:25:23,914 is a powerful and distinctive film, and it's 718 00:25:23,914 --> 00:25:26,554 been great having you, Alex. Thanks for joining 719 00:25:26,554 --> 00:25:29,275 us on Wild Rivers Film Radio radio. I 720 00:25:29,275 --> 00:25:30,414 tried to say that correctly. 721 00:25:30,954 --> 00:25:33,595 Sorry We're Dead will screen again as part 722 00:25:33,595 --> 00:25:36,130 of the afternoon indie series, Saturday, 723 00:25:36,590 --> 00:25:40,190 February 7 at 2PM at the Chetco Public 724 00:25:40,190 --> 00:25:42,210 Community Library in Brookings. 725 00:25:42,990 --> 00:25:45,230 So that's it for this episode of Wild 726 00:25:45,230 --> 00:25:47,789 Rivers Film Radio. To learn more about the 727 00:25:47,789 --> 00:25:49,009 festival, bypasses, 728 00:25:49,934 --> 00:25:50,434 volunteer, 729 00:25:50,974 --> 00:25:52,274 or explore sponsorship 730 00:25:52,575 --> 00:25:56,274 opportunities, visit wildriversfilmfestival.com. 731 00:25:56,575 --> 00:25:58,494 You can follow us on you can also 732 00:25:58,494 --> 00:26:00,274 follow us on Facebook, Instagram, 733 00:26:01,054 --> 00:26:01,554 TikTok, 734 00:26:01,855 --> 00:26:02,835 and YouTube. 735 00:26:03,559 --> 00:26:07,179 So the recording today was mister Michael Gorse, 736 00:26:07,559 --> 00:26:10,140 sound mixing and editing, Tom Bozak, 737 00:26:10,599 --> 00:26:11,099 producer 738 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:12,299 Sue Wright, 739 00:26:12,679 --> 00:26:16,359 and today's guest, Alex Zajicek and Sara Lee 740 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:17,179 before Alex. 741 00:26:17,494 --> 00:26:19,975 We're really thrilled to have you both. And 742 00:26:19,975 --> 00:26:21,434 I'm your host, Rick McNamer. 743 00:26:21,975 --> 00:26:24,295 We'll see you at the movies. Thank you, 744 00:26:24,295 --> 00:26:25,914 Alex. Thank you, everyone.