Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘Hold Me’. How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?
Andrew has been a photographer in the NYC editorial/commercial photo community for over 20 years and he gained a lot of production experience over the years working on big editorial photo and video assignments. Filmmaking has always been his lifelong dream, so this project represents a new beginning and reinvention for him as a filmmaker.
Terezia’s background is in psychology, philosophy and the esoteric. A great deal of her work is navigating people to break through their limiting beliefs and step into their personal power, both spiritually and emotionally. Having a background in working with people in this way was a guiding force in her transition to directing with this project.
Her previous work also includes writing, shadow work, coaching and leading heart-centered workshops, through energy work and the basics of the human psyche. This made directing, writing the script, building character profiles via astrology and creating a cohesive psychological base, a smooth and natural process.
T & A: Although we are both new to filmmaking and screenwriting, we've always loved the art of storytelling, whether through books or films.From the start, we knew we wanted a family constellation to be the heart of the film along with several core issues we wanted to address; something timeless while still being connected with the current times. Instead of writing the script from the beginning, we started with the big end scene, the family constellation and we worked backwards from there, working on the story line, composing characters, etc.
We both took on a lot of new roles we had never experienced before, especially since this was both of our very first film but the process itself felt very natural. There are a lot of amazing books and online resources dedicated to every aspect of the process which we both studied endlessly. Finding a way to be prepared for everything and learning to flow with every bump, understanding how to adapt and be open to learning was crucial to our process. It also helped so much to have such a wonderful, knowledgeable team to work with!
Tell us about ‘Hold Me’. How do you describe it?
A: The film is about the search for identity and the need for real human connection, authenticity, integrity and mercy in the shadow of cancel culture and our modern world.
Terezia and I took part in a family constellation at a meditation retreat in Upstate NY and one day things just clicked for me. I was really inspired by the aesthetics of the role playing within the group arrangement and how it could translate beautifully to film within a confined space in a natural forest setting. I saw a lot of similarities to classical paintings and dramatic compositions.
T: Ultimately, Hold Me is a story of hope that no one is too far gone for renewal and redemption. Our humanness tends to get in the way of true redemption, it’s not about our need for justice or desire for vengeance that holds the key for true redemption. It’s about the realignment of things within us, using forces that are much greater than us. It’s about harmony, community and support on a global, individual and family scale. This is the goal of family constellations and the film.
Please tell us about your favorite filmmakers.
T: I think Wes Anderson is a classic, I love his style of storytelling, and I have always been in absolute awe of his aesthetics. Andrei Tarkovsky is one of my favorites as well, he hits a very nostalgic note within me, partially because of the Slavic culture and he was a large part of my very first film class, he was my introduction to viewing and interpreting film in a completely new way. I have always found Sam Mendes to be very inspiring as well; not only because one of my favorite movies is American Beauty, but when a director’s first movie is as impactful and quick to become a classic as his, it’s something to admire.
A: As a young photographer, I was always drawn to world cinema and edgy filmmakers like David Lynch, Peter Greenaway and Pedro Almodovar. I recently read Lynch's memoir/biography Room to Dream and it's a great read for any filmmaker. The vivid color palette and art direction in films by Jacques Duray and Éric Rohmer has been a huge inspiration for me in recent years. Dogtooth by Yorgos Lanthimos is probably my favorite film. A Brighter Summer Day by Edward Yang would be next with its rich, cinematic, epic scope and films by Claire Denis, Lucrecia Martel, Carlos Reygadas and Gus Van Sant round out my all-time favorite directors. I also recently discovered the film Lost and Beautiful by Pietro Marcello and was completely blown away- it felt so original, unique and poetic.
If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?
T: I really loved working with the core foundations that made up Hold Me and I would love to do a future project that dives much deeper into the complexities of these subjects. Specifically, the deeper psychological themes, expanding on the intricacies of being human while incorporating ancient knowledge and healing techniques that have been seemingly neglected by the modern world. All while leaving enough room for the viewer to take from the film what they need in the moment. Ideally, I’d like to do this in a full feature format with more space to expand on themes and character development.
A: My ideal project would be to work on a full-length feature that really pushes through, challenging the viewer, taking more risks and ultimately aiming to change people's lives- all within an ultra-cinematic experience that inspires on a visceral and auditory level and taps into universal themes of love and the beauty of life's journey.
Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?
A: We really benefited from ironing out a lot of details and being fully prepped beforehand. But it's always something- the 5th floor loft elevator not working on your first day of load in and shooting, domestic drama at the magic hour of a key location shot, etc. It's almost like so much of filmmaking and production is balanced on a feather, but it always seems to work out.
T: Being able to flow with the changes is also really important, sometimes things take on a bit of a different creative spin than anticipated when filming and being open to these changes, surprisingly, can help keep things on schedule - even if it seems counterintuitive.
What was the hardest part of making ‘Hold Me’.
A: I think our eight-minute Family Constellation scene was the most challenging. It's basically one continuous shape-shifting take. Our DP, Lukasz Pruchnik came up with a plan for capturing and synchronizing the various shots, which initially seemed very tricky. We were very lucky to have a professional cast who ran through multiple takes in perfect order. It also helped that we shot the scene over two days. The first day it rained a bit, and we treated it as a practice run. On the final day, the light was amazing, and everyone was fully in sync.
T: The editing aspect was difficult for me. Writing and navigating people is something that is already incorporated into my work, but editing was a brand-new adventure for me. The intricacies and details of it all; making sure to find the right shot that conveys the right emotion, getting the color right, making sure the music matches the scene- it was an uncharted world for me. I am very grateful Andrew has a strong background in this type of work and we had a wonderful, patient and knowledgeable team to help us with this process.
If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?
T & A: Hold Me has been such a big part of our lives for so long, currently we are enjoying the moments of sharing it with others after spending so much time perfecting it. There has been a lot of brainstorming and ideas floating around between the two of us, nothing we are quite ready to share with the world yet, but we know we would like to do a full-length feature.
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