Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’. How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?
I started, like many filmmakers, as a kid who loved watching behind-the-scenes videos of various movies. I was a self-starter in high school, helping to build my school’s broadcast program from the ground up, and then went to film school, where we made movies almost constantly for two years. They say that you have ten bad films in you before you get to your good films, and film school was an excellent step in getting the bad films out of my system. After film school, I started work at the base of the film production ladder, first working as a production assistant on larger projects (Walking Dead, Dopesick, and Teen Wolf among then) and eventually working full time as a script supervisor. At the same time, I continued producing films and building the filmmaking team. The resume has now built to eight short films and one feature-length film. Prior to “Under the Hawthorn Tree,” my most recent projects included the short film “A Horse Called Possum,” working with many of the same crew and even one of the same cast members (Casey Breneman).
Tell us about ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’. How do you describe it?
“Under the Hawthorn Tree” can be seen as simply a sad story of loss. But to put UTHT in such a box would fail to grasp the driving heart of this story: difficult but legitimate healing. Sometimes, it takes another tragedy to process a previous one. At its core, UTHT follows not just one woman wrestling with loss, but two. It is their bond as sisters-in-law that brings hope at the end of the day. Sybil, trying to outwork her grief, finally takes time to feel the sadness she has fought to keep away. Leila, drowning in her sadness, finally says goodbye to both her unborn child and her late husband. The complexity of grief - and the presence of hope, however small - touched my heart with this film.
Please tell us about your favorite filmmakers.
As a member of the nerd community, I of course admire Peter Jackson. Other favorites as far as directors include Brad Bird, Rob Reiner, and Shawn Levy. I have also had the honor of working with Barry Levinson and training under John Callen, both of whom completely changed my perspective on directing performance and filmmaking as a whole.
If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?
I am moving into directing thriller films. Thrillers, unlike dramas, allow for exploration of more of the extremes of the human condition without sliding down the slippery slope into soap opera. With a proper budget, I would produce one of my next feature film scripts: a female-led thriller film exploring the themes of loss, loneliness, and overcoming fear. I would bring the core team of filmmakers I have built over the past several projects, and we would be able to utilize a commodity of which we have had very little: time.
Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?
Efficiency all stems from preparation. The plan and the formation of the team are of equal importance to me during prep. The 1st Assistant Director and Director of Photography are incredibly important roles, and there’s a lot of trust built between us during preparation time. I debate the shot list with the Director of Photography as thoroughly as possible, so that when we go into the shoot day, I know exactly what we need to have a base edit. My goal is to understand the essence of each story moment, so that when I step on set, I know that any of the logistics or even story points can change, but the essence of each moment will be communicated. Figuring out the essence brings an assurance that allows me to cut shots, edit in my head, and not waste time, as well as allow for those “magical” moments we all long for on set.
What was the hardest part of making ‘Under the Hawthorn Tree’.
Working with animals was certainly the most difficult part of this project. A fun fact about me: I’m afraid of horses, so stepping onto set each day was not only a challenge in working among all the logistics involved, but also a fear to overcome each day.
If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?
I have directed and produced two more short films since Under the Hawthorn Tree, both of which are thriller concept shorts for two feature film scripts. One – entitled “Esper” – has just completed post-production and should be entering the festival circuit soon. The other – entitled “Dehnerai” – is working its way through the visual effects stage of post-production and will follow Esper into the festival circuit. Otherwise, I am developing three other feature film scripts and planning to film concept shorts for those projects as well, hopefully within the coming year.
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