Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘Parallel Partners’. How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?
“Parallel Partners” and “Bounty Hunters” are my first two self-funded film projects. I’ve never produced any of my own films before, nor had the inclination to do so until just a couple years ago. I’m mainly an actor who decided to take a more hands on approach to his career and make something happen. Waiting and hoping are two strategies that never worked for me. I like to get things done, and I’m addicted to creating. Whether it’s film or making some artworks, it’s all the same to me. I’m a creator. There’s a certain level of confidence and competency that comes from seeing something through from A-Z. This process from preproduction to completion was a great lesson and a rewarding one. Sometimes you just have to go do the thing! Take back the control as an artist, as an actor. Leverage the work in your favor, and use it as a promotional tool, a reel, something to show agents and managers. Also, the creative freedom to cast yourself in your own project and have that character written in a way that caters to you and your strengths is invaluable. I would not have been able to do this without the expertise and hard work of seasoned pros like Daniel Brea, Melissa Vitello, Christopher Sheffield, Bryan Ricke, and the rest of our talented cast and crew on both Parallel Partners, and Bounty Hunters.
So, to answer the last part of your question, I still don’t know how to make a film! I’m just a chronic learner, a student of film, and acting. I like to delve in and soak up as much knowledge as possible, and surround myself with talented people who I can draw from. I truly believe you can learn something, form anyone, at any level. The more I know, the more I feel like I don’t know anything. My first theatre director Marshall Hughes once told me “Be an empty vessel”, I understand that now.
I think that’s what it’s all about.
Tell us about ‘Parallel Partners’. How do you describe it?
“Parallel Partners” is a sci-fi drama/romance that explores the intersection of love and alternate realities. It’s about two individuals who, after discovering a way to communicate with each other in parallel universes, fall in love and attempt to meet, only to find that the closer they get, the more their worlds start to unravel around them. At its core, the film is about the consequences of breaking the natural order and asks a thought-provoking question: Is love worth risking everything—even reality itself?
Think of it like a modern Romeo and Juliet set in a sci-fi medium, but instead of poison, daggers, and melodrama, we have the complete destruction of reality… something like that.
Please tell us about your favorite filmmakers.
Some of my favorite filmmakers include Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation), Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner), and Christopher Nolan, whose work in films like Inception and Interstellar has heavily influenced my interest in science fiction and parallel realities. I also admire Denis Villeneuve for his ability to balance big, high-concept ideas with intimate, emotional storytelling, as seen in Arrival or Dune. Another influence is Charlie Kaufman, who excels at blending surreal concepts with deeply human experiences. Each of these directors has a unique voice, and film style that challenges audiences both intellectually and emotionally.
If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?
With a substantial budget, I would love to expand the concept of parallel realities and delve even deeper into the impact they could have on people and their choices. A larger budget would allow me to really build out multiple realities visually, showing how different choices create vastly different lives. My ideal project would blend strong character development with high-concept world-building, much like “Parallel Partners,” but on a more epic scale, with multiple intertwined narratives and breathtaking visual effects.
So … a lot of CGI lol, but with the focus still on emotionally driven performances! I would also like to give opportunities to talented actors that aren’t necessary “known”. First and foremost, I’m an actor before I’m a producer and I look at things from that lens. I know that struggle. It would mean a lot for me to be in a position where I can help those around me elevate.
Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?
To keep production on schedule, I believe in meticulous pre-production. This includes detailed planning, storyboarding, and definitely rehearsals with the actors to ensure everyone is on the same page before we start shooting. Many projects don’t have rehearsals before shooting and I think that’s a shame, though sometimes that can’t be avoided. I come from a theatre background and I know how valuable that can be to the performances.
I would also like to build in buffer time to accommodate any unexpected delays, without putting too much pressure on the team. Communication is key—I would ensure the crew is aware of the daily goals and that everyone has access to a clear, adaptable timeline. Having a solid assistant director and a well-organized production manager would be crucial to ensuring we stay on track. I think half the battle is just having the right people around you from the get-go. People like to work with people they like! Makes a big difference, I think.
What was the hardest part of making ‘Parallel Partners’?
The hardest part of making “Parallel Partners” was finding the balance between the emotional and technical aspects. Since the film deals with the concept of parallel universes, the challenge was to make sure the science-fiction elements didn’t overshadow the emotional journey of the characters. We had to carefully choreograph the “world-shifting” scenes in a way that felt visually compelling but still kept the focus on the emotional stakes. Achieving that balance while working with limited resources made it an intense but rewarding experience. All props to Melissa, and Chris on that.
Early on Chris wanted to scrap the idea that was written in the script about “mountains crumbling”. This would have added much more to my budget and would’ve taken longer to create in post-production. He wanted to focus on the performances to sell the stakes, not the VFX. I agreed 100% and that was the way to go.
If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?
I would love to expand on Parallel Partners. All the feedback I’ve received is how much people loved the concept and would like to see it expanded in a feature film. I have a notebook with all this backstory on the characters and what transpired before their encounter, and it would be awesome to see that come to fruition one day. It could become a very different story by the time it gets written and expanded, and that’s ok. It could really go in so many different directions.
But I would also like to develop another project that also blends sci-fi with a more intimate, human story. It’s a psychological thriller that explores the concept of molding reality and how our past can shape our future.
The concept would be birthed from a tragedy that occurs to the lead character, in which he finds himself indirectly responsible. He then finds a way to change things, but at a great cost.
It’s something I hope I can accomplish in the future, but I’m really excited about the possibility to push the boundaries of storytelling in a sci-fi medium while staying grounded in deeply personal character arcs. The goal would be to make a film that makes audiences think, feel, and question the nature of reality, and the choices they’ve made in their lives that have led them to where they are right now.
So more or less, yeah, something like that.
Special Mention and Thank You to:
Daniel Brea (Producer/Filmmaker/ CEO @DreamReachMedia) for igniting the fire within.
Melissa Vitello (Producer/Director/Writer) couldn’t have done this without you.
Christopher Sheffield (Director/Writer)
From our first talk, I knew this was in good hands. Great Director.
Bryan Ricke (Cinematographer)
Thanks for capturing every frame awesomely
Lian Uritsky (Hair & Makeup)
Eric Ibarra (1st AC)
Trevor Wilson (G&E)
Sandra Tejeda (Sound)
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