Throwback Thursdays are the perfect time to reflect on past projects, successes and maybe even a few flops. This Thursday is the perfect time to talk about a project I was the director of photography on with a great crew shot in and around Moorhead, MN: “Sadie Breaks the Silents”.
“Sadie”, as we like to call it, is a short film set in the 1920s about a woman who does what it takes to get the job done and save a motion picture, and her job, from ruin.
Danger Vision is also doing the post production on this piece and we are scheduled to have “Sadie” ready for festivals this fall!
Any creative project can be a lot of fun, but to shoot a period piece with such excellent locations and art direction was a real treat.
The director was my long time collaborator and mentor, Tom Brandau. This project is even more meaningful since this is the last thing we worked on together before he passed away. Tom even has a role in the film as the drunk director that Sadie has to save the production from. He will be so dearly missed, and it’s an honor to be able to finish the film for him and carry on his legacy.
Because Tom was a professor of Film Studies, our projects always had a great crew of eager young film school grads. I was so confident in my camera crew that by the last few days of production I would just direct them from afar and watch their work from the monitor. Maybe a shocking sight to some cinematographers and directors, but they were there to learn and I was happy to give them as much experience as I could offer.
On the technical side of things, we kept it pretty simple. Shooting on a Sony A7S M2 with an Atmos recorder and my set of Rokinon primes. We opted to shoot wide, often on a 24mm lens to give the piece a western feel and to really take advantage of the wonderful sets and decoration.
During this shoot I also go to work with another one of my favorite collaborators: gaffer, Jason Bedard. Jason brought the truck and the expertise to create the natural look throughout the whole film. I love working with Jason not only because he’s a great at lights but also because he keeps me honest. Film sets can get hectic and disorganized and I always welcome someone willing to call me out if I’m slipping away from the vision or about to do something stupid… It happens to the best of us folks, let’s be real.
