Rhode Island International Film Festival - Photo Op
A lonely Brooklyn photographer gets the courage to come out from behind his camera to capture his crush, but it turns out there is more to the picture than meets the eye.
Interview with Writer/Director Dave Solomon
*
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thanks! It was actually an idea I had a number of years ago – I had written it out but hadn’t done anything with it. I met Karina Silva, my cinematographer, when we were both working on the film Mr. Holmes (I was the director’s assistant and she was a camera operator) and we wanted to do a short film together as director and DP. I dug out the script, did some revisions...she liked it, Harris Doran came on board to produce, Randy Harrison liked it and wanted to do it...so it all just started happening.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Because you want to know what it’s really about...and I can’t tell you!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Unfortunately, because our film does benefit from not knowing too much in advance...I can’t really say much about the themes in the film either. But I will say that there are definitely some events that have left people talking after our screenings. To me it’s really about connection...or lack of connection; how we go about finding our way in to something or someone.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
The script didn’t actually change that much. With this piece I really wanted the actors to take the dialogue and make it their own...so what is said on screen differs a bit from what is on the page, but not by much.
Our schedule for the shoot in the restaurant had some time restrictions and that was a section that I had storyboarded in advance and had to throw out the day-of because we knew right away that we wouldn’t have enough time for all the set-ups. That was a bit stressful – and we all worked really hard to cover it as best we could in the limited amount of time that we had.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It’s honestly been really wonderful, so far. We’ve played eleven festivals and have another handful coming up and the feedback has been really positive...and we even won a few awards! We bridge a number of genres (drama/thriller/LGBT), so what’s been most interesting to me is how the response and thoughts/questions in the Q&As differ somewhat based on how we’re programmed...and also how they don’t.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Honestly, what has been most surprising to me is that I have had some people notice the more “hidden” details and touches we scattered in throughout...and it’s been really interesting to see how some people catch on to what’s happening and others and completely blindsided by the ending.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Getting more people interested in PHOTO OP!!... (check out www.PhotoOpFilm.com for more details and screening opportunities!)
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
PHOTO OP played its first film festival in the winter of 2015, so at the end of 2016, we will have been on the festival circuit for over a year. It’s been a great ride and I’ve gotten to meet many of the above at various events and festivals – so when it comes to an end, I think the next step will be to get it online or distributed so more people can see it and will hopefully be interested in the other projects that I’m working on and that others involved with them film are working on, as well.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
This film really doesn’t have a grand political or social message...it’s a dark little story that does act as a bit of a cautionary character study. I think the conversations about our main character (played by Randy Harrison), that I have been part of or overheard from audiences, are the best reception I could have asked for. They are also a testament to the incredible work Randy did and the layers he brought to this role and to the film.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Um...have you ever noticed someone you don’t know taking a photo of you?
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m working on a number of new pieces for both screen and stage (two screenplays, a pilot and a play...as well as a few theatre pieces I’m connected to direct).
Self-promotion: www.dave-solomon.com
Harris Doran, one of our lead producers just wrote and directed his first feature film, Beauty Mark, which was also shot by our DP, Karina Silva. Sam Buntrock, our editor, is a Tony, Olivier and Drama Desk nominated theatre, film and animation director who is currently directing the new stage adaptation of Frankenstein at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and whose award-winning film Recursion, that he directed, is now available on YouTube and Vimeo. Ashley Kate Adams, our other lead producer, just produced a new webseries called “Capital Advice.” Fern Kershon is a producer of the off-Broadway comedy One Funny Mother and also has a number of other exciting projects in the works.
As for our cast...
Randy Harrison is currently touring the U.S. as the Emcee in the Sam Mendes/Rob Marshall production of Cabaret and Lucas Steele will be seen on Broadway this fall in The Great Comet. Hannah Bos is a founding member of the NYC-based company The Debate Society and will be seen this winter in their newest work, The Light Years, off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons and Aaron Lazar can be seen in upcoming episodes of “The Strain” and “Quantico.”
Find out more and follow everybody here: http://www.photoopfilm.com/
Interview: August 2016
_______________________________________________________________________________
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
_______________________________________________________________________________
PHOTO OP
A lonely Brooklyn photographer gets the courage to come out from behind his camera to capture his crush, but it turns out there is more to the picture than meets the eye.
Length: 10 mins.
Director: DAVE SOLOMON
Producer: HARRIS DORAN, ASHLEY KATE ADAMS, FERN KERSHON
Writer: DAVE SOLOMON
About the writer, director and producer:
http://www.photoopfilm.com/whoswho/dave-solomon
Key cast:
RANDY HARRISON, AARON LAZAR, HANNAH BOS, LUCAS STEELE
Made in association with:
NINJASTICKS
Release date: 2015
Where can I watch it in the next month?
We were just accepted into a number of different festivals this fall in Chicago, Seattle, Rochester NY, North Carolina and Connecticut. We aren’t cleared to announce all of these yet, so, again, keep checking www.PhotoOpFilm.com