Sidewalk Film Festival - Noah and the Band
The life of a young up-and-coming folks singer is turned upside down when she gains custody of her 6-year-old nephew as she’s about to embark on tour.
Interview with Writer/Director Chloe Jury-Fogel
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Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
This short came about because of a feature script I had written during my last year of college at NYU. I see a lot of live shows, and was really interested in the life of a touring musician and how they balance their careers with their families, especially when it involves women with kids. I wanted to explore what could happen when a young, career-oriented woman who lives a pretty selfish lifestyle is suddenly faced with a responsibility of this size. I had gotten to a place with the feature where I wanted to see if we could get production rolling, and a friend suggested that I make a “proof of concept” for funding reasons. The short version of “Noah and the Band” was born out of that idea.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I hope this film speaks to people who may have had to make sacrifices when it comes to their dreams. Our lives are filled with difficult choices, and we may not make the “right” choices sometimes, but something amazing can come out of an unexpected decision. I hope audience members empathize with Sam, our protagonist, and maybe think through what they would have done in her situation. Besides all that, the music is really awesome and Logan, who plays Noah, is really cute. I think that’s reason enough.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I try to avoid coming up with specific “themes” when I write, but I think Sam is somewhat a reflection of my own hopes and fears. As a 20-something filmmaker and actor, my career always comes first, and there’s a constant worry that I won’t be as successful as I hope to be, or I’ll run out of time, especially when it comes to having children of my own. That explores the theme of a woman’s responsibility and “purpose” in society, and how that woman’s desire for a specific career may interfere with that purpose. I think there’s also a loyalty theme in this film -- Sam’s loyalty to Noah, to her dead sister, and to the band, as well as the band’s loyalty to Sam.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
If we’re talking about the feature, that script has gone through more than a dozen drafts over the course of two years. I don’t want to give anything away, but I had a lot of trouble figuring out if Sam was really ready to care for Noah, and what was the best way to “test” her over the course of 90 pages. I’m pretty happy with the way things turned out, so I hope I get the chance to produce the feature so people can see that journey.
In terms of the short, the process was just selecting moments from the feature that would work in a shorter form, and that would best represent what the feature was. We ultimately decided to shoot a condensed version of the first act, but that definitely took a few drafts before we had something we felt was worth shooting.
Once we had a script, everything else kind of fell into place when it came to pre-production and production. During the editing process, we actually considered taking out a lot of the scenes with the band members and just focusing on the moments between Noah and Sam for the sake of time, but we realized those characters were just as important. It is called “Noah and the Band,” not “Noah and Sam.”
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The majority of the positive feedback we’ve received has been about the actors’ performances and about the music. That’s always awesome to hear, because those were truly the elements I cared most about. I cast actors that I really respected and trusted and felt could bring something natural and that could vibe well with the others. A lot of the music actually came from the actors themselves, as well as from other musician friends.
I’ve had people come up to me after a screening and ask, “Where can I buy the soundtrack?” I’ve always loved films in which music is a major element, so I’m so proud of that aspect. After the screening at Sidewalk, someone told me that they went home and wrote their will because of the film. That’s probably the best compliment I could get – we potentially impacted somebody’s life because of this story.
In terms of negative feedback, I always appreciate when people tell me that there was a part that confused them or they needed further explanation about. It’s supposed to be short, so a lot of times you have to sacrifice some context. When I was writing the script, I sent it to as many people as possible for feedback. A lot of times, as the writer, you miss things when you’re revising your own work. It’s always important to me to get a couple extra sets of eyes on everything I do, because ultimately, you’re making something for an audience. It’s good to have an audience that you really trust before you have a big audience full of strangers.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I don’t think any feedback I’ve gotten has been especially challenging – I honestly do appreciate everything (from the people I trust). I understand that they’re helping me make the best film I can, and teaching me lessons about the films I make in the future. It can be hard to hear certain things, and some of it you kind of have to take with a grain of salt. Half of being a filmmaker (or an artist of any kind) is learning to take criticism.
Not everyone is going to love everything you do. That being said, I’m very hard on myself when I watch my own work, so there is always an element of pleasant surprise when someone has a genuine compliment about the film. During the Q&A at Sidewalk, someone said, “That really disturbed me. I felt so upset for these characters.” The film had genuinely affected him. That’s what we were trying to do.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Visibility is always important when you’re an up-and-coming filmmaker. Of course you can upload your film to YouTube and send it around to your friends, but there is something to be said about an online resource dedicated to connecting filmmakers to people that can help them make strides in their careers. You never know who your film will strike a chord with, and it’s so crucial to get it out to as many people as possible.
It’s extra special that wearemovingstories.com pays extra attention to ensure half of their content is made by women, because there is a true gender disparity when it comes to the work that’s being produced on a mainstream level. It’s awesome to know that there are people out there that are fighting for us.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
All of the above! As of right now, we are just a small of group NYC-based filmmakers. We work all kinds of day jobs so that we can make films we are genuinely passionate about, and we’d love to get to a point where we can become full-time filmmakers. Ideally, we’d like to have a marketing person come on board to help us get the word out about the short, and start generating some interest about the feature. The next step is getting a small group of investors who care about the project, or even a production company that is willing to collaborate with us. It’s important to me that this film stays in our “family.” The people that worked on this film worked for very little money, and most of them did it as a favor to me. I promised them they’d all be involved with the feature, so I’m sticking to that.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
It’s hard to predict the type of impact or reception a film will get, but I really hope it makes people think about their families. If they can go home and hug their parents, siblings, or children a little tighter, or we can get just 10 people to go home and write their wills, then I’ve done my job. I also hope they like the music! Like I said, that’s one of my favorite parts of the film, and I hope it doesn’t go unnoticed. Maybe a young girl will pick up a guitar, or start a band! That would be amazing.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
I think there are a few key questions that I hope spark a debate. If this was me, would I make the same choice as Sam? If my brother or sister died, would I be able to take care of my niece or nephew? Would I let them suddenly be part of a stranger’s family? Was Sam selfish in her decision? Did she make her decision for the right reasons? How will this impact the success of the band?
Would you like to add anything else?
I love hearing about any personal experiences that may relate to “Noah and the Band.” If you’re interested in sharing your own stories, or have any questions, please feel free to contact me through my website! (Chloejuryfogel.com)
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m currently writing a new feature film, and collaborating with a couple different friends on their projects. I’m also an actor and improviser, so I’m auditioning, taking classes, and performing around NYC.
The Spitting Image, who produced the film, is an LA and NYC based production company that are always working on commercials and corporate films. “Noah” was one of their first forays into narrative work, and they were amazing, so I hope they continue to create this type of work. (the-spittingimage.com)
Mike Misslin, our cinematographer, is based out of LA and works as an electrician and gaffer in addition to being a director of photography. He recently worked with Paul Thomas Anderson on a Radiohead music video. He’s also an incredibly talented photographer. (Mikemisslin.com)
Sam Quartin, who played Sam, our protagonist, will be all over your TVs and movie screens soon. Her next film is called “Make Me a Martyr,” which stars Marilyn Manson and Mark Boone Jr.
Interview: August 2016
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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
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Noah and the Band
The life of a young up-and-coming folks singer is turned upside down when she gains custody of her 6-year-old nephew as she’s about to embark on tour.
Length: 17 minutes
Director: Chloe Jury-Fogel
Producer: The Spitting Image, Zac Gobetz, Claire Glassford
Writer: Chloe Jury-Fogel
About the writer, director and producer:
The Spitting Image: “The Spitting Image is a creative services and production company with offices in NY and LA. Through film, design and much more, we take creative ideas and help them manifest in the world for all to share."
Chloe Jury-Fogel: “Chloe is a filmmaker, actor, and improviser based in NYC. She hails from San Francisco, but moved to NYC in 2010 to attend the Tisch School of the Arts. She believes that humor can be found in all situations, and loves exploring that idea through film.
Key cast:
Sam Quartin is an actor and musician from New York City whose credits include Make Me a Martyr and By the Rivers of Babylon.
Jane Bruce is an actor and musician from Utah. She studied Musical Theater and the University of Michigan and has performed in various regional Off-Broadway productions. She is also a songwriter, and is currently working on her EP.
Logan Preston Hale is 7 years old and lives in Connecticut with his mom and big brother. In addition to acting, he loves karate and Minecraft.
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Marketing director, producers, investors, sales agents, all of the above!
Funders: Personally funded!
Made in association with: The Spitting Image.
Release date: TBD
Where can I watch it in the next month? TBD! Though I’m happy to send a private link if you contact me directly!