Morbido Film Festival 2019 – Black Moon
On her walk home, a young mother is lured into a tunnel, unaware of what has been awoken inside on the night of a black moon.
Interview with Director Ryan Graff
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I've always been a storyteller by nature. The journey to making Black Moon, my first film, had many detours and obstacles, including the ones we put on ourselves. One day in 2011 inspiration struck as a drove past a pedestrian tunnel and little by little the rest built up around that sight. Other ideas came and went, but this one kept making more and more sense to me as I assembled the other elements that would eventually become Black Moon. Filmmaking for me is like that crush you have to work up the nerve to approach, it was a hard start, but I think we might be made for each other.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Black Moon is really an experience. You go right along with the character with anxiety and mystery. It engages your senses, makes you curious, and much like the characters in the film, once it grabs you there is no escape.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
This film is mostly based on the theme of isolation. A frightening possibility most put out of our minds but if any of us were to suddenly find ourselves isolated then the vulnerability and distress would surface. There are others that come into play but I think it would begin to take away from the film, but I'm curious what audience members might discover or relate to on their own.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script, from my story to Daniel Shafer's screenplay, was very straight forward. He really understood what I was going for and was able to bring texture, tone, and pacing to it in a way I was able to describe to him but I wouldn't have been able to make work the way he did in script form.
The film as a whole evolved in a different way. What I found most interesting was how initially my concept was very much based on feelings and sensations rather than visuals. So the task became how to make that work in a visual medium. We naturally started piling on visual tricks and scary images, some of which we shot and some which was just not possible with our time and budget. Then in post, as the film progressed, those added visual elements were dialed back and back until we ended up right back where I had started with the original concept.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Media press and private showings have had fantastic feedback. We are very excited to premiere at Morbido Film Festival and get our first audience reaction.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
You always hope people will like your work as a creative but I don't think that stops it from being a surprise when it actually happens. It certainly was for me.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
The more exposure Black Moon and myself can get the better. I'm eager to explore an expanded universe of Black Moon. To do so I would love to attend festivals, meet filmmakers, producers, distributors, agents, and anyone else involved in the process. I was fortunate to come across ChicArt PR and The Festival Doctor to help me navigate once the film was finished, but frankly didn't even consider it when I set out in the beginning. The hardest part to overcome is you just don't know what you don't know and you need to be open to a change in the wind as you put yourself and your work out there.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Film festival directors and journalists would be of great help. I would love to continue getting the word out about Black Moon and have the opportunity to screen in many more festivals to meet likeminded filmmakers and learn more about the process as I consider what will come next. Picking up a few awards along the way would certainly be a major bonus.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I'd certainly like for people to be hungry for more. It would be great to make more films and create a buzz for more content like this.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
One repeating comment in the reviews is that Black Moon is an incredibly simple plot, but it works very well. People are engaged and curious, and yet the spectacle and plot are kept to a minimum. I think asking why that is is ripe for conversation. I can tell you I believe it is a matter of perspective. Some say there are no more original ideas or stories, but everyone who experiences these stories has their own perspective. Tell your version with a strong perspective and it will be something new. But that is just me, what do you think?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am always developing, I have a short comedy/horror in the works. I've even formed a small writers group to meet once a month just to keep motivated. Most of the team has many irons in the fire of their own. We all are looking forward to coming together again for the future of Black Moon.
Interview: November 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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
Black Moon
On her walk home, a young mother is lured into a tunnel, unaware of what has been awoken inside on the night of a black moon.
Length: 8:10
Director: Ryan Graff
Producer: Julian Malagon
Writer: Daniel Shafer
About the writer, director and producer:
Black Moon is RYAN GRAFF’s debut film in the genre of horror/thrillers. The film was inspired by and shot in a pedestrian tunnel near his home in Tarzana, CA. With a background in theater acting and sound for film, GRAFF brings a unique perspective to his films which lends itself to the experiential style of Black Moon.
Writer/Producer DANIEL SHAFER began his career as Tobey Maguire’s producing partner, developing more than 30 film and television projects, four of which were produced and released theatrically. After working with many industry luminaries, including Christopher McQuarrie, Lawrence Kasdan, Steven Knight and Jill Soloway, he transitioned to creating his own content. He has a television series, several screenplays and a comic book series in active development.
Born and raised in Miami, Florida, JULIAN MALAGON is a television and independent film producer creating original and compelling content with a focus in developing animated and science fiction/thriller content. JULIAN has also worked in pre-production, on-set & post-production capacities spanning over 30 films and currently creates animated content for Netflix.
Key cast: Fabienne Tournet (woman), Jamie M. Timmons (girl), Brett DelBuono
Looking for: film festival directors, journalists
Facebook: Black Moon
Instagram: @blackmoonshort
Hashtags used: #blackmoonshort
Other: IMDb
Funders: Self-funded with Ryan Graff (Director) and Gary Backe (Executive Producer)
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Morbido Film Festival/Mexico City - Saturday, November 2nd