Focus on AFI Conservatory - Leave Us Here
Janine and Lula are having a routine granddaughter and grandmother day out when a stop at a local gas station does not go as planned.
Interview with Cinematographer/Producer Veronica Bouza
Watch Leave Us Here here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
As a cinematography fellow at AFI, we were required to create a short film that focused visuals to push the narrative. Part of the rules was that you could not use dialogue and had to shoot on 35mm.
For my take on this assignment, I designed a narrative that shot in and around a car. Through the conceptual process, Leave Us Here became a love letter to my love of action western films.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Our goal with Leave Us Here was to subvert expectations and challenge gender norms. Typically when we think of western/ action films, we expect our protagonist to be a white male. We wanted to take our audience on a journey with an unlikely duo.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Family vs the individual: the film opens with Janine alone and that moment is interrupted by her grandma, Lula. Janine has a responsibility in the duo but it is put into question when her grandma, Lula doesn't arrive by the timer.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
In the early rendition of the script, we had a similar plot but our story took place more driving on the road in a vast desert. Due to budget restraints, we moved our story to a more controlled environment that would allow us to focus more their relationship.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Overall, the film has been very well received and most people forget that there isn't dialogue. Everyone seems to be curious on what happens next in their journey and when are we going to see the feature or pilot.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Not really, since our story is short and to the point. We spend a decent time in pre-pro clarifying our characters and plot points
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
With having more visibility, we are looking for support in creating more stories like Leave Us Here. Tari and I want to push the boundary on who we see in front and behind the camera.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Distributors, journalist, sale agents.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like this film to start a conversation on expanding storyline of our granddaughter/ grandmother duo. Where are they coming from and what is happening next?
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
When you think of a western, who do you imagine as your duo?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Currently Tari and I are finishing up on our AFI Thesis, We Were Meant To. The story takes place in a world where African men have wings and their first flight is a right of passage. The film should be released late fall.
Interview: July 2021
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
Leave Us Here
Length:
5:34
Writer/Director
TARI WARIEBI is a first-generation Liberian, Nigerian American filmmaker from Philadelphia, PA. He is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he was a McNair Scholar and found his passion for filmmaking. Instead of turning in a research presentation for his final project, Tari created a feature-length documentary on Urban Renewal and gentrification in Syracuse, NY.
Tari’s work as a director, writer, and producer has afforded him the opportunities to create original content for various media platforms, such as VEVO, Vice, Goodwill Industries, and Vogue, garnering millions of views for these platforms. Some of Tari’s other writing and directing credits include TV One, BET Centric, and Def Jam.
An award-winning filmmaker, Tari's work has screened in over 30 film festivals. Tari is a recipient of the Gary Winnick Scholarship and Jack Larson Scholarship for Directing. As a writer, Tari has been a quarterfinalist at the Slamdance Screenplay Competition, a WeScreenplay semi-finalist, and Screencraft Film Fund quarterfinalist.
A class of 2020, Directing Fellow at the American Film Institute Conservatory, Tari is preparing to direct his thesis film, “We Were Meant To,” a coming-of-age tale set in a world where black men have wings. Additionally, Tari has recently completed directing the entire first season of a new health and wellness series for Youtube starring artist Common called “Com + Well” that is out now.
Producer
VERONICA BOUZA: Veronica Bouza is a director of photography based and native to Los Angeles, California. Veronica’s narrative work has been official selections of Urbanworld, Hollyshorts, and LA International Film Festival and has displayed her work at MOCADA in New York. She was awarded Best Cinematography at Atlanta Woman’s Film Festival in 2020 for her short film, “Leave Us Here.”
Veronica is a graduate of DePaul University and is currently finishing up her MFA at American Film Institute. In her time at AFI, Veronica was selected into the ASC mentorship program 2020, accepted as a student member of the SOC, and awarded the Susan Watanabe Memorial Scholarship for a female filmmaker who strives to be a connector.
GUO GUO: Based in LA and holds an MFA in producing at the AFI Conservatory, Guo Guo’s producing credits include the Palme d’Or nominated AYKA, winner of Best Actress at 2018 Cannes; 12 CITIZENS, the first Chinese feature film to win best picture at the 2015 Rome International Film Festival; MEIDUO, a 2020 Shanghai International Film Festival Media Award nominee, filmed on location in Tibet, Beijing and Lebanon; as well as 44-episode Chinese TV Series BE WITH YOU that has enjoyed over 1 billion views. A current participant in 2020 BAFTA LA Newcomers program, Women In Film 2020 Mentoring Program, Guo Guo is able to communicate fluently in English and Mandarin.
JORDAN TYNER: Jordan Tyner earned his Bachelor of Science in Communications at Ohio University in 2015. His career in the film industry began as a production assistant working on television series such as TNT’s THE LAST SHIP, Marvel’s AGENT’S OF SHIELD, HBO’s INSECURE, and two Amazon pilots. Jordan gained valuable exposure to the industry while working as a personal assistant on FX’s AMERICAN CRIME STORY & AMERICAN HORROR STORY, the feature film BAYOU CAVIAR, and numerous commercials. He has interned in Film & TV development at Scott Gardenhour’s The Institute and with MACRO, plus most recently as an international sales intern with Blue Fox Entertainment.
In 2016, Jordan began to explore independent filmmaking as the co-writer and producer of the dramedy web series PERSPECTIVES. Recently, he produced the feature film THROUGH THE BLINDS, a suspense thriller which premiered at the 11th Annual DTLA Film Festival. Jordan is currently a Producing Fellow at the American Film Institute Conservatory and is working at Array as an executive assistant.
Looking for:
distributors, journalists, film festival directors, sales agents
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/leaveusherefilm/
More info:
Made in association with:
AFI Conservatory