When aging one-hit wonder Adrian Granado's dog passes away, he begins to fear he's lost the last true fan he had.

Interview with Writer/Director Tati Barrantes

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I've always been interested in the idea of a second chance. Life can get ahead of you but we all hold on to dreams and aspirations and I thought exploring this between generations would be an interesting dynamic. I also grew up with a composer/musician father where I spent time in the studio and got to understand the processes of developing creative work. Definitely was a big part of my upbringing and was important to me as I began writing Vincent. Side note: this project was a family affair and we shot in my dad's studio.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

Most people can relate to what it's like to feel stuck creatively or professionally. We often compare ourselves to others around us that might be succeeding quicker which makes us feel even more inadequate. These feelings are so universal and I think people can identify particularly because it's told through a father and his daughter.

We all want to do our best but can be sidetracked in life for a million reasons. Sometimes our reactions vary: jealousy, frustration, depression. What Vincent asks though, is if we can possibly find motivation instead and peace in the success of others, so that we might be released to focus on our own. Besides all of that, it's got killer performances, music, weed and a dog.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Adrian, our lead, once tasted some pretty sweet success but couldn't get beyond one hit song that ended up limiting his career. He knows he can do more but faces personal and cultural challenges. When he sees his daughter about to take off in the same business, he's not only worried, but jealous. This is all compounded by the death of the family dog - Adrian's closest companion who's been there through the many waves of his career.

Artists often struggle with integrity be it because of money, notoriety, shifting personal views and more. I think we can all relate to that struggle, even if we're not artists. Also, the struggle between daughter and father - one where Adrian wants his daughter to succeed, wants her to be happy but also fears the world she's stepping into, from her own jaded experience. Everyone has experienced that moment with their families or friends, and everyone also knows that people need to go through their own journey to arrive at what's best for them.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?

It was always a story about a one hit wonder who could not seem to write another song. Starting with that character was a fertile beginning that shifted in a few different ways. As I wrote, I thought it would bring a unique tension to have his daughter or son be entering the same business and placing it on the eve of her record release party gave some nice opportunities for Adrian to feel particularly alienated.

Finally, I had a family dog that we waited too long to put down. She suffered a lot but was so awake and cognizant, we couldn't accept that she should be put to sleep. The night she died, my dad spoke to her, soothing her, and explaining that we would all be okay. That image in my head stuck, and felt particularly pertinent to my lead character, whose only pals were his daughter and dog and the burial was a way for them to immediately bond in the short film.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

People have responded to Robert Longstreet's performance who plays Adrian. He's such a fantastic, sensitive and talented actor and really inhabited the role like he was born for it. Also, Alexia Rasmussen and Michael Showalter are both such great additions to the film and bring authenticity and comedy to a what could be a heavy story.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I think it's just reinforced my gut that I knew these actors would be perfect for the film.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I'm looking forward to Vincent's life beyond festivals and would love the opportunity for a wider audience to be able of watching it.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

It would be amazing for Vincent to travel to more festivals, be it nationally or internationally, or be picked up by a sales agent.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I think the story, themes and characters are all open to a larger exploration. There are a lot of ways this concept could be expanded into a TV series or feature. I'm always excited to meet like-minded producers and others in the industry to discuss ideas and collaborate on new projects.

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I'm currently working on a series of documentaries and virtual reality projects through a partnership between Viceland and Samsung. The latest was an exploration into how VR is shaping the news and was really exciting film to wrap up the season with. Additionally, I'm writing a feature script about a writer working along the US/Mexico border who stumbles into reports about a series a murders. As he digs deeper, he begins to realize how totally unprepared he is to deal with the consequences.

Ben Hethcoat (Producer) is currently directing the documentary series, L.A. County Coroner, about the most high-profile and controversial death investigations in Los Angeles’ history. The project was a recent participate in the TriBeCa Film Institute and CNN Films’ American Storyteller’s Lab.

Interview: November 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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VINCENT

When aging one-hit wonder Adrian Granado's dog passes away, he begins to fear he's lost the last true fan he had.

Length: 13 min

Director: Tati Barrantes

Producer: Laura Heberton, Ben Hethcoat

Writer: Tati Barrantes

Key cast: Robert Longstreet, Alexia Rasmussen and Michael Showalter

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):

Funders:

Kickstarter!
Clive J. Davis Foundation

Made in association with:
NYU Graduate Film Program, Tisch School of the Arts

Release date: ASAP