Big Apple Film Festival - By Blood
On the night of his wife's burial, Vincent shares with his brother, Jimmy, information that will change their lives and their relationship forever.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Debra Markowitz
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Originally By Blood was supposed to be an exercise for two actor friends who wanted to work together and for my husband to try out a new camera. Three pages turned into 15 and then required a DP and a whole crew. With By Blood, it started as a spicy, sexy drama, but then I investigated what would happen if the brothers let their egos get the best of them. I guess you could say this is a story of egos gone wild.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
By Blood keeps you on your toes. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, the story takes a turn. The story goes deeper at every turn and audiences seem to respond well to that. Plus, the actors are wonderful. Camarda, Halsey and Durango really gave their all for this.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Every story I tell does have a universal theme. By Blood is a story of two brothers ruled by their egos. It should be a love story, but you ask at the end, was it ever love, or did egos rule their entire lives, and what are the consequences of leaving an ego driven existence?
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
By Blood started as a three page script, something to play with. As I investigated the relationship between the two brothers, I got deeper and deeper into what drove these two men. How they could love, and hate, each other. Trisha was originally only going to be seen in photographs. In fact, I had photos of myself and Camarda photoshopped to look like wedding photos. When I brought Diana Durango on board as the "object" the two men would fight over their entire lives, it just added such wonderful dimension to the film.
I brought Jackie Martling in to add a scene which would explain why certain events happened as they needed to. We had a lot of equipment issues, causing us to change our shot list as we were shooting, and had to do a lot of creative editing using flashbacks and footage from several takes to achieve a pivotal scene near the end of the movie.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
By Blood has already won several awards at different festivals, including Best Director for myself and Best Actor for Russ Camarda at the Atlantic City Cinefest, Best Script at the Hang Onto Your Shorts Film Festival and Best Short Drama at the Manhattan International Film Festival. Audiences have given me some great feedback. They love the twists and turns the movie takes. They all have different ideas on who the worst character is in the movie. One director in the audience told me, "after seeing this, you know that this is what you're supposed to be doing, right?" Another producer saw it and is speaking with me about directing a project for her. So far, the feedback has been great.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I like By Blood in many ways, but every time I see it, I know I could have done some things better. When my peers, ones whom I trust, give me good feedback, it's very validating. I suppose the feedback helps me feel better about the movie. Every movie is a challenge and a chance to grow.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
As a filmmaker, my main goal is to make movies that touch people in some way. My style has been evolving, and I hope to continue making movies that touch people. but to also reflect life as it should be. I want to make films with more diverse cast and themes. I want to have stronger female characters and utilize actors who are differently-abled, for example. You can't hit people over the head with these things, but we learn from what we see; sometimes the more subtle the better. Subliminal could work wonders. In order to continue with this goal though, the films have to have an audience.
One of my next projects, Couple of Guys is a pilot about two middle-aged men finding love. Eccentric musician, Jon, marries divorce attorney, Richard. While one is ready to settle down, the other is ready to start living, Enter Richard's ex-wife who feels she can win him back and Jon's band mate who keeps trying to bring him back on tour like they did in the good old days of sex, drugs and rock and roll. We're raising money now, so I need to get "likes" for our social media vehicles and start drumming up some support for the idea. So the simple answer is, I hope to get awareness for the projects and my company (Intention Films and Media) so I can continue making these films. One of the goals of making a film is to be able to make the next film, so an audience, distributors and funds are key to be able to do that.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
As a short film, I don't anticipate being able to make a lot of money from this film, but I definitely need distributors, buyers and journalists. Film festival directors won't hurt either.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
By Blood is a calling card. Most short films are. When I want to cast name talent for future projects, I can show them my films, and they know they're dealing with someone who understands how to make a film. I want to entertain people. Take them on a ride and let them lose themselves for a few minutes as they go on this bumpy journey.
Would you like to add anything else?
As far as the story itself, it brings "ego" to the surface. Ego often masquerades as love. I'd like people to question their idea of love. If they can sit back after and question whether any of the characters actually loved each other, that would make for a good, insightful discussion.
Please like our facebook pages at: www.facebook.com/intentionfilmsandmedia and www.facebook.com/bybloodmovie Instagram @debramarkowitzfilm Website: www.IntentionFilmsandMedia.com Twitter: @debramarkowitz
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am the writer, director, main producer and casting director for By Blood. I currently have three shorts traveling the festival trail. The Last Taxi Driver (starring Robert Clohessy from Blue Bloods) will be screening at the Macabre Fair in January. Leaving may have just ended its journey. I have to decide whether to submit it to more festivals. By Blood is awaiting word from four more festivals, and I may pull it after those as I have a full slate of projects coming up. What I'm working on now:
Chosen - a short film I directed starring Cathy Moriarty and Arash Mokhtar is currently being scored and should be completed within the next month. The film was written by Shari Goldstein Umansky. We'll be submitting to festivals once it is complete.
Porter's Way - a feature film, cowboy romance, that I'm hoping to film in 2018.
Couple of Guys is a written as a 20 minute pilot, which will be used to pitch the web series. It's a story about two middle-aged men finding love. Eccentric musician, Jon, marries divorce attorney, Richard. While one is ready to settle down, the other is ready to start living, Enter Richard's ex wife who feels she can win him back and Jon's band mate who keeps trying to bring him back on tour like they did in the good old days of sex, drugs and rock and roll. We have a cast full of names - Sal Rendino (The Get Down), Lukas Hassel (The Blacklist), Sean Young (Bladerunner), Kevin Brown (30 Rock), Brian O'Halloran (Clerks), Ciaran Sheehan (Phantom of the Opera on Broadway), Eddie McGee (Big Brother), Joslyn DeFreece (Carl(a)), Deb Twiss (Kick-Ass), Robert Clohessy (Blue Bloods) and more as we progress.
Brothers is a short film I wrote and directed. We are in the early stages of preproduction. This will star Anthony Grasso, and we are confirming the second actor now. We'll be shooting this in the spring as there's a scene that takes place in the water, and it's too cold now.
I will also be filming a 72 hour movie challenge this coming January. I'll be writing and directing that.
I'm also writing an another novel, working title, Damaged, but not Broken. I'm 152 pages into it, and will get back to it once I finish Porter's Way and a horror feature I'm writing for another producer.
A pilot for a series, Shoot Me Nicely, which I cast and produced for writer/director Elias Plagianos will be the opening night film of the Williamsburg Film Festival.
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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By Blood
On the night of his wife's burial, Vincent shares with his brother, Jimmy, information that will change their lives and their relationship forever.
Length: 14:11
Director: Debra Markowitz
Writer: Debra Markowitz
Producer: Debra Markowitz and Intention Films and Media
Writer, Director and Producer:
Debra Markowitz created the Nassau County Film Commission in 1988. She co-founded the Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) in 1997. Her Karmic Wind Trilogy (Naked in the Rain, Sarah and Caleb and Karmic Wind) was published in 2013.
She began casting films for other directors in 2012. She began writing, directing and producing her own films, as well as films for other producers in 2013. Her first three short films, The Last Taxi Driver, Leaving and By Blood have won numerous awards for Best Director, Best Script, Best Short and Best Acting Awards for Robert Clohessy (The Last Taxi Driver), Molly Ryman (Leaving) and Russ Camarda (By Blood) and Diana Durango (By Blood).
Key Cast: Russ Camarda, Joseph A. Halsey, Diana Durango, Jackie Martling
Looking for buyers, distributors, film festival directors, and journalists for By Blood. Also looking for funding, buyers, distributors, film festival director, journalists for future projects and "likes" for our social media pages.
Funders: Self Funded
Made in association with Intention Films and Media
By Blood has been submitted to four more festivals. I will find out in January which ones it has been accepted to.