HollyShorts / Film Invasion LA - An Entanglement
A woman's world comes crashing down when a stranger reveals he's been hired to kill her. What follows is a dark proposition: pay double, and she can turn the hit back on her murderous husband.
Interview with Director Dylan Sanford
Watch An Entanglement on YouTube
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to make a memorable calling card. I've worked as a DP and camera operator for many years, and finally decided I needed to leverage my experience, and call in all of the favors I've earned (and some I haven't) to make something that could create some new opportunities for me as a director. I trained first as an actor (at the Atlantic Theater in NYC) so it seemed natural for me to focus on a performance and mood driven piece.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
An Entanglement is a pitch black crime thriller that keeps you on your toes and leaves you wanting more. It features powerful performances by Shiri Appleby (UnREAL, Girls, etc,) Sean Bell (Copper, Lost Girl, etc,) and Gary Wolf (The Nice Guys, Overnight Delivery, etc,) and a haunting original recording by Amy Millan (of the bands Stars and Broken Social Scene.) A bit of a slow-burning creeper, I think your patience and attention will be rewarded.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think betrayal, revenge, and losing control of a situation are all universal themes. We all have secrets. And we've all found ourselves in over our heads.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
The script didn't change all that much, but thanks to an extraordinary team, the film evolved into something even darker and more provocative than I originally envisioned.
Getting Shiri involved was an unbelievable catch for us. She was in the middle of her promotional tour for UnREAL (which had not yet premiered) when we were shooting, so for her to be so giving of her time and talents genuinely surprised me.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback has been very positive. Aintitcool called it "dark, deep, and lingering." Most everyone notices the strength of the performances and the production value. And a lot of people want to know what's next.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I've been surprised just how disturbed some viewers have been. There's almost no violence onscreen, but many have found the implied violence overwhelming. Some have even asked if everything is okay between me and my wife (just fine, thanks.)
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Any filmmaker wants to have as many people see their film, in as many places, as possible. And after many years in the business, I've seen firsthand the problem of gender inequality on sets, so I proudly support any organization that seeks to bring attention to that. As a father of two, I want my daughter to know a world that doesn't define what she can or can't do (or pay her less for the same work as her brother.)
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We were initially passed over by a number of festivals, so I guess I'd just like to see it get its fair shake and notice by journalists, film fest directors, and producers interested in the filmmaking on display. I would also love talent to be drawn to the next project.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I just want people to come along for the ride and be transported by the story. Hopefully it can serve as proof of the kinds of situations and characters we can paint for the next project.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What is the "chance of a lifetime" and when will it stop?
Would you like to add anything else?
I can just share some funny trivia that unbeknownst to any of us, Shiri was in her first trimester with her second child WHILE we were filming. I only found out a few months later when she was showing. I don't know if that effected her performance for her at all, but I can say it made me respect and appreciate her participation even more!
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Yancy has a pilot & series he's developing. He and I have a feature that's been in the top monthly unrepresented horror scripts on blcklst.com for a bit. I have a near-future SciFi short and feature that I can't stop thinking about. Producer Linda Morel is done with Key & Peele and now doing the TV Land series Teachers. Producer Deb Spidell is back on another season of Workaholics. Shiri's third season of UnREAL wrapped shooting recently, plus she directed an episode this last season. Everyone is pretty active on work that pays rent and work that pays the soul (occasionally both ; )
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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An Entanglement
A woman's world comes crashing down when a stranger reveals he's been hired to kill her. What follows is a dark proposition: pay double, and she can turn the hit back on her murderous husband.
Length: 15:02
Director: Dylan Sanford
Producer: Dylan Sanford, Linda Morel, & Debra Spidell
Writer: Yancy Berns
About the writer, director and producer:
Yancy Berns is a writer from Hermosa Beach, California, by way of Astoria, New York. He loves movies and rock & roll, often at the same time.
Dylan Sanford is a director and DP with a double-major from NYU, an Emmy from ATAS, and a (non-medically-serious) addiction to brownies.
Linda Morel worked for Warner Bros Records as an Artist Development Manager before turning to producing film and TV. She collects art and the hearts of her enemies.
Debra Spidell has worked in production for over twenty years, for Nickelodeon, Showtime, Comedy Central and more, bringing projects in on budget. Like a boss.
Key cast: Shiri Appleby, Sean Bell, Gary Wolf, and Susan Hull
Looking for producers, talent agents, film festival directors, and journalists.
Release date: 6/4/2016
Where can I watch it in the next month?
We screen at the HollyShorts Film Festival this Tuesday 8/16/16 and as part of Film Invasion LA on 8/25/16. We are also online on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/135809503) and Filmshortage.com (http://filmshortage.com/dailyshortpicks/an-entanglement/)