Erie International Film Festival - Rose-colored
Raised homeless and later abandoned as a child, Rosalie copes with being left behind, living month-to-month out of a motel until receiving an invitation to revisit her past.
Interview with Writer/Producer Brittany Wait
Watch Rose-colored here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I created this film to use as my thesis project to graduate from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with a master’s. But it became more than that. It became my chance at a film school. I learned how to use my first cinema camera, the Sony Fs7, and work with a brilliant team of filmmakers. The other side of the story is that I needed to express what was inside me. My mother’s been in and out of my life for a while now. She left us with my dad when we were young. She came back to town when I started grad school and lived on the street. I would look for her on my way to class.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
As a filmmaker, you’re one in a million trying to make movies, but if you can make something that moves at least one person, you’re doing your job right. If you can relate to any part of this film, I did it. Honestly, this was the only way I could express how I felt toward my mother. I still can’t bring myself to show her the film.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Rose-colored explores themes of homelessness, grief, hope, friendship, strength and forgiveness. I think we’ve all struggled to forgive someone close to us and maybe it’s not an ‘all at once’ I forgive you type of thing, but something you slowly learn to find within yourself. I’m at the point where I’ve accepted who she is, that she leans on others, takes advantage of their pockets and she holds her addictions. But I love her. I’m still her daughter and she is still my mother.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script went through several alterations. The head of my program at Newhouse, Bruce Strong, would sit on the floor of his office beside me, brainstorming how the story could be stronger. We would lay out cards with the scenes written on them and move them around on the floor. He was heavily involved in my growth in school and has been on this ride with me for years now. It’s mentors like him who raise me up and separate me from the millions of filmmakers out there. Their confidence in me is where I get the strength to keep making movies.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I’ve had directors at film festivals tell us it doesn’t look like a student film, which is the highest compliment I can think of. When someone tells you they were moved by it and it felt like it cost more than the $2,000 I spent to make happen, well that just feels amazing. Some people have told me to make it into a feature. Some have cried. Some really love the relationship between the little boy and main character and found their friendship so natural. Some really like the visuals and musical accompaniment. The final song was created by our sound engineer, who one day approached me and said, “Hey, I made a song for you.” And we loved it, and so did the viewers.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Well, some people thought the little boy was the main character Rosalie’s child. They’re supposed to be neighbors. Some people see it and some people don’t. It’s interesting how differently one person can see a movie than the next.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We would love for more people to see our film. And we want people to know that quality films are being made in Syracuse, NY, with a local crew (most female) and local cast. It means so much to hear that people are moved by the story we wanted to tell and are looking forward to watching more of our stories as we grow in our craft.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We really need more film lovers investing in our crowd funding campaigns, so we can start to make larger budget films and pay our people for their time and craft.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
We want audiences to appreciate the characters and their struggles. And I want you to see a little of me as an artist in Rose-colored. If you’re with me now, maybe you’ll follow our work moving forward.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
It’s a story about abandonment and forgiveness. Is it possible to forgive someone who pretends like it never happened? In this story, how do you forgive someone who is dead?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you for highlighting our short film. We really love to see what people think of it. It’s an honor to be included on your website.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Look out for our Christian feature film “12 Days with God” (2018), which is currently in post-production. We are also working on another short film, a psychological thriller — A Castle for Emily. The short story, written by Megan Reed, was adapted into a script and now we’re filming in January 2018. Here’s the synopsis: Ana must shield her sister Emily from the hidden brutality of a world without their mother. Attempting to escape the past, they join their father to look at an old house that may become their new home. But every house has a story, and every new beginning comes with a price. Check out the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Acastleforemily/. And follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ACastleForEmily. We’ll be launching an IndieGoGo page at the end of January/February to raise funds to pay our talented crew and cast.
Interview: December 2017
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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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Rose-colored
Raised homeless and later abandoned as a child, Rosalie copes with being left behind, living month-to-month out of a motel until receiving an invitation to revisit her past.
Length: 11 minutes, 49 seconds
Director: Natalie Camou
Producers: Brittany Wait, Megan Reed
Writers: Brittany Wait, Elana Glowatz
About the writer, director and producer: Brittany Wait, executive producer, co-writer, director of photography, is Syracuse-based filmmaker and editor who transitioned from journalist and documentary filmmaking to narrative filmmaking. She graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications with a Master’s in Photography. This film served as her thesis project to attain her master’s degree in 2016. Elana Glowatz, co-writer - journalist based in NYC. Natalie Camou - Mexican-American filmmaker based in Portland, Oregon. Megan Reed, co-producer - former United States Air Force. Horror writer and editor based in Syracuse, NY.
Key cast: Lucy Rose Morgan, Leila Dean, Tyler Wladis, Amber Bates
Looking for producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): All.
Funders: Raised about $3,000 with the help of 53 backers on IndieGoGo to send Rose-colored to film festivals.
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Vimeo.com/brittanywait