Erie International Film Festival - A Meditation
A man who is a little lost finds himself connecting with a surprising woman who shows up to buy the DVR he is selling on Craigslist.
Interview with Writer/Director Joe Petricca
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I made the film to make a proof-of-concept short for a feature film. I had written a feature screenplay A MEDITATION IN LOS ANGELES which was well received and had been set-up a couple of times but never made. Those opportunities were just for me as a screenwriter. We made this short film to showcase the team making the film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Harold Perrineau is a great actor – always worth watching. A MEDITATION is a story that appears simple but has many layers to it. Audiences I have talked to have enjoyed the “what if” and/or “what’s next” speculation.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
It is a specific story to these people and in that specificity is something universal. We all have moments of loneliness, of connecting with someone we just met randomly. The story maybe goes places that life usually doesn’t but they are the places we sometimes wonder – what if?
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
In that this was a feature script originally. And this is a version of the first couple of scenes of that script but adapted to make sense in a short form.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
From the festival audiences who have seen the film – it's been positive. Extremely so. Audiences talk and ask about the story and these characters and what happens next. And they also comment on the quality of the filmmaking. All great to hear.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
There have been some festivals where I have received feedback that the ending is too open-ended. And I have also received comments about the interracial aspect of the film. And comments about the sex/nudity – mostly favorable but some questioning it. I am definitely surprised that there is a conversation and/or issue with the fact that the lead is black – but indicative of our country in some ways.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Any opportunity for a wider audience is a great thing. We are trying to find funding for the feature so that is a goal of showcasing the short.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
To amplify the message – I suppose continuing on the festival circuit and ultimately financiers to help make the feature. With each festival, the number of people who respond to the film grows and that’s positive. Turning that support into a financed feature is the work of all this.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Any kind, every kind. Its great to have it seen and have people talk about it and think about it. I do think that there’s a double standard of tolerance today where violence is acceptable and exciting and sex, sexuality and personal discovery is clouded and complicated by some cultural pressures.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What just happened? Was it just an encounter? Or was there something more behind it?
Basically, did she take the money is the big question and I like the question and I like that it’s open-ended.
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you for including the film and if you’re reading about it – seek it out!!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Everyone has something. Harold Perrineau is in the TV series CLAWS among other projects. Maggie Biggar, the producer has a web-series called BREAK A HIP releasing its second season. Sevdije Kastrati, the Cinematographer is shooting a feature in Europe. I just finished a feature screenplay for a director based on a true story.
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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A MEDITATION
A man who is a little lost finds himself connecting with a surprising woman who shows up to buy the DVR he is selling on Craigslist.
Length:15:40
Director:Joe Petricca
Producer: Maggie Biggar, Brian Mancini, Harold Perrineau, Joe Petricca
Writer:Joe Petricca
About the writer, director and producer:
Joe Petricca is a writer, director and producer. He is also the Executive Vice Dean of the American Film Institute Conservatory. Petricca holds an MFA in Screenwriting from AFI and a BFA in Film Production from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.
Maggie Biggar is a producer and film executive. She produced the feature film OUR VERY OWN and the webseries now completing its second season BREAK A HIP.
Brian Mancini is a producer and film executive with credits such as DRYLAND and RITA MATOUBIAN IS NOT A TERRORIST.
Key cast:
Harold Perrineau has been in THE MATRIX, BAZ LURMAN’S ROMEO AND JULIET, the series LOST, OZ, SONS OF ANARCHY and CLAWS.
Samantha Colicchio is an actress and producer who graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Stella Adler Theater.
Looking for : sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMeditationFilm/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: @JoePetricca
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
The Denton Black Film Festival and the Dodowa Film Festival in Ghana.