You can screen write or you can screen righter.

Interview with Producer Chad Halvorsen

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

We like to participate in the 48 hour Film Festival every year. We actually did it 3 times for 2016 in 3 different cities. Milwaukee/Madison, WI and Charlotte, NC. A more general answer is that our group loves making content. Shorts, features, commercials, whatever the medium.

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

You should watch this film because whether or not you're a filmmaker, we've all been in that situation. You have the "perfect" idea/solution, whether it's creative or for a business environment is irrelevant. We've all had that moment with our superior where they "love" the idea, but a few notes later, and it's something completely different than what you had imagined.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The genre we pulled was Romance/Fable. We could pick one, but decided to mesh them together. In the beginning, we are thrown into the culmination moment of a romantic story between two lovers, and by the end, when the producer has finally turned it into something completely different, our hero, the writer, comes to the realization that all he ever wanted was to make feature film. Which he succeeds in, but not the way he intended. "Be careful what you wish for" becomes the overarching theme. So yeah, our hero writes the greatest love story ever, but because making movies is ultimately a business, in the end, we get what some people would call a "great movie," but it leaves our hero feeling empty.

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

Since we only had 48 hours to write/produce/edit/deliver a 7 minute short, the script didn't change too much. Some lines were improv'd in the moment, but overall, it's pretty much what we wrote.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Great feedback actually. The story is super quick, especially with the editing, but nothing is ever lost. We did a good job to keep the viewer interested with a good story. Some scenes aren't lit is well, due to time constraints, but it still looks good. Color correction could be better, but again, time was a factor. We've won about 15 awards for this short through multiple festivals, so we did something right, judging by how many merits we've received.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I enjoy feedback, especially from people who can articulate their feedback in a way that I can deconstruct. Nothing is ever perfect for me, especially with my work. It's especially hard to perfect something in 48 hours, but receiving feedback helps us plan out better for the next 48 or other random shoot. Filmmaking is a learning process, no matter how many times you've done it.

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

I don't expect anything with my work. I just want people to enjoy it in their own way. Looking at the broader picture, more visibility means potential work/projects for us in the future. I've been doing this for 11 years, and I never want to stop.

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

I don't think a buyer in this instance would help this specific short, but we're sitting on a lot of ideas. Shorts, features, digital content, etc. I would love to make bigger connections that would open new avenues for us. We're from the Midwest, which really isn't considered a hot spot for film/TV. So making new connections and convincing agents/producers/etc that it's not only cost efficient to shoot with us, but we also have a deep bench of talented cast and crew members.

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

Again, as long as you were entertained by it, that's all I ask. I'm not expecting to solve all the world's problems with one short. Not yet at least.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

How far are you willing to go in order to receive what your heart truly desires?

Would you like to add anything else?

I would like to thank you for contacting me and giving us the opportunity to share our work with your audience.

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

We've been chipping away at a feature film for the past 4 years called "The Princess Knight." It's a puppet musical for kids and the story revolves around a prince and a princess. The evil baron kidnaps who he thinks is the princess, to make her his bride. Little does he know that he captures the Prince instead. So the Prince has to keep up the ruse while the Princess takes up arms, to go rescue the man she loves. So we bend traditional gender roles to teach kids that they can be whoever they want to be.

Other than that, the Milwaukee 48 is in a few weeks, we're shooting a pilot in LA at the end of June, and on the way back, we're going to shoot a short guerrilla style, from LA to Milwaukee.

Interview: May 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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Righter

You can screen write or you can screen righter.

Length: 7:07

Director: T.C.De Witt (Wisconsin native, currently writes and directs in LA)

Producer: Chad Halvorsen (Producer/Editor from Wisconsin. Shorts, commercials, digital content, founder of [REDACTED] Media, LLC)

Writer: T.C. De Witt

Key cast: Candace Lauren Ostler, Anieya Jasline Walker, T.C. De Witt, David Geisler, Chad Halvorsen

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

Social media handles:

Facebook: @redactedmediallc

Twitter: @El_Punisher or @RedactYourself

Instagram: elpunisher5859

Where can I see it in the next month? Playing at Festival de Cannes 5/23 at the Short Film Corner