In a city where everyone's got an angle, how does you survive? After a NYC first-timer befriends a savvy street girl on the train, she takes him on a fantastical ride through all the city's pitfalls. But nothing's free in this town, so tighten up your hustle or you might just get hustled yourself.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Christian Vogeler

Watch I Love New York here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I made the film as my love letter to the city of New York. Like anything that we truly love, we love them through the nuance of their existence, and that nuance might not always be a flowery perfectly wrapped package. Smelly streets, congested sidewalks, and sharp hustlers trying to make a buck is just part of that true love. It’s like when your significant other has or does something that most would consider an imperfection, but you see it as a adorable characteristic, you know it’s love.

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

I think the film is a reminder for all of us to appreciate the little things that make our lives interesting. Most of the time, we don’t even realize how much we loved them until we don’t have them anymore, and sometimes in life by that time it’s just too late. On a surface level though the film is very entertaining with a fun twist that allows the ladder to resonate without the film becoming a message or statement.

I Love New York - Actor Ewan Turner getting hustled

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I think that almost anyone whose spent time in a big city can relate with the film. I’ve traveled a lot in my life, and have been taken advantage of in every corner of the globe. My love for this culture has taken me to a place of walking away from being hustled with a smile, if you can get one over on me, I’ll respect the take.

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

I first wrote the script while riding the subway during my commutes. The biggest evolution of the script came once I began casting. I had everyone read the same part due to the fact that most of the characters have very small roles, and I wanted to get a sense of their range. After the script reading, I’d ask everyone if they had a day job, and if they could sell me on what they did. i.e: could they hustle. I’d give them the stakes of their sale and create a pressing timeline. I had one girl chase me around the room trying to sell me a new phone. I ended up writing a part just for her that was incorporated into an existing scene. A lot of the improv in the casting room dictated rewrites to the dialogue of the script. I think that’s why the film has an improvized feeling, when nothing was improvized on the day.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I’ve gotten some really great feedback on every aspect of the film. People really really love the ending, which is always great to hear. Once a film cuts to black you want to leave your audience with the feeling that the film created. A lot of times in my opinion endings drag, or don’t hold up to the satisfaction of the rest of the film, allowing all those emotions that have been evoked throughout the narrative to dissipate by the time the credits role, and in turn ruining the audiences perception of the film.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I’ve had a lot of surprising and or challenging feed back on every film that I’ve every made, but not this one. I honestly wish that I have, because I know the film isn’t perfect. I’d always prefer to grow, then to get a “Loved it!”. Growing pains is an essential part of developing your artistic craft. However I suppose that after many failures, it’s nice to just take one. I know that my artistic failures are far from over, so I have the rest of my life to continue to be challenged.

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

An important part of filmmaking is having an audience, we don’t make films to keep in our closet or for our mothers just to appreciate. So the more the film has the ability to reach the world, it’s audience will come. Jean Luc Godard said that a film isn’t complete with its audience. So I hope the site will help complete it for me.

I Love New York - TOP: Director Christian Vogeler directs Ewan Turner on the G train. BELOW: Cinematographer Justin Ivan Hong

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

All the above.

Interview: August 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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I Love New York

Length:

11 minutes

Director:

Christian Vogeler

Producer:

Christian Vogeler and Vanessa Weiss

Writer:

Christian Vogeler

About the writer, director and producer:

Once discovering his passion, Christian became a student of cinema. After getting his start by working on films like Captain Phillips, NOAH, American Hustle and many more, he took his education to the next level. Now as a recent directing graduate of the American Film Institute he continues to hone his craft while building his new professional career.

Key cast:

Ewan Turner and Nicola Peluso

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

Social media handles:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ILoveNewYorkTheMovie/

https://www.ilovenewyorkthemovie.com

Where can I see it in the next month?

Kew Gardens Film Festival (New York)

Blue Whiskey Film Festival (Chicago)

DC Short Film Festival (Washington DC)

Foot-candle Film Festival (North Carolina)

Boise Film Festival (Idaho)

The Artists Forum Film Festival (New York)