Florida Film Festival / Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival 2019 – Technology Lake: Meditations on Death and Sex
A dog and her owner navigate the perils of modern technology.
Interview with Writer/Director/Editor Brandon Daley and Producer Ben Gojer
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
BRANDON: I wanted to make the dumbest animal film of all time. My friend had a very talented dog, so my goal was to make a raunchy comedy that properly utilized the dog's skillset.
BEN: I like making movies with Brandon. At the time, Brandon was hanging out a lot with Coralyn, Mars the dog, and I at our apartment. Coralyn and I really liked making mac and cheese all the time. Brandon had the idea for the movie and we thought it would be cool to make a movie with Mars.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
BRANDON: There's a dog in it. There's comedy in it. It's pretty gnarly. You will have a good time. #dickdog
BEN: This movie is unique and could hold your attention. That's what I want in movies.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
BRANDON: This film is based on isolation via newfound technologies; about being trapped in your cell phone or in your computer with complete disregard for your actual life in the real world. I didn't set out to make a movie about this topic, but I think due to my desk job combined with my love of staring at computers for recreation, it subconsciously came out. #dickdog
BEN: I would like to know what you think!
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
BRANDON: It started as a real pulpy midnight comedy, however, it's developed into something with much more emotional resonance that I originally anticipated. My goal when writing the script was to not care about theme or heart or anything like that, but the final project always tugs at my heartstrings when I see the ending.
BEN: We thought about me playing the macaroni cooker, but I kind of had too much else going on to focus on that.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
BRANDON: My parents didn't get it.
BEN: We're actually on our way to Florida Film Festival right now, the first big screening, so I don't know yet.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
BRANDON: I would be more worried if my parents understood it.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
BRANDON: I want to push all shorts into the mainstream; not only my own but the medium in general. Shorts are not given any visibility by lay audiences, and sites like wearemovingstories help to fix that. I hope one day that short films are given the same sorts of attention/distribution channels/etc. that feature films and episodic content have been given.
BEN: I hope more people get to watch it at some point!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
BRANDON & BEN: We are looking for future collaborators; particularly people that want to pay us exorbitant amounts of money to make more dumb content. We are also looking for any like-minded individuals and artists that are drawn to our style to help us make more junk like this with. Finally, if someone wanted to help distribute our shorts, we would love to try and find a larger audience in whatever way possible.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
BRANDON: Tryna get laid.
BEN: I guess I'd like people to laugh. But you say that, and it kills the mood. Like I tell you I'm gonna tell you a joke, and then I tell you I'd like you to laugh at the joke. And then I tell you the joke. Do you laugh?
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
BRANDON: I think audiences will be split about whether or not its a comedy. My comedies are all played super straight and oftentimes are categorized as dramas by audiences and programmers. To me, I set out to make hard comedies, but it doesn't always translate like that to everyone.
BEN: What does the dog symbolize to you?
Would you like to add anything else?
BRANDON: No.
BEN: Yes.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
BRANDON: I am currently working on a new short. I am also writing a TV pilot.
BEN: I'm talking to Brandon about his short, and also sort of building a community through my workshop. We'd like to be a collective that can provide full range video service to a variety of clients.
Interview: April 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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
Technology Lake: Meditations on Death and Sex
A dog and her owner navigate the perils of modern technology.
Length: 8:08
Director: Brandon Daley
Producer: Ben Gojer
Writer: Brandon Daley
About the writer, director and producer:
BRANDON DALEY sells power tools in Chicago, IL. His fever dream absurdist comedies have played a number of film festivals, including Fantastic Fest, Slamdance, and more. His short film Savasana was featured as one of the best NSFW films of the year by the Vimeo staff. His work has been featured on the front page of Youtube, Reddit, Buzzfeed and more.
BEN GOJER is a producer and SFX artist based in Chicago. He was a makeup effect artist and associate producer on Peter Vack’s feature film ASSHOLES, (Breaking Glass Pictures 2017) which won the 1st Annual Adam Yaubach Hornblower Award at SXSW and is available on Amazon Prime Video. He has produced several short films, including Crick In The Holler (dir. Ursula Ellis 2017), which is streaming on Seed&Spark.
Key cast: Mars, Luke Taylor, Katelyn Douglass
Looking for: buyers, distributors, producers, film festival directors, journalists
Twitter: @CoolBrandonD
Instagram: @coolbrandond
Hashtags used: #dickdog
Other: Vimeo
Funders: Self funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival - 4/20, Calgary Underground - 4/27, Maryland Film Festival - 5/9