Radiant Ties
A son helps his mother remember that beauty and light surround her even when it seems she is trapped in the darkness of her mind.
Interview with Director Conner De Mita and Cinematographer Logan Floyd
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
CONNER: When I initially heard the concept - a story about a son helping his mother work her way out of depression - I connected to it on a very personal level. As a teenager, I supported my own mother through a struggle with substance abuse caused by her depression and anxiety. Growing up, being a caretaker for my mom became normalized. That experience strongly affected how I view the concept of care. When Logan approached me to direct the film, I knew it was the right story for us to collaborate on. It made me feel vulnerable to talk about my experience, and that's usually how I know that there’s something important for me to explore creatively.
LOGAN: While in my second year at AFI earning my MFA in cinematography I was to shoot a Visual Essay as my cinematography specific capstone film. It is a tradition to shoot on 35mm film and the cinematographer is to initially think of a story to tell. I wanted to try to see if I could capture moments on film that were reminiscent of the kind of emotional and physical space I was navigating from a child to a young teen. I wanted to both honor the struggle my mom was going through with a form of depression and overstimulation. I also wanted to celebrate the space I grew up in and around as both my parents are artists and created an interesting perspective on the world around me. As I moved along in life I did so by watching how they appreciated the world around them. My childhood home became a large character in how I learned to appreciate everyday moments, design, and both the physical and spiritual world.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
CONNER: The film examines a day in the life of a son and his mother in a way that I feel is rarely depicted on screen. We attempted to wordlessly show a subject that is emotionally complex and powerful, and thanks to our excellent actors, Ethan Orion and Avery Clyde, I think we pulled it off. Our hope is that the film will make you re-examine the relationships in your own family and remind you of the care and nuance that goes into those relationships.
LOGAN: I think our hope is that this film will allow people to slow down for a moment. We would like the audience I think to feel the subtle weight on the son's mind. How being observant, calm, but fearless to help and love those that unconditionally help and love you.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
CONNER: There's a moment in everyone's adolescence where you start to realize that your parents are real people with their own complicated emotions and circumstances. Suddenly, the relationship flips, and you discover that your parents need support just like you do.
LOGAN: As we are shooting and finding ourselves in these various moments, I find myself trusting my personal gut reaction. I want to continue to hold onto splinters of moments living in my childhood home and a calm sense of wonder. This is what I hope the audience will feel a sense of quiet observation and tenderness.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
CONNER: As the project developed, Logan and I both brought more of our own personal experiences onto the pages and worked to see each scene from both characters' perspectives. One of the things I find most exciting about filmmaking is having the opportunity to explore a scene from a perspective I have less experience with - in this case, that was the mother, Meryl's character (played by Avery Clyde).
LOGAN: At first for me, I started the process by talking to our screenwriter, Noah Dixon. Noah and I are long-time friends going back to our time in the Department of Cinema at Denison University. Noah and I had a couple of calls where I would go into length about this time in my childhood. Noah would then go off and write draft after draft and slowly we brought things down to a 3-page script. Having Conner come in and have fresh eyes for the prep of the shoot and on set aloud for Conner and me to not feel stuck in one specific idea but always remember that we are going after an overall feeling. It was remembering that which helped us find real moments on the day that we could never have fully seen on the page.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
CONNER: So far, we've screened the film at The American Film Institute as part of the Cinematography Showcase and gotten very kind feedback from our peers and new audience members alike. Hearing someone tell me they appreciated the sensitive approach to the film's central relationship and attention to detail is very gratifying.
LOGAN: The film has been getting very kind reviews. People seem to really respond to the sensitive nature of both the leading roles. It is exciting to hear people find their own light in the film.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
CONNER: I had a feeling that the story and themes of the film, which Logan and I have firsthand experience with, were something people would be able to relate to, but it was surprising to hear just how many people also had personal connections to them. It's very rewarding to see how specificity in storytelling can lead to an emotional ubiquitousness for audiences.
LOGAN: We have really been surprised by the ways people connect to the film. For me, it is always my hope that I will hear others find deep ways of connecting with the material for themselves. If anything, when I hear these different perspectives it just makes the film carry more and more weight.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
CONNER: Hopefully by getting the film in front of more people, we can share our interest and excitement for storytelling with a wider audience. Logan and I both have projects that we're eager to make next and bringing Radiant Ties to a larger audience will display some of our personal creative tendencies and talents.
LOGAN: Conner and I would love to have this film be a showcase of our talents and give a look into this story as well. Our hope really is to find others like ourselves in all areas of the industry to tell stories. We hope that anyone that reads this feels welcome to reach out anytime. We loved being in the world of Radiant Ties and would love to find more worlds to explore as well.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
CONNER: Film festival directors and journalists both greatly help us to spread the word about our films and to make new connections with creative collaborators.
LOGAN: We are excited to talk to anyone about the film as well. Would love to even find a distributor to help find a place for the film to live online in any capacity. Always happy to chat with producers as well.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
CONNER: I hope that the film can give a kid out there who's confused or unsure about how to care for a parent a sense of perspective and normalize the experience for them. And I hope that any parent watching the film might be able to recognize that it's ok to be vulnerable with your children and to ask for help.
LOGAN: My hope is that this film allows the viewer to feel how no matter what, a connection between mother and son is a strong force. I also hope that the idea of beauty in everyday things can always be seen in the right light.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
CONNER: "Who's responsible for taking care of the caretaker in a family?"
LOGAN: “How do you show one of the most influential people in your life the same beauty that they have always pointed out to you?”
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
CONNER: I'm currently running the festival circuit with my AFI Thesis Film Wake, a surreal, horror-infused drama, starring Elliot Fletcher and Mina Sundwall. In addition to that, I'm developing a psychological drama feature film, which I'm excited to share more about soon.
LOGAN: I too am starting to run the festival circuit with my AFI Thesis Film Carcass, which is a 16th-century period film. I currently have a narrative feature called Poser out to stream on Showtime, Amazon, and AppleTV. The film is also available on DVD & Blue-Ray. I have a second feature in Post right now and starting my third feature which will be a comedy later this year. I also have five music videos that are about to be released. Excited to share more!
Interview: April 2023
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
Radiant Ties
A son helps his mother remember that beauty and light surround her even when it seems she is trapped in the darkness of her mind.
Length: 3:10
Director: Conner De Mita
Producer: William David Rodbell
Writer: Noah Dixon
About the writer, director and producer:
CONNER DE MITA is a writer/director from Los Angeles. His work focuses on the eerie and uncomfortable, told through an experimental, genre-driven lens. Conner is partially deaf, which (somewhat) explains his interest in isolated characters struggling to connect. He graduated from NYU Tisch with a BFA in Film and Television, then received his MFA in Directing from the American Film Institute. He was a Telluride Film Lab Fellow (2022) and ScreenCraft Finalist with his AFI thesis Wake, currently running the festival circuit.
LOGAN FLOYD (story by and Cinematographer) is an award-winning cinematographer based in Los Angeles. He holds an MFA in Cinematography from the American Film Institute. Logan decided to team up with Director Conner De Mita and together help tell a very personal story for them both. Logan directed the photography while Conner directed the action. Logan’s work has played internationally, including at Tribeca, BFI, and Cannes. His first feature, Poser, is also available on Showtime, Amazon, AppleTV, DVD, and Blu-Ray.
NOAH DIXON is an award-winning screenwriter, director and editor based in Columbus, OH. Recognized for his “assured debut” by The New York Times, Noah’s first feature film, Poser, premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and found theatrical distribution through Oscilloscope Laboratories. His work has screened at numerous festivals in the U.S. and abroad. Noah is currently the co-owner and creative director of the Columbus-based production company, Loose Films.
WILLIAM DAVID RODBELL is a producer passionate about original, thought-provoking, and perspective-shifting narratives. In 2022, Will received his MFA from the AFI Conservatory. His thesis film Cherubs recently screened at BUFF, Sun Valley, and AFI Fest. With a background in commercial production, Will has collaborated with A-List talent and renowned directors on projects for major brands and agencies. While currently developing narrative projects, Will has been working as a Production Supervisor at the production company DOMO.
GUS MURRAY was born and raised in Los Angeles but spent the last decade in Chicago. He received his education from Loyola University Chicago as well as the various improv institutions in the second city. Gus worked as the on-staff coordinator and stage manager at One at Optimus, a commercial production company. He has recently completed his MFA at the American Film Institute.
JULI SASAKI is an award-winning designer and producer. She now works mainly as a graphic artist for film and TV and is a proud member of IATSE Local 829, working on shows such as The Gilded Age and Fallout. Her first feature film, Poser, was part of the Gotham Narrative Lab and premiered at Tribeca 2021. Her work and love for culture have led her around the world. She is currently based in New York City.
Key cast: Ethan Orion (Simon), Avery Clyde (Meryl)
Looking for: film festival directors and journalists
Facebook: Conner De Mita
Twitter: @ConnerDeMita
Instagram: @connerdemita
Hashtags used: #35mm #AFI #shootfilm
Website: www.connerdemita.com
Other: Vimeo
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Cinema Columbus - 4/26/23-4/30/23