Thank you to everyone involved!
FroVideo’s 2018 short action/drama film Cog and Gear has won two awards for Best Short Drama and Best Music in a Short Film at Atlantic City Cinefest Downbeach Film Festival 2018. But it almost didn’t… This film holds a special place for me. 10 years in the making, being shelved and then repurposed, it became more of a personal film that it was ever meant to be.
Stuck in a destructive cycle, Best Actor Nominee (Brightside Tavern Short Film Festival 2018) Stephen Girouard plays an aging hitman who comes to terms with his life choices on the anniversary of his initiation. Also starring Ithamar Francois, Peter K. Ogden, Andrew Epifane, Tim B. Anderson, Orlando DeLeon, Tabitha Ogden, and Rob Epple the film covers a span of 20 years in its 20 minute runtime.
10 years ago…
I began this project after college, coming off my 2-Bernie Award-Winning action short True Justice. That film had taken a year to make from script to completion and the production and editing was part of my film course in college.
Now I had no deadline, which was ultimately the biggest problem. I had a new full-time job, experienced some personal tragedies, and had a newborn son to raise, all while trying to make an ambitious 20 minute action movie. During an extended break in shooting, some of my actors moved out of state to begin their own adult lives. I sat with half a film for years.
So how do you revisit a 10-year old project?
Time after time I revisited the footage. The more and more it weighed on me that I owed it to the actors who had given me so much to finish this film. All my actors were now 10 years older and spread out all over the country. No actors whose scenes I hadn’t got to would believe in me enough to finish. I had to start fresh.
At a 2016 festival for my short film Noir, a throwback to the film noir genre. I met a great actor who I bonded with. It occurred to me later that he could be the older version of my lead. I obviously needed to alter the story, but now I had my in. This film would take place in the future and what I had already shot would have to serve as flashbacks.
Results?
I’m very proud of finishing the film first and foremost. I’m ever-grateful to my actors old and new for their patience and their unwavering support over the years. The result is best described by a good friend: “It’s a mix of a younger man’s and and older man’s movie” which fit the themes of time and regret well. It’s also less of a mindless action movie and revels in reflecting and examining the real-world results of behavior inherent in that genre. I grew a lot on this journey and
I absolutely love the Sound Design and Award Winning Music by Michael Engesser of Rock Solid Productions LLC. We spent many hours in his old NJ studio perfecting every moment of the mix and his work has paid off. Now he’s set up in Los Angeles and working at legendary Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Productions.
What’s Next?
Production is almost complete on my first web series The Connection starring Damian Gaeta, Kelsey Hoffman, and Ithamar Francois. Check out connectionwebseries.com for more info. Look for that in late 2018/early 2019.
I’m currently in post production on a music-based film project for Trenton artist Ricky So-Do and my contribution to a horror anthology project.
Two films I was Director of Photography on are on the film festival circuit, Gerard Mendez‘s Ben’s Entanglement (premiering October 18 at IFFMNYC) and Jes Vasquez‘s Pay Me No Mime. I just wrapped shooting my second project for director Christopher Orangeo (Kai-Oti – Extremist) a short film called Little Did She Know.
I’m also beginning work as VFX supervisor on Alex Alessi and Jeff Stewart‘s feature film When Everything’s Gone.
Busy is good.
Where can you see Cog and Gear?
Future festival screenings! It’s won 2 Awards and 4 Nominations, so come out to see it on the big screen! Follow FroVideo on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with all projects. I’m in talks with streaming services so that once the festival run is complete you can view it from the comfort of your own home, or on a subway, back alley… anywhere with cell service where you kids watch your movies nowadays.
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