“Those who travel to mountain-tops are half in love with themselves, and half in love with oblivion.”
― Robert Macfarlane
Robert may be on to something. I think an artist has to be a bit vain. To force their art and views out in the world. Hoping for a measure of recognition, of affirmation, of success. We don’t make art because we are at peace. Artists strive for these things to validate their chosen recreation, both to themselves, to peers, to the naysayers. So a mountaineering quote is a good place to start.
Choosing the mountain to climb
I found myself in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic needing a project to sink my teeth into. I had shot a web series, a TV pilot, and have another series pilot written. It was time for something bigger than before. It had to be something I could not only write, but actually produce.
A micro-budget feature was the logical choice. A feature is the big time, the next step up, the gut punch to your savings account. If it was going to be all those things and more, I knew it had to be good.
Having had various experiences with writing partners, I knew if I chose wisely, the push of an extra writer would make this daunting project move all the more quickly. Jay Palmieri, Jr. is a New Jersey-based writer/director I had admired for years. He writes, directs, and produces his own work with as much care as I do. I knew we would be coming from similar experiences and speak the same language.
I don’t recall how the conversation started, but we came up with an idea that we both not only liked, but believed in. Nine months later we were ready to shoot our baby (phrasing!) as Co-Directors.
Nowhere to go but up
Here we are. The base of the mountain. A cast and crew in tow, boxes of props and bags of equipment in hand. We arrive at our location, a small townhouse in Hamilton, New Jersey. This is where we will spend the next ten days. A group of hungry creatives in close quarters.
Jay had done tons of prep with the actors and they came ready. David A. Velez and Lainey Drew arrive in their mid 20’s, full of energy and infectious enthusiasm; excited to tackle their roles in this short timeframe. Jay is 29 and I, the old man, am 34.
Also with us is visual image extraordinaire Malachi Matcho. Malachi has worked with FroVideo since The Connection as Gaffer and became my go-to Cinematographer on Into Gray. My old friend Scott Glazer, who has always been more audio-minded than myself, is Sound Mixer.
Producer Danielle E. Earle takes on multiple roles helping us organize our COVID policy, catering, and brings PAs when needed, among other invaluable tasks. Producer Michael R. Bollentin has already helped greatly with prep for the location, props, and logistics. ADs Vibha Patel, Amit Patel, and later on Kathryn Milewski kept us on track.
We lock into our first scene, a relatively simple setup where Mary unpacks her philosophy books (carefully chosen by myself even though they won’t get much screen-time). Chuck barges in, needing assistance rearranging boxes.
It’s a simple scene covered in one shot, but it perfectly encapsulates the struggle of the movie. A communication breakdown between two different personalities.
Blood flows
Halfway through the shoot, just as we were getting comfortable, a new element is added to the mix. Makeup and actors needing special FX. Marc Geller ran this aspect of the show, quickly preparing our ghosts played by actors Kathyrn Milewski and Jesse Dalton.
These actors wowed us by not just performing in the makeup, but by building on the script to craft an intricate backstory for their characters, something that definitely informs and pays off these ghosts’ behavior. Marc’s makeup was created and applied so fast and looked so good I could hardly believe this was something I was part of. It truly was a dream come true to work with these people.
Another thing I’m blown away by is that while telling a ghost story we may have caught actual ghosts on screen:
For a relationship horror story to have what appears to be an old couple in the window is beyond creepy and has to make you wonder…
Leaning on your collaborators
An important point to note is that Jay and I had never worked together before. This film was a mix of two well-established filmmaking tribes:
Jay and his longtime producer Danielle E. Earle brought us Lainey Drew, Hank Morris, Jesse Dalton, Jillian Geurts, Linda Wartenweiler, Marc Geller, Executive Producer Alan Greenstein of Support Our #creatives, and others from their camp. I, with longtime friend and producer Michael R. Bollentin brought David A. Velez, Kathryn Milewski, Amanda Troisi, Ithamar Francois, and Tamika C. Reed-Newman among others.
You have to choose your bedfellows wisely. We respected each other enough to put trust in each other. That trust grew fully at about this halfway point in our journey.
I have to stop and say thank you to everyone who equally put their trust in Jay and I on this project. Building that trust was important for what followed…
Things get complicated
It definitely became harder from here on out. The nights became longer, the tolls from the lack of sleep became more apparent, coordinating actors’ appearances in prosthetics became a nightly (ie: very early morning) discussion after everyone else had gone to bed. The scenes got more intense, emotional, and demanding on the actors.
Then one scene with extras became the most stressful part of the film. Equipment and tech issues caused delays, communication and logistical breakdowns occurred, we strove to make the extras feel like part of the team vs kicking them out afterward despite all this. Once it was done the crew collectively heaved a joint sigh of relief. All I’ll say is that shot better be amazing…
Reaching the top
Day 10 arrived and I felt emotions overflowing. Here was a productive family unit we banded together, grew with, and suffered with. We achieved so much in such a short time it felt unreal. And it was going to be over.
Jay was the perfect collaborator; organized, calm, and determined to go the extra mile. Danielle and Michael did a hell of a job as producers and truly made it easy for us to do what we do. Scott and Malachi were troopers, made the technical decisions easy, and brought some great ideas into the fold.
The actors absolutely all deserve awards, both for their skill and for being awesome people to work with. David and Lainey especially showed such care for the story and characters, and never had a single misreading of any scene or situation. Their willingness to go that extra mile truly made Jay and my jobs a breeze.
I am super proud of this movie and everyone involved.
The struggle builds character. The marble block’s edges are slowly cut away. I shed somewhere around 10 pounds. I discovered a sense of my true self, newfound confidence, and leadership capabilities. The same person who went up the mountain is not the same person who came back.
And I’m all the better for it.