USA Archives - Directors Notes

Chad Sogas’ Autobiographical Doc ‘Rat Tail’ Traverses the Path to Self-Discovery via an Awkward Hairstyle

Chad Sogas opens up about the serendipitous process of self-discovery that informed & was necessary for the completion of his autobiographical documentary.

Live Action

Alex Fischman Cárdenas’ Dance Film ‘Neptune’s Dreams’ Blends Mesmerising Movements With Aquatic Imagery

Alex Fischman Cárdenas reveals how the spontaneous method of filmmaking for his dance short came together cohesively in the editing room.

Documentary, Premiere

Robert Hope Records the Slow Radicalisation of His Eccentric Neighbour in Personal Doc ‘Heaven on Earth’

Robert Hope explains his motivation to capture the insidious rise of far-right conspiracy ideologies from a personal perspective for his doc short.

Art & Fashion

Ben Dean’s Propulsive Direction Transforms New York Into the Ultimate Dance Stage for Nike’s ‘Own The Floor’

Discover how through spinning shots, fluid combination of voiceover and music, and expressive, fun dance moves, Ben Dean created the ultimate ode to NYC.

Live Action, Premiere

A Woman’s Trying Journey of Atonement Unfolds in Uncomfortably Close Quarters in Aiden Arata’s Comedy ‘Powder Room’

Writer/Director Aiden Arata talks to DN about shooting her wry meditation on friendship and forgiveness within the tight confines of a house party bathroom.

Live Action, Premiere

A Brother Confronts His Sister’s Appalling Boyfriend in Max Kane’s NYE Drama ‘House of Brotherly Love’

Max Kane tells DN how he gained eye-opening benefits from applying creative limitations to the narrative of his NYE set family drama short.

Music

Jacob Jonas Curates a Sense of Endless Togetherness With His One-Shot Music Video for Sia’s ‘Pin Drop’

Jacob Jonas explains how he and his Cinematographer Jessica Young developed the vast, story-driven lighting for their minimal music video.

Live Action

A Biohazard Remediator Questions Her Own Morality in Ryan Oksenberg’s Horror Drama ‘Together’

Ryan Oksenberg talks about the in-depth research he conducted with a forensic illustrator to faithfully represent a murder scene in his short film.

Live Action

A Fading Actress Delivers a Bloody Restaging of a Shakespearian Comedy in Kelsey Bollig’s Visceral ‘The Fourth Wall’

Kelsey Bollig explains how she brought the energy of theatre to screen in 'The Fourth Wall' while exploring the separation between actors and the audience.

Animation, Music

Kristian Mercado Figueroa Brings Reggaeton Culture to Futuristic Life in SXSW-Winning Animation ‘Nuevo Rico’

Kristian Mercado Figueroa takes us inside the oversaturated colours, steampunk aesthetic and blend of styles comprising his Latinx Futurism short.

Live Action, Premiere

Mark H. Rapaport Renders a Disturbing Vision of Family Therapy in ‘Andronicus’

Mark H. Rapaport reveals how he created the portrait-style cinematography which accentuates the tensions in his perverted family drama.

Documentary

Jeremy McNamara ‘The Skatepark on Treasure Island’ Celebrates the Scene’s DIY Aesthetic

Shot, recorded, mixed, coloured and edited by him, director Jeremy McNamara explains the DIY techniques he used in his documentary to reflect DIY themes.

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