USA Archives - Directors Notes

The Modern Archetype of a Desperate Artist Is Given an Expressionistic Depiction in Mitch deQuilletes’ ‘Cowards’

Mitch deQuilletes talks to us about tapping into the confusion and stress of emerging zillennial artists in his comedy about an unaware obsessive writer.

Live Action

Mask-Clad Roller Skating Thieves Risk It All in Ben Dean’s Frenetic Dr. Dre Branded Short ‘Flipper’s Skate Heist’

Ben Dean tells DN how he imbued his action-packed and propulsive style of filmmaking into his branded short set around a roller skate heist.

Live Action, Premiere

A Black Student’s Revelation Leads to Uncomfortable Repercussions in Chinwe Okorie’s Drama Short ‘Elephant’

Chinwe Okorie tells DN how she mined a darkly comedic childhood memory for her short drama about a tense encounter for a girl at her new school.

Live Action

An Oblique Ritual Is Performed to Create Genetically Designed Kids in Lucy McRae’s Experimental Sci-Fi ‘Futurekin’

Artist Lucy McRae reveals how she moulds her on-set adaptive and fluid creative approach into an enthralling sci-fi narrative during post-production.

Animation

Richan Li’s Zany Head-Swapping Animated Short ‘Babble Bubble’ Explores a Hyper-Modern Identity Crisis

Richan Li explains the underlying metaphorical implications of the surreal animal heads her protagonist Norah dons in her 2D animated short.

Live Action, Premiere

Neal Mulani’s ‘Tell Me Something I Don’t Know’ Warns of the Perils of Giving Into Your Deepest Insecurities

Neal Mulani speaks to the importance of the camera bible when shooting his cautionary comedy short about maturing friendships and narcissism.

Live Action

Eliza Jiménez Cossio & Lexi Tannenholtz’s ‘We Should Get Dinner!’ Probes the True Nature of Family

Eliza Cossio & Lexi Tannenholtz discuss deploying a propulsive score, snappy dialogue and fast cutting to explore the true meaning of family.

Live Action, Premiere

Arielle Friedman & Lucy Blumenfield Examine the Painful Fallibility of Memory in ‘Immutable Uncertainties’

Arielle Friedman & Lucy Blumenfield talk constructing a non-linear narrative that uses form to reflect their protagonist's relationship with memory.

Live Action

Brandon Tauszik’s Trifold ‘Bad Thoughts’ Book Trailer Showcases Modern Women Wrestling With Love and Adulthood

Brandon Tauszik reveals the creative journey of adapting Nada Alic's comic deviant short story collection into an exhilarating trio of book trailers.

Music

Martin Wolfgang Klapperbein’s ‘Fuk It’ Depicts the Ensuing Chaos of an All Too Relatable Burnout

Martin Wolfgang Klapperbein breaks down the gear and processes of his candid NYC streets shot, frenzied music video for Tobias Dray.

Music

Omer Ben-Shachar Queries the Masked Nature of Identity in Hybrid Claudio Olachea Music Video ‘Down Here’

Omer Ben-Shachar tells DN how he achieved the disturbing tone of his forced persona short through the use of creepy prosthetics and ominous camera angles.

Art & Fashion

Louise de Nexon’s Stylish Spec Ad ‘Beyond Converse’ Is an Ode to the Boundless Power of Imagination

Louise de Nexon talks through the expressive qualities of the 16mm cinematography and inspired staging featured in her invigorating Converse spec spot.

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