Saturday, January 10, 2009

Winter Nights

by Ari

On the decision to make an independent feature film:

Obviously the risk is enormous and there’s no guarantee for success, but I believe in the material and I trust the people who have given me feedback and support (thank you Danna Hyams and Anna Pulley). There’s a quote from one of my idols, John Cassavetes, that I like to follow for inspiration. As he stated, “You must be willing to risk everything to really express it all.” So risk it all is what I will do no matter what the cost. Only time will tell whether my decision is because of the folly of youth or an ambitious first step towards a greater career. I’m sincerely hoping for the latter, of course.

It’s called Winter Nights. 91 pages. The first draft was completed in early October 2007, and I’ve been revising and polishing it for the last year. The story exists somewhere in between a comedy and a drama - a thematic/mood piece with a romantic streak in the vein of Lost in Translation or Before Sunrise/Set. It’s specifically designed and developed as a low-budget directorial debut; the type of storytelling that inspires me as a writer and a viewer.

91 pages. Budget: $30,000 (as of this moment). Principal photography will begin December 2009. It will be shot on the Red camera digital cinema.

A year of preparation that I plan to document here on the site. The Winter Nights Log will include any updates or thoughts I feel like sharing throughout the process of financing, organizing and assembling the crew, locations, casting, shooting and editing.

You can still expect new reviews, retrospectives and lists from our contributors and guest writers, and I’ll do my best to participate in whatever group articles we plan to publish. I also hope to continue offering my own reviews and such.

Here's to the new year and exciting times....