 |
They say, never try to rewrite Shakespeare. They also say, in order to be a great artist, one must bend to break all the rules.
Up and coming director/producer Nicole Fahey has broken the Shakespeare rule of writing by adapting the famous love story Romeo & Juliet into a 7-minute film set in the 1950's. At first hearing of this, I was skeptical of the turnout of such a task. Being lucky enough to have a chance to sit in on the filming, I was pleasantly surprised, blown away even, by the professionalism and dedication that could be seen in the eyes of all on set.
Director, Nicole, knew exactly what she wanted from her actors. She successfully pulled her characters from deep inside of them by treating them as if they actually were her characters, not just actors portraying them. Actors and actresses reacted accordingly, by giving her exactly what she was pulling for.
Actor Garret Holmes had the perfect 50's look about him, the mysterious confident eyes hidden in shadows under the brim of his hat. Actress Tessa Flores brought a Hepburn-esque sophisticated, classic beauty to the scenes, it seems this part was written for her. Deer-eyed and innocent, she nailed her every take beyond satisfaction of the crew.
When asked about her experience with her actors, Director Fahey responded,
I got really lucky while I was looking for actors, Roland (who plays The Cap) played a big part in helping me secure them for my shoot. They're student actors, as I am a student film maker, which brought great ease and fun, since no one had a big head or uncontrollable ego.
Even the extras seemed a perfect fit for this type of 50's noir. If one were to walk in on this set with no previous knowledge of what was going on, it would be hard to convince oneself that they had not just time traveled. Costume design, a collective contribution on the part of all involved, included leather jackets and fedoras. All on set were smoking and holding alcoholic-looking beverages, playing cards around a table or bouncing from corner to corner dancing moves straight out of a classic John Travolta film, finger snapping and all.
I, for one, am more anxious that I previously had been before this one of a kind sneak peek into the making, to see the final result of the dedication and work put into making this short. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser, and leave the audience begging Fahey for more. I inquired with Nicole about whether or not there would be a sequel, or continuation of Starcrossed Lovers:
I would absolutely love to be able to rewrite the entire play of Romeo & Juliet in noir form, but I wouldn't do it without the same cast and crew working with me. Everything just rolled so smoothly, I would hate to try again and be disappointed. I'm definitely considering it, and thinking about talking to my cast & crew about it, because it would be something I would be extremely proud of and excited about.
More information on a release screening will be available and posted here as it is released.
No comments:
Post a Comment