FILMMAKER’S STATEMENT

On ‘IFHY’ we had the opportunity to take some of Sabi Pictures’ evolving principles and experiment with them. Myself, Marion and John met on two occasions to discuss character and story. They came with an idea, a very specific scene. I came with a scenario that helped put their scene (which became our ending) within a context. The pairing of the two “half-ideas” formed a structured whole. During our second meeting, John and Marion worked through possible motivation and objectives for their characters. I sat back and listened, taking note of what aspects of this story and their characters were the most compelling and appealing to them.

Character was explored and discussed until the story emerged. No actual screenplay was written, no storyboards drawn up – the experiment was to see what would happen if we instilled “radical collaboration” to the extent that the actors, director, sound and camera were mindfully attentive to the present moment; improvising to serve the story, allowing the scenes to evolve organically by following them to their natural conclusion.

To unify the form of this piece with its improvised content, the camerawork needed to read as equally spontaneous as the actors’ performances. A key technique to infuse a unique visual aesthetic resulted in the momentary misframings and over-corrections we were looking for – like a panicked cameraman struggling to keep up with the unfolding story. We made use of existing and supplemented color palettes to contrast the appearance of each character’s world – Carol’s being more balanced but lacking in intensity, and Ron’s being largely out of balance and over the top.

‘IFHY’ is a small film about unremarkable people. It has garnered much praise and I am humbled by the kind words our audience has used to describe it.

SYNOPSIS

A raw, compelling glimpse into a young man’s ill-conceived scheme to redeem himself in the eyes of his ex-girlfriend. Ron (John T. Woods in a breakout performance) lures Carol (played by the charming and beautiful Marion Kerr) back to his apartment under the pretense that he is going to return her favorite mug. When it seems this will be their last moment together, Ron desperately maneuvers to strike a chord with her in his own uniquely heartfelt way. Ain’t It Cool News has hailed it as “Brilliant” and Rogue Cinema praised the film as “…a beautiful little movie…funny and touching…”

CAST / CREW

MARION KERR, actor
Marion Kerr has distinguished herself as an extraordinarily charming and intelligent artist. Her appeal has been noted by Film Threat and Cinema Crazed for her “…surpising charm…” and “…great dynamic…”. She is unyielding in her dedication to her character’s emotional continuity and above all, endlessly fascinating to watch. Marion has appeared in numerous plays and most recently wrapped the indie feature “Heart of Now” from Sabi Pictures, a lead role she originated a year before in the companion film, “White Knuckles”. Marion is also an accomplished writer/director and recently made her feature debut with the thriller “Golden Earrings”.

JOHN T. WOODS, actor
Felix Vasquez of Cinema Crazed has praised his performance as “…superb…” and “…hilarious…”. Blessed with a razor-sharp wit and charming demeanor, John T. Woods is an intrepid actor who is as enthusiastic as he is fearless. This native of Oregon moved to Los Angeles to fulfill his dream of living in an over-priced spider-hole that the LA Times Rental section calls “a studio”. He was also getting tired of paying so little for car insurance. Lead roles have included the indie thriller “Golden Earrings” and Sci-Fi Channel’s “Mega Snake”. He has had guest spots on CSI Miami and supporting roles in the indie features “Heart of Now” and “Zombie Strippers”, as well as a number of critically acclaimed short films that have run the major festival circuit and were featured on The Sundance Channel.

ZAK FORSMAN, producer and director
Zak Forsman is an American independent filmmaker whose emotionally-charged work is known for highly authentic performances and beautiful compositions. Ain’t It Cool News recently praised his work as “…brilliant…” and “…absolutely gorgeous…”. His stories often depict compelling human threads in a poetic and minimalist style, reflecting deep sympathy for the brokenness of people. In 2005, he collaborated on the indie feature, “Blue in Green”, as part of the Unica Collaborative. More recently, he wrote and directed the feature motion picture, “Heart of Now” (currently in post) and the award-winning short film, “I Fucking Hate You”. He is currently developing two new features for production in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

JAMIE COBB, co-producer
Jamie Cobb is a feature editor whose work Ain’t it Cool News uniquely praised for its “…sense of rythm…”. The family-like and homegrown nature of Sabi Pictures is personified in Jamie’s amiable and nurturing spirit. Her tireless contributions and sacrifices for this production have been invaluable. She is currently cutting the indie feature “Heart of Now” for which she was also co-producer.

MATT GARRETT, cinematographer
More often than not, Matt Garrett was the eyes of this production. It is largely his perspective and attention to human detail that we are witnessing this story through. Very much like the actors, Matt was often “in the moment” allowing the emotional rhythms of each scene to organically guide his lens.

ADDISON BROCK III, cinematographer
The self-described “cinematographreak” hails from New Rochelle, NY. He studied filmmaking in Pittsburgh, PA before moving to Los Angeles in 1997. There is little else about himself that he is willing to share.

ZACH SEIVERS, sound designer
Zach Seivers is the founder of Snap Sound. He has supervised and designed sound for independently produced feature films such as “The Hammer”, starring Adam Carolla, as well as “White Knuckles” and “Heart of Now” by Sabi Pictures. Zach is set to produce “The Brij Project” with Setu Raval, a feature-length documentary about the HNS Bank Deaf and Mute School in Gujarat, India.

RENÉE DAY, editor
Renée Day is a well-travelled editor of shorts, features and docs. She worked closely with the director to mine through the improvised material, allowing the story to emerge naturally.

FILM FESTIVAL PODCASTS

RADIO

Independent Film United hosted by Shawn Cain and Julie Robbins – on-air interview with Zak Forsman, Marion Kerr and John T. Woods (11/05/08)

PRINT REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS

PRESS KIT

Press Kit – PDF (4.8mb) | Print Materials – ZIP (13.5mb)