JOOP

(Currently in Post-production)

You feel it at the end - the wind at your back. 

I woke up after four hours of sleep on the plane ride home. My body was stretched long in business class because the lady at the Delta counter was excited to contribute to our film by waiving half of our baggage fees and throwing in a seat upgrade (Thank you Delta).

Another notification popped up on my phone, I swiped it away to clear my screen and Instagram opened. A few of the crew members had shared their favorite moments from the film. 

There was a strange feeling seeing the moments already faded in memory renewed by a new perspective.

At the beginning of the film shoot, we set the motto of the film set: “Follow the Wind.” To follow the wind, meant to feel it out, follow what is right, to not get caught in the stubborn nature of pride or structure if it got in the way of the creative vision. 

For the last week, the mission has been: Get it done. I’ve felt like a jackhammer slamming against a slab of a thousand conflicts; How are we getting to each location? Does this frame line make sense? Did the card data transfers finish last night? Has everyone eaten? When do we need to return the rental car? Were the characters' emotions clear in that last shot? How is the crew doing? Are we tired? When was the last time we took a break? Are we taking too many breaks? Will everyone be okay if the day goes two hours late? 

As a student filmmaker, you wear a lot of hats, but as a director, even with help, you can’t help but carry the weight of the film on your back. For me, it's impossible to let go. I want this film to be good, not just in the final product, but in the execution, I want the crew to be happy, and the production to be environmentally sustainable, the length of each shoot day to not be overwhelming, and for the actors to be well cared for and feel valued, and for the visuals to be beautiful and the story to make sense, and to not go over budget. Every night added to the exhaustion of waging a war against the unseen obstacles threatening to tear down the frail tower of good we’d built.

Then it was over and I’m flying back home and that little notification on my phone pulled me toward a crewmember who couldn’t help but share their favorite moments of the week; A small prompt that carried with it an overwhelming wave of gratitude of all the ways, in the midst of difficulty, the wind would pick up and a helping hand would come along to help me find my way back to the original vision. 

This film was made possible because of you; you who believed, who gave well wishes, and donated your own money to help us reach our goal, to you the teachers who sat with me as I worked through shot-list ideas and story strategies, or long email correspondences regarding lens filtration options. To you, my family who showed up on shoot days to ease the stress of filmmaking, shopped and cleaned all week just to create a clean environment for our crew, you Jenny and Mike who volunteered your time off to pour your heart and soul, and home into this project. 

This film was technically flawless and the best film, I feel I could possibly achieve for where I am at. The crew operated masterfully, going above and beyond the expectations of a student film, managing long hours and quick turnarounds to show up and work together to achieve something bigger than ourselves. 

Joop is a small but significant step in the beginning of a hopefully long and fruitful film career, and I am thrilled to share the final piece with all of you soon. 

But for now I just wanted to say thank you, to all the hands that made this film possible. Because of you, the wind was at our backs.