Short Film Corner: Brent Bishop & Gregory Tuzin's Without

Gino Pagliuca: What is the genesis of the project?
Gregory Tuzin: WITHOUT came from our desire to create a short that expressed the main themes, aesthetic, and production challenges of our feature script STRANGE ATTRACTOR. This includes complex, contrasting characters, surreal, metaphysical situations, and the desolate beauty of the desert.

We were intrigued by the idea of claustrophobia in wide open spaces (inspired by films like North by Northwest, and The Proposition), and we wanted to see what happens when two characters stripped of everything but the last shred of their humanity meet each other in such a space. Do they help each other or kill each other? Will their common humanity prevail, or will animal instinct drive them to battle for resources and survival? We wanted it to be a film of extremes, so we pushed this idea to its limit, giving the characters opposing qualities, perspectives, and needs. But they are united by their humanity, their bleak situation, and their enigmatic connection which is revealed throughout the film.

GP: In terms of collaboration; what did you and Brent individually bring to the table? How did you separate writing and directing duties?
GT: The two of us collaborate very very closely. We brainstormed the idea together, and then wrote the script very quickly. We mapped out all of the shots with the two of us as stand ins. We took photos, had boards drawn, and eventually shot a rough version of the film with us acting out the roles – badly. Before we ever got on location we had every shot mapped out with our cinematographer Virgil L Harper. For this reason, we were able to pack a huge number of shots into two days and kept our shooting ratio very low.

On set we worked very symbiotically with the actors and crew. The filmʼs intense high noon look meant we had to wait to shoot until the sun was high in the sky and then stop before magic hour started. With only the budget for two short days of shooting, we had to work fast, but could split up the workload because we implicitly trust each other. In a pinch, one of us could work with the actors while the other talked to the crew. We were able to move very quickly and efficiently, but still leave the actors the space to sink into their rolls and the shots.

GP: Where was this filmed?, and what were the pros and cons of shooting in a such a secluded location (limited shooting time, heat, etc... how did these things affect the process)?
GT: WITHOUT was shot on the El Mirage dry lakebed, a few hours east of LA. To transform this well-known shooting location into the infinite, purgatorial void of our story, we concentrated on large, pristine areas of lakebed and really incorporated the vast desert floor and the sky as textural elements. Our amazing cinematographer Virgil L Harper was in a constant dance with the sun, maintaining a look of eternal high noon. Finally, we pushed this environment to the otherworldly by removing all of the mountains that hem El Mirage through digital compositing.

There were pros and cons to 'shooting in a hellscape' (as weʼve affectionately come to know it.) Keeping our cast and crew alive in the deadly sun and merciless wind was challenge enough. The high noon look meant limited hours of shooting under the most extreme conditions. And every rock, pebble, coffee, and drop of water had to be imported into that barren landscape. But in the end, the advantages far outweighed the challenges. Nothing can compare to the intensity of the real environment, the natural beauty and brutality of the desert. We constantly referred to the desert as our third character. The actors battled the elements in a very real way, and their performances reflect that.

GP: With only 2 roles to fill - what specific characteristics, features were you looking for in those 2 actors? How did you come to cast Dion DeRizzo and Robert Miano?
GT: In casting, it was important that our characters were physical equals. We didnʼt want one to be seen as the dominator. They had to be similar enough to be evenly matched—balanced like two sides of one coin. We wanted Robert Mianoʼs character to be stoic, almost motionless, empty and distant as though missing something vital. On set we asked him to minimize his movements. His character conserves energy and emotion whenever possible, but when the dam breaks it truly breaks.

For Dion DeRizzoʼs character we were looking for someone wildly kinetic, energized, and manic. He is burdened, weighed down by what he carries, and seems crazy. But he has that spark of intelligence that may make him even more suited to the environment. This is the paradoxical balance between two characters who inevitably need each other—a frantic, groping searcher thrust together with a hardened, distant loner.

Robert is an actor we had seen and liked in other films. We didnʼt know what he would bring to the character and were incredibly impressed. He showed up to the casting session way before his call time and knew the full script from front to back. When we called cut he told us without breaking character that he wanted to continue. He gave everything to the performance. It was astonishing. We knew immediately that he was the one and asked him to stay in the room and run the pages with a few other guys. The chemistry between Robert and Dion was immediate and palpable. They were our guys.

GP: This is a great looking film, right down to the closing credits (which also added that extra element of awe). I love Tremors, so kudos to Virgil L. Harper on his work here. How did he get involved?
GT: We get a lot of comments about the film's credits and design aesthetic, which were spearheaded by artist and designer Julian Paige Smith of DesignsmithSF. The idea was to capture the oppressive expansiveness and dogged spirit of the film, and the result was something that feels like a natural extension of the film's environment. She handmade fonts for the film by creating potato stamps prints, scanning them and degrading them more in the computer. She really went above and beyond in her efforts to create a great looking and appropriate graphic aesthetic for all of our print, video, and web materials.

The film's visual aesthetic is a constant presence in our story - it's almost another character, and a lot of credit is due to cinematographer Virgil L Harperʼs camera work. He has an instinctive relationship with the desert that was instrumental in creating the look of our film. We shot in a truly ruthless environment, and Virgil managed to capture both the force and delicate detail of the landscape. He also understands the demands of shooting 35 mm in such a harsh place.

We were introduced to him by Johnny Bennett, an AD we often work with. As directors, we both grew up watching Virgilʼs work on films like Tremors and Young Guns II, and were thrilled at the opportunity to work with him. His work is stunning, and his wealth of amazing desert cinematography sealed the deal. We quickly found that he is also a great collaborator and presence on the set, and a really funny person. There were a lot of stresses shooting in an alkali desert with an eternal high noon look, but Virgil was right in his element and made the whole thing look effortless.

GP: Story aside, there's a strong sci-fi aesthetic/tone. Any influences here?
GT: We have a deep and passionate love of cinema, and all its genres. We really wanted this film to be set nowhere; as in no specific place in space, time or history, and no specific location on earth. We didnʼt necessarily set out to write a sci-fi/fantasy film, but we naturally gravitate towards magical and surreal themes. Capturing archetypal reality through the mode of fantasy is a powerful way to tap into core human values and needs. The filmmakers we love are talented at capturing the full human experience by tapping into our dreams and fantasies. These experiences can sometimes be more meaningful and visceral than those we actually live.

GP: With such a minimal setting, was shooting this on a set or using special effects to recreate the setting ever an option? On the other hand were there any unexpected technical challenges by shooting on location? What was the difference between those 2 options (if both were in fact considered) budget wise?
GT: We considered shooting on a stage, but we knew the effect wouldn't be the same; the situation they were in wouldn't be as palpable. And it wouldn't have been any cheaper. So we went for the “screaming to each other over the howling wind as our storyboards fly away” option. We knew that a stage could never have captured the raw power of the desert. Our actors were really working with the elements, sprinting across expanses of bare desert, and collapsing in the dust.

GP: The music in the film punches up the feeling of isolation, exhaustion, confusion, confrontation, etc... Did you rely on getting the right people for the job, as you clearly have, or was there a back- up plan? Was there ever a cut of the film without the music? You can definitely hear some of that REQUIEM FOR A DREAM score in there. How did you get the these musicians on board?
GT: We had very specific ideas about the music. At the inception we had a couple of composers/sound designers in mind. We wanted a sparseness that would create tension and juxtapose with the moments of intensity and complexity. We had worked before with Jeffrey Zeigler, Kronos Quartet's cellist, and we decided to approach him about doing the score. We have always loved Kronos' work on films like Requiem For A Dream and The Fountain, and that mix of texture, passion, and emotion seemed like a perfect fit.

Jeff was enthusiastic about the project and recommended his wife, composer Paola Prestini, who had composed for Kronos before. As the vision blossomed, we presented the idea to the quartet. They were excited about the film, and with Paola and Kronos on board, the quality of our vision was refined and the bar raised massively. They brought a whole new set of tools and ideas to the table.

For example, we had always planned to include a ringing tinnitus sound in the sparse, dramatic moments to increase the tension and highlight the hopelessness of the charactersʼ predicament. We originally planned it as a synthetic sound, but with such amazing musicians involved we decided to have them perform the part. So, in the end, we had one of the greatest living musical acts holding one long, barely audible note, and it works beautifully. It has a wavering, natural quality that matches the aesthetic of the film and could never have been created synthetically.

GP: In the film there seems to be conflict through communication. These men are in the same situation, neither one knows where they are or how they go there, and yet we find out that there is a clear connection they are unable to put together. Where did this idea stem from?
GT: We really liked the idea that these characters have more to offer each other than just the standard items: water, food, shelter, etc. They are intimately connected, but in a way that they canʼt seem to address. The physical connection is just part of what makes them clash. They needed to be a yin and yang that may never find a way of fitting together, and should share some mutual history that neither character seems to know about or remember. This added layers of subtle meaning and possibility that we found fascinating, and has stimulated long discussions amongst viewers about what is actually happening. We obviously donʼt want to answer all of the questions that we pose in the film, but there are some subtle hints that suggest possible answers.

GP: One could argue that in such a situation, and location, that these two find themselves in, that the paired protagonists are working with interchangeable antagonistic forces. Were you trying to embed this idea when creating the characters?
GT: That is a perfect description of our characters' dilemma. The diametrically opposed characters are magnetically drawn to each other and simultaneously repelled by each other. They are both trapped in the same situation, connected by their humanity and need for survival, but coping with their ordeal in such different ways. Their perspectives are completely at odds. They have been pushed to the very extremes of their being, and they have been thrust together with nowhere to run.

Both characters have moments of compassion and ruthlessness, sympathy and aggression. Our goal with the film was to distill the human condition to its most naked state, place it in an extraordinarily challenging position, and then view it at this level. It is an exploration of whether or not people can overcome their differences to reach an understanding and co-exist. Our actors were very sensitive to this interplay of opposites, and embodied the story's central paradox in such a beautiful way.

GP: Which festivals will we find the short in next, and what future projects have you lined up?
GT: WITHOUT's next screenings will be at the Ojai-Ventura Film Festival, Ojai CA; Festival Internacional de Filmets de Badalona, Barcelona Spain; Big Apple Film Festival, New York; and Fantastic Planet: Sydney Sci-Fi & Fantasy Film Festival, Australia. WITHOUT has received worldwide distribution through Shorts International, and you should be seeing the film on iTunes in the next month or so.

We have been absorbed in writing over the past months, and are in development on a new feature that we look forward to moving into production. Weʼll be shooting another short film at the beginning of the year and hopefully bringing it to festivals in 2010 as well.

For more info and the trailer for Without, visit the official website. 

QUICK LINKS

The Proposition,  The Fountain,  North By Northwest,  Requiem for a Dream,