Topic: Talking With The Dead: 12 Questions with Alex Ferrari Interview For Broken 3/26/06

[Dedman13]

Interview conducted 03/06

1. What a frenetic and action-packed short! Where did you come up with the concept for Broken, and was this how you imagined it would look?

I came up with the idea in college and kept it locked away for years until I decide to resurrect it for BROKEN. I wrote the original script for the short and then brought it to Jorge to see if he wanted to puthis "stank" on it. Together we developed the final script for the shortand are currently working on the full screenplay. We always had a vision of making this story to a feature. The characters were just begging for it!

We wanted to create an intelligent action packed thriller and we were eager to prove that independent no-budget film-making could reap more than the standard “talking head” short film, so we set out to create a movie that not only had depth of story, but would satisfy the senses with its action and visual effects.

When we started BROKEN I told Jorge I wanted a ton of rehearsal and preptime. We set up about 12 weeks of rehearsals and pre production. We all had jobs, so this was done at night and after hours. Couple hours here and there. Storyboards, concept art, location scouts, rehearsals, VFX tests, make and wardrobe tests, etc. I needed to plan out every step of the process. I like to have a battle plan before I go into WAR and wanted time with the actors to beat the hell out of the script with them. Also we wanted to have time to do the VFX tests needed to make BROKEN a success. Both Jorge and I want to push the envelop and I really want to push what can be done with no money, MiniDV, a Mac and a dream. Sorry it got away from me there for a second; )

2. You have an incredible background behind the camera, but you also have extensive knowledge in post production. How much do you feel that helped you in getting your vision across to the audience?

I feel my experience with post was invaluable. As I wrote the story with my writing partner and co-producer Jorge F. Rodriguez, I wrote in the VFX we would need to tell the story and I had a real good idea if we could pull them off. We wrote around what we know and what we had.

3. Broken was shown at 29 different festivals in the last year. What has audience and critic response been like?

We have been truly shocked and amazed. We never expected to get such a positive response to our little short. Our biggest being Roger Ebert, check it out!

"BROKEN is essentially a demonstration of the mastery of horror imagery and techniques...effective and professional. Looking forward to “BROKEN:The Feature." - Roger Ebert (Film Critic Chicago Sun Times)

Toronto #6: Stars present & future :: rogerebert.com :: Toronto Film Festival

"B R O K E N has all the visual potency of the likes of The Matrix and Fight Club."

- Film Focus UK

"4 STARS! ”Broken” looks great, sounds great and threatens to put a bullet between your eyes right from the get go."

- Film Threat

"Excellent directing, camera work, music, production design, and very well edited.The production value is truly amazing for $8000. The story isintriguing and as a viewer you want to know more. Very nice job, you guys have talent."

- Jonathan Krane (Producer of Swordfish, Face Off, The General's Daughter, Phenomenon, Look Who's Talking)

"Allow me to introduce you to the next big thing. ...the sweetest indie trailer this side of the Matrix. They have single handedly taken indieto the next level. This $8,000 dollar film looks as good as Sin City.

- MoviesOnline CANADA

"Broken rivals the Lord Of The Rings Extended Editions...a how to guide, a budget handbook for budding filmmakers."

- DVD Reviewer UK

"I really dug the style and the visuals, and hope to see something a little LENGTHIER from you in the future. The next David Fincher perhaps?"

- JoBlo.com

"BROKEN" packing enough cinematic DY-NO-MITE to completely blow yourass off! It delivers a skull-shattering array of special effects shots that equal the quality of big budgeted studio flicks!"

- Living Corpse.com

"...reminded me of a mix between The Sixth Sense, Fight Club, and Sin City."

- Cin3ma TV

"It looks like something Quentin Tarantino might have done on his day off when he was jamming with the Wachowski Brothers."

- Film Guru.net

"...literally overflows with bullets, brains and blood…Sam Raimi would be proud."

- DVD Verdict

[YOUTUBE]<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VtxOB3FieX4&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VtxOB3FieX4&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

4. The DVD special features are almost as impressive as the film. You walk the viewer from concept art in pre-production all the way through sound design in post production. Did you enjoy doing that as much as shooting the film, and was it harder to shoot that at the same time?

We truly did not have the DVD in mind when we shot the short. It was an after thought. I mean who would pay $20.00 to buy a 20 min short film. Only after we got the attention we did and people started demanding that we put it out on DVD so they could buy it did we decide to package the DVD with 3 hours of special feature and 6 commentary tracks which is available at BROKEN: A Tale by Alex Ferrari (shameless plug!)

5. Do you think shooting in a digital format will make film obsolete, or are there things that you can only do with film that a computer can't replicate?

The technology is coming along very fast. Year after year the digital format is able to do more and more. I think it is only a matter of time before we film goes away. I a 50 years we will not be using film as the medium to tell visual stories. The establishment also fought idea of sound and color in movies.

6. The gunplay was fantastic in the film. Was that the first time you have worked with firearms, and how comfortable were you with the actors when they were using them?

We actually did not use any real guns in BROKEN. They were all Airsoftbee-bee guns. All the explosions and muzzle fire in the film were computer generated. We had all the actors train with our technical adviser on how to properly hold a shot gun.

7. Seeing what you did with a budget of $8000, what do you think you could make Broken for as a feature film and what would the cost be if it was shot on film as opposed to Mini DV?

We think we can make the feature for $3-5 million. The feature script is a much bigger story than the short. If we would have shot film on the short I would add $8000 to the budget. The camera, accessories, filmstock, development, transfer, Digibeta stock, only being able to shoot with one camera instead of two. Less coverage,moving slower, etc. If you can stay away from film do so but if you have a ton of $$$ go for it!

8. You had both make-up and digital effects for the short. The digital effects were a huge part of Broken and they look excellent! You had a few make-up effects as well, but do you think make-up and FX are being replaced with digital technology as a cost-cutting measure, or do you think that it has just become a lost art?

Thanks! No I think there will always be a need for make up effects and practical special effects. There is something about the real that still works. The best thing to do is to combine practical and CGI effect to get the desired effect.

9. What did you find to be the most difficult aspect of Broken to bring to the screen?

Just getting started. Many filmmakers talk about making a movie but few ever go through with it. Just get the ball rolling was the toughest part.

10. You seem to have done just about everything you can do in the business! What is next for you?

The feature version of BROKEN and hopefully a long career in directing.

11. You have given all film makers out there something to study and learn from with your release of Broken. Is there any advice that you would like to give to new film makers that you didn't get to include on the DVD?

Do as NIKE say: JUST DO IT! If it sucks, fine. You learned and you move onto the next one with the knowledge. JUST MAKE YOUR MOVIE NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES!!! I wish you all the best luck in your future project. Before you make your first project, LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE CRAFT OF STORYTELLING!! The more you know, the more dangerous you become...BE DANGEROUS!

12. In terms of a dream project, is there anything out there that would interest you, whether it be an Original script or a remake?

I would love to bring to screen the graphic novels "Sandman" and "The Watchman". That would truly be a dream come true.