How do you write, direct, produce, edit, and sound design a film—while also starring in a lead role? I just completed a film called This Is Not a War Story, a narrative hybrid film that featured a supporting cast of non-actor combat veterans. I played the role of a Marine returned home from the war in Iraq opposite actor Sam Adegoke, who also played a Marine veteran, a mentor to other vets recently returned home. The non-actors portrayed themselves, so it was a combination of script and improvisation around which we built this film—dealing with trauma, suicide, and moral injury. I also wrote and directed this film, as well as produced, edited, and sound designed. This might sound a little scatterbrained or like the batshit plan of a megalomaniac, but in my view, these roles, and most especially the roles of writer, director, and actor, are intrinsically connected. They are three sides of the same coin—and acting and directing, more specifically, are the inverse of one another. Read More...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Monday, 29 March, 2021