(re)Search my Trash

<body> <div align="left"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="800" cellpadding="0" height="100%"> <tr> <td width="100" rowspan="3" background="../stylepix/square.gif" valign="top">  </td> <td width="4" rowspan="3"></td> <td width="592" height="1%" valign="top"> <p align="center"> <a href="../research/resultdirlinks.shtml?Itai Guberman">Films directed by <b>Itai Guberman</b> on (re)Search my Trash</a><p align="center">  </td> <td width="4" rowspan="3"></td> <td width="100" rowspan="3" background="../stylepix/squareright.gif" valign="top">  </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="592" valign="top" height="99%">  <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="305" align="left"> </table> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="255" align="right"> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p align="right"><img border="0" src="../stills/ivy-poster.jpg" width="250" height="375"></p> </td> </tr> </table> <p><b>Your new movie <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml"><i>Ivy</i></a> - in a few words, what's it about?</b> <p>  <p>The short synopsis we released was &quot<b><a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a> </b> is a short psychological horror-thriller about a man’s struggle to come to grips with his deteriorating mental state stemming from losing the love of his life." It has all the elements of a psychological horror-thriller, but it is largely about loss.<p>  <p><b>What were your sources of inspiration when writing <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml"><i>Ivy</i></a>? And since this is a movie about heartbreak, is any of the film in whatever way autobiographical?</b><p>  <p> The film was inspired by a time in my life, following a tough breakup. Thing is, I wrote the script long after I got over said breakup and did not realise that the inspiration for the film came from there until I saw the first rough cut and it dawned on me. It's one of those things about expression and art that I truly love. Sometimes we don't realise how therapeutic and cathartic artistic expression can be.<p> <p><b>As far as I know, <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml"><i>Ivy</i></a> is going to be part of your feature film <i>Revelation</i> - so how does its story fit into the broader scheme of things of the feature, and what's the status on <i>Revelation</i> to begin with?</b><p> <p> <b><a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a> </b> introduces us into the world of <b>Revelation</b>. It is the opening segment (out of four) that sets the scene for what is still to come and the world it all happens in.<p> <p> The status is that <b>Revelation</b> is currently on hold until the world resets post-Covid. At the moment, due to the uncertainty of restarting production and the possibility of it being halted at any time, the risk of putting a sizable investment into a project is just too significant. It caused investors to pull out once Covid hit, and now it is simply too difficult to raise those funds again. Another obstacle is that the first half of the film was shot in Israel and I'd like to continue shooting it there, but as I am living in relatively Covid-free Australia, flying to Israel is a difficult task and an unnecessary risk right now. Also considering the recent outbreak of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, another risk of production shutting down has been introduced. I considered moving the production to Australia, but it would require a considerably larger budget to shoot it here.<p> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="405" align="left"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img border="0" src="../stills/ivy-4.jpg" width="400" height="208"></td> </tr> </table> <p><b>What can you tell us about <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml"><i>Ivy</i></a>'s approach to horror?</b><p> <p> Being a psychological horror-thriller, it is fairly clear that this is not a film that relies on gore, nudity or jump scares. I did my best to stay away from such gimmicks and bring something original to the table. The film also has elements of mystery and drama that are essential for such a story to work on the viewer. I wrote it to take the viewer on a journey and I hope I did that. The short is subtext-heavy and I included several hints along the way, which are there in plain sight, yet can be missed if you're not paying attention. I wanted the viewers to use some analytical skills and actually think when watching the short, rather than just be entertained, but I hope the film does both. There are elements in <b><a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a> </b> that very few people noticed, so perhaps I was overly obscure. Lol. In any way, the approach in general was to bring some originality and quality to a field which, I feel these days, may lack in both.<p>   <p><b>With <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml"><i>Ivy</i></a> being entirely set in one apartment, what were your techniques to keep things visually interesting?</b><p> <p><b> <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a> </b>being set in one apartment was a necessity here. I wanted the viewer to feel the sense of claustrophobia around the main character, Rick, even though he never wants to leave the apartment. To keep things varied and interesting, I included scenes that are presented as dreams or flashbacks and, while shot in that same apartment, have an "other worldly" feel to them. I also used almost every room available to shoot different scenes in, as well as another scene shot just outside of the apartment to keep the film from constantly having that "one location" feel.<p> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="405" align="left"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img border="0" src="../stills/ivy-1.jpg" width="400" height="214"></td> </tr> </table> <p><b>A few words about your overall directorial approach to your story at hand?</b><p> <p> As discussed above, my directorial approach is to tell an interesting, original story. I feel that, these days, in Hollywood and indie alike, most stories are regurgitated, and that there is more concern with production value and "gear". While production value is important, I feel it should ALWAYS be secondary to the story. Unfortunately, most of those making films these days, as well as a sizable chunk of the audience, feel otherwise. I hope that with more quality stories getting out there, we might eventually turn that tide.<p> <p><b>Do talk about your cast, and why exactly these people?</b><p>  <p> To fill out the cast, I had to look for English speaking actors in Israel who speak the language without an Israeli accent. I was happy with any English-speaking accent, be it American, Canadian, British, Australian, etc. <b><a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a> </b> possesses a small cast of five very talented actors: Dan Shaked as Rick, Gita Amely as Ivy, Tzachi "Zach" Cohen as "Man in Suit", Einav Markel as "Dark Haired Woman", and Debbie Levin as "Jo". <p>   <p> I had the pleasure of previously working with Zach on my comedy webseries and soon to be released feature film <b> The Bruised Spring's Teens</b>. I immediately knew I wanted to work with him again and had him in mind for the role of "Man in Suit" as I was writing the script.<p>  <p>Dan Shaked and I were in touch via social media for a while and always looked for a project to collaborate on. After writing <b><a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a></b>, I contacted Dan, who lives in the US but visits family in Israel on a yearly basis, to see when his next visit was scheduled for, and it so happened that the timing was perfect.<p> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="425" align="right"> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p align="right"><img border="0" src="../stills/ivy-2.jpg" width="420" height="246"></td> </tr> </table> <p>I did not know Einav previous to this project. She was recommended through common friends and acquaintances and fit her role perfectly.<p>  <p>Debbie is an old friend who I met a few years back while helping out on a film school classmate's project she starred in. I knew she was fluent in English, but originally had scheduling issues and I considered going a different way with the role. Luckily, her schedule cleared up and she was free to join the production. I actually re-wrote the scene for her and Dan closely before shooting to better fit them as actors, and it ended up enhancing the film in my opinion.<p>  <p>The role of Ivy was tougher to cast. After going through a number of options that didn't pan out, Gita was recommended by a friend and colleague and I got in touch with her. I was familiar with her work on a couple of Israeli films she did earlier and was intrigued by her look and presence. I knew she would be perfect for the role after I had one conversation with her. <p>  <p>The actors, as did the crew involved, did a fantastic job on this project. I could not be happier with the way the film turned out, and much of the credit belongs with these talented individuals.<p> <p><b>What can you tell us about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?</b><p> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="455" align="right"> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p align="right"><img border="0" src="../stills/ivy-3.jpg" width="450" height="256"></td> </tr> </table> <p> The three-day shoot was surprisingly relaxed and fun, considering the pressure involved. We somehow managed to keep things light and to stick to the schedule. As always, there were probably a few issues and delays, yet we dealt with whatever challenge arose, so much that I can't recall any. I just remember people working hard to help get this project made, and some fun was had in the process. Considering both Zach and Debbie come from comedy, there was time found for mucking around and having some laughs.<p> <p><b>The $64-question of course, where can <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml"><i>Ivy</i></a> be seen?</b><p> <p><b> <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a> </b> can currently be streamed exclusively on <i>AngerMan Distribution</i>'s Vimeo on Demand channel.<p> <p><b>Anything you can tell us about audience and critical reception of <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml"><i>Ivy</i></a>?</b><p> <p> The short was officially selected to approximately 35 festivals and won 12 awards, in a fairly limited festival release, so we are pretty happy with that. Reviews as well as audience feedback have been fantastic as well. <b> <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a> </b> is, by far, my most successful short at this time.<p> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="255" align="left"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img border="0" src="../stills/revelation-poster.jpg" width="250" height="381"></td> </tr> </table> <p><b>Any future preojects you'd like to share?</b> <p>  <p> As mentioned above, <b> <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a> </b> is part of an upcoming feature film, <b>Revelation</b>, which is now halted half way through production. I hope to have news regarding its completion in the near future.<p>The feature film version of the wacky comedy <b>The Bruised Spring's Teens</b> should have a release date soon, so stay tuned. <p>We recently released a couple of our shorts, <b><a href="../movies/thirdtemple(2014).shtml"> Third Temple</a></b> and <b><a href="../movies/dolphin(2016).shtml"> Dolphin</a></b>, as a double-feature on VOD, also available via <i>AngerMan Distribution</i>. <p>I am also currently working on several projects which are in development and I can't talk about as yet, but hopefully some announcements regarding those will come before the end of the year. <p>  <p><b>Your/your movie's website, social media, whatever else?</b><p> <p><i><a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?MyIndie Productions"> MyIndie Productions</a></i> website: <a href="https://myindieproductions.com/" target="_blank"><b>https://myindieproductions.com/</b></a> <p><i><a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?MyIndie Productions"> MyIndie Productions</a></i> page on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MyIndieProductions" target="_blank"><b>https://www.facebook.com/MyIndieProductions</b></a> <p><i><a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?MyIndie Productions"> MyIndie Productions</a></i> group on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/362293570848450" target="_blank"><b>https://www.facebook.com/groups/362293570848450</b></a> <p><i><a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?MyIndie Productions"> MyIndie Productions</a></i> on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/MyIndieProd" target="_blank"><b>https://twitter.com/MyIndieProd</b></a> <p>  <p><i><a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?MyIndie Productions"> MyIndie </a></i>store: <a href="http://myindiestore.com/" target="_blank"><b>http://myindiestore.com/</b></a> <p><i><a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?MyIndie Productions"> MyIndie Productions</a></i> on <i>BuyMeACoffe.com</i>: <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myindieproductions" target="_blank"><b>https://www.buymeacoffee.com/myindieproductions</b></a> <p>  <p>Stream <b> <a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a></b> on <i> AngerMan Distribution VOD</i>: <a href="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ivy" target="_blank"><b>https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ivy</b></a> <p>Stream <b><a href="../movies/dolphin(2016).shtml"> Dolphin</a></b> and <b><a href="../movies/thirdtemple(2014).shtml"> Third Temple</a></b> double feature on <i> AngerMan Distribution VOD</i>: <a href="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/284304" target="_blank"><b>https://vimeo.com/ondemand/284304</b></a> <p>  <p><b><a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a></b> on <i><a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?MyIndie Productions"> MyIndie</a></i> website (with full list of festivals and awards): <a href="https://myindieproductions.com/ivy/" target="_blank"><b>https://myindieproductions.com/ivy/</b></a> <p><b><a href="../movies/ivy(2017).shtml">Ivy</a></b> on IMDb: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6609322/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6609322/</b></a> <p>   <p>Itai Guberman on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/itai.guberman.9/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.facebook.com/itai.guberman.9/</b></a> <p>Itai Guberman IMDb: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2760127/" target="_blank"><b>https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2760127/</b></a> <p>Itai Guberman on <i><a href="../research/resultprodlinks.shtml?MyIndie Productions"> MyIndie</a></i> website: <a href="https://myindieproductions.com/artists/itai-guberman/" target="_blank"><b>https://myindieproductions.com/artists/itai-guberman/</b></a> <p>  <p><b>Anything else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?</b> <p>  <p> Anything we haven't covered, we can leave for future interviews. Lol.<p> Just wanted to thank you for your time and attention and the support of <i>MyIndie</i>, as well as indies in general. Much appreciated! <p> #SupportIndieArtists #SupportIndieFilm <p> <p><b>Thanks for the interview!</b><p>  </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="592" valign="top" height="1%">  <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"> currentyear = "2010"; </SCRIPT> <SCRIPT language="JavaScript" src="../scripts/endcreditsart.js"></SCRIPT> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"> dosworsdonn(); </SCRIPT> </td> </tr> </table> </div> </body>