(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?Steve Balderson">Films directed by <b>Steve Balderson</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%">  <p><b>Your new movie <i><a href="../movies/alchemyofthespirit(2022).shtml">Alchemy of the Spirit</a></i> - in a few words, what is it about?</b> <p>  <p>It’s about a man who wakes up to find his wife has died overnight, the the journey of grief and true love that follows.<p> <p><b>What were your sources of inspiration when writing <i><a href="../movies/alchemyofthespirit(2022).shtml">Alchemy of the Spirit</a></i>, and is any of it based on personal experiences?</b><p> <p> Lead Xander Berkeley told me to read a fantastic book called <i>Unobstructed Universe</i> about a man communicating with his dead wife through a psychic. It’s an undisputed classic in the field of psychic exploration. That, and when Karen Black was dying she told me the true meaning of knowing you’re alive is in the unknown. Because when you go down a path you’ve already been down, you know what’s coming, and you aren't very present. But if you’ve never gone down the road before, you have no idea what’s coming up, so you are very present. Because you don’t know. And that’s when you know you’re truly alive. She said there’s no better place to be.<p>  <p><b><i><a href="../movies/alchemyofthespirit(2022).shtml">Alchemy of the Spirit</a></i> is an interesting genre mix that refuses to follow any well-established genre rules - was this a conscious decision from the beginning, or did you just let the story flow by itself?</b> <p>  <p>I let the journey of the unknown guide the story. Like Karen had told me. So the film starts, and just when you think you know where you’re going, it changes. And then, when you think you know where it’s going, it changes again. That’s the lesson of life and death. It’s true experience.<p> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="455" align="right"> <tr> <td width="100%"> <p align="right"><img border="0" src="../stills/alchemyofthespirit-1.jpg" width="450" height="224"></td> </tr> </table> <p><b>You've developed the screenplay for <i><a href="../movies/alchemyofthespirit(2022).shtml">Alchemy of the Spirit</a></i> together with the film's stars Xander Berkeley and Sarah Clarke - so what was that creative process like?</b><p> <p> In the spirit of the unknown, we had a very strict outline and set of situations that we needed to create, but we allowed ourselves the freedom to create on a whim, to improv, shake it up, have freedom with the brush and the canvas.<p>  <p><b>You also have to talk about the artworks shown in your movie, created by as I understand the lead Xander Berkeley himself - now how did you come to use his art, and was it created especially for the film?</b><p> <p> Some of it was created especially for the film. And the death mask was created by our special makeup effects guru Jake Jackson. You know that painting that Xander carves away on—his self portrait? He has been working on building up those layers for like 20 years or something. Truly extraordinary.<p> <p><b>Do talk about your directorial approach to your story at hand!</b><p> <p>My master cinematographer Hanuman Brown-Eagle and I described that we wanted the film to be a sensory experience, which is truer to cinema and the feelings of life. A lot of the effects you see were created in camera during filming, not altered in post. That was super fun.<p> ;</p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="455" align="left"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img border="0" src="../stills/alchemyofthespirit-2.jpg" width="450" height="199"></td> </tr> </table> <p><b>What can you tell us about <i><a href="../movies/alchemyofthespirit(2022).shtml">Alchemy of the Spirit</a></i>'s cast, and why exactly these people?</b><p>&nbsp<p>Xander and Sarah are married in real life. I knew they’d tap into something more sincere than simply playing husband and wife. And Mink Stole is a legend and a total pro. She’s also not a diva and I just I love working with her. Her sister is also a NY art dealer, so she knew exactly how to play that person.<p>  <p><b>A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?</b><p> <p> It was a blast. Very small crew and very intimate. And also incredibly cold because we were filming in Maine and there wasn’t any operating heat in the location!<p> <p><b>Anything you can tell us about audience and critical reception of </b><b><i><a href="../movies/alchemyofthespirit(2022).shtml">Alchemy of the Spirit</a></i>?</b><p> <p>I’m honored about the reaction. Out of all of my other films, this one has won the most awards which is amazing. And humbling. I’m also very honored that a sensorial story about grief and death is welcomed. I sort of suspected people would revolt against it. But you never know, right? It’s all unknown. All of it.<p>   <p><b>Any future projects you'd like to share?</b><p>  <p>I’m currently in post on <b>Bloody Famous</b> which is a satire on reality dating shows, and the price people will pay willingly to get fame.<p> <p><b>Your/your movie's website, social media, whatever else?</b><p> <p><a href="https://linktr.ee/balderson" target="_blank"><b>https://linktr.ee/balderson</b></a> has all of them!<p> <p><b>Anything else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?</b><p> <p> Thanks so much for this opportunity to visit! Cheers!<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>