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Your new movie Ingress
- in a few words, what's it about?
It's an exploration of grief, love, mental health and the
subjectivity of reality set against the backdrop of the multiverse.
With Ingress
being based on the theory of a multiverse - what drew you to the subject,
and have you done any research on it? I grew up with a physicist for a father, and he and I engaged
in many conversations about quantum physics and the subjectivity of
reality as I was growing up. The more science uncoveres, the less we
know and I find that absolutely fascinating. I also grew up
voraciously reading science fiction and fantasy books. Some of my
favorite books as a kid explored similar or at least tangentially
similar ideas - books like A Wrinkle in Time, The Golden
Compass, Rebecca’s World, Alice in Wonderland... anything that turned
reality on its head and sent someone on a grand adventure of self
discovery was right up my alley. (Other) sources of
inspiration, and is any of the film based on personal experiences?
I would say this film drew from experiences in my own life and
blasted them out to the farthest reaches of my imagination. The
character of Lucas in the film is based on conversations I have had
over the years with a spiritual channel, and many of the things
Lucas talks about in the film are pulled directly from those conversations. A
few words about your directorial approach to your story at hand?
I wanted to really live by the mesage of the film which was to let
the film, the actors, the story guide me rather than be too rigid
about my own notions of what the film should be. I had a plan
for every scene, but I tried to be as flexible and available as
possible to new inspirations that showed up in the moment. We had so
many of these and without fail, the scenes always turned out better
by my willingness to go with the new flow and see where it took me.
I love to work collaboratively with the other artists on set - be
open to their ideas and inspirations and really trust when someone
says “no, this doesn’t feel right” and figure out together
where the story wants to go.
You
also play the lead in Ingress
- so what can you tell us about your character, what did you draw upon to
bring her to life, and did you write her with yourself in mind from the
get-go? I knew I was going to play Riley from the moment I started to write
her. She pulls upon many of my vulnerablabilities and fears and I
think it was very therapeutic for me to step into her shoes and live
out her journey. Riley is someone who has become very controlling of
her life out of fear which is something I can relate to very much. I
have been working for years to unwind my need to control situations.
I got a tattoo in my late 20s on my wrist as a reminder to “let go
and trust,” which is an ongoing process for me. This film is all
about that push and pull between fear and trust, control and letting
go, and the magic that can happen when you surrender to your life. Do talk about the rest of your cast, and why
exactly these people? My cast was a wonderful mixture of old friends and newly discovered
WA talent. Each one of them brought so much heart, trust, and
vulnerability to their roles. With low budget projects like this,
the chemistry of the cast and the connection to the story is
paramount. I tried to assemble a cast that was not only talented,
but who really connected with this story, and who would show up each
day ready to do the work with open minds and hearts… and every
single one of them gave me that. I feel very lucky. A few words about the shoot as
such, and the on-set atmosphere? As with any low budget shoot, we had our challenges. Our first day,
we lost power and two giant trees fell in the road blocking our
access to our first location. We had scenes that had to be totally
reimagined because we ran out of time, we had weather to contend
with and daily uncertainties surrounding Covid and if we’d have to
shut down. But in spite of that, it was the most rewarding
filmmaking experience I have ever had. I am so grateful to the cast
and crew and the community that stepped up to help make this film
happen. There were so many moments of magic and synchronicity and
connection that happened on this set. There were so many wonderful
ideas from as many talented individuals, and so much enthusiasm and
belief in this project that helped carry it over the finish line.
The $64-question of
course, where can Ingress
be seen? Ingress
will be doing a limited theatrical run between January and
March of 2024 - so far local to WA State, but that may be expanding.
We will then be out on streaming platforms by spring of 2024. We
will be posting on our social media accounts with updates. Follow us
on Instagram (@ingressfilm) to stay up to date on where you can
watch the film in the new year! Anything you can tell us about audience and
critical reception of Ingress?
Feedback from initial audiences has been incredible. The most
consistent feedback I get is that this film sparks conversation and
thought long after the film ends. People ruminate on the concepts
for days, talk with their spouses over dinner and debate the deeper
meanings. I had a woman tell me that watching this film opened
up new pathways for her to speak with her sister who is diagnosed
schizophrenic. That was incredibly moving to hear. I even had one
gentleman tell me that it was the best movie he had ever seen. I
mean… come on!
Critical reception has also been really positive. One reviewer said
that Ingress is “indie filmmaking at its most poignant and profound.”
I am very excited to get this out into the world more widely.
Any future projects you'd like to share?
We just wrapped production on our next film, a female-driven drama
called Inheritance. We are currently in post production. This film
was also shot locally on Bainbridge utilizing many of the same crew
and community resources that came together for Ingress. This film
will be entering the film festival circuit in 2024. I wrote and
produced the film under our Emergence Films banner, and played one
of the key roles.
What got you into
the filmworld in the first place, and did you receive any formal training
on the subject? I was a theater major in college. My first feature film was called Don’t Pass Me By,
and I consider my whole experience making that film to be my film school. I wrote, produced and acted in this
film, many MANY things went wrong, many things went right, I learned
in the moment how to troubleshoot and how to make a movie from
start to finish. You seem to be as comfortable in front
of the camera as behind it - so which side do you prefer, actually, and of
all the jobs you did on films, which are some of your favourites, which
could you do without? It's funny. I get asked this question a lot, and the truth
is I
can’t choose! The reason I continue to wear multiple hats is
because I get genuine enjoyment out of each for very different
reasons. I also find that each role I step into complements the
others. Being an actor makes me a better director. Being a writer
makes me a better actor etc. I definnitely like to pick and
choose depending on the project - some projects, like Ingress, that
are so personal, I really come alive wearing all the creative hats,
and on others I like to team up and collaborate and step into
different roles. This industry puts so much pressure on people to
specialize, and I personally find so much beauty in doing more than
one thing! What can you tell us about your
filmwork prior to Ingress,
in whatever position? I’ve had a unique journey with a lot of closed doors and confusion
and barriers and obstacles… that ultimately led me on a path that
is completely my own. I'm grateful for every no and redirect,
because it led me to where I am now. I feel like I am finally
telling stories and making art in a way that is truly personal to
me, and that was well worth the wait. How would you describe yourself as
an actress, and how as a director?
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I am a storyteller at my core. I love to dig deep into character
work and figure out what makes people tick. As a director, I love
working with actors. I love being surprised and digging in and
finding things together. As an actor, I love to be challenged and
pushed to find even deeper layers than I can find on my own. I love
the human connection of both roles. This work is so personal and
vulnerable and the connections we build with each other as we go
through this process is unlike anything else.
Filmmakers, actresses, writers, whoever else who inspire you?
I love innovators. I love people who try something wild and brave
and vulnerable. I am a fan of Celine Sciama and her work, Brit
Marling, and many many others. Your favourite movies?
This is such a hard question for me to answer. It changes all the
time depending on my mood and what I am working on. Standouts from my time with
Ingress: Her Arrival
... and of course, films you really
deplore? I won’t say deplore… but I am getting awfully tired of remakes
of remakes of remakes. I am so hungry for original ideas and out of
the box stories. Your/your movie's website, social media,
whatever else? Instagram: @ingressfilm @emergencefilms @ranojay10
Web: www.emergencefilms.us
Thanks for the interview!
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