Interview with Kristin Wright – Director of “Superhero”

Absolutely!  This event is such a great venue to meet other industry professionals and share our collective talents and projects.  We are very happy to be screening and are looking forward to what Atlanta has to offer.

With a theater background in directing and acting, I ventured into the film arena starring in Jeff Shipman’s experimental shortWindfall, to be released soon. This collaboration led to other Cinematic Revolution projects, such as co-producing Always Remember the Little Things which garnered the 2010 Grand Audience Award at the 48 Hour Film Project, and acting in Red Light Runners which took home Creative Loafing’s Best Line of Dialogue Award.  I also had the pleasure of working with Cakebaby Productions as set dresser/props master for My Good Fortune and the upcoming Too Late Now.  This is my first film as writer and director.

I’ve always been interested in the logic behind people who wear costumes in public; I think it can be easy to assume they just want attention or are vying to be a local celebrity.  Then I heard a story on NPR about this average, nice guy who wears a Superman costume and it led me to create the character of Margot – a perfectly normal, grieving young woman who wakes up one morning and decides to turn her curtain into a cape. I tried to focus on the parallel of how she copes with her internal, private grief in a very public, exposed way.

I entered my script into the Macon Shorts Competition hosted by The Gateway Macon Initiative and was chosen as a finalist and provided funding for production.  This opportunity allowed me to work with an incredible staff who provided support with locations, contacts, and resources we needed to host the entire production in Macon.  I then put together the best cast and crew team I could have hoped for and booked them a hotel with a pool, knowing I may be working them to death.  This being my first time directing, I relied heavily on the experience and guidance of my crew who helped navigate through my rookie mistakes.  It was a great learning experience and I am very, very lucky to have been given this opportunity.

Stacy Melich was cast right away as Aunt Sam since she is easily one of the most compelling actresses out there.  Alison Hastings, having proven herself a dynamic theater actress (Creative Loafing’s Best Actress 5 years running), was perfect as the lead role of Margot – you would never believe this was her first film.  Brittany Felton came from NYC and Joe Gabler from LA to be cast as Margot’s best friends; both incredibly adept at subtle comedy and have natural chemistry together.  Jeremy Aggers, local singer/songwriter, scored the film with his beautiful and enchanting guitar melodies, and also played the role of Margot’s love interest.  John Benzinger, another accomplished theater actor, stepped in as Margot’s brash uncle and David Peirce, and up and coming film actor, played the role of the awkward friend while also providing his expertise as grip.  This group of actors blew me away with their work ethic, naturalism, and ability to adapt – salt of the earth!

Jeff Shipman lent his talents as director of photography and editor - I can’t say enough good things about this guy.  His attitude on set is upbeat, the cinematography is dazzling, the editing is sharp, and he provided me with the proper support I needed as a first time director.  Kelly Young-Silverman took on the role of AD with her usual fervor and positivity, and Justin Snavely, dubbed “MVP”, served as the best AC I have ever seen.  Gaffer Brandon Simms also sketched an illustration used in the film and created our animated logo, and Gabe Monticello and Dave Marder navigated through cicadas and air conditioners to record and mix sound.  Jessi Carroll created a brilliant wardrobe design, even building the Fuerza costume from scratch, while Jill Veysey who took care of set dress and props with charming detail; those women have quite an eye.  CB Davis was the visionary and illustrator behind all of Margot’s comics, including her storyline and catch phrases such as “Stronger than TIME itself!”.  Rounding out the crew were our wonderful production assistants who kept everyone fed, happy, and jumped in wherever needed to oil the machine: Kelly Winship, Dan Almasy, Tanya Farshy, and Duane Wandless.  Photographer Erin Schopf documented behind the scenes with a collection of incredible photos that can be found on her website.

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This cast and crew were troopers through the long hours and insane heat, and I would work with any one of them again in a heartbeat!

I tried to tell the story in an honest and candid way so hopefully it will resonate and entertain an audience.  The story unfolds as a slice of life character study, so with some captivating cinematography and alluring music I believe it can pull you in.

Each day of shooting was over 100 degrees and since the film was shot almost entirely outside, we were all toasting.  Water, vitamins, and fruit became essential as did rearranging the blocking of a few shots to incorporate shade instead of the dead heat of sun.  Jeff had to take over a few shots while I puked in the bathroom from heat exhaustion.

Surround yourself with cast and crew members that you enjoy working with and know what they are doing!  Good actors are worth their weight in gold and can save you a lot of time in the editing room.  And if you looking for locations in Georgia, Macon will definitely take care of you.