In our Sundance Film Festival Preview last month, SHOOT zeroed in on its New Directors Showcase alumni who had their work selected for screening.
Fast forward a few weeks and it turns out two of those filmmakers–A.V. Rockwell, a 2017 Showcase director, and Charlotte Regan, who made the 2019 SHOOT NDS cut–wound up scoring major honors.
Director-screenwriter Rockwell’s A Thousand and One, which centered on an impoverished single mother and her son in New York City, won Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. dramatic competition.
Meanwhile director-writer Regan’s Scrapper walked away with the Grand Jury Prize in the world cinema dramatic competition. The film introduces us to Georgie, a dreamy 12-year-old girl who lives happily alone in her London flat, filling it with magic. Out of nowhere, her estranged father turns up, forcing her to confront reality.
Both Rockwell and Regan have commercialmaking/branded content affiliations. Rockwell is repped in the U.K. by Somesuch while Regan is on the roster of production house Knucklehead.
SHOOT caught up with Regan who reflected on her Sundance experience, sharing that the win for Scrapper “means everything,” adding that “it’s the world I’ve always wanted to be in. And you spend so long on the films that you end up pretty unsure of yourself by the end of the process. So to know that people enjoyed it is insane. I feel mad grateful. I also spent the festival with some of my best friends–the team from Scrapper–so we watched movies and just had the best experience. Came back feeling so inspired.”
Regan noted that Scrapper “was a first feature for me so every step of it had challenges if I’m being honest. Knowing when to trust yourself and when to back your ideas is always a struggle. It was the longest shoot I’d ever done so getting used to that change in stamina was weird. Keeping track of a long-form story felt so different to what I’d done in the past. There were no like absolutely awful moments but it was for sure a challenge. I know me and the producer put ourselves under a lot of pressure because it was our first project. Luckily I had loads of legends around me that kept us all focused.”
Among the lessons learned was that “having an amazing team around you is what leads to an amazing experience and project. I think I’d always believed that but nothing confirmed it like Scrapper. We were all proper in it together. So even when the process was tough, it felt like we were scrapping together and collaborating on something we all loved. It helped me to know what kind of projects I want to work on going forward. And the kind of people I hope to be surrounded by.”
Regan added that her spotmaking, music clip and other short-form endeavors helped inform her feature filmmaking–and vice versa. “The visual storytelling through the Knucklehead work for sure helped with elements of Scrapper,” she observed. It’s told through the perspective of a kid so lots of the visual elements we use are styles that me and the DP Molly [Manning Walker] loved in music videos. I think it all goes hand in hand. Knucklehead work supports visual storytelling and the long-form work supports focusing on stories and characters. And sometimes when they combine, you get to make something kinda magic.”
Even though Scrapper is her first feature, Regan is no stranger to the festival circuit. In fact at Sundance in 2018 her short Fry-Up was screened and in the running for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize. The year prior Regan’s short Standby earned a BAFTA Film Award nomination for Best Short. Standby that same year also won Best Film and the Patron’s New Talent Award at the BFI Future Film Festival. In 2020, Regan won Best Director at the same fest for the short Paired Up. She also had Standby screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016; two years later she brought the short Dodgy Dave to Toronto as well.
SXSW
Though we can’t promise that our preview of the South by Southwest Festival–which runs from March 10-19–will be as prescient in terms of award wins as our advance peak at Sundance, there is a plethora of talent worth highlighting–running the gamut from up-and-coming storytellers to the already highly accomplished.
On the latter score, consider Dawn Porter–acclaimed on the festival circuit and elsewhere–whose documentary feature The Lady Bird Diaries will make its world premiere at SXSW. Porter won a Sundance Special Jury Prize in 2016 for her documentary Trapped, which was also nominated that same year for the SXSW Gamechanger Award. Trapped explored TRAP Laws (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) that regulated abortion clinics in the South. She was also in the running for a Sundance Grand Jury Prize in 2013 for her documentary Gideon’s Army (which won a Sundance honor for editing). Gideon’s Army, which introduces us to three Black public defenders in the South, was additionally nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Last year she again was nominated for a Spirit Award, this time for Philly D.A. in the Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series category. Also in 2022 Porter received the Critics Choice Association’s Impact Award which recognizes documentarians whose work has resulted in tangible societal changes. That came just two years after she was a Critics Choice Documentary Award nominee for John Lewis: Good Trouble, which examined late Congressman John Lewis’ pivotal role in the Civil Rights movement and decades of political and social activism on vital issues including voting rights and immigration laws.
Porter was celebrated at AFI Docs, the American Film Institute’s documentary film festival, as the 2021 Charles Guggenheim Symposium honoree. The Guggenheim Symposium honors a master of the nonfiction art form. That year AFI Docs screened Porter’s Rise Again: Tulsa And The Red Summer followed by an in-depth conversation with the documentarian. Rise Again: Tulsa And The Red Summer followed award-winning Washington Post journalist DeNeen Brown as her investigation into a mass grave in her home state of Oklahoma led her to dig deeper into the racial violence of the early 20th century. The film came 100 years after the Tulsa Massacre of 1921, during which hundreds of Tulsa’s Black residents were murdered and thousands were displaced.
Porter’s extensive filmography also includes: The Way I See It, about photojournalist Pete Souza who served as chief official White House photographer for President Ronald Reagan and President Barack Obama; and the four-part documentary series Bobby Kennedy for President.
Porter’s latest premiere, The Lady Bird Diaries, is based both on the book “Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight” by Julia E. Sweig, and the ABC News podcast, “Podcasts in Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson.” The Lady Bird Diaries uses Lady Bird’s audio diaries to tell the story of one of the most influential and least understood First Ladies in history. Porter’s feature looks at the 123 hours of personal and revealing audio diaries that Lady Bird recorded during the administration of her husband, President Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Porter was drawn to the prospect of making The Lady Bird Diaries. She was approached by a colleague, executive producer Jacqueline Glover, who wanted Porter’s assessment as to whether the ABC News podcast had potential as a documentary. Once she delved into the possibility, Porter felt strongly that a film would be a worthwhile pursuit. Porter also saw the documentary as adding another dimension to her coverage of the civil rights era that she adroitly chronicled in the John Lewis movie and the Bobby Kennedy series. “All of these characters knew each other,” related Porter. “They all worked together. It was interesting for me to come at this through Lady Bird’s eyes.”
A prime challenge, said Porter, was doing “coherent justice” to 120-plus hours of audio recordings. Porter listened to them all and had to cull through this wealth of material to fashion a film some 90 minutes in length. Adding to the degree of difficulty was Porter’s decision to go sans historians and talking heads. She wanted it to be just Lady Bird, no one else, pushing the story forward–spanning President Johnson taking office after the assassination of JFK, running for his own full term and then dropping out of the race for re-election.
Lady Bird is captured as an astute observer of character and culture as well as a savvy political strategist who played an integral role in her husband’s presidency. The documentary provides insights and context for one of the most tumultuous and consequential periods in modern American history.
Porter came away with an appreciation of Lady Bird who “balanced all the things she loved” as a working mother in such a high-profile job. “All parents are having this conversation today,” said Porter. “‘How do I support my kids? My partner?’ She had to carve out her own space. It’s a resonant theme for a lot of women still. ‘What’s my space, not just as a mom but as my own person with my own interests?’”
Porter regards Lady Bird as “a vastly underappreciated figure in American history,” one who made a “tangible” positive difference while not being all that visible. One of Lady Bird’s goals was “beautification” which was the acceptable term for a woman to be involved in at that time–but we would know it today as being pro-ecology and protecting our environment. Her work on behalf of parks, urban planning, the gardens in Washington, D.C. were all progressive environmental pursuits. This dated back to her childhood when she loved roaming in the woods where she did much serious contemplative thinking, coming together with nature. “She wasn’t seeking attention for herself but rather looking for places where she could make a difference,” said Porter.
SXSW is the perfect place for the world premiere of The Lady Bird Diaries, observed Porter, noting that the screening will take place near Lady Bird Lake. Lady Bird is a beloved figure in Austin, went to college there, and her papers are archived there as well. Porter also loves SXSW in that it is more than just a film festival, delving into music and other arts. She described SXSW as “a multimedia creative space. I love being part of that mix.”
That desire to be part of a multidisciplinary mix also fueled Porter’s decision to join the roster of filmmaker Lauren Greenfield’s company, INSTITUTE (formerly Girl Culture Films), for representation in commercials, branded content and short-form projects. INSTITUTE’s charter is to open up opportunities for women filmmakers and other underrepresented voices spanning different ethnicities. Porter described Greenfield as “such a talented artist as a photographer and documentary maker. What she has done in organizing female artists and making it possible for us to work in short form–creating a pathway in commercials and the branded space–is very much like what Ava DuVernay has done for female filmmakers in television and film.”
Scott Lazer
Scott Lazer has had a short selected for the SXSW fest for two straight years–which underscores not only his consistency but also his versatility as in 2022 it was for a narrative film, West By God, introducing us to a West Virginia teenager who goes on a first date with a local drug dealer. This year at SXSW, Lazer will roll out Ball People, a documentary short which takes us behind the scenes of tennis’ U.S. Open ball crew tryouts.
Lazer made a conscious effort to show his narrative and documentary chops from one year to the next at SXSW. “I identify as a filmmaker who can transcend genre and form,” he said, noting that his roots were in scripted shorts back in the day only to have to segue into documentaries partially out of necessity. He described his documentary and narrative endeavors as having been run more or less in tandem over the years–along with commercials and music videos.
“After the success of West By God at film festivals last year, I wanted to remind everyone that I do documentaries too. I’m very passionate about scripted and nonscripted filmmaking. It’s important to me at this stage, making my foray into original content, that both of those disciplines are underscored publicly.
Lazer had the idea for Ball People nearly four years ago while watching Wimbledon where the ball crew executed elaborate choreographed movement between points. The ball people tryouts had already passed that season for the upcoming U.S. Open so Lazer had to put his idea on hold–for longer than he had planned given the pandemic in 2020 and related restrictions still in place in 2021. Nonetheless he persisted, bringing the elements together in 2022 for what became Ball People.
As for the alluded to commercials and music videos, Lazer is on the roster of New York-based production company Pomp&Clout for those pursuits. Among his ad industry credits is a Twitter spot done in partnership with the WNBA.
One of Lazer’s first breaks came when he connected with rapper J. Cole. They started collaborating, turning out music videos as a creative partnership evolved between them that continues to this day. Those videos included songs and performances by Cole as well as other artists signed to his record label, Dreamville. Lazer and Cole additionally teamed to direct a pair of HBO documentary specials.
But rather than rest on his music content laurels, Lazer diversified. Among those notable endeavors was the documentary short Visitors which explored what happens to the tiny disappearing desert town of Rachel, Nevada, 27 miles north of Area 51, after a prank Facebook event goes viral. Visitors garnered Lazer a Vimeo Staff Pick. Another Lazer short titled Commute earned him a slot in the 2021 Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors Showcase. Centered on New York City’s Penn Station, Commute also was a Best of the Month Vimeo Staff Pick selection.
Lazer is also in development on feature film fare.
Kimberly Stuckwisch
Director Kimberly Stuckwisch has landed a music video at SXSW for the third straight year–the latest being Pearl Derringer’s “Little Baby” (featuring Margo Price). The Stuckwisch-directed “Someone Else’s Problem” for Jeremy Ivey made the SXSW cut in 2021, followed the next year by the director’s “Like I Used To” from Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen.
Stuckwisch also earlier scored as a music video producer at SXSW in 2014 with a Chet Faker clip directed by Hiro Murai.
Having the Derringer music video getting selected for the upcoming SXSW is particularly gratifying for Stuckwisch. For one, Derringer is an artist who hasn’t revealed her true identity. This marks the first video Derringer has done, with SXSW elevating the exposure for an unknown and unidentified performer. Also fulfilling for Stuckwisch is that “Little Baby” was brought to fruition by a skeleton crew consisting of members who multi-tasked. For the heartfelt, grass roots effort to make the grade at SXSW means a great deal to the director who is represented in the commercialmaking arena by production house Scheme Engine.
Stuckwisch said her experience on “Little Baby” underscores that whenever possible work with your friends, “people you love and respect and who love and respect you. They go above and beyond. They feel invested and you should let them shine as well. Even when I do larger projects with a crew of 100-plus, I keep my core team on,” she affirmed.
“Little Baby” is already established on the festival circuit, having prior to SXSW gained exposure at varied programs, including the Flux screening series at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles.
Stuckwisch is one of several SHOOT New Directors Showcase alums to have work selected for SXSW in 2023. In addition to Stuckwisch, who was in the 2022 SHOOT New Directors Showcase, Andre Muir, a 2019 Showcase alumnus, will be at SXSW this year with Mick Jenkins’ “Truffles” music video. And Crystal Kayiza, another 2019 Showcase selection, will have her Rest Stop screened in the SXSW Narrative Shorts program. This comes on the heels of Rest Stop being showcased at Sundance. Muir is on the roster of production house SMUGGLER while Kayiza directs via Little Minx.
Andre Muir
Muir is making his SXSW debut with Mick Jenkins' music video “Truffles,” though he has attended the festival before–primarily the music portion of the event. Muir related that in years past he was “the plus-one” guest of music friends whose performances he would film at the fest. Now, though, he is attending SXSW “of my own accord,” based on his work as a filmmaker, which he finds particularly fulfilling. “It’s awesome to be recognized,” he said, noting that other major film festivals don’t give music videos quite the weight and priority that SXSW does. Describing himself as “stoked” that the video was selected for SXSW, Muir shared that “Truffles” was “a labor of love between me and Mick.”
That love–along with support from other contributors–is what helped bring the “Truffles” video, which was done on a shoestring budget, to fruition. Muir shared that he has an inclination to cast a good number of people in his videos, explaining that the conceptual premise of a sole artist in a room “is not how my brain works.” More people on camera doesn’t always fit within the confines of a challenged budget but thanks to the cooperation of others who believed in his work–and the calling in of some favors–”Truffles” got done.
The experience of making “Truffles” was positive on varied levels. For one, Muir felt it reaffirmed a self-trust in his sensibilities and instincts. Earning a place in the SXSW competition meant that the video’s message–and the way he went about conveying it–connected with festival judges. Additionally, Muir found it a confidence builder that he built a collaborative rapport with a filmmaker more experienced than he is–cinematographer Pat Scola whose body of work includes such features as Pig and Monsters and Men. “Pat considered me a peer, believed in my ideas,” related Muir.
That belief in Muir’s directorial prowess is building throughout the filmmaking community at large, another prime catalyst for that being his helming of Gentle Giant, the anthem film in the Ad Council’s “Love Lives On” series, part of the continuing “Love Has No Labels” campaign out of R/GA. Produced by SMUGGLER, Gentle Giant tells the story of Bridgett Floyd, sister of George Floyd whose murder by Minneapolis police made worldwide headlines, propelling the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for racial justice. At the time that Gentle Giant came out, June 2022, the story of George Floyd as a family man, mentor and community member had not been widely shared. In a heartfelt and deeply personal account, Bridgett Floyd talks of the powerful bond between her and her brother. She celebrates the love, joy and light that George brought to his family and others–and how she turned the pain of his death into purpose through the establishment of the George Floyd Memorial Foundation. Though his life was tragically cut short by an act of violence and injustice, his legacy and love can live on through each one of us when we continue to strive for racial equality.
Muir said that connecting with SMUGGLER has been a key to his career. And he credits SHOOT’s New Directors Showcase with bringing that about. “The Showcase changed my life,” said Muir, sharing that prior to getting that exposure he had a hard time even securing local market representation in Chicago. But when Muir’s short film 4 Corners made the Showcase cut and was seen at the DGA Theatre in NYC and online, he began to generate interest from A-level production houses, including SMUGGLER. “It’s not like my work had changed” from prior to the Showcase to after the Showcase, observed Muir. But the exposure the Showcase provided was the difference maker.
Muir is one of four SMUGGLER directors who have clips slated for the SXSW Music Video Competition. The others are Allie Avital for Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Wolf,” Ebeneza Blanche for Little Simz’s “Point and Kill,” and Phillip Youmans for Michael Kiwanuka’s “Beautiful Life.”
