Strangers We Remember
Director | Producer | Editor
LOGLINE: When five young adults find solace in a hotel lobby during a storm, their forced proximity brings each unique individual together in ways they wouldn’t have expected.
BUDGET $10,000
Production Timeline
An in-depth look at process from creation to completion.
GOALS
Tell a story of friendship from varied perspectives
Cast comfort
Foster a clear understanding of respective characters and create a supportive environment on set
Calm and controlled atmosphere on set
If problems arise, handle them between the producers and director without involving the rest of the crew.
Trust your crew
allow everyone to focus on their job without micromanagement
CHALLENGES
Physical/Logistical
Creative ambition vs budget
Emphasis on gear/crafty in the budget limited our location options
Warehouse mishandling
Missing lens converter delayed production for an entire day
Time management
Delay in production meant rigid time constraints for the rest of the production days
Unexpected change to day-for-night shots required increased wait time and real-time problem-solving
Location issues
Broken window on set cost $1200 out of the production budget
Student crew
On set: Scheduling changes required the swap of certain crew members at the last minute
Post Production: The editor fell through on deliverables at the intended deadline and needed to be replaced
Learning Curves
Balancing production as a student
Sheer amount of work/time
Coordinated and led the project as a full-time double major + actively involved in several campus organizations
First time directing/producing
Navigated a balance between giving notes to actors and allowing space to experiment
Clarifying leadership:
Wrote out clear guidelines for what kind of leader I wanted to be on set: when problems arose, handled them calmly and with discretion despite real-time constraints
