To create a “mobile film” McAbee chose three styles that people were already used to seeing on small screens: still images from digital cameras, bodega security monitors and video loops. The subject for the film was a singing cowboy bragging about his travels through Nevada on a Honda 50 to a store security camera. The Cowboy (McAbee) performed a dance that was captured from four different angles and then edited together as one dance performed by four characters.
The dance footage was filmed at the Bancroft Community House in Arlington, Virginia, a 100-year-old church that is rented out for private functions.
A 160 degree greenscreen was created out of paper by McAbee, post-production supervisor/editor Lea Prainsack and director of photography, co-producer and editor Todd Rohal.
McAbee and Rohal have worked together on such projects as the LEEDS FILM FESTIVAL TRAILER, GOODBYE CALIFORNIA video, and Rohal's feature film THE GUATEMALAN HANDSHAKE.
Lea Prainsack worked as Post-production supervisor for STINGRAY SAM.
The bodega, clerk, and little girl (Willa Vy McAbee) were filmed on location at the Greenpoint Fruits & Deli MKT in Brooklyn, NY. Still images of the store’s interior and exterior were used in collages created by graphic designer, John Borruso.
above: illustrations by John Borruso.
The film RENO was presented as one of five films created for THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL GLOBAL SHORT FILM PROJECT. A sixth film was created separately for India’s Bollywood film industry by director Sanjay Gupta. The films were presented at 3GSM. Barcelona, Spain. February 2007.
FIRST MOBILE FILMMAKERS
NATIONAL PALACE. BARCELONA, SPAIN. 2007
(left) Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine), Diya Mirza (Bollywood Actor), Maria Maggenti (Pucinni for Beginners), Sanjay Gupta (Bollywood Director), Cory McAbee, Justin Lin (The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift), Jody Hill (The Foot Fist Way / HBO's East Bound And Down)
The music for RENO was created from early basic tracks recorded as part of an ongoing recording project by BNS Productions' musical group, AMERICAN ASTRONAUT.
AMERICAN ASTRONAUT
MAVERICKS STUDIO, NYC. 2008
(left) Karl Derfler, Bobby Lurie, Frank Swart, Crugie, Cory McAbee
RENO is available for viewing at: http://www.sundance.org/globalshorts/index.asp?film=film5
More soon,
The Smallest Star
americanastronaut.com
stingraysam.com
