Chad at Director Monitor 2
We had the awesome opportunity to interview filmmaker Chad Scheifele on his short film, Simple Things, that will premiere at the 2019 FirstGlance Film Festival in Los Angeles on March 14-17th. In Simple Things, death is easy. Life isn’t. Sometimes choosing the harder option can be justified in simple terms.
Hi, Chad! Thank you for granting the interview. Congrats on your new short film Simple Things. You’ve directed, produced and starred in the short! Tell us what inspired the film.
I was inspired to make this film because I believe all of us have found ourselves in rough spots where all we need is the love and compassion from others in order to get through a difficult time. Even if that other person is a complete stranger. Human solidarity is something that makes the world a better place and there’s nothing more powerful than love. We all could use a helping hand at some point to aid us in getting back on our feet and this film explores those areas. Sometimes we just want someone to tell us everything is going to be okay.
Tell us about your expectations for the film.
I don’t want to sit here and expect anything from the film, what I would rather say is that I have high expectations for it in terms of doing well in the festival circuit as well as resonating positively with audiences who watch it. I believe this film is a solid credential on my resume that will help showcase my abilities as a filmmaker and storytelling through the art of film. I’m very proud of what my team and I were able to achieve with this project and I believe it will continue to do well as 2019 pans out.
According to IMDb description, “Death is easy. Life isn’t. Sometimes choosing the harder option can be justified in simple terms.” Tell us more.
Basically the logline refers to the main character’s struggle in the film. He gets too caught up in worrying about things out of his control and things that shouldn’t have such a strong hold over his mental well being. Instead of choosing to focus on the little things in life that make it worth living, he is crippled by the thoughts of ‘What if?’ There doesn’t always have to be this big and meaningful reason to why life makes sense, sometimes it can be just as simple as ‘I like it, it makes me happy, and so I’m going to do that.’ Just being in the moment and choosing to continue this journey called life can be justified in the simplest of terms.
Is it a challenge to direct a film you star in?
I wouldn’t say I starred in the film, that role belongs to the great, Ryan Munzert but I did have a smaller role that I enjoyed being a part of. I would say starring in and directing a film is a challenge and I have respect for those who can do it, I on the other hand would rather focus on directing and spend my time behind the camera. I do enjoy cameo appearances in my films though and I will continue to do them as my career continues.
Simple Things has an amazing cast. Each talent is perfect for their roles.
I will have to agree with you on this 100% as our cast was fantastic and the talent and energy they bring to the screen is what truly makes this film shine. Ryan Munzert is masterful in conveying so much emotion without saying a word. His body language and small nuances in his eyes tell the audience exactly how he is feeling internally and it makes for a powerful performance. Anna Friedman on the other hand is angelic with her presence on screen and she brings such a magical and emotional performance that is nothing short of superb. Her beauty and screen presence is mesmerizing as the audiences’ focus is glued to the screen when she is present. So bring together these two powerful actors who are stellar in their craft and you get one powerfully moving film.
Tell us about what a typical day on the set was like.
Thankfully we were blessed with such a stellar cast and crew which made each production day run as smooth as could be. It was a small crew but everyone showed up and gave their all in order to create the best possible product we could. Everyone was in sync and it was just a fun and loving group of individuals who were just excited and passionate about being together to create art. It was a wonderful experience that I will cherish forever and an unforgettable one at that.
What is going to surprise people about the film?
I think this film will surprise some people because it is very thought-provoking and focuses on certain social issues that I believe don’t get enough attention in cinema. I think people will be able to relate to the story as well as the characters and find themselves asking the questions that derive from the film. The film also has a few twists and turns that I think will give the audience a pleasant surprise and keep them hooked until the very end.
Without giving anything away, what’s your favorite line of dialogue from the film and why?
“Even the Grinch had a dog… What does that say about you?” There is a moment early on where Evan (Ryan Munzert) makes an unenthusiastic comment about how Alexandria (Anna Friedman) is a dog walker. She takes a moment to tell him that he stands alone by not liking dogs and when Evan asks her how she is safe to assume that she replies with “Even the Grinch had a dog… What does that say about you?” implying that even the most negative and pessimistic of people like dogs. I think it’s a rather funny line and cute moment shared between the two characters.
When looking back on the production, what resonated with you the most and why?
The thing that resonated the most I would say was the energy and love that was put into the film. From the actors to the production team, the immense amount of combined passion really made this experience a truly magical one. Everyone showed up, did his or her job wonderfully and along the way we all had a fantastic time being together and creating art. I will be forever grateful to the cast and crew for helping me bring my vision to life.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ibMqAN3U34″]
In your opinion, what scene in the film is going to blow people away and why?
There is a scene in the film where Alexandria (Anna Friedman) challenges Evan (Ryan Munzert) on why he hasn’t been living his life and pursuing his dreams of what makes him happy. This is the turning point in the film as he frustratingly shoots to his feet and walks to his massive warehouse studio apartment window to contemplate her challenging words. Alexandria approaches Evan and they share an intense, powerful and visually stunning moment on screen before he insults her, causing her to upsettingly rush out of the apartment. He then pursues her and that is when everything is taken to a whole new level… so to speak. That scene is the most impact and meaningful to the story and I believe is will leave audiences shocked.
What did you enjoy most about your character and role?
I enjoyed the experience of creating that scene of course but I also like the fact that even though my part was small it has a great significance to the main character. It’s a short but sweet scene that holds importance and I enjoyed being able to participate in that.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about the film?
Simple Things was an exercise to showcase the quality of film that can be produced with a skeleton crew, small budget and very minimal locations. Filmmaking is an art and just like any other form of it, it needs to be exercised and practiced in order to advance in it. To all my fellow filmmakers out there or anyone who aspires to make a film, I say make films! Make them often and continue to practice to advance as a filmmaker. Practice makes perfect as they say.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about your career?
I’m going to pursue film and also television opportunities where I can utilize my skills as a filmmaker. My main goal would be to not have myself anchored down at any one place and be able to make films from anywhere in the country. This is truly my passion and I will continue to pursue it and grow as an artist. I’m looking forward to the future and can’t wait to work with other creative and talented individuals along the way.
Thank you for chatting with us about your career. I hope we can catch up in the future for another interview.
Thank you so much for allowing me to speak about my film with you. I appreciate you taking the time to talk with independent filmmakers and to help spread our message and promote our films through your network. Please visit our social links for more info about the project and upcoming screenings!
Connect with Simple Things:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/simplethingsfilm
Instagram: @simplethingsshortfilm
Featured Image Credit: Chad at Director Monitor 2
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