The premise of Michael Rees’ latest comedy short Middle Sized Things is so delightfully off-kilter that it needs to be seen to be fully grasped. It follows a guest speaker at college who’s presenting his core thesis, the notion that the properties of scale have no direct correlation with something’s moral status. It’s a conceptual idea that makes no sense whatsoever but Rees uses the confidence and determination of his cocksure academic to expose the fragile ego underneath which, combined with an ensemble cast who sell the ridiculousness of the situation wonderfully, makes the short a must-see. With Middle Sized Things having arrived online, Dn joined Rees for a conversation about his creative process as a comedy writer/director, his aversion to sitting on ideas for too long, and the benefits his experience as an editor brings to his filmmaking.
Where did the concept for Middle Sized Things come from?...
Where did the concept for Middle Sized Things come from?...
- 8/22/2023
- by James Maitre
- Directors Notes
In filmmaker Andrew Balasia’s comedy drama Souvenirs a friend-for-hire balances his time with his peculiar clientele as he prepares for his most challenging assignment to date, becoming a father. Balasia tells his story across a series of scenes in which his protagonist plays out the different roles required of him with clients, who vary in their degrees of being wonderfully weird. During these scenes, Balasia is able to narratively break down the fundamentals of human interactions whilst stylistically managing to highlight each encounter through a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere comprised of a vivid colour palette and serene cinematography. Dn had the pleasure of speaking with Balasia about his desire to explore the basis of human interactions, the real-world story his film is based on, and the technical production behind his almost-psychedelic aesthetic.
What did the beginning of Souvenirs as a project look like?
I read an article in The Atlantic...
What did the beginning of Souvenirs as a project look like?
I read an article in The Atlantic...
- 8/25/2022
- by James Maitre
- Directors Notes
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