Joe Chang and Nesey Gallons, on their upcoming film “Present”
Filmmaker Joe Chang never pictured himself making a film like Present, but after meeting some very interesting and entertaining people (including Nesey Gallons, the star of the film), he decided to combine them with some of his favorite things and see what happened. The result is a beautiful story about an awkward performance artist and his sister taking a road trip to revisit their childhood hometown. I had the privilege of speaking with Joe and Nesey about the film.
HeatherRose: So, how did you first go about making this film? Where did the idea come from?
Joe Chang: I’d been trying to make this other film for years now, which was way more epic and involved riding a horse across the country and huge sets on the beach, and it just wasn’t happening, so with ‘Present‘ I decided to just come up with an idea that was more ‘film-able’. Basically, looking around at my environment, who I knew, what interested me, what I could get away with, that sorta thing, and pretty much came up with this story after knowing that those 3 were going to be the leads. Then, I pretty much just threw everything into the pot that interests me; visiting childhood hometowns, mom and pop places, riding bikes, punk shows, Halloween, Andy Kaufman, Jimmy Stewart, etc. It all just fell into place in a weird kinda way.
HR: How did you choose your actors, and why them?
JC: The three main actors involved (Nesey, Faith & Mariana) all came before the story, really. They are pretty much three of the most interesting and entertaining people I know (and none of them have ever acted before at all), and I thought putting them in a film and their dynamics together would be really wonderful and special (and it was!). Then it became [a matter of] constructing an environment and world where they could play around and interact with one another. I’m really proud and in awe of all of them, their performances, and just them as people. I love them!
Mariana Templin is a friend in Asheville [North Carolina], and just hearing her tell stories and some of the things that come to her mind, they just crack me up. She’s so completely natural and hilarious in the film. A real scene stealer that gal, a powerhouse!
Faith Callaway is my girlfriend and my biggest inspiration. I guess I have a tendency with anything I do nowadays to ask, “Okay, what’s Faith’s part in it?” She’s just got something in her that radiates, and it shows up on film wonderfully. Her facial expressions kill me, either in a funny way or a heartbreaking way.
Nesey Gallons, I love his music, and met him at some shows last year and we kept in touch. [We] started talking about interests in film and film making, and how he really wanted to act, so that was probably what really got my wheels turning for this project. He’s got a very unique and genuine presence, both in real life and on film, and took acting very seriously as a craft. He was really the perfect person to play this part, and I think we’re both quite similar in our interests and what we love and find funny and inspiring, and in the worlds we imagine.
HR: Nesey, did you have any input in the writing or development of your character?
Nesey Gallons: The film was written by Joe but I had a little input and made up most of my lines and little subtle things for my character, like keeping a diary. My character keeps a sort of travelling Super 8 diary so there will be parts filmed by me [on Super 8 film].
HR: It takes place on Halloween, but it’s filmed in the south… perhaps I’m just spoiled from living in New England, but how autumnal does it really look in North Carolina?
NG: Its actually very beautiful. Western North Carolina is in the mountains so it is much cooler. It hovered around freezing many nights during shooting. The leaves change beautifully. There are pumpkins and apple orchards. It is like real autumn (unlike other parts of the south) and surprisingly similar to New England, so the film has much that looks and feels like real autumn. We were usually really cold during the outdoor scenes!
HR: Are the songs that you’re writing for the film inspired by or based on the story, or based on your own life?
NG: Not exactly. I don’t know how to write with that kind of focus or intention. I have a handful of things already written and a bit unfinished that seem appropriate to use. The instrumental music is more directly influenced by the feeling and colors of the film itself, but I write unconsciously so some songs work and others don’t.
HR: Is there a time frame or date in which you hope to have it finished or released?
JC: I was originally hoping to have it done by early 2012. I tend to edit pretty fast and have already got a rough cut. I’ve pretty much locked myself in a room for the last 2 weeks, hacking away at it, but that was mostly to try and get it on the festival circuit early in the year, and I’m realizing now there’s really no point to rush it just for that. I still think it will be finished early in the year [2013].
Where will the general public be able to see the film?
JC: Hopefully it’ll play around at some festivals, but other than that, I’m not really sure. Online seems to be where things go nowadays, but we’d like to do something more with it. We talked about doing some sort of tour with the film; Nesey and Teaadora [who is also in the film] would play some music and we’d show the film and maybe Nesey could do some Daniel Crane performances. I don’t know, that would be fun… I guess we’ll see.
HR: Is there anything else you’d like to say about the film?
JC: I never pictured making a film like this, but it makes absolute sense now and I’m very happy with what it became. I’m ready for the next one!
Check out the official Present website for more information and up to date news about the film.
Watch the film trailer right here:
About the Author
Heather Rose is an illustrator, and member of the Bad Apple Artist Collective. She also really likes rabbits.
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