Staff Select Staff Select "Dekalb Elementary" by Reed Van Dyck |

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Based on a 911 call which made news across the nation in 2013, the latest Staff Pick premiere is "Dekalb Elementary," the gripping Oscar-nominated short written by Reed Van Dyck.

A movie that is shot in a single room doesn't get more impressive than this. Within the span of just 20 seconds, Van Dyck puts forth an amazing feat of environment and pace. The tension comes from an eerie feeling of seclusion, along with a clear and confusing perception of the threat as dubious. "I am trying to understand what we do not be able to see," says Van Dyck. "Whether the actor's face , or creating a chaotic mess of kids shouting and running off the screen and not being heard. I was thinking that you, the viewers, would create more interesting pictures in your own mind which I would be able to present to you." The play with space ultimately makes each minute much more compelling than the prior one.

With the stunning performances of the principal actors Tarra Riggs and Bo Mitchell, it's no surprise that Van Dyck said he wouldn't have an appropriate cast. It's a true testimony to the cast, crew and the care given to the craft of narrative filmmaking "Dekalb Elementary" appears to be a non-fiction report of an extremely real-life incident.

We spoke with director Reed Van Dyck to talk about the inspiration behind his work, challenges, and managing throughout the process.

     The reason of the film?    

     "'DeKalb" is the basis of an incident that was broadcast on 911 and became headlines across the nation in the year 2013. The 911 call takes place when we hear Antoinette Tuff discussing with the unidentified man Michael Hill, who walks through the Atlanta elementary school with an AK-47 along with 500 rounds. I hadn't heard about this incident until it was first reported however I learned about it after a while when researching a project that I had been working on about the mass shooting. I remember sitting in my living room at home in Los Angeles riveted and emotional while I watched the audio tape unfold. Over the next few weeks, I was unable to take their voices out of my head. Their courage and compassion was evident, as were his regret and confusion. This story affected me in an emotional perspective and I began to wonder what I could do to bring their encounter to life on film. "

Have you encountered any difficulties while creating the film?

     "The film is basically just a one-man-show. One of the biggest challenges was to find the best actors for the role. After that, I realized that I couldn't complete the project without perfect casting. It took me months of looking through IMDb and checking out the list of casts for TV series and more. If I found someone who appeared to match one of the two leads I would add them to the list. Once the list was up to 30, 40 or more , I'd start going through all the actors who were listed and watching the previous works they've done (TV shows, films or movies.) before narrowing it down.

     After that, I'd start it all over again. So, I discovered Tarra Riggs as well as Bo Mitchell who play the leads. I also hand-picked each actor from the film, which includes those who play supporting roles, by using the same method. My belief was that even a single fake performance note by anyone could divert our attention from the actuality of the issue, so I sought the most talented actors I could come across to take on every role . "

     It's challenging to craft an atmosphere that is compelling with a an issue as crucial as this. What did you find to help you create such a tense environment?

     "My principal inspiration in making the film was the 911 call. When I began thinking about methods to improve the movie both physically and through audio, I decided that the less is more. I had such a strong reaction to the call which could be described as like a radio show with just two voice actors. The film I set out at things we cannot see... such as, obstructing an actor's face or the chaos of kids running [and] screaming off-screen, hearing but not being seen.

     My impression was that you, as the audience, could create fascinating images within your mind than the ones I can present to you. In presenting less information visually and in a story, perhaps the viewer would take a more active interest in the movie, and bring more personal connection to the experience. That was the goal to the minimum. . "

     This film exhibits incredible control, and appears like it was shot within one day. What does the timeline for production end up looking like?

     "The script was 20 pages, and we shot for five days. I worked to make the number of pages I read daily in the least amount of time possible due to the exact motive you mentioned. The more time my team and I were working on this task, the more deliberate and thoughtful we can be regarding shot the design, blocking, performance, costumes and design for production. So for me, longer production time is more control. This includes a lengthy production process prior to the start of production . "

What's your top tip for aspiring filmmakers?

     "This isn't a lot of guidance, but I grew up in a small town located in New Jersey called Mahwah. My property is ancestral tribal land that is unceded to the Lunaape. I've done a lot of research on the Lunaape in preparation for a documentary I'm currently creating. The thing that struck me, and deeply moved me was how they saw the stories. Stories were considered as a powerful therapy tool for all population of the. The Storyteller was a key character who was a frequent visitor to clans throughout the tribe. They told stories to teach people about the ways to be leaders. Stories are a element of how people and tribes developed and changed over time.

     Personally, this is why I love going to the cinema. And in strange times like today, I'm looking for films and filmmakers who talk openly and honestly about their world and the people they surround themselves with. I am in search of stories that inspire me to keep on getting up. Therefore, my (selfish) goal or wish for filmmakers with ambitions is that they begin the work of filmmakers -- by looking inside their own world and themselves , and then documenting what they have discovered . "

     What's next? Do you have any new projects coming up?

     "I'm working on creating two feature projects currently. The one is a completely original script that I wrote. My producers and I are looking for actors to appear on it. The other is based on an New Yorker piece and we're in the process of obtaining release rights, rights, and so on. . "

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