Midnightshowing.com Presents Alex’s Top 10 (+1) movies of 2009 (In no particular order except for the top 2!) from Alex S on Vimeo.

I would like to take this moment to thank Jamin and Kiowa Winans for being not only the most classy and savvy film makers in the business today, but also being some of the most helpful, open, and supportive people I personally know.  It’s one thing to see a small independent film begin to succeed against all odds, but it’s even better when you know how passionate, respectful, and genuine the people are behind that film.

Without any further delay, here is the interview.

What got you into film and film making?

My family didn’t own a TV until I was about 10.  Naturally I was much more fascinated with the motion picture than anyone else I knew because I didn’t take it for granted.  It was this magic box to me.  From 10 on I was obsessed.

Did you specialize in film in school?

I did a year of film school then dropped out.  I had grown up teaching myself to make movies, so aside from a couple of film theory classes I didn’t feel like I was going to learn much more there.  Robert Rodriguez’s book, “Rebel Without A Crew”, really influenced me.  His advice was to take the money you would spend on film school and just make a film.  I think that’s good advice.

When did you first come up with the story for INK?

It was an evolving idea I started thinking about maybe 6 or 7 years ago.  I was really interested in telling a story about people who come out at night while everyone’s asleep in order to give them dreams.  For me most film ideas start with an image and then build from there.  In the case of Ink, it started with the image of Ink reaching for Emma asleep in her bed and Allel crashing through the window to stop him.

How did you come about the title for the movie?

I was working on the script and explaining the idea to some friends early on.  I kept describing the character as moving like black ink.  A friend told me I should use that as the character’s name.  Once I realized the many implications that had, I went with it.  I don’t want to say too much more.

How long did it take from basic idea to finished script?

It’s impossible to say, but probably around 3 years off and on.

When you were writing, did you have certain actors already in mind for certain roles?

I wrote the film with Chris Kelly in mind.  I had worked with Chris twice before on our first feature 11:59 and a short film called Blanston.  I really loved his work, but never had a lead for him until Ink.  I talked to him early on to see if he wanted to take on all the “complexities” of the role and he was for it.

I had also worked with Jessica Duffy before on a commercial so was familiar with her talent.  Everyone else in the principal cast were new to me.  Everyone auditioned.

Personally, I found INK to be a very deep and layered film.  Is this the way you wrote it, or do these things tend to come organically?

I’ve always gravitated towards complex films that open your mind.  One of my favorite films when I was a teenager (and still to this day) is 12 Monkeys from Terry Gilliam.  All of Gilliam’s films are favorites, but 12 Monkeys really hit me.  First, it’s complex so you don’t get everything in just one viewing.  I think that’s a sign that you’ve created a world beyond what’s contained in the film.  Secondly, it’s mind-opening.  One walks away from the film thinking about it for hours if not days.  Thirdly, it’s powerful emotionally.  The first time I watched it (in the theater) I was just mesmerized.  It wasn’t until the second time (the next night) that I was covertly crying by myself.

I tried to embody those same elements in Ink and all the films I make.  I wish I could say it all happens organically, but unfortunately it’s just a lot of work.

What was your budget?

For the time being we’re still hush-hush about the budget, but I’ll say it was under a million.

Did you have outside financial backing?  Or is it your own money?

We had private investors.  And Kiowa and I sell lemonade and brownies outside our house.  Tomorrow’s two for one by the way.

Did you do much preparation before shooting? …and what was the most vital piece of preparation you did?

We prepped for about a year believe it or not.  A lot of time.

It’s hard to say what part of the prep was the most important because it was all critical.  I would say anything having to do with the actors.  So auditioning, rehearsing, and fight training.  Fight sequences aren’t something where you just want to wing it.  Not if you want to keep your actors looking pretty.  Location scouting, costume design, and effects testing we’re also really critical for us.

The Incubi up close.

What was the inspiration for the look of the Incubi, The Storytellers, and Ink himself?

The Incubi and Storytellers stemmed from a quote I heard that goes something like, “How alike are all the tyrants of the world and how wonderfully unique all the saints”.  So the goal was to keep the Incubi looking assimilated, to use a Trek term, and to make the Storytellers unique from one another.

The word that best describes the Incubi is “sterile”.  We wanted them to be false, plastic, and sterile.  They don’t want to be infected, or tainted by the imperfections of humanity.  So they were covered in plastic and rubber and given a mask that we like to refer to as their “sneeze guard” from the rest of the world.  The mask has the purpose of not only protecting them from humanity, but it allows them to project nightmares onto others and it renders the Incubi’s vision colorless.

The Storytellers have an emphasis of pop culture from different eras.  It’s almost as if each died at different times from the past and the future and came to the dream world.  They have an “earthier” quality, warmer tones, and a lot of style.  They celebrate differences between each other.

Ink himself comes first and foremost from Snow White.  No villain has ever had a stronger impact on me than the witch from Snow White in old woman form.  Ink is just a more apocalyptic badass version of her.  Oh, and he has a huge, huge nose.  I would explain that choice a little more, but I don’t want to ruin it.

What was the inspiration for the, shall we say, “alternate dimension” that our heroes and villains inhabit?

I guess it’s just the way I see the world.  I believe there are things going on around us that we’re not able to see and I believe there are a lot of outside influences on the flow of the physical world.

INK himself.

Being a special effects buff I’ve got to know, how did you make Inks face, and in particular, his nose?

Well, I didn’t do a whole lot other than eat a sandwich while other more talented people created the prosthetics and applied the makeup.  Alison Chilen was our primary make-up artist, however the prosthetics were sculpted and created by Todd Debrecini and Chris Guarino.  They took our actor through a traditional casting and molding process.  They caste his face, made a mold, molded a new face, built the extra “features” including the nose on that face, and then molded the foam prosthetics using the new mold.

Alison spent between 2-4 hours a day applying the makeup and then another hour at the end of the day removing it.  She was the hardest working person on the set.

Were there any special challenges that arose for the cast and crew due to the ethereal nature of the film and its story?

Everything was more difficult.  This obviously wasn’t a coffee shop drama.  Almost every sequence had elaborate costuming, effects, lighting, makeup, stunts, locations or all of the above.  Unquestionably the biggest struggle was just getting through it.  It went on so long we were simply just trying to survive.

How long did it take to film?

83 days of hell.

… and how long did post-production take?

14 months of hell.

What scenes were the hardest to shoot, and conversely, which were the easiest?

Hardest… There were so many it’s difficult to say.  Anything with fighting…brutal.  Anything at night outside…brutal.  Anything with a lot of extras…brutal.  I would say the hospital sequence towards the end of the movie was the thing that almost killed us.  There were extras, fighting, fighting extras, elaborate lighting, effects.  Ugh, makes me want to cry thinking about it.  We were literally living in an abandoned hospital for a week and living on pizza and late night I Hop.  Yet, it is one of my favorite scenes in the film.  Funny how that works.

Easiest… A lot of the John and Shelly moments were really laid back and fun.  I think we were all at peace during those times.  Ironically those are the peaceful moments of the story.

How did you hone that unique visual style that sets INK apart and what or who influenced that particular style?

Well I’m glad you think it’s unique.  I’ve been making movies since I was a little kid so my style has been evolving and solidifying ever since.  Because I’ve ripped off so many different filmmakers, I don’t think anyone could say the style is anything but my own concoction.  It really is just a lot of other filmmakers I love Frankensteined together in my own way.

The “Furniture Reconstruction” fight early on in the film, how did you achieve those effects?  (unless it is a trade secret, then you can plead the 5th)

Ha, ha!  They’re primarily a combination of cheap tricks.  Some stuff was done practically and some was done in post.  There was some rotoscoping involved, but for the most part just cheap tricks.  We’ll probably show how we did some of that in the extensive doc about the making of the film.

Can you elaborate on the techniques, methods, and inspiration you used to create some of the memorable sound effects and the score?

The sound design was Kiowa’s department, but I’ll explain to the best of my ability.  We treated the sound design as another opportunity to tell the story, so each choice was very deliberate, even the absence of sound.  So every choice was motivated by story and environment.  When you’re working on a limited budget you have to make up for it with creativity so we were constantly trying to make unusual choices.  It’s very easy to slip into cliche conventions when dealing with sci-fi/fantasy so we constantly challenged ourselves to do something different.

A lot of the other worldly sounds were things that she created by combing various sounds.  We recorded and created all of our own foley and because of this, we’re able to make some unusual choices.  They were choices that were often subtle, but would give the world just a little bit of surprise.

The score was just a very organic process.  I worked on it over the course of a year constantly trying to find the right mood and aesthetic for the film.

Are there any invaluable lessons you have learned from both making, and then trying to distribute, INK?

Whew, that’s a question that could lead to a novel.  As far as making movies as a whole, I’m constantly learning that story is always king.  More than anything technical, story should always be put first.  If the story isn’t working, nothing else matters.

Distribution… Distribution is changing rapidly for indie film as digital downloads and web-based promoting begin taking over.  We’re in the midst of a huge change technologically and filmmakers have to have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening right now.  For us personally, we’re learning that we’re less and less interested in working with distributors and are more and more interested in bringing our films to our audiences personally and directly.  However, that model is still being formed.

INK has been playing in many theaters around the United states, some quite prestigious.  What are your feelings towards the internet buzz your film is garnering, and how do you feel about these types of grassroots campaigns to increase awareness of indie films?

The grassroots campaign has worked out really well for us, but that’s only because we’ve had really enthusiastic fans who have been very selfless about helping us promote.  That’s honestly the only reason Ink has been as successful as it has.  We’ve had no advertising budget and no celebrities in the film.  So the buzz that our fans have created has been humbling to say the least.  I don’t know how successful other films can be doing the same thing.  I know some that have been very successful.

Have you managed to make a profit from INK yet?

Ink’s been making profits in the theatrical run.  The release has been small so no one’s getting rich.  Instead, we’re putting that money right back into pushing it to new cities.

Is there interest from distributors regarding INK?

There’s been interest and offers, but none that we’re entertaining.  No one is offering us a substantial advance and the rule in the industry is an advance is the only money you’ll ever see.  The indie distribution scene is in turmoil right now.  Distributors aren’t spending any money and a lot of filmmakers are getting ripped off.  We’ve opted to hold on to our rights, protect the film, and release it ourselves.  It’s a smaller way to release it, but we’re finding that it’s finding it’s way regardless.

What can people do to help support INK?

First and foremost, get on our mailing list at www.DoubleEdgeFilms.com.  We send out an email every month or two letting people know how they can see Ink and other upcoming films.  It’s really critical if you want to see everything we’re producing.  We’re also on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.  We’re pretty active on all networks and love talking to fans and other filmmakers.

If you’ve seen the film and like it, please be vocal about it.  Tell everyone you know, tweet, facebook, etc… Everyone has a voice via the web now, so word of mouth is more powerful than it’s ever been.  If you’ve seen the film and didn’t like it…well, in the words of Joss Whedon, “Now is a time for silent contemplation”.

Have you any ideas for your next project?

We’re already working diligently on the next two features.  They’re very hush-hush, but be assured that Midnight Showing will be one of the first to know when we start production.

What are your thoughts on revisiting the INK universe in the future?

It’s tempting.  A lot of fans have asked us about that.  At this point, I’m resolved to moving on only because there are so many other stories I want to tell.  However, we’ve considered developing a graphic novel based on the Ink world.  I guess we’ll see.

Anything you’d like to add?

I’d like to mention to your readers that you’ve been a support of the film long before anyone.  You saw the film very early on and have been behind it and us ever since.  So a huge thanks to you and Ronnie for your talent and passion.  It’s been invaluable to the success of Ink and you’ve made a friend for life.

INK LINKS:

Facebook page for the film INK

Twitter for INK updates and announcements

Youtube (trailers, interviews with Jamin and Kiowa, and short films)

INK and Double Edge Films Official Blog

Double Edge Films

The Buzz on INK  assets for fans, press and bloggers

My Review of INK on Midnight Showing

For a look into what the film is about, here is the preview I did for the film including trailers for the Ink and a short by director Jamin Winans.

If you haven’t already, you can read my full review here.

So now that I have you all Inked up, here’s where I tell you how WE can help, by doing very little.  Double Edge Films is in the process of trying to secure some distribution, and is trying to promote their movie the old fashioned way, great looking trailers, direct contact with movie-goers and bloggers (like myself), and word of mouth.

Are you on facebook?  Sure you are you bastard, don’t lie.  My mom’s on facebook, which means so are you, so become a fan of Ink, it takes like 3 seconds, and chances are you already signed in.

Ink’s Facebook page

Are you on Twitter?  Probably.  Add them. They are respectful and smart filmmakers, those Winans, so you won’t have to worry about a bunch of silly, non-sense texts, just the important stuff.

Double Edge Films (the people who made Ink) twitter page.

How about youtube?  Oh, I know your on youtube.  My dad gets on youtube, the same man who leaves his keys in the door when he comes into the house and can never find his glasses, wallet, etc.  That means your on youtube too.

Double Edge Films youtube channel

Do you like blogs?  Of course you do silly head, your on a darn blog right now.  So how about following a blog connected to Double Edge Films?  Whats that?  You don’t want to?  Who said I was giving you a choice? Just kidding, but seriously, its a quality blog.

Double Edge Films Blog

Follow, fan up, do whatever you gotta do, but we as a movie loving online community got to team up and support flicks like Ink.  We can’t just sit around and bitch about how movies suck now a days and then not support the ones who truly deserve it.  Plus, all the things above cost you only about 3 minutes of your life…combined.

Stay tuned to Midnight Showing for more coverage of Ink, and my somewhat delayed Watchmen review.

This is Alex signing off.  Have a pleasant tomorrow.

A question that has rung in my head since first hearing about the movie Ink was what relevance the title of the film held. From the first moments of the trailer, and subsequently my viewing of the film, I knew I was in for a movie that had calculated its steps carefully, creating something in between an eloquent waltz and an algebraic equation. I knew that the title was another vital part of the whole experience, and that deciphering its meaning was another key to unlocking the many mysteries that lay inside the delicate layers of the story.

That story, written by Jamin Winans, is a tale of multi-dimensional dream weaversconsisting of one bad stable and one good one. The good ones, dubbed Storytellers, give us good dreams by visiting us in our rooms once we have fallen asleep and gently waving there hands slowly by our heads. The bad ones, called the The Incubi, give us the nightmares. Beyond the ability to grant dreams, these people also battle over the souls of those who are sleeping.

Ink's spectacular makeup and look help solidify him as our complicated, yet menacing antagonist.

This is more or less where our story begins. A drifter, one who is stuck in between life and death, named Ink is propositioned by the Incubi to steal the soul of a seemingly insignificant little girl named Emma, in exchange for the ability to become an Incubi himself. Emma’s estranged father, John, is also battling staggeringly high odds, both physically and emotionally due to a demanding and stressful job and the weight of his own guilt and shame. The rest is quite simply too exciting and emotionally propelling to spoil for the sake of this review.

The first thing that one notices about Jamin Winans film Ink, is that it is in an entire league of its own in terms of visual style. While some influences are noticeable, Jamin takes the idea of kinetic and potential energy in a movie to new heights. The pace is fluid, only jumping a beat to drive home a scene or a moment, then quickly snaps back into place, driving the narrative along briskly enough to demand a viewers full attention without overloading and confusing them. The editing is so precise, so flawless, that it begins to feel almost euphoric. Jamin manipulates the order of certain events, in order to keep viewers on there toes about where the story is heading. There is no point in the movie where I could clearly say what was going to happen next, and that feeling of wonderment and vulnerability is something that has stuck with me even through writing this piece. It’s a hypnotizing film, and it never sacrifices the gravity of what’s happening on screen in favor of giving you a flashy, “Hollywood” shot that only looks great on movie posters. This film exudes an aura of tremendous planning brought to life by even more impressive execution.

The cinematography is remarkable, looking even better when in full motion.

Hand in hand with the visual buffet, is the equally sublime audio package. From the old-timey camera snap-and-flicker sound effect used for when storytellers teleport in, to the visceral crunch of a perfectly placed uppercut, to the appropriate tinkering and manipulation of certain voices to help give them an other worldly feel, the effects are all nothing short of innovative. Everything sounds crisp and distinctive, and every action is accounted for. Holding all the aforementioned technical elements together is a subtle, oceanic, and deeply emotional score, written by Jamin Winans himself. The score is reminiscent of some of John Murphys work, as well as some of Danny Elfmans dreamier, calmer material. But Jamin really shows he has the patience, style, and talent to not only create a great stand alone score, but also one that personifies and amplifies perfectly everything his film has to say. Not enough can be said about how much the score adds to the entire feel of the film, something not seen enough in the days of soundtracks where popular artists write a soulless song that supposedly represents the movie.

An Incubi, who brings nightmares.

Along with the groundbreaking special effects (see the reconstructing furniture fight scene for evidence of this), there is the cinematography of Jeff Pointer. All the different planes of existence in Inks world are accompanied by a strikingly different palette of colors and lighting techniques. It not only creates the appearance that they are entirely different dimensions, it becomes other dimensions altogether. Due to the digital filming techniques I am almost sure Jamin Winans used extensively while shooting Ink, he gains an incredible amount of control over lighting, filters, color correction and saturation, which he uses to great dramatic effect.  They also function perfectly as cues that we have begun to look in on a different scene, and helps indicate silently where we are, who were are with, and with whom their alliances lay.

But if Ink is anything, it’s a damn good story. The story is so luminary, so rife with honest humanity and emotion that it’s near impossible not to invoke some kind of serious, introspective moment within you while watching. It’s not the kind of emotion that make boyfriends not want to go see the romance flick with their girlfriends, it’s the kind of emotion that’s intrinsic within the human conscious. It’s about loss, innocence, desire, motivation, and possibly above all, hope. The film makes some very philosophical observations on the sordid perils of everyday life, but it makes them in a passive, courteous way. It acknowledges that we are, to a degree, the sum of our parts and past experiences, but it also points out that there is always the opportunity for radical change. Jamin manages to ease his way into some very heady, intellectual space without losing sight of the plot and the characters I found myself heavily invested in. This alone is quite an achievement.

The sunny, serene dimension of the Storytellers.

All those points wouldn’t have been so well conveyed without actors who really seemed to understand the vision of Jamin. Consider that a non-issue though, as all the actors and actresses play their roles without incident, with no one seeming out of place or terribly miscast. Extra credit must go to Chris Kelly for playing John and Jessica Duffy for playing Liev, whose performances were simply too sensational not to mention. There isn’t really much else I can say about the cast other then Jamin Winans must have had at least some, if not all, of the actors in mind when he wrote the script, because the roles seem tailor made for the individuals playing them. They are always shown in their best light, the emotion that Jamin squeezed from them seems as genuine as anything I’ve even seen. If there’s one thing that’s evident in independent film making, it’s the passion of those involved. It’s the whole reason independent film making still exists, because I assure you, it isn’t for the money. In this case, the movie is overflowing with determination and fire, which helps envelope the viewer in the vibrant, awe-inspiring world that this magical yarn is spun in.

The only obstacle I can see any audience having a major problem with would be the sheer emotional investment and outside the box thinking a movie this cavernous can require for full enjoyment and understanding. It’s all about invading the comfortable areas of your life, it’s about turning the mirror on yourself, and it’s about the stuff all of us have deep inside, regardless of whether or not we pretend it’s not there. It’s story is not only timely, but timeless. There is no restriction on when a tale like this could be told.

Our Storytellers along with their quirky, philosophical guide, The Pathfinder.

In the end, I think I’ve found the answer to my original question, and that the answer may be that we are all Ink. We are all different colors, different viscosity, and different blends. We are the instruments of change, both good and bad, but we are not immune to them ourselves. The randomness of life can be extremely disruptive, and seem devoid of pattern, reason and predictability, but just because the last few moments, days, or years have blindsided you, it doesn’t mean you are lost forever. At least, that’s how I saw it.

Jamin Winans has concocted a potent narrative, one that is as focused as can be, while still leaving enough room for individual impression. It is assembled in such a way that not only promotes, but encourages multiple viewings. Technically speaking, there is nothing that could be done better within the budget, and the acting is all fitting, bringing believability and heft to each role, while naturally allowing the main figures to steal the show. Ink deserves a special place inside the hollowed halls of great independent cinema, here’s to hoping it takes its rightful places in that gallery one day.

So, without further delay, here’s what’s next.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBGeErufQdY

Having spoken with the Director, Writer, Editor, and music composer Jamin Winans, I can tell you that this movie is coming from the heart and soul of a true fellow movie geek, and if The Wachowski Brothers, the Coens, Zack Snyder, and a slew of other directors have taught us anything, it’s that the underdogs are shaping where this industry is headed next, and that the money, respect, and credulity is coming mostly from those personally in touch with the fans from their experience of being a fan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C5I1SavGyA

We all know the Watchmen is coming out, as well as the other big budget movies like G.I. Joe and Transformers.  But take a minute to check this little flick out, because you’ll probably see its style, among other things, duplicated for years to come.
And for good measure, a very slick short he made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP59tQf_njc