S3 E27 | The Tools That Make or Break Your Film

WEBVTT
NOTE
This file was generated by Descript
00:00:00.711 --> 00:00:04.671
This season of Truly Independent is
supported by the Help Them See Foundation.
00:00:04.671 --> 00:00:08.721
Help Them See is a nonprofit dedicated
to supporting feature films that
00:00:08.721 --> 00:00:11.151
inspire faith, hope, and connection.
00:00:11.151 --> 00:00:14.001
By partnering with filmmakers
that help them see Foundation
00:00:14.001 --> 00:00:17.361
brings meaningful stories to life
and shares them with audiences
00:00:17.361 --> 00:00:21.471
worldwide, making a lasting cultural
impact through the power of cinema.
00:00:21.471 --> 00:00:24.711
Learn more and discover how you can
be part of the movement by visiting.
00:00:24.801 --> 00:00:26.121
Help them see foundation.
00:00:28.167 --> 00:00:30.867
Welcome to Season three
of Truly Independent.
00:00:31.317 --> 00:00:34.107
I'm Garrett Batty, alongside
my co-host Daren Smith.
00:00:34.377 --> 00:00:38.787
Each week we'll go in depth with guests,
industry experts, and we'll even share
00:00:38.787 --> 00:00:43.227
our own experiences, all with the goal of
demystifying the independent film process.
00:00:43.287 --> 00:00:46.437
This season, it's all about the
script from the first spark of an
00:00:46.437 --> 00:00:49.707
idea to a polished final draft,
breaking it down for scheduling,
00:00:49.827 --> 00:00:51.237
budgeting, and ultimately shooting.
00:00:51.317 --> 00:00:55.037
We'll walk through every step it
takes to get from page to production.
00:00:55.127 --> 00:00:56.597
Welcome to Truly Independent.
00:00:56.766 --> 00:00:57.426
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
hello Garrett.
00:00:57.786 --> 00:00:58.176
How are you?
00:00:58.956 --> 00:00:59.766
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Hey, good.
00:00:59.766 --> 00:01:01.296
Daren, welcome to another episode.
00:01:01.296 --> 00:01:02.016
Nice to see you.
00:01:02.046 --> 00:01:03.726
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: It's
good to be here and good to see you again.
00:01:03.726 --> 00:01:05.886
We were hanging out
yesterday and it was fun.
00:01:06.366 --> 00:01:08.196
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Yes, we were, it was fun.
00:01:08.196 --> 00:01:12.596
And every, I'll tell you man, you're
running a fun movie over there and
00:01:12.596 --> 00:01:15.461
it's always great to to come site
and see what you're putting together.
00:01:16.211 --> 00:01:16.451
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:01:16.451 --> 00:01:20.051
And I also love that we get to hop on the,
the next day and talk about it because
00:01:20.171 --> 00:01:24.851
that's what we wanna do with this show
is demystify the indie film journey.
00:01:25.271 --> 00:01:26.176
And you know, we're.
00:01:26.811 --> 00:01:31.251
Charting our own path in some ways, uh,
on this movie with, uh, brotherhood and
00:01:31.251 --> 00:01:36.151
with producer Fund and, and something
we did yesterday that was maybe
00:01:36.151 --> 00:01:38.101
different than we typically do it.
00:01:38.101 --> 00:01:40.801
And so I'm excited to dive
in today on that topic.
00:01:40.801 --> 00:01:41.521
It's gonna be a good one.
00:01:41.821 --> 00:01:42.511
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
fantastic.
00:01:42.566 --> 00:01:44.006
I guess we don't have to hesitate.
00:01:44.006 --> 00:01:45.176
We can just dive right in.
00:01:45.486 --> 00:01:52.386
Along the lines this episode, we wanna
focus on the tools that can be used or
00:01:52.386 --> 00:01:58.566
the methods that can be used, the vision
of the film that the director has or the
00:01:58.566 --> 00:02:07.236
filmmaker has is properly communicated to
the entire All those that whose job it is
00:02:07.236 --> 00:02:10.426
to create that that film and that vision.
00:02:11.306 --> 00:02:15.196
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah, and
what I've seen happen a lot on previous
00:02:15.196 --> 00:02:20.596
movies is the director communicating
with an individual one-on-one and rarely
00:02:20.596 --> 00:02:25.846
has the opportunity to like get everyone
into a room, sit down and go, okay.
00:02:26.671 --> 00:02:28.621
Who are our key creative people here?
00:02:28.771 --> 00:02:31.381
You've got your cinematographer,
you've got your production
00:02:31.381 --> 00:02:32.911
designer, your costume designer.
00:02:33.361 --> 00:02:38.311
On our movie, you have a choreographer
who has a, a big lift on this movie
00:02:38.311 --> 00:02:45.001
to help tell the story visually, and
would it help to have them all talking
00:02:45.001 --> 00:02:46.711
to each other as well as the director.
00:02:46.711 --> 00:02:51.151
So there's this kind of shared
experience rather than, okay.
00:02:52.006 --> 00:02:55.246
The director's having a conversation with
the cinematographer, but that doesn't
00:02:55.606 --> 00:03:00.038
ever get translated to the costumer
or the, you know, and then you're in
00:03:00.038 --> 00:03:02.768
pre-production, and then you're rushing,
rushing, rushing every day and there's
00:03:02.768 --> 00:03:06.278
too many things pulling at you at every
minute of every day as the director to
00:03:06.278 --> 00:03:10.488
be able to have the time that you wish
you had to have those conversations.
00:03:10.488 --> 00:03:14.538
Does that feel like your experience
or am I, am I projecting a little bit?
00:03:15.168 --> 00:03:16.278
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
No, I think you're right on.
00:03:16.278 --> 00:03:18.228
I think that is an experience.
00:03:18.278 --> 00:03:19.533
And we want to try to figure out.
00:03:19.808 --> 00:03:24.538
Ways or give input as to how to
that or how to streamline that.
00:03:24.688 --> 00:03:28.708
And just to give you some context,
the listener, some context,
00:03:29.128 --> 00:03:32.998
Daren, you're five weeks out from
production on Brotherhood, right?
00:03:32.998 --> 00:03:33.568
On this musical.
00:03:33.568 --> 00:03:33.778
Yeah.
00:03:33.778 --> 00:03:34.078
Sorry.
00:03:35.068 --> 00:03:36.688
and that's at time of recording.
00:03:36.808 --> 00:03:39.988
So by the time people are listening
to this, it'll be shorter.
00:03:40.418 --> 00:03:44.558
And I am about three weeks out
from going to Romania for my first.
00:03:45.486 --> 00:03:47.526
production meetings and kind of kickoff.
00:03:48.426 --> 00:03:51.786
it's a scout trip, but I'll be meeting
with department heads and so I feel
00:03:51.786 --> 00:03:56.956
like we're simultaneously in this same
process right now where we're, we've
00:03:56.956 --> 00:04:01.206
got to communicate this the vision
for the film, what this film is to
00:04:01.976 --> 00:04:03.411
it, it's like leaving the nest now.
00:04:03.411 --> 00:04:06.951
It's getting out there and there's lots of
other creatives that are starting to get
00:04:06.951 --> 00:04:09.621
involved, and how do we make sure that.
00:04:10.311 --> 00:04:16.161
We are efficient with those ideas and with
their time yet still just give people what
00:04:16.161 --> 00:04:18.131
they need to make to do their best work.
00:04:18.191 --> 00:04:20.441
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Yeah, and one of the things that we
00:04:20.441 --> 00:04:24.371
instituted with producer Fund one, with
all the filmmakers I'm gonna work with.
00:04:24.611 --> 00:04:27.256
F is minimum six months of development.
00:04:27.851 --> 00:04:34.281
Before we enter pre-production,
and Russ hated that idea because
00:04:34.281 --> 00:04:35.301
he was, he was ready to shoot.
00:04:35.301 --> 00:04:36.231
He was like, let's go.
00:04:36.231 --> 00:04:40.101
I want to, I wanna be shooting now and
releasing in 4th of July next year.
00:04:40.101 --> 00:04:43.971
I was like, dude, I love you and I
love the passion and how much you
00:04:43.971 --> 00:04:47.151
want to go make this movie, but
that's not a recipe for a good movie.
00:04:47.151 --> 00:04:50.421
That's a recipe for a rushed
movie that isn't gonna resonate
00:04:50.421 --> 00:04:51.201
the way you want it to.
00:04:51.201 --> 00:04:51.261
So.
00:04:52.476 --> 00:04:57.006
We were able to have the time starting
in November and it's now March.
00:04:57.276 --> 00:05:00.276
To be able to go and find the
right people, find the right
00:05:00.276 --> 00:05:04.836
cast, the right crew, the right
creative partners to have time.
00:05:05.556 --> 00:05:08.466
For them to make sure that
they, they're available, right?
00:05:08.466 --> 00:05:11.076
Because a lot of times what happens
on every movie that I've worked on
00:05:11.436 --> 00:05:15.906
is you're, you get the money and then
you're in pre-production the next day.
00:05:15.906 --> 00:05:19.176
So you're quickly trying to hire who,
whatever crew is available, but you're
00:05:19.176 --> 00:05:23.586
number one and maybe you're number
two picks are already working and
00:05:23.616 --> 00:05:26.586
they're working the next three months,
so they can't work on your movie.
00:05:26.586 --> 00:05:28.236
That starts in six weeks.
00:05:28.746 --> 00:05:29.741
And when you have that.
00:05:30.276 --> 00:05:32.796
Runway when you have
that five, six months.
00:05:32.796 --> 00:05:37.266
I mean, for us it's minimum six
months of time you can get the
00:05:37.266 --> 00:05:38.406
good people that you want to get.
00:05:38.436 --> 00:05:40.746
'cause they're not booked
six months out, for example.
00:05:40.746 --> 00:05:46.716
So that extra time is something I think is
really important when you don't have tons
00:05:46.716 --> 00:05:48.276
and tons of budget to throw out a movie.
00:05:48.276 --> 00:05:50.466
It's like, well, to give
yourself the gift of time then.
00:05:51.506 --> 00:05:51.796
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:05:52.561 --> 00:05:55.791
So with that time then, once
you've built the team or at least
00:05:56.091 --> 00:05:57.171
gotten your department heads.
00:05:58.701 --> 00:06:02.051
The job of the director is not just
to have this vision for the movie,
00:06:02.051 --> 00:06:06.911
but to be able to translate it so that
all the collaborators can execute it.
00:06:08.231 --> 00:06:12.821
I wanted to come up, I wanted to discuss
on this episode the things that we use
00:06:12.911 --> 00:06:16.901
or the things that, that filmmakers
can use to help translate their vision.
00:06:16.901 --> 00:06:20.836
So we'll get into lookbooks and
vision boards and meetings and
00:06:20.836 --> 00:06:24.736
location and scouts and creative
summits and all of that stuff.
00:06:25.251 --> 00:06:25.671
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Nice.
00:06:26.451 --> 00:06:27.411
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
All that sound good?
00:06:31.281 --> 00:06:35.361
I think you muted yourself, or I
muted you, but you are on mute.
00:06:35.661 --> 00:06:36.531
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
I muted myself.
00:06:36.541 --> 00:06:37.081
That was good.
00:06:37.111 --> 00:06:37.441
Yes.
00:06:37.471 --> 00:06:39.601
I'm very excited for this conversation.
00:06:39.601 --> 00:06:41.371
I think it's gonna be
super helpful because.
00:06:42.871 --> 00:06:46.231
You want everyone to be on the same
page and making the same movie and
00:06:46.291 --> 00:06:49.891
all the things we're gonna talk about
today, the handful of different tools
00:06:49.891 --> 00:06:51.241
that we have are really important.
00:06:51.546 --> 00:06:51.811
So
00:06:51.846 --> 00:06:52.136
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:06:52.201 --> 00:06:53.851
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
I think we di we dive in.
00:06:54.901 --> 00:06:56.281
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Okay, so step one.
00:06:56.331 --> 00:07:03.511
For the Pearl, which is this 1960s
to 1980s East German spy movie that
00:07:03.511 --> 00:07:09.361
I'm doing, we're gonna be shooting in
Romania and we have to come up with to
00:07:09.361 --> 00:07:11.911
tell our Romanian crew what we're doing.
00:07:12.301 --> 00:07:15.296
So the first thing is that I'll be
sending them over the a lookbook.
00:07:16.906 --> 00:07:22.546
Which is which is what it sounds like is
it's the visual DNA for the movie, right?
00:07:22.546 --> 00:07:29.716
So I'll have all of these pictures, but
it's designed to show like tone and color
00:07:29.716 --> 00:07:32.116
and texture and emotional reference.
00:07:32.506 --> 00:07:34.906
And it just basically answers
to anybody who looks at it.
00:07:35.266 --> 00:07:37.036
What does this movie feel like?
00:07:37.336 --> 00:07:38.791
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Mm-hmm.
00:07:39.136 --> 00:07:40.306
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
it's a lot of work, but it's.
00:07:41.541 --> 00:07:46.101
Much easier to do it once in a lookbook
than to do it 50 times in a conversation.
00:07:46.566 --> 00:07:48.456
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Yeah, when a script doesn't have these
00:07:48.456 --> 00:07:52.656
elements in it the script is what happens
to the characters throughout time.
00:07:53.036 --> 00:07:55.976
It's sometimes will reference
what they're wearing, but it's
00:07:55.976 --> 00:07:57.531
not going to de into detail on.
00:07:57.956 --> 00:08:03.346
Tone and color palette and lighting style
and referencing other costumes from other
00:08:03.346 --> 00:08:07.673
movies or other camera movement for,
that it's not referencing those things.
00:08:07.673 --> 00:08:09.026
That's not what a script is for.
00:08:09.443 --> 00:08:12.023
So having a lookbook,
it kind of gives the.
00:08:13.083 --> 00:08:18.303
The visual feel of the movie in
a different format than a script.
00:08:18.393 --> 00:08:23.553
And so the thing that I
love about lookbooks is you
00:08:23.553 --> 00:08:25.233
get it in like two seconds.
00:08:25.323 --> 00:08:30.233
You can kind of just look at three
images stacked, and go, oh, I, I get it.
00:08:30.353 --> 00:08:31.643
It's like this.
00:08:32.123 --> 00:08:34.673
You can instantly go, oh, it
looks like the Matrix, or it looks
00:08:34.673 --> 00:08:38.063
like Bridge of Spies, or it looks
like a cartoon, or it looks like
00:08:38.093 --> 00:08:40.463
hyperrealism, or, you know, whatever.
00:08:41.123 --> 00:08:44.963
You can instantly go, great,
because I know what it looks like.
00:08:45.173 --> 00:08:49.693
I kind of know what it feels like,
and then I can go, oh I can reference
00:08:49.693 --> 00:08:53.833
in my mind other movies that feel
like that and then go, oh, I know how
00:08:53.833 --> 00:08:58.483
to make that, or, I know what kind
of emotional content we're after.
00:08:59.003 --> 00:09:03.983
Or what kind of tools we're gonna need or
what kind of, um, equipment and support
00:09:03.983 --> 00:09:05.363
we're gonna need in order to pull it off.
00:09:05.363 --> 00:09:10.463
And all of a sudden it triggers
that whole waterfall of ideas and
00:09:10.553 --> 00:09:12.413
strategies of how to pull it off.
00:09:12.413 --> 00:09:16.433
And it's a really, really important
tool for a director to be able to
00:09:16.433 --> 00:09:18.143
say, this is the movie I wanna make.
00:09:19.088 --> 00:09:21.818
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah,
and I love, I think it can be, you need to
00:09:21.818 --> 00:09:24.128
be as specific as you can as a director.
00:09:24.128 --> 00:09:28.758
If there are real specific things with
a particular character or a location
00:09:29.238 --> 00:09:30.348
that should go in the look book.
00:09:30.348 --> 00:09:34.268
It should be noted, where it's again,
this tone, color, and texture, and.
00:09:34.903 --> 00:09:39.343
And emotional reference
that really dials down.
00:09:39.343 --> 00:09:43.693
So there's no question or no surprise,
you don't want surprises on the set.
00:09:44.863 --> 00:09:50.818
And by the same token, if you're, more
open to input and I don't wanna, I don't
00:09:50.818 --> 00:09:52.348
wanna sound like you're not open to input.
00:09:52.348 --> 00:09:54.448
As a director, you
always be open to input.
00:09:55.258 --> 00:09:57.718
wanna plant the plant enough
seeds so that your department
00:09:57.718 --> 00:09:59.428
heads can just run with it.
00:09:59.428 --> 00:09:59.998
And.
00:10:00.418 --> 00:10:06.178
They come back with their takes on
it and their improvements on it.
00:10:06.658 --> 00:10:10.168
But give them the, point them in the
right direction and then tell them to run.
00:10:10.693 --> 00:10:10.963
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:10:11.198 --> 00:10:12.908
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
they, they don't cover very much ground.
00:10:14.023 --> 00:10:14.303
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:10:15.013 --> 00:10:18.223
What kind of tools are you
using to create these things?
00:10:18.223 --> 00:10:19.573
Are you using ai?
00:10:19.573 --> 00:10:20.773
Are you using Photoshop?
00:10:20.773 --> 00:10:24.373
Are you grabbing screen
grabs from other movies?
00:10:24.403 --> 00:10:26.263
Are you doing Google search?
00:10:26.263 --> 00:10:27.013
Like what?
00:10:27.443 --> 00:10:32.273
I've never made a lookbook before, like,
that's not a thing I've ever had to do.
00:10:32.273 --> 00:10:37.253
So I'm curious, like if you're, if a
listener is going, yeah, I want a career
00:10:37.253 --> 00:10:38.813
like Garrett's, I wanna make movies.
00:10:39.473 --> 00:10:40.763
How do they do this?
00:10:41.063 --> 00:10:43.023
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
good question for the Pearl,
00:10:43.023 --> 00:10:46.203
which is, a set in reality.
00:10:46.843 --> 00:10:47.683
True story.
00:10:48.463 --> 00:10:52.903
am, I'm not going to AI as
much as I probably could.
00:10:53.773 --> 00:10:57.703
I'm Google searching a lot of
like historical references saying,
00:10:57.703 --> 00:11:00.833
look, this is what the Stasi wore.
00:11:02.168 --> 00:11:09.648
We want exaggerated versions of that, or
this is an actual the GDR headquarters
00:11:10.048 --> 00:11:15.658
building, and we want, we want to match
that, create that as accurately as we can.
00:11:17.278 --> 00:11:20.788
same thing with wardrobe
and production design.
00:11:21.188 --> 00:11:25.718
I'm just, I'm going to Google
image searching and building
00:11:25.748 --> 00:11:27.658
a keynote with, a dozen.
00:11:28.648 --> 00:11:34.168
Images on each page based on character
or location mentioned in the film.
00:11:36.028 --> 00:11:36.328
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:11:36.898 --> 00:11:37.258
Okay.
00:11:37.498 --> 00:11:37.978
Awesome.
00:11:38.368 --> 00:11:39.958
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
But I think, yeah, I think for some
00:11:39.958 --> 00:11:43.648
movies, AI illustrations are great.
00:11:43.648 --> 00:11:48.498
When we did the Carpenter, I had an
illustrator create like several key images
00:11:48.798 --> 00:11:49.108
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Oh wow.
00:11:49.408 --> 00:11:51.118
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
They were like, oh, this,
00:11:51.208 --> 00:11:52.378
that's what we're going for.
00:11:52.408 --> 00:11:52.738
Okay.
00:11:54.088 --> 00:11:54.418
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:11:54.468 --> 00:11:57.948
It almost seems like you want to
have an idea of what the poster looks
00:11:57.948 --> 00:12:02.658
like, like that's kind of what you're
working around and like somewhere
00:12:02.658 --> 00:12:04.908
in the middle emerges the idea of.
00:12:06.303 --> 00:12:09.273
'cause that's ultimately
what it turns into, right?
00:12:09.273 --> 00:12:10.443
Like your look book.
00:12:11.073 --> 00:12:13.983
Then you go shoot the movie and then
you have a trailer, and the trailer
00:12:13.983 --> 00:12:17.943
is the look book for the audience
where you're saying in one image,
00:12:18.063 --> 00:12:21.843
we have to capture what this movie
is, how you're gonna feel, what it's
00:12:21.843 --> 00:12:23.888
like, and why you would wanna see it.
00:12:24.238 --> 00:12:25.758
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
yeah, I don't think that there's any
00:12:25.758 --> 00:12:27.558
reason to be to skimp on the lookbook.
00:12:27.608 --> 00:12:30.498
I guess you, you certainly don't
wanna have images in there.
00:12:30.628 --> 00:12:33.658
If you got, hey, this character wears
stripes all the time, and then you got
00:12:33.658 --> 00:12:37.918
a bunch of plaid shirts 'cause you like
the way they look is not the right idea.
00:12:37.918 --> 00:12:41.041
So be specific and, but
have an abundance of images.
00:12:41.041 --> 00:12:41.941
I think that's fine.
00:12:42.568 --> 00:12:45.058
again, anything we can do to help.
00:12:45.823 --> 00:12:50.383
If I'm the, if I am head of the
wardrobe department and I wanna
00:12:50.383 --> 00:12:54.683
know, hey, what's in the, what's in
the director's head so that I can
00:12:54.683 --> 00:12:56.813
put my creative power behind it.
00:12:57.423 --> 00:13:01.293
I wanna know real clear
and clearly the vision is.
00:13:01.593 --> 00:13:01.923
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:13:02.658 --> 00:13:02.733
Awesome.
00:13:02.958 --> 00:13:04.323
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
And I can, and I said vision.
00:13:04.323 --> 00:13:06.363
I'm trying not to say vision
because I don't want to confuse
00:13:06.363 --> 00:13:07.743
this with a vision board.
00:13:08.498 --> 00:13:09.478
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Is that a different thing?
00:13:10.293 --> 00:13:10.953
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yes.
00:13:11.778 --> 00:13:14.058
That is not images relating to the film.
00:13:14.058 --> 00:13:15.378
That's the feel.
00:13:15.858 --> 00:13:20.428
It's interesting, the vision board
is like more artwork like-minded
00:13:20.428 --> 00:13:25.608
artwork, Okay, the pearl, I'm gonna
put the poster for Jojo Rabbit and
00:13:25.608 --> 00:13:29.793
Monument Monuments, men and all of
that kind of in this vision board.
00:13:30.093 --> 00:13:30.663
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Gotcha.
00:13:30.963 --> 00:13:33.288
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
references to, to cool soundtracks
00:13:33.288 --> 00:13:36.108
that I like and maybe fun quotes.
00:13:37.473 --> 00:13:39.633
Or just different imagery that
doesn't have to do with the movie,
00:13:39.633 --> 00:13:42.108
but Hey, this is what I want the
audience to feel in this scene.
00:13:43.253 --> 00:13:43.703
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Gotcha.
00:13:44.033 --> 00:13:49.943
So it's more of a like a collage kind
of thing, rather than a step by step.
00:13:49.943 --> 00:13:56.063
Like here's, here's costumes, here's
cinematography, here's locations
00:13:56.063 --> 00:13:58.253
where you're actually pulling
pictures and you're probably.
00:13:58.773 --> 00:14:02.063
Putting 'em into like different
sections and presenting it as more
00:14:02.063 --> 00:14:06.533
of a document for reference, whereas
a vision board is like, here's all
00:14:06.533 --> 00:14:09.738
the emotional things that come to
mind when I think about this movie.
00:14:11.033 --> 00:14:11.633
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yes.
00:14:12.413 --> 00:14:16.823
They say that like the vision board
is the soul the movie and the look
00:14:16.823 --> 00:14:18.533
book is the body of the movie.
00:14:18.618 --> 00:14:19.278
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Oh, interesting.
00:14:19.578 --> 00:14:21.293
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: go,
oh, okay, that's what that looks like.
00:14:21.293 --> 00:14:22.583
Now what does it feel like?
00:14:22.583 --> 00:14:23.753
And that's the vision board.
00:14:23.753 --> 00:14:23.783
I.
00:14:24.083 --> 00:14:24.608
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
That's awesome.
00:14:25.208 --> 00:14:25.418
Okay.
00:14:25.418 --> 00:14:25.958
I love that.
00:14:26.078 --> 00:14:27.398
So you got a vision
board, you got a lookbook.
00:14:28.338 --> 00:14:33.228
One thing that I love, because, you
know, sometimes I, I've, I guess
00:14:33.228 --> 00:14:37.338
I've seen a lot of lookbooks that do
have that conflicting issue that you
00:14:37.368 --> 00:14:40.658
mentioned, which is okay, you got four
movies that you're referencing here
00:14:40.658 --> 00:14:43.358
and they are not the same, you know.
00:14:44.273 --> 00:14:45.383
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Which is okay as long as you're
00:14:45.383 --> 00:14:48.923
real specific as to why why have I
put this picture of the matrix here
00:14:48.923 --> 00:14:50.363
and then a picture of Star Wars.
00:14:50.683 --> 00:14:56.083
you go, okay, I want the gunshot
real, the fun hyped up gunfights
00:14:56.083 --> 00:14:59.323
of the matrix, but whatever.
00:14:59.623 --> 00:14:59.863
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: yeah.
00:14:59.893 --> 00:15:00.433
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
lightsabers,
00:15:01.183 --> 00:15:01.933
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
But with light.
00:15:03.013 --> 00:15:03.343
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
I don't know.
00:15:03.563 --> 00:15:07.673
I thought that you guys yesterday on your
creative summit maybe you want to get into
00:15:07.673 --> 00:15:15.033
this, had some great looks and, it seemed
everyone was early on the same page.
00:15:15.033 --> 00:15:18.818
Do you want talk about kinda what that
was yesterday that allowed that to happen?
00:15:19.118 --> 00:15:21.693
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Yeah, so back in November as I was
00:15:21.693 --> 00:15:25.488
kind of mapping out the development
schedule, because I'd never really
00:15:25.488 --> 00:15:28.698
made one, and you know, I, I know what
a pre-production schedule looks like.
00:15:28.698 --> 00:15:29.778
I've made many of those.
00:15:30.198 --> 00:15:32.268
But it's like, okay, we've got
six months for development.
00:15:32.268 --> 00:15:34.758
What are we doing in those time periods?
00:15:34.758 --> 00:15:40.098
So it's more fundraising, it's casting,
it's crewing up, it's all those things.
00:15:40.098 --> 00:15:42.918
We're recording the music, there's
all these things that have to happen.
00:15:43.458 --> 00:15:45.948
And the thought was, you know, we really.
00:15:46.308 --> 00:15:52.848
Should have a moment, like a day where
all the key creatives come into town and
00:15:52.938 --> 00:15:56.508
get to spend some time with Ross, get
to know Ross, get to know each other,
00:15:56.538 --> 00:16:01.608
like get some time to just hang out
over a meal and talking about the movie.
00:16:01.608 --> 00:16:03.272
And, this was like an idea that I.
00:16:03.582 --> 00:16:07.392
Put down in our schedule back in
November for sometime around February
00:16:07.392 --> 00:16:11.082
or March, and then February came and
I saw it on the schedule, was like,
00:16:11.082 --> 00:16:12.522
Hey Ross, we should think about this.
00:16:12.522 --> 00:16:17.322
And at the time we, I think we had
all of our key creatives figured out.
00:16:17.892 --> 00:16:19.512
And so we scheduled it.
00:16:19.512 --> 00:16:21.852
We scheduled it for March
9th, which was yesterday.
00:16:22.517 --> 00:16:26.477
We flew in two of our crew people, so
our costume designer and our production
00:16:26.477 --> 00:16:31.607
designer both are based in la um, and
the other, uh, the cinematographer
00:16:31.607 --> 00:16:32.927
and the choreographer here.
00:16:33.167 --> 00:16:34.547
We had our line producer there.
00:16:34.547 --> 00:16:36.077
We had our first ad there.
00:16:36.077 --> 00:16:39.527
We had our key cultural consultant there,
and we had Ross there and me there.
00:16:40.127 --> 00:16:42.347
And it was an awesome day.
00:16:42.347 --> 00:16:46.187
Like the first hour of the
day was at Ross's house.
00:16:46.607 --> 00:16:49.067
We went around the circle and
introduced each other and why
00:16:49.067 --> 00:16:50.687
we feel connected to this story.
00:16:51.557 --> 00:16:56.057
It was so cool because man,
people instantly got vulnerable.
00:16:56.507 --> 00:16:58.217
You know, we kept, we crewed up.
00:16:58.397 --> 00:17:01.547
One of the, I don't wanna get
long-winded with this whole thing, but
00:17:01.547 --> 00:17:05.777
I think it's important to this story
in this movie, one of the things that
00:17:05.777 --> 00:17:09.737
Ross decided was that all of the key
creatives were going to be of Mexican
00:17:09.767 --> 00:17:12.047
descent, not just Hispanic, but Mexican.
00:17:12.617 --> 00:17:16.427
So all four of them are
cinematographer, production designer,
00:17:16.427 --> 00:17:18.077
costume designers, choreographer.
00:17:18.557 --> 00:17:22.277
Are all either born in Mexico
or have lived in Mexico or, or
00:17:22.277 --> 00:17:26.957
their parents are from Mexico,
and that really bonded everybody.
00:17:27.332 --> 00:17:32.032
Like instantly and half the day,
it was, it was in Spanish, Ross was
00:17:32.032 --> 00:17:34.402
speaking to them in Spanish and they
were speaking to each other in Spanish.
00:17:34.792 --> 00:17:37.792
And I'm trying to keep up 'cause
I don't really speak Spanish, but
00:17:38.002 --> 00:17:40.162
having time together was amazing.
00:17:40.192 --> 00:17:41.242
So that was the idea.
00:17:41.242 --> 00:17:43.792
Behind the day we did a little
bit of location scouting.
00:17:43.792 --> 00:17:44.692
We got to know each other.
00:17:44.692 --> 00:17:48.532
We ate, shared some meals, but
a big core of the day was like
00:17:48.592 --> 00:17:50.332
two, three hours where we sat.
00:17:51.052 --> 00:17:54.682
In a room together with a screen
and Ross's computer and saying,
00:17:54.682 --> 00:17:59.972
okay, here's the very first I would
call it a vision board, right?
00:17:59.972 --> 00:18:03.962
I think that he shared of like, here
are images that I think represent
00:18:03.962 --> 00:18:05.252
what the movie we're trying to make.
00:18:05.702 --> 00:18:09.272
And then he got into the look books
that were provided by the production
00:18:09.272 --> 00:18:10.772
designer and the costume designer.
00:18:11.312 --> 00:18:16.652
And it was just like, it shocked
me how on the same page everybody
00:18:16.652 --> 00:18:18.812
was like, they already got it.
00:18:18.812 --> 00:18:19.592
And it's probably because.
00:18:19.652 --> 00:18:19.832
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: the,
00:18:20.412 --> 00:18:20.702
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:18:20.827 --> 00:18:23.047
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
You guys had the same images in
00:18:23.137 --> 00:18:24.637
different lookbooks, like it was
00:18:24.697 --> 00:18:24.987
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah,
00:18:25.027 --> 00:18:26.557
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: that
they were prepared by different people.
00:18:26.782 --> 00:18:27.442
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
it was nuts.
00:18:27.712 --> 00:18:28.402
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
It was great.
00:18:28.492 --> 00:18:28.972
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
It was nuts.
00:18:29.542 --> 00:18:30.172
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
and there, okay.
00:18:30.172 --> 00:18:32.717
We have clearly, Ross has
clearly communicated the
00:18:33.172 --> 00:18:37.062
for the movie now people are going,
okay this is what we understand
00:18:37.422 --> 00:18:38.412
and now we're gonna create it.
00:18:39.237 --> 00:18:41.547
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: I think
the most important thing that came from
00:18:41.547 --> 00:18:46.227
that time spent together was everybody
understood that we're making the same
00:18:46.227 --> 00:18:51.687
movie, and it started sparking ideas
that only could have come from being
00:18:51.687 --> 00:18:54.807
in the room together, talking about the
same thing at the same time, because.
00:18:55.397 --> 00:18:58.487
Ross could have a moment with the
cinematographer, but then how does he
00:18:58.487 --> 00:19:02.267
translate that same moment, that same
spark of an idea to the other three,
00:19:02.627 --> 00:19:04.427
unless they're all in the same room?
00:19:04.427 --> 00:19:08.297
So there were three or four times
where cinematographers going, oh, you
00:19:08.297 --> 00:19:12.887
said something that really made me
think of this movie and this moment.
00:19:12.887 --> 00:19:16.547
So everybody should go watch the the,
the opening sequence to this movie.
00:19:16.547 --> 00:19:19.577
And everybody's writing down, like all
the movies that everybody's referencing.
00:19:20.027 --> 00:19:21.947
And it kept happening where.
00:19:22.392 --> 00:19:24.042
Oh, you're talking about this.
00:19:24.042 --> 00:19:27.462
And I didn't really understand it until
you said it that way, but that informs
00:19:27.462 --> 00:19:31.572
what I was thinking about this, and there
was all these really cool dots getting
00:19:31.572 --> 00:19:36.882
connected that I think, again, only
really could happen in a room like that.
00:19:36.942 --> 00:19:41.982
So it was really cool to get everybody
there, to get to know them, to have time,
00:19:41.982 --> 00:19:47.602
to like forge actual relationships with
people before they go and start, head
00:19:47.602 --> 00:19:49.762
down working on their thing for the movie.
00:19:50.727 --> 00:19:51.297
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
it was neat.
00:19:51.297 --> 00:19:53.877
And I've been in that situation
where you're getting ready to
00:19:53.877 --> 00:19:57.957
start a movie because Daren you're
five weeks out from production,
00:19:58.437 --> 00:20:00.057
which would mean you're in prep.
00:20:00.087 --> 00:20:01.012
This is definitely prep.
00:20:01.312 --> 00:20:03.292
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
was the official kickoff of prep.
00:20:03.342 --> 00:20:05.862
Everybody starts yesterday basically.
00:20:06.492 --> 00:20:09.572
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
And I felt like that in movies that
00:20:09.572 --> 00:20:12.032
I've done in the past, prep starts.
00:20:12.072 --> 00:20:15.372
But it's more okay, you're hired
and here's the script and then
00:20:15.372 --> 00:20:17.512
let's get together and talk
about it, and can do a breakdown.
00:20:18.592 --> 00:20:23.052
You do that with each department
head and then, the first time you're
00:20:23.052 --> 00:20:25.272
all meeting is at the table read.
00:20:25.372 --> 00:20:28.207
A week or two before the show starts,
00:20:28.507 --> 00:20:28.867
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:20:28.982 --> 00:20:31.382
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
You think, oh it'd be nice not when
00:20:31.382 --> 00:20:34.052
you're all meeting, but when you're
all meeting together, like creatively.
00:20:34.407 --> 00:20:34.757
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:20:34.802 --> 00:20:37.052
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: so I
think you guys have the summit that you
00:20:37.052 --> 00:20:40.802
did, the kickoff really was a cool thing.
00:20:41.012 --> 00:20:42.482
I've wanted to do that as a director.
00:20:42.482 --> 00:20:43.832
It was cool to see it put into place.
00:20:43.997 --> 00:20:44.597
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
That's awesome.
00:20:45.167 --> 00:20:49.447
The, um, the couple of times where I've
seen people come together, like half the
00:20:49.447 --> 00:20:52.237
people are in the room, one or two people
couldn't make it 'cause they're on another
00:20:52.237 --> 00:20:55.537
shoot and, uh, half of 'em are on Zoom.
00:20:55.567 --> 00:20:58.327
The actors and stuff, they're not
in town yet because they don't
00:20:58.327 --> 00:20:59.707
come in until rehearsals and stuff.
00:20:59.707 --> 00:21:03.667
So it's not the same as
sharing a meal together.
00:21:04.132 --> 00:21:08.482
Or sitting in a living room together
in the director's house and getting
00:21:08.482 --> 00:21:12.262
vulnerable and sharing our, not our
deepest, darkest secrets, but like
00:21:12.262 --> 00:21:14.002
why this movie resonates with us.
00:21:14.962 --> 00:21:19.362
And so that to me was worth
the expense, the time the
00:21:19.362 --> 00:21:22.092
investment of like, let's do this.
00:21:22.092 --> 00:21:25.632
It's not a typical thing, but
I think it's gonna help us.
00:21:26.082 --> 00:21:30.822
And I'm, I'm already, I went to bed last
night feeling like this might be the most
00:21:30.822 --> 00:21:34.602
important money we spent on the movie to
get everybody on the same page and feeling
00:21:34.602 --> 00:21:38.742
like we're, we are doing this together.
00:21:38.772 --> 00:21:41.192
Not just side by side, but like together.
00:21:43.667 --> 00:21:45.857
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
So one of the things that came up
00:21:45.857 --> 00:21:52.127
a little bit yesterday, either in
conversation or just in presentation,
00:21:52.487 --> 00:21:56.207
was Ross was making the movie.
00:21:56.207 --> 00:21:59.517
And that's come up in the several
times in the series that that
00:21:59.607 --> 00:22:03.537
you guys are doing the behind the
scenes series, that I'm there for.
00:22:03.927 --> 00:22:08.637
And and that brings us to another key
element of tools that a director can
00:22:08.637 --> 00:22:10.437
use to help communicate their vision.
00:22:11.232 --> 00:22:14.502
And I wanna be so sensitive to the saying
that to communicate their vision, 'cause
00:22:14.502 --> 00:22:18.412
it's not as it is, it's communicating
the look in the feel for the film and
00:22:18.412 --> 00:22:21.257
encouraging others to align their visions.
00:22:21.557 --> 00:22:21.787
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:22:22.132 --> 00:22:23.812
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
but is the director's statement,
00:22:24.232 --> 00:22:27.832
You got your look book, you
got a mood board and then a
00:22:27.832 --> 00:22:29.512
statement, a director statement.
00:22:29.512 --> 00:22:32.452
This is the why the story matters to you.
00:22:32.452 --> 00:22:35.752
And in that you'll articulate via.
00:22:36.127 --> 00:22:41.617
Via a few paragraphs of the tone of the
film and the themes and emotional goals,
00:22:42.097 --> 00:22:47.487
and is an opportunity to get vulnerable in
Word as to why you're making this movie.
00:22:47.487 --> 00:22:51.897
And, the Pearl is a comedy,
like it's a spy comedy.
00:22:52.317 --> 00:22:54.097
So the tone of that isn't gonna be to get.
00:22:55.062 --> 00:22:57.402
Super vulnerable and dramatic with that.
00:22:57.792 --> 00:23:01.632
But I should still have a
statement that is driving my why.
00:23:01.632 --> 00:23:02.322
My why.
00:23:02.742 --> 00:23:06.192
'cause during the research of this
movie, I found great humor in it
00:23:06.522 --> 00:23:10.302
and great joy and a deeply personal
connection in that my father served
00:23:10.302 --> 00:23:15.252
in the same area in the world, in a
similar time when this was occurring.
00:23:15.732 --> 00:23:19.482
So that would be my statement on
that, and I'd write that up and
00:23:19.482 --> 00:23:21.552
share that with my department heads.
00:23:22.257 --> 00:23:27.027
It would encourage them, it might
be nice and informative, it also in,
00:23:29.157 --> 00:23:35.367
in their approach, I think helps, is
very helpful in saying, okay, meaning to
00:23:35.367 --> 00:23:40.797
this story, or this is why we're doing
this, it would maybe, hopefully encourage
00:23:40.797 --> 00:23:44.247
them to be to think what is their
statement, why are they attached to it?
00:23:44.552 --> 00:23:46.962
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah,
I think it's really important to have it
00:23:47.082 --> 00:23:50.862
written down, but I think the real magic
happens when it gets off the page and the
00:23:50.862 --> 00:23:53.802
director's using it in the day to day.
00:23:53.802 --> 00:23:55.387
So what I've seen Ross do over the last.
00:23:56.097 --> 00:24:02.787
Five, six months is basically have a
verbal version of the director statement.
00:24:02.787 --> 00:24:06.777
Here's what, here's where it came from,
the, the reason that I felt compelled
00:24:06.777 --> 00:24:10.917
to make it, how I started making it,
how it's impacting people already.
00:24:11.457 --> 00:24:14.937
And he's been using that
to enroll cast and crew.
00:24:15.172 --> 00:24:18.147
And so you have these people
that are coming onto this
00:24:18.147 --> 00:24:20.427
project passionate because.
00:24:21.237 --> 00:24:24.267
Ross kind of gave them some of
his passion for the project.
00:24:24.267 --> 00:24:25.107
They go, oh wow.
00:24:25.527 --> 00:24:27.387
I'm able to bring my passion to this too.
00:24:27.387 --> 00:24:28.467
It's not just another job.
00:24:28.467 --> 00:24:31.917
This is, this is a movie that's
intended to have some impact and
00:24:31.917 --> 00:24:33.297
change people for the better.
00:24:33.807 --> 00:24:34.227
Wow.
00:24:34.257 --> 00:24:34.499
Okay.
00:24:34.557 --> 00:24:36.027
I can bring that to the table.
00:24:36.027 --> 00:24:37.737
And he made it possible
'cause he shared that.
00:24:38.667 --> 00:24:45.407
The other way that we're seeing it right
now play out in real time is he's using
00:24:45.407 --> 00:24:47.417
it in conversations with locations.
00:24:47.867 --> 00:24:52.427
And so we're, you know, we're knocking
on doors and, and talking to restaurants
00:24:52.427 --> 00:24:58.454
and churches and, and, big locations that
we're trying to lock down for this movie.
00:24:58.454 --> 00:25:01.274
And probably 80, 85% of
the way there right now.
00:25:01.934 --> 00:25:05.774
But there's been two
or three already where.
00:25:06.674 --> 00:25:09.014
We were explicitly told
by the location team.
00:25:09.044 --> 00:25:10.217
Oh, that's a no go.
00:25:10.277 --> 00:25:11.327
Like we've tried it.
00:25:11.657 --> 00:25:13.697
We've tried it on half a dozen projects.
00:25:13.727 --> 00:25:15.917
They don't let films film here.
00:25:16.397 --> 00:25:17.837
One of them is a church that we're gonna.
00:25:18.332 --> 00:25:18.962
Be filming at.
00:25:19.292 --> 00:25:24.572
And so Ross told their location crew, the
location team, can you at least set up
00:25:24.572 --> 00:25:26.252
an opportunity for me to talk to them?
00:25:26.672 --> 00:25:27.452
He said, yeah, sure.
00:25:27.452 --> 00:25:28.922
I guess if you want us to.
00:25:29.492 --> 00:25:34.262
So they set up a meeting, Ross goes over
and basically does what we just talked
00:25:34.262 --> 00:25:38.642
about, shares the director's statement,
but in a very conversational, passionate
00:25:38.642 --> 00:25:41.012
way with the person who kind of runs.
00:25:41.597 --> 00:25:46.127
Church, and by the end she's a hundred
percent enrolled and just goes,
00:25:46.337 --> 00:25:48.977
you know, this sounds amazing and
perfectly aligned with the type of
00:25:48.977 --> 00:25:50.657
stuff that we wanna be supporting.
00:25:50.987 --> 00:25:53.657
Come on in, let's look at it
and I'll show you the space.
00:25:53.657 --> 00:25:56.047
And it was like, okay, look at that.
00:25:56.047 --> 00:25:59.707
The director's statement got us
a location basically, but it's
00:25:59.707 --> 00:26:01.147
not because he said it to her in
00:26:01.822 --> 00:26:02.602
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
cathedral,
00:26:02.617 --> 00:26:03.697
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
beautiful cathedral,
00:26:04.012 --> 00:26:04.492
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
cathedral.
00:26:04.597 --> 00:26:06.487
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: and it's
not because he sent it to her in an email.
00:26:07.087 --> 00:26:10.832
It's because he got off the page
and he was using it and it was true.
00:26:10.892 --> 00:26:11.942
And it was real.
00:26:12.362 --> 00:26:15.962
And again, I don't think it's
limited to movies that are like
00:26:15.962 --> 00:26:21.662
brotherhood where there's a message
and there's that sort of, um, impact
00:26:21.692 --> 00:26:23.312
that's intended from the movie.
00:26:23.312 --> 00:26:26.882
I think every movie has the ability
to enroll people the same way.
00:26:27.362 --> 00:26:30.782
If you can tell that it matters
to the director and why.
00:26:31.817 --> 00:26:32.297
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: right.
00:26:32.777 --> 00:26:36.112
And that director's statement comes
into play even in the fundraising.
00:26:36.847 --> 00:26:37.137
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:26:37.142 --> 00:26:39.982
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
And I know I'm using it for Don.
00:26:40.222 --> 00:26:46.072
It's been very helpful for our
help see Foundation attract donors
00:26:46.502 --> 00:26:50.072
because we're not just talking
about the movie, but like really the
00:26:50.072 --> 00:26:52.842
why behind it and that's working.
00:26:54.036 --> 00:26:54.516
okay.
00:26:54.576 --> 00:26:58.106
Other other tools your
character and tone guides.
00:26:58.676 --> 00:26:59.966
These would be helpful for your.
00:27:00.956 --> 00:27:04.616
wardrobe and hair and makeup and
production design and your actors,
00:27:05.576 --> 00:27:08.681
So you've got a writeup, basically
I call it a character breakdown.
00:27:09.291 --> 00:27:12.851
And here's who this character is,
here's three other characters that
00:27:12.851 --> 00:27:14.741
are similar to this character.
00:27:15.171 --> 00:27:20.891
Here's the story and the arc and
and then looks, and, I certainly
00:27:20.891 --> 00:27:23.561
don't want to do the job of the.
00:27:24.251 --> 00:27:27.761
Hair and makeup and wardrobe person,
I don't wanna step on toes at all,
00:27:28.571 --> 00:27:33.641
if I can clearly communicate at
least my, what I understand what my
00:27:33.641 --> 00:27:38.581
takeaway is of the character it helps
them immensely not have to guess.
00:27:39.011 --> 00:27:39.301
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah,
00:27:39.776 --> 00:27:40.246
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
We're going.
00:27:40.711 --> 00:27:42.571
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
I've, what's interesting about a
00:27:42.571 --> 00:27:45.541
character tone guide, like you would
think that that's handed off to the
00:27:45.541 --> 00:27:48.811
costumer, but it actually is really
important for the production designer.
00:27:48.961 --> 00:27:51.601
It's really important for the
cinematographer to go, okay.
00:27:52.261 --> 00:27:56.011
And we saw this play out yesterday
where, where Oscar, our cinematographer
00:27:56.251 --> 00:28:00.451
was like, okay, I think we've gotta
start like this, and this character is
00:28:00.451 --> 00:28:03.601
gonna be small in the frame, and he's
gonna be obscured by things in the
00:28:03.601 --> 00:28:08.591
foreground, and the camera is gonna be,
distant because he hasn't let us in yet.
00:28:09.011 --> 00:28:14.471
It's like, oh man, think about how the
character breakdown that Ross gave him,
00:28:14.471 --> 00:28:19.541
informed the camera movement, which is
then also then, um, Frida, our production
00:28:19.541 --> 00:28:23.801
designer, chimes in and goes, yeah,
this, this house has to feel this way,
00:28:23.801 --> 00:28:25.781
whereas this house has to feel this way.
00:28:26.051 --> 00:28:30.101
And the contrast that she was talking
about between spaces and over here
00:28:30.101 --> 00:28:32.771
it's functional, and over here it's
family and those types of things.
00:28:32.771 --> 00:28:34.001
It's just like, oh my gosh.
00:28:34.451 --> 00:28:35.621
But that came from.
00:28:36.296 --> 00:28:40.556
The script and these character
breakdowns so that we actually have three
00:28:40.556 --> 00:28:45.116
dimensional characters that aren't just
actors in clothing standing in a room.
00:28:45.356 --> 00:28:50.246
It's, oh no, this is their home and we
believe it because of these reasons.
00:28:51.386 --> 00:28:52.316
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
One of the things I thought
00:28:52.616 --> 00:28:54.146
worked out really well yesterday.
00:28:54.146 --> 00:28:56.306
Here's a real practical
application of that.
00:28:56.936 --> 00:28:59.576
guys had these character breakdowns
and you knew what you were doing, your
00:28:59.576 --> 00:29:07.686
DP and your, first and your production
designer were trying to solve an issue
00:29:07.686 --> 00:29:11.426
that was gonna come up because you
needed a bedroom for a particular scene
00:29:13.121 --> 00:29:17.541
You happen to be standing outside in
the back and with Ross there, know, the
00:29:17.541 --> 00:29:21.381
decision was saying, look, what if if we
can't get that bedroom, what can we do?
00:29:21.891 --> 00:29:24.801
And everybody was able to offer
solutions like, Hey, would this scene,
00:29:24.831 --> 00:29:26.271
could this scene take place here?
00:29:27.441 --> 00:29:29.771
it wasn't just Hey, logistically,
yeah, we could do this here.
00:29:29.821 --> 00:29:33.031
But it was like, Hey, for the importance
of the character, she's a teenage girl.
00:29:33.211 --> 00:29:36.301
She might be out on her back
porch at that time talking on
00:29:36.301 --> 00:29:37.861
the phone rather than in a room.
00:29:37.981 --> 00:29:38.971
Yeah, we could do it here.
00:29:39.421 --> 00:29:40.631
And you were able to solve.
00:29:41.661 --> 00:29:44.991
Potential problems just from
having a good understanding of the
00:29:44.991 --> 00:29:46.191
character from character breakdown.
00:29:46.566 --> 00:29:46.866
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:29:47.061 --> 00:29:47.871
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
That was really great.
00:29:47.996 --> 00:29:50.346
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: and
I think it lends to the fact that we
00:29:50.346 --> 00:29:54.756
had time set aside to go and scout some
of the hero locations of the movie to
00:29:54.756 --> 00:29:56.706
go, is this gonna work logistically?
00:29:56.786 --> 00:30:00.626
Like before we even got into the house,
Ross was standing outside going, here's
00:30:00.626 --> 00:30:04.096
the three houses for our three characters
that live on the street together.
00:30:04.756 --> 00:30:07.306
And it's not like I wrote in
the script, this is his house.
00:30:07.516 --> 00:30:09.826
This is his house, and this
is the third guy's house.
00:30:10.456 --> 00:30:11.441
And everyone's going, oh.
00:30:12.736 --> 00:30:13.156
Okay.
00:30:13.156 --> 00:30:18.196
Well, he presented a quandary
where we're going, okay, how
00:30:18.196 --> 00:30:19.876
do we collectively solve this?
00:30:20.326 --> 00:30:23.596
And it was like at the beginning it
was, well, it could be the exterior
00:30:23.596 --> 00:30:26.236
of this house, but the interior of
this house or the exterior of this
00:30:26.236 --> 00:30:28.576
house in the backyard of this house
and the interior of this house.
00:30:28.766 --> 00:30:30.296
There were a lot of options there.
00:30:31.091 --> 00:30:32.291
By the end, we had it solved.
00:30:32.291 --> 00:30:35.891
We knew exactly how we were gonna
pull it off and what mattered.
00:30:36.011 --> 00:30:40.731
So there were, there were two options
for Frida, the production designer.
00:30:40.731 --> 00:30:44.211
And it really turned to her to say, we
could shoot the entire thing in this
00:30:44.211 --> 00:30:48.771
house, or we could shoot 80% of it in
this house and the bedroom in this house.
00:30:49.161 --> 00:30:50.721
She goes, no, this is the house.
00:30:50.721 --> 00:30:53.931
The second option is definitely
a better house for this family.
00:30:54.291 --> 00:30:56.801
So let's figure out the
bedroom in another space.
00:30:56.801 --> 00:30:58.091
That makes sense and that's easy.
00:30:58.901 --> 00:31:04.241
It's, you know, like my favorite thing
is watching creative people do their best
00:31:04.241 --> 00:31:08.291
work, and you got little glimpses of that
even yesterday as we're just talking.
00:31:08.291 --> 00:31:13.091
In theory at this point, you can
still see them lighting up and solving
00:31:13.091 --> 00:31:17.591
problems and bringing their expertise
and their talent to the table to
00:31:17.591 --> 00:31:19.481
say, here's how we're gonna do it.
00:31:19.631 --> 00:31:20.441
Ah, so cool.
00:31:21.841 --> 00:31:22.741
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
it was very impressive.
00:31:22.741 --> 00:31:23.401
It was great.
00:31:25.531 --> 00:31:27.141
I liked watching the discussion.
00:31:28.356 --> 00:31:32.556
Between Ross and the DP to
talk about like camera movement
00:31:32.556 --> 00:31:35.396
and usage and lighting even.
00:31:37.046 --> 00:31:41.361
and it just felt more in that creative
summit, in that environment where
00:31:41.751 --> 00:31:43.866
you've got your design, your production
designer and your hair and makeup
00:31:43.881 --> 00:31:49.211
wardrobe, or excuse me, your wardrobe
department head and and even your ad
00:31:50.231 --> 00:31:51.941
where you're all able to communicate.
00:31:52.821 --> 00:31:59.451
Not in like full blown like pre-production
tech scout breakdown, but just creatively
00:32:00.261 --> 00:32:07.341
what would be best for these scenes, so
how is camera movement gonna be affected
00:32:07.341 --> 00:32:09.806
by production design and so forth.
00:32:10.106 --> 00:32:12.376
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Yeah, it's an interesting excuse me,
00:32:13.186 --> 00:32:18.046
it's an interesting like additional
scout because you have the Director's
00:32:18.046 --> 00:32:21.556
Scout where he is, he or she is
going out and finding the locations
00:32:21.556 --> 00:32:23.476
that they think work for the movie.
00:32:23.986 --> 00:32:26.706
But then later on you have a
tech scout where the entire
00:32:26.706 --> 00:32:27.996
team is showing up and going.
00:32:28.471 --> 00:32:29.611
Here's the location.
00:32:29.611 --> 00:32:32.761
We've already picked it and this is
what, we're gonna base camp here,
00:32:32.761 --> 00:32:36.391
we're gonna park check trucks here,
we're gonna plug in here, we're gonna
00:32:36.391 --> 00:32:38.941
have to bring a generator 'cause this
house is underpowered or whatever.
00:32:39.271 --> 00:32:40.891
You're talking the technical things.
00:32:41.551 --> 00:32:45.811
This is one in between where it's like,
we think this, we think these are the
00:32:45.811 --> 00:32:50.731
locations and this is how we think we
can pull it off, but we want your input.
00:32:51.151 --> 00:32:53.311
And that I think really mattered.
00:32:53.716 --> 00:32:57.916
To everybody that showed up, because
they don't often get that opportunity.
00:32:58.096 --> 00:33:00.376
Usually the director's going, this is it.
00:33:00.466 --> 00:33:04.246
And they're like, oh man, well, I don't
have enough room for a camera in here.
00:33:04.246 --> 00:33:07.366
So like, we had two options for kitchens.
00:33:07.466 --> 00:33:11.486
Not home kitchens, but like commercial
restaurant kitchens that we presented
00:33:11.486 --> 00:33:15.086
yesterday, and the choreographer was
like, oh my gosh, this one, there's so
00:33:15.086 --> 00:33:17.036
much space and movement and blah, blah.
00:33:17.036 --> 00:33:21.506
You know, it was like, oh, well clearly it
needs to be this one instead of this one.
00:33:22.091 --> 00:33:26.231
And how cool that he got to inform
that decision based on what his
00:33:26.231 --> 00:33:30.376
needs were, rather than saying,
this is it, you gotta figure it out.
00:33:31.306 --> 00:33:31.676
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:33:31.826 --> 00:33:32.336
Yeah.
00:33:33.626 --> 00:33:34.376
What's the goal?
00:33:34.376 --> 00:33:37.236
The goal before we're
doing, like why do all this?
00:33:37.266 --> 00:33:38.376
'cause it seems like a lot of work and.
00:33:39.351 --> 00:33:41.611
We're obviously on
independent film budgets.
00:33:41.611 --> 00:33:42.661
We're truly independent, right?
00:33:42.661 --> 00:33:44.151
So we're not just bleeding money.
00:33:45.321 --> 00:33:47.391
so why do all this?
00:33:49.086 --> 00:33:50.976
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
for me, I, I think it really
00:33:50.976 --> 00:33:52.446
does come down to alignment.
00:33:52.626 --> 00:33:56.556
You want people not just enrolled
in the process, which we've done,
00:33:56.856 --> 00:34:00.036
but you want people to be on the
same page and really aligned with.
00:34:01.236 --> 00:34:05.886
What I want is what Ross wants,
not because I want to please Ross,
00:34:05.976 --> 00:34:11.186
but because we are aligned and
that to me is the reason to do it.
00:34:11.186 --> 00:34:15.866
Because if you can have half a dozen
people in a room all coming out of that
00:34:15.866 --> 00:34:20.126
room, or at the end of the day going,
we are a hundred percent aligned.
00:34:20.126 --> 00:34:25.106
What I want for, this is what you want
for this, and it works together, that.
00:34:25.451 --> 00:34:29.921
Is such a gift to the crew
before they even start.
00:34:29.921 --> 00:34:34.601
So now they can go into pre-production
and go, okay, I'm very pleased with
00:34:34.601 --> 00:34:37.961
the spaces I have with the actors
I have with the crew, with the
00:34:37.961 --> 00:34:39.281
other people that are making this.
00:34:39.881 --> 00:34:43.931
Now I get to go do my best work instead
of thinking about, oh, I'm so ticked
00:34:43.931 --> 00:34:46.451
about this location, or, oh my gosh.
00:34:47.061 --> 00:34:50.301
The director has this thing about
the color orange, but it, that makes
00:34:50.301 --> 00:34:55.761
no sense, but I have to do it 'cause
it's on his lookbook and so, okay.
00:34:55.761 --> 00:34:58.851
I guess I'll put orange in everybody's
outfits, which makes no sense.
00:34:58.851 --> 00:35:00.771
And we'll have orange pillows
in the background because.
00:35:01.611 --> 00:35:03.201
There's no connection to anything.
00:35:03.201 --> 00:35:07.801
It's just a weird color thing you
know, the, I think the next five
00:35:07.801 --> 00:35:10.321
weeks are going to, it's always hard.
00:35:10.591 --> 00:35:12.301
It's always not enough time.
00:35:12.301 --> 00:35:13.411
It's always not enough budget.
00:35:13.411 --> 00:35:14.791
It's always not enough resources.
00:35:14.791 --> 00:35:19.861
But because we have that alignment
that we earned from spending a day
00:35:19.861 --> 00:35:25.531
together and having the desire and the
intention of coming out aligned that.
00:35:26.041 --> 00:35:31.141
It's gonna make the emotional and
mental aspect, I think that much
00:35:31.231 --> 00:35:35.611
easier and smoother, or maybe
friction, less, friction full
00:35:36.541 --> 00:35:38.821
because because of that alignment.
00:35:39.331 --> 00:35:39.691
So
00:35:39.781 --> 00:35:41.071
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
it fictitious?
00:35:41.071 --> 00:35:41.431
Is that what it
00:35:41.731 --> 00:35:43.531
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
frictionally less.
00:35:43.611 --> 00:35:45.291
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Daren, I would even suggest that
00:35:45.291 --> 00:35:49.216
it would save money because I think
that, again you want to, you wanna
00:35:49.216 --> 00:35:51.406
prevent confusion before production
00:35:51.796 --> 00:35:54.496
' Cause confusion on set is expensive.
00:35:55.336 --> 00:35:58.576
So you get everybody aligned and enrolled.
00:35:59.026 --> 00:36:05.086
And then you're not spending time
fixing things or adjusting creative
00:36:05.086 --> 00:36:07.546
decisions that are not aligned with.
00:36:09.091 --> 00:36:12.661
And I think that's probably that,
that, that's that term that I want.
00:36:12.691 --> 00:36:13.141
It's one
00:36:13.201 --> 00:36:16.501
and multiple people's
creativity to execute that.
00:36:16.861 --> 00:36:17.131
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:36:17.441 --> 00:36:18.256
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
that's what you want.
00:36:18.971 --> 00:36:19.271
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:36:19.271 --> 00:36:23.651
It's almost like one person's bringing
the red and one person's bringing the
00:36:23.651 --> 00:36:27.041
green and one person's bringing the blue,
and as soon as all three are aligned,
00:36:27.431 --> 00:36:29.051
you've got that full color palette.
00:36:29.231 --> 00:36:31.481
So there's that analogy for you.
00:36:31.781 --> 00:36:36.881
But I, it made me think of, I can
think of two times on the first two
00:36:36.881 --> 00:36:38.376
movies I produced, I think you've.
00:36:39.341 --> 00:36:41.651
Essentially learned how to
solve this in your career?
00:36:41.681 --> 00:36:46.481
'cause I don't remember moments on
the carpenter or on faith of angels
00:36:46.481 --> 00:36:49.271
where you were like, oh no, that's
not what I wanted at all on set.
00:36:49.371 --> 00:36:53.121
But on the first movie, there was
an issue with the costumes for
00:36:53.121 --> 00:36:56.991
our lead actress, and the director
looked at the costume, was like.
00:36:57.606 --> 00:36:58.566
What is this?
00:36:58.656 --> 00:37:01.536
Uh, it's complete, like none
of this makes any sense.
00:37:02.016 --> 00:37:06.086
And the same thing happened on the second
movie that I did where we, you know,
00:37:06.086 --> 00:37:10.556
our, our set decorator had, we built
a state, uh, built a set on a stage.
00:37:11.366 --> 00:37:14.786
They decorated a kid's room because we
were supposed to like smash through a
00:37:14.786 --> 00:37:18.746
door and throw people around, and so
it was like, we can't do it in a house.
00:37:18.746 --> 00:37:19.586
There's not enough space.
00:37:19.586 --> 00:37:21.656
We need to be able to pull
walls down and all that stuff.
00:37:22.286 --> 00:37:25.046
Director walks in at the end of
a shoot day, we're shooting this
00:37:25.046 --> 00:37:31.106
location the next morning, the
director walks in and about tears.
00:37:31.106 --> 00:37:35.246
The place like he was livid
and contained it really well.
00:37:35.246 --> 00:37:39.746
He didn't lash out or anything, but
he was just like, this is 100% wrong.
00:37:40.361 --> 00:37:44.081
I don't know how you're going to fix
it, but you're going to fix it before
00:37:44.081 --> 00:37:46.031
we show up tomorrow and film in here.
00:37:46.601 --> 00:37:50.921
And our poor set decorator literally
had an anxiety attack, fell to the
00:37:50.921 --> 00:37:54.641
ground and passed out because he hadn't
been sleeping, hadn't been eating.
00:37:54.671 --> 00:37:57.251
We'd come to find out that
night at 11 o'clock at night
00:37:57.286 --> 00:37:57.506
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: Oh
00:37:57.971 --> 00:38:02.091
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: and four
of us on the crew myself first ad the,
00:38:02.151 --> 00:38:05.781
this another set deck set decorator, and.
00:38:06.331 --> 00:38:12.451
The, I forget who the fourth person was,
are scrambling like, can we go to Walmart?
00:38:12.691 --> 00:38:15.721
'cause that's the only place that's
open at 1130 at night to find set
00:38:15.721 --> 00:38:18.481
decoration and try to salvage this thing.
00:38:19.021 --> 00:38:22.021
And then the next few days I'm
calling new production designers
00:38:22.021 --> 00:38:24.001
and new art department team because.
00:38:24.281 --> 00:38:27.371
They let the director down and
we're in the middle of the shoot.
00:38:27.821 --> 00:38:31.901
And so, like you said, all that to say
yes, getting aligned and communicating
00:38:31.931 --> 00:38:34.271
early solves a lot of problems on set.
00:38:34.841 --> 00:38:38.231
And man, I would, I've learned
a lot from those mistakes.
00:38:39.021 --> 00:38:43.251
And those miscommunications and
vowed at that moment, like, I don't
00:38:43.251 --> 00:38:44.661
ever wanna see that happen again.
00:38:45.671 --> 00:38:48.661
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Yeah it's painful and you're giving
00:38:48.661 --> 00:38:50.101
me credit for having learned that.
00:38:50.531 --> 00:38:52.481
But that doesn't mean that I
haven't made those mistakes.
00:38:52.481 --> 00:38:57.661
And I have my own horror stories of
showing up again a week before production
00:38:58.681 --> 00:39:03.991
shoot a movie about Liberty Jail,
like a full movie about Liberty Jail.
00:39:04.591 --> 00:39:09.421
And our designer is building Liberty Jail.
00:39:09.871 --> 00:39:14.276
But, the weekend before we needed to shoot
it, it looked like Snoopy's doghouse.
00:39:14.276 --> 00:39:17.691
Which Liberty Jail is a very iconic
building in Liberty, Missouri.
00:39:17.691 --> 00:39:20.171
And it was one of those moments
where we're like, wow, what we have
00:39:20.171 --> 00:39:22.391
here is a failure to communicate.
00:39:24.041 --> 00:39:29.281
and fortunately we were able to
pull strings and call former product
00:39:29.281 --> 00:39:34.631
designers and get, get the, get the thing
aligned with what we wanted to shoot.
00:39:36.306 --> 00:39:37.696
I think boy had, we.
00:39:38.266 --> 00:39:43.156
Perhaps had a creative summit
before before really kicking off
00:39:43.306 --> 00:39:48.086
pre-production, could have solved
that issue or some of those issues.
00:39:48.281 --> 00:39:51.411
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah
hopefully we prevented some of those
00:39:51.951 --> 00:39:56.331
on the listeners of this podcast to
go out and make movies, but have this
00:39:56.361 --> 00:40:00.261
communication, have some sort of a
creative summit before pre-production
00:40:00.261 --> 00:40:03.411
officially starts to say, here's
the movie we're trying to make.
00:40:03.471 --> 00:40:07.611
Get aligned, ask questions, make sure
everyone's on the same page, and then you
00:40:07.611 --> 00:40:09.861
can go make your awesome movie together.
00:40:10.851 --> 00:40:11.331
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Together.
00:40:11.391 --> 00:40:13.191
I think that's the key
word there together.
00:40:13.251 --> 00:40:13.521
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Yeah.
00:40:13.821 --> 00:40:14.181
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
love it.
00:40:14.241 --> 00:40:14.811
Thanks man.
00:40:14.841 --> 00:40:15.261
Great.
00:40:15.266 --> 00:40:15.501
Great points.
00:40:16.221 --> 00:40:17.451
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Yeah, that's a good one.
00:40:19.941 --> 00:40:20.421
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134: Okay.
00:40:20.421 --> 00:40:21.266
Thank you to our,
00:40:21.981 --> 00:40:23.691
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Oh, we should end the podcast.
00:40:23.781 --> 00:40:24.651
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
to end the podcast.
00:40:24.711 --> 00:40:25.671
No, thank you very much.
00:40:25.671 --> 00:40:30.511
For our listeners please if if you've
had your own production horror stories
00:40:31.051 --> 00:40:34.021
where you didn't communicate your
vision or you showed up and somebody
00:40:34.021 --> 00:40:35.491
was on an entirely different page.
00:40:36.016 --> 00:40:36.976
We'd love to hear about that.
00:40:37.186 --> 00:40:38.416
Or your success stories.
00:40:38.924 --> 00:40:42.464
that's probably more important
'cause no movie is made without
00:40:42.764 --> 00:40:44.024
having some success stories.
00:40:45.854 --> 00:40:49.394
so yeah, send those in and send us
your questions and what we can talk
00:40:49.394 --> 00:40:51.919
about and we'll keep telling you
about the movies that we're making.
00:40:52.604 --> 00:40:53.054
daren-smith_1_03-10-2026_121134: Amazing.
00:40:53.474 --> 00:40:54.014
Thanks, man.
00:40:54.014 --> 00:40:54.614
That was a good one.
00:40:55.149 --> 00:40:55.679
garrett-batty_1_03-10-2026_121134:
Okay, Daren.
00:40:58.692 --> 00:41:02.652
This season of Truly Independent is
supported by the Help Them See Foundation.
00:41:02.652 --> 00:41:06.702
Help Them See is a nonprofit dedicated
to supporting feature films that
00:41:06.702 --> 00:41:09.132
inspire faith, hope, and connection.
00:41:09.132 --> 00:41:11.982
By partnering with filmmakers
that help them see Foundation
00:41:11.982 --> 00:41:15.342
brings meaningful stories to life
and shares them with audiences
00:41:15.342 --> 00:41:19.452
worldwide, making a lasting cultural
impact through the power of cinema.
00:41:19.452 --> 00:41:22.692
Learn more and discover how you can
be part of the movement by visiting.
00:41:22.782 --> 00:41:24.102
Help them see foundation.
00:41:25.956 --> 00:41:27.096
Thanks for joining us.
00:41:27.096 --> 00:41:28.776
If you are enjoying truly independent.
00:41:28.776 --> 00:41:32.076
Please share and subscribe so you
don't miss the rest of the journey.
00:41:32.076 --> 00:41:35.556
Today's episode was edited by
Michael Bradford and produced
00:41:35.706 --> 00:41:36.996
by Three Coin Productions.