Best Cinematography – Derek Frey, “God Came ‘Round” (USA)

Title: God Came ‘Round
Runtime: 11 min
Country: USA
Director: Derek Frey
Placement: Award of Excellence + Best Cinematography (Derek Frey)
Competition: June, 2017

Synopsis: Down on his luck flower seller Sandeep (played by Deep Roy) pines to make a connection with the girl of his dreams.

DIRECTOR Q&A

OR: What was the inspiration for your film?

DF: Trever Veilleux’s songwriting and poetic lyrics were the inspiration. I’ve been a fan of his music for a while now and this song spoke to me visually. I first collaborated with his band Technical Difficulties in 2001 on a music video for the song Sex is Easier. I listened to an advance copy of his new album Professor T and the East Side Shredders and the track God Came ‘Round jumped out instantly as something that could turn into a unique, funny, and touching music video. It’s an incredible album and I look forward to creating more videos to accompany it soon.

OR: When did you conceive the idea for your film and how long did it take before it was realized?

DF: I first listened to the album and heard the song during a long-haul flight this past April. I reached out to actor Deep Roy a few days later and he agreed to be part of the project immediately. We filmed over 2 days and 2 nights in late May around London and I finished up the edit by the end of June. From start to finish I think it is the quickest project I have ever been part of.

OR: What was the most challenging aspect of working in a short film format?

DF: Each and every shot counts. You have less time to tell a story so your opportunity for impact is condensed. For this project I knew storyboards would help immensely so I created as many as I could as a guide in our short production time.

OR: What was the most challenging aspect of your production?

DF: It was an extremely smooth shoot. There were many things that could have gone wrong that fortunately didn’t. It was still a challenging shoot and the number of setups and costume changes required kept us on our toes throughout.

OR: Do you have any advice for first-time filmmakers?

DF: Just get out there and create. There are so many stories to tell and these days there’s nothing to hold you back. Let your passion guide you and always have a camera near your side.