LOUIS AND ANNE Directed By Austin Alward

Shane: Tell us about your film?

Austin: We shot Louis & Anne in Paris using an old Eclair 35mm camera.  Our small guerilla crew made use of as much available light as possible.  In a time when so much energy is being put into new production technologies, Louis & Anne's theme of 'old meets new' allowed us to explore more traditional filmmaking techniques such as hand-cranking and pushing the various film stocks in processing.

S: How did you come up with the idea for the film?

A: The film is a first stab at addressing the subject of global warming from a narrative perspective as a way of engaging viewers aesthetically and emotionally rather than hitting them with more facts and figures.

S: Was this a school project?

A: No.

S: How did you find your cast? 

A: We ran an ad through a Paris-based organization called La Maison du Court-Metrage.  It's a great resource for finding cast and crew.  We held auditions in a rented space, picked the two actors that made the most interesting looking match and moved straight into shooting from there.

S: How long did the film take?  (From conception to final edit)

A: In total the film took about 3 months to complete.

S: What was the most difficult part of the shoot for you?

A: Post-production.

S: Tell us about the films festival experience so far?

A: Louis & Anne has screened at a number of film festivals including Cinequest and the Wisconsin Film Festival.  I tell people it's more about the look and the mood than the words or the story.  It's a structural film.  

S: What films or filmmakers inspire you?

A: Nearly all movies inspire me in one way or another.  One of my favorites is Dr. Strangelove, and I'm a fan of anything that includes the Coen Brothers or Gene Wilder.

S: What made you decide to become a filmmaker?

A: There was no single moment that made me decide to become a filmmaker.  Over time I have just come to love the process and the people I've met and the fact that you never have to retire.  You can blur the line between your life and your work if you want to. 

S: What is next for you? 

A: I have been working on a documentary for the past 6 years about a pair of San Francisco based artists that explore forgotten American infrastructures.  I am also preparing my first narrative feature film project that will explore the subject of global warming.  It's a comedy! 

S: If asked to give one piece of advice to a new filmmaker making their first short film… What would it be?

A: Breathe and enjoy it!