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| Less Is More |
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| LESS IS MORE A Look into the Making of "Another Life" |
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Historically, "Less is More" has been the chosen motto for the independent
filmmaking community. While that credo has an even stronger resonance in the
realm of the live-action short film, its audience appeal has long been hampered
by a lack of accessibility outside of specialized film festivals. Thanks to the
global rise of the Internet and other electronic media, the live-action short
has gained a powerful momentum. For actors, the live-action short is a chance to stretch their abilities in a challenging manner. For filmmakers, it is more than just a creative exercise, but a calling card in which to garner industry attention. Armed with an original story and fueled by ambition, first-time director Tracey D'Arcy set out to tap into the resurgence of the live-action short. The result is ANOTHER LIFE. In less than 12 minutes, D'Arcy's film examines a simple, yet dramatic premise. A man and a woman have dared to face the complexities of their relationship -- at least on the surface. The experience of ANOTHER LIFE is both thrilling and unsettling, as if walking into the middle of a private conversation. By its end, the true nature of the couple's union provides a dramatic revelation for both its characters and the audience. The equivalent of moving from 0 to 80 mph, ANOTHER LIFE was the kind of creative challenge that proved seductive for all involved, particularly for its director, Tracey D'Arcy. After starting her professional career as an actress, D'Arcy evolved into a leading presence as a post-production producer for episodic television. While producing on the second season of Fox Television/UPN series "Roswell", D'Arcy had been carefully weighing her next challenge. That led her to create the world of ANOTHER LIFE. "Directing my own project is something I had always aspired to do," D'Arcy said. "I wanted to create a film from the ground up. I decided to start small and finance it myself which would allow me the freedom to take risks." Finding the right script was the first of many challenges for D'Arcy. The basic story structure had to be met while still telegraphing enough information to the audience in a compelling fashion - all under 12 minutes or less. A daunting task, but then she came up with a concept that would evolve into ANOTHER LIFE. "After finishing the treatment," D'Arcy said, "I went to Ron Moore and asked him for notes. We talked about the story and how I envisioned telling it." A veteran of the legendary Star Trek: The Next Generation film and television universe, as well as the current co-executive producer of the Fox Television/UPN series "Roswell," Ronald Moore provided a strong burst of creative energy that would bring ANOTHER LIFE to fruition. "When Tracey first told me about the project," Moore said, "I was intrigued by the core concept. During a long phone conversation, I gave her my thoughts on her treatment. I put the phone down and tried to go back to work, but the story just kept circling around in my head. I just decided to rough out a few pages to see where it would go. Two hours later, I had written the whole thing." D'Arcy continued, "When I arrived at the office the following day, I found Ron's draft on my desk." "She hadn't asked me to do it," Moore added. "I felt sort of presumptuous just charging ahead like that, so I left it on her desk with a note and hoped she might find something in it she liked. The next day, we ran into each other and she had a great big smile on her face." "It was exactly what I had in mind," D'Arcy concluded. "I loved the subtlety of the piece. It had the right mix of intimacy and simplicity. It felt raw and open. The characters were clearly defined and given this air of duality that gave the piece its mystery. I immediately sent it out to the cast and crew I had in mind for the project." Less collaboration and more of a family affair, D'Arcy went through a painstaking process in building the right kind of team to smoothly realize ANOTHER LIFE's tight, three-day shooting schedule. She relied on the friendships established throughout her career as a producer, from her start with Steven Bochco Productions to her current "Roswell" clan. At times, this required her asking the crew to work for free or for the price of a plane ticket to Los Angeles. Regardless, D'Arcy was heartened by their eagerness to contribute their time and talent to the project. D'Arcy added, "I knew the look of the film was going to be very important and because it was an intense and emotional piece, a certain approach and sensibility was crucial. I wanted my actors to feel safe and free to take risks, as did I as a first-time director. When putting together my team, I took these factors into consideration." Craftspeople such as director of photography John Bartley ("The X-Files"), editor Leo Trombetta (Twin Falls Idaho), costume designer Anita Brown ("Roswell"), production designer Dawn Snyder (Dancer, Texas) and composer Joseph Stanley Williams ("Roswell," "Early Edition") all took time away from their summer hiatus to lend their skills to ANOTHER LIFE. "I was very fortunate in securing the donation of the equipment and a third of the film and saved to cover the rest," D'Arcy said. "I didn't want to cut corners when it came to taking care of my crew and actors. When I arrived on the first day of shooting, I knew we had something special. We were going to have a great three days working together." If the crew provided the backbone of ANOTHER LIFE, the actors who would be enigmatically named "Man" and "Woman" would embody its heart. The roles would require two actors to grapple with a highly charged situation and other demands. Not an easy task to realize with authenticity when you're facing a ticking clock. Again, friendship would have its rewards. Enter William Sadler and Jessica Tuck. "Bill and I worked together on "Roswell," D'Arcy explained. "Jessica is a great friend of mine. My instincts about the two of them working together were dead on. They approach their work in a similar fashion and connected immediately. Their ability as actors to be very intimate with each other so quickly was what this piece required." Best known for his roles in The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption, William Sadler found the chance to star in his first live-action short as an "interesting and fun" challenge. Given his expertise at playing dark characters in such films as Die Hard 2 and Disturbing Behavior, the gray areas of ANOTHER LIFE's couple was hard to resist. "What was fun for me was to see if I could get people to sympathize with his situation," Sadler said. "To create a believable, false situation without misleading the audience in that they could be comfortable going along, going down that road with him and like him. Then, snapping their necks." For Emmy-nominated actress Jessica Tuck, ANOTHER LIFE meant a chance to go against type and explore a darker psyche, a prospect that "excited and terrified" her. It would involve a process that required establishing a familiarity and intimacy that would lend reality to the piece. A tall order for two actors who had just met 10 minutes before "action!" "ANOTHER LIFE is a very intimate, intense piece and I was nervous before we started because we hadn't had the opportunity to rehearse," Tuck said. "In fact, I met Bill the first day of shooting. My worries were for nothing. Bill was great and threw himself into it and I immediately felt comfortable." Both actors commended D'Arcy for selecting such a nuanced project in which to test her storytelling abilities. But it was her great care in establishing such a comfortable working environment that ultimately harnessed the peak of the team's creative energies. "Tracey did a great thing that not all directors do very well," Sadler commented. "She created a play pen in which her actors could bounce off one another and feel free and comfortable and safe." "It felt good to be challenged this way," Tuck added. "I learned a lot about trust. Trusting Bill and trusting myself." For D'Arcy, the experience of helming her first film project ANOTHER LIFE surpassed her own expectations. Even with the constraints of the live-action short format, the director felt liberated by the task at hand and remains hopeful about her future endeavors. "Creating a film was an exciting challenge," D'Arcy said. "as well as a completely fulfilling experience which I look forward to again." |
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