A Film Festival Case Study
Narrative | Dramatic Features
Film Name: YOU & I
Genre: Romance/Drama
Date: We completed principal photography at the height of the pandemic (pre-vaccine) February 2021, wrapped post end of 2022 and then finalized all elements for exhibition Summer 2023.
Director: Summer Shelton
Producer: Summer Shelton with Clayne Crawford and Todd Remis
Writer: Summer Shelton
Cinematographer: Bruce Thierry Cheung
Production Company: Story Farm, Back 40 and Salem Street Entertainment in association with Kaleidoscope Entertainment
Budget: Micro Budget
Financing: Private Equity
Shooting Format: HD
Screening Format: DCP
World Premiere: Nashville Film Festival
Awards:
– Polish Film Institute General Director’s Award (US & Canada in Progress, 2021)
– Nashville Film Festival (World Premiere, 2023 Official Selection; Grand Jury Nominee, Best Tennessee Feature)
– New Orleans Film Festival (2023 Official Selection; Narrative Competition)
– American Film Festival (International Premiere, 2023 Official Selection; Spectrum Competition)
– River Run International Film Festival (2024 Official Selection; Carolina Stories)
Website: https://www.instagram.com/youandithemovie/
The Official Trailer for YOU & I
Watch the trailer for YOU & I Written & Directed by Summer Shelton
A Short Biography of Summer Shelton
Summer Shelton holds Independent Spirit Piaget Producer’s Award 2018. She is also a producer on Maine for Tribeca Film Festival 2018, and Keep The Change, Tribeca Film Festival Best Narrative Feature 2017. She is an Executive Producer of People Places Things. Which premiered in US Dramatic Competition at Sundance Film Festival 2015. She produced Icarus (short film) which premiered at New Directors/New Films Festival 2015. Additionally she is a producer of Little Accidents. Which had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival 2014.
The Summer Shelton Interview
indieactivity: Tell us about “who you are”?
Summer Shelton (SS): I am a woman born and raised in North Carolina. I grew up on a small sheep farm where I would often escape into my imagination. I was encouraged to explore my talents by teachers that I have met throughout my life which influenced my own passion for education and encouraged others to develop their talents. This desire to help others is what led me to feel like I could be a good producer. I like to help people who have an idea and find a way to make it happen. It took me to my early 40s to take stock of my own dreams and aspirations, You & I is my first step toward making them tangible.
Introduce YOU & I?
Summer Shelton (SS): You & I is about former flames, Sara and Joseph, who are reunited for a weekend. They get to explore the “what ifs?” that might have been with “the one that got away.” Oscillating between observational and naturalism, my approach was to have audiences experience the love story in the same way it unfolds — never getting closer to the couple than are emotionally with each other. I created a love story where two people do get a second chance to say the things they didn’t get to say. YOU & I is about love and heartbreak, but it is also about memories.
Why did you choose to write, produce, direct, YOU & I?
Summer Shelton (SS): First, I cannot take any credit for shooting the film; that was the talented angel Bruce Thierry Cheung. The other hats I wore (writer/director/producer/editor/actress) I was motivated by the perils of the pandemic trying to survive artistically. I became extremely concerned about my career and decided to swing for the fences. If I was going to be pushed out of pursuing my passion, I wanted to do it on my own terms knowing I tried everything I could do to “make it.” I had spent about fifteen years making films elevating the voices of extremely talent directors, and I wanted to share my own.
Introduce your crew on YOU & I?
Summer Shelton (SS): I hesitate to call these artists “my crew,” as I will always consider them blessings and fellow filmmakers. We made this film at the height of the pandemic (pre-vaccine) so these artists took a risk on me and jumped into the unknown to navigate making a film under these strange circumstances.
My first two phone calls when I knew I wanted to make the film were to Co-Producer Rob Cristiano and Assistant Director Jennifer Gerber. Rob is an extremely talented producer I’ve worked with and trust to turn everything over to. With him on board, I knew I would not have to worry about physical production and could focus on my other roles. Jennifer Gerber is a director I produce for who is also a confident, collaborator and friend. She also encouraged me to reach out to DP Bruce Thierry Cheung who she had worked with on multiple films in which director James Franco also starred.
Outside of his experience, I loved the observance and sensitivity to his work, and most of all I felt at ease and protected speaking with him. I wrote the film knowing Ashley Shelton and Linds Edwards would co-star, and they were kind enough to facilitate introductions to local Tennessee talents Production Manager Daniel Deal who then connected me with Production Designer Maggie Yeager – treasures. Gaffer Jeremy Bolden (our one-man everything grip/electric) I was introduced to by actress Kathleen Wise. Other shooting crew members came as direct referrals from these teammates or my own contacts.
Finishing the film became a global affair that I would never imagine possible for our small film. Winning the US & Canada in Progress Main Prize (2021) came with a generous 10k post-production grant for spending in Poland. I partnered with Fixa Films in Warsaw, Poland for finishing services. Then, I came to know the work of Javier Umpierrez in Mexico City by watching festival darling A Love Song –which also is a quiet, two-character driven love story.
I was introduced to composer William Ryan Fritch via Clayne who had collaborated with him on The Integrity of Joseph Chambers. He created a score where the notes tend to linger and slowly fade out, similar to drifting in and out of a memory. There are only two source cues in the film, and both were by Louisville, Kentucky artist Carly Johnson. She has a robust and soulful voice that is sensual and timeless.
What are your experiences putting on all these hats/responsibilities? Tell us about story, writing, and production?
Summer Shelton (SS): Pending what day of the week, some days it is the most rewarding experience of my life, some days it was the most frightening –but there was never a day I regretted doing any of it. Everything about making this film has been kismet so there are parts of the process I try not to question. I was led to take on these endeavors at a time in my life when I felt like I had nothing to lose and everything was out of my control –my career, my health, my future.
I felt like I was losing so much, and I wanted to feel like I could be in control of something. And, I wanted to create something that could show who I was and what I was capable of doing. On a practical level, I wanted to write, direct and edit a feature so I could put these things on my resumé to make me a stronger candidate for grants and jobs in higher education. I enjoy learning new things, so I approached this as an opportunity to improve myself and take action toward opening up opportunities for my future.
What is the source of the idea? How did the story evolve to a screenplay? Why do this story?
Summer Shelton (SS): Before I put pen to page, I established guidelines to ensure I could make a micro budget film during the pandemic. Those were: minimal characters and locations, no exterior night dialogue scenes, no scenes with background talent and the story should span a brief time period to reduce wardrobe needs. Additionally, I wanted to shoot Sara and Joseph’s scenes together in order so I wrote their storyline where they never return to a scripted location. My process is to outline the story on index cards, and then write – not always in order but most of the time I will. As I write I turn the index card face down so I can see my progress.
A vast majority of the pandemic I was alone in a place where I did not have any family and a few friends. To distract myself from the loneliness of isolation, I began organizing and cleaning out closets. While doing so, I found old love letters, pictures and other tokens that sparked a trip down memory lane –each stop a different relationship or life milestone. These feelings of nostalgia also inspired me to revisit one of my favorite film’s Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass, whichYou & I is an homage to. I often wondered if Bud (Warren Beatty) and Deanie (Natalie Wood) would have crossed paths later in life what would happen – could they meaningfully reconnect and better understand the trials and tribulations that contributed to their relationship’s demise? While Splendor in the Grass explores the romance of youth, You & I explores the same concepts of heartbreak and sexual repression but does so through the lens of characters in their middle age who are modern, complex and sexually mature.
Let’s talk pre-production: take us through a timeline of how you started & ended it.
Summer Shelton (SS): I wrote the first draft of the film over ten days in September 2020, and sent the script to Clayne in October. Once he signed on I knew I could raise financing. From September to end of December, I raised enough money to get the film in the can, secured a majority of locations, assembled the crew and prepped as much of the film I could by myself in Tennessee –gathering potential props, picking out wardrobe, figuring out a COVID plan, finding housing, etc. I prepped virtually with DP Bruce and AD Jen making our initial shotlists. Crew arrived on location after New Year’s January 2021, and we had just shy of two weeks prep on location before rolling camera on January 17, 2021
What was your rehearsal process and period?
Summer Shelton (SS): I wrote the film for the people on screen. Both Ashley Shelton and Linds Edwards I knew, and we were able to have table reads together and discuss the script at length. They also collaborated on their own wardrobe. Natives to Knoxville, they knew all the locations we would shoot at so speaking about ideas for blocking was easy since they had a frame of reference. I sent Shirlette Ammons the scenes and said we can riff on Zoom; we are friends and have a natural comradery. Clayne and I never Zoomed; we spoke on the phone regularly. We discussed other films of influence, lots of broader conversation about tone, mood and feeling. Then when he arrived on location a week before shooting, we were able to spend time together workshopping scenes getting into more granular details.
You shot YOU & I in days. How long were your days?
Summer Shelton (SS): We shot the film in 14 days – most were about 12H days.
Did the “tight” shooting schedule make it harder or easier? How did it affect performances?
Summer Shelton (SS): The conditions of shooting during a pandemic were ideal for our film. I wrote the script in a way that allowed us to efficiently shoot our story in chronological order to mimic the experience of the characters and have liberty to alter plot if needed. So, I did not want nor need to shoot tons of coverage which helped. I wish I could make every film as intimately as we did You & I, but the script has to be able to support such an environment on and off screen.
During YOU & I production, what scene was the hardest to shoot? And why?
Summer Shelton (SS): The opening bar scene where the friends unite for the first time. The beginning of the film is extremely important –it can make or break someone’s interest to keep watching. In hindsight, I can say that I over-scripted these scenes; there was too much backstory, too many little details to cover that weren’t integral to the plot and once in the space with the people and words being spoken out loud, the pacing did not match the energy that I wanted to start the film with. I made the decision to reshoot the scene – twice actually. The solution became making it a snappy scene where no one sat down. What was a ten page heavily covered scene got cut in probably less than half and shot with limited coverage.
What worked better on YOU & I production that mightn’t have worked so well in the last one you did?
Summer Shelton (SS): Clayne and I collaborated on the edit. By that I mean, I edited the film, and he watched every cut with me. We did all our own ADR together and ciphered through music cues. For a few scenes we were able to do a virtual session where we could tinker with things in real time. I loved it. And, I don’t know that turning over the edit to the actors would always work so well, but it was appropriate and fitting for this film which is about memories; the footage was our own scrapbook we could navigate. I could talk to Clayne directly about certain moments or feelings I was hoping to capture within scenes as he could tell me: “I remember when…” or “I remember feeling…” I could then revisit the footage from his perspective. It was fascinating to hear from him how Joseph was seeing Sara within the scene where I (as Sara) saw the footage from my perspective; it was a life lesson being reminded how sometimes someone sees you in a way you do not see yourself.
What were the advantages and disadvantages in the way you worked?
Summer Shelton (SS): This film was made the way it should have been made – small, intimate and over a brief period of time; it parallels the story. We shot Clayne and my storyline in order, and as a director and actor that is such an advantage. Shooting during COVID was a dis-advantage of its own; for sure I would have loved to have spent that testing money on hiring a bit more crew to be able to lighten the workload of all those who generously came on board. If I recall somewhere between 15-20% of my shooting budget went to COVID expenses. On a micro budget film, that equates to a couple of hires, multiple days and equal to an entire post production sound budget.
What was the experience like of working with a small shooting crew?
Summer Shelton (SS): I loved it because I loved the people that were on set. To have an effective small shoot, you have to curate the crew with as much importance as you do the cast. Everyone knew coming in what kind of film we were trying to make and created a safe, intimate space that allowed Clayne and I to have freedom within scenes and be open to making changes in real time. I felt more enabled to take risks because I knew the people around me were supportive and open minded to exploring the craft in real time.
YOU & I looks stunning. How did you get such a good look when shooting so fast?
Summer Shelton (SS): Bruce Thierry Cheung and Gaffer Jeremy Bolden. These talented men worked with such a minimal crew and resources and leaned into the minimalism – lots of use of practical lighting and lots of ingenuity and talent. Bruce and I also spend time developing our visual language and “ground rules.” We want the film to make the audience feel like an observer not a participant. We approached each scene asking, “What do we allow the audience to see?” To execute that vision and tone, we blocked scenes using frames within frames, mirrors and putting the camera outside looking in or inside looking out at the actors. By creating an additional layer for the audience to peer past, I establish distance. As the film progresses and as the characters become more vulnerable with each other, I allow the audience to as well by removing boundaries and using more close ups.
When did you form your production company – what was the motivation for its formation?
Summer Shelton (SS): I created Story Farm to be the banner for my work as a producer, production consultant or educator. My hope is through my work I can nurture ideas, support the artistic growth of talent and shepherd stories to the screen. My focus is to create stories with emphasis on exploring human connections.
What was the first project out of the gate?
Summer Shelton (SS): As an actress, I was the lead in a short film The Immaculate Reception directed by Randy Gillis. In production, Goodbye Solo was my first “real movie job,” I worked alongside director Ramin Bahrani – casting, scouting locations, working on production all through post. I wasn’t really versed in production language or job descriptions; I just did anything that needed to be done and learned so much along the way. He was at my film school.
What about independent filmmaking and the business do you still struggle with?
Summer Shelton (SS): Sustainability.
Where do you think your strengths lie as a filmmaker?
Summer Shelton (SS): I am not afraid of what I don’t know. I am empathetic to both sides of the process – show and business, and I prioritize the story. Whether script development or during production, I am always thinking about the edit. And, looking at every decision by evaluating the opportunity cost in relation to the story. On a concrete skill level, I am organized and not afraid to talk to strangers.
Let’s talk about finance. How did you finance the film?
Summer Shelton (SS): Initially, I raised enough for physical production via private equity. Which included two investors and myself making a smaller contribution. I was blessed to secure a $10k grant from the Polish Film Institute which was instrumental for my post. All other post and finishing cost, I self-financed by investing money I earned working as a line producer and teacher.
How much did you go over budget? How did you manage it?
Summer Shelton (SS): We did not go over budget. I credit that to co-Producer Rob Cristiano for running a wonderful physical production on a shoestring. I did all the accounting for the film and post supervision. Having to self-fund post production, and each decision about spend was personal. So, I had to prioritize what was responsible for me to spend money on. When we set up the financing agreements there was a cap to the overall spend on the film. And, I am proud to say we are just safely under it.
How important is marketing? Or the festival tour? Can a project can make a dent without it nowadays?
Summer Shelton (SS): Marketing, publicity, social media – any medium to connect with audiences is instrumental. The market is saturated so finding ways to directly connect with viewers is important. I don’t think it should be ignored. Because, I loved my festival run. I was honored to screen at multiple Southern Festivals: World Premiere at Nashville Film Festival. Additional, New Orleans and River Run along with Internationally at the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, Poland. What was invigorating for me and made me feel confident that the film would resonate was interacting with audience members. After every screening, people of all ages would tell me about their own love stories. Their own “Sara” or “Joseph” from their past lives.
Tell us about marketing efforts on this project – and how it worked or didn’t work?
Summer Shelton (SS): Good questions – ask me again in a few months. Speaking with you and your audience is a wonderful start, and I’m grateful for you welcoming me onto the platform.
What do you hope audiences will get from the presentation of your film?
Summer Shelton (SS): My hope is that audiences can watch and remember how someone once made them feel.
What else have you got in the works?
Summer Shelton (SS): I am adapting a crime novel for the screen. Which is a continuation of my interest in making films about complicated lives, love, memory and regret. On the producing side, Jen Gerber’s documentary debut about 22 yr old Taylor Kreiter. One of the few female demolition derby drivers in the World. And a daring action-packed teen heist movie by writer/director Jared Goodman to be shot next year.
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