The high cost of healthcare in America is at the center of the psychological “crime-thriller” feature film Smile As You Kill from Writer and Director Michael Sarrow. In this if-I-die-you-die situation, a very ill and desperate man holds a slick advertising-executive hostage at gun-point demanding he create a crowdfunding campaign good enough to save his life. Now available for streaming on major platforms and on DVD by X4 Pictures, the film first launched on the festival circuit earning six ‘Best Feature’ awards and an ‘Audience Award’.
indieactivity: How did you get into directing? How would you describe your style?
Michael Sarrow (MS): I come to directing as a writer first. For my scripts, I like to explore characters who are thrown into slightly-absurd scenarios as they deal with issues of life and death. Directing became a way to tell those stories visually with a tone that I hope is somewhat unique to my films.
The Official Trailer for Smile As You Kill Directed by Michael Sarrow
For style, I don’t feel confined to a strict realism, but I do always try to serve the demands of the story. Smile As You Kill is almost entirely a two-hander, so we used blocking and various two-shot compositions to convey the shifting power dynamics between the characters. Several visual echoes and a consistent color motif also help develop the themes of the film.
Without giving anything away, tell us a little bit about the script for “Smile As You Kill”.
Michael Sarrow (MS): The story is about Rico—a sick man with only a few months to live—and Terry—a slick advertising director. Rico holds Terry at gunpoint and forces him to create an online campaign to raise money for Rico’s life-saving treatment. If Terry doesn’t succeed, both men die. It’s not the most well-thought-out plan, but it’s Rico’s only hope.
Why this story and how did you come up with the idea?
Michael Sarrow (MS): Unfortunately, for many people, crowdfunding has become a last-ditch effort to rescue their own lives from lifelong medical debt or worse. Coincidentally, a month before the digital release of the film, the CEO of United Healthcare was assassinated in the street, an act that shows just how desperate people are in this country.
Smile as You Kill explores this modern desperation while also placing two wildly-different characters into direct confrontation with one another. At the same time, the humorous irony of the crowdfunding situation forces Rico and Terry to work together to raise the money.
What were the first steps you took to make it happen?
Michael Sarrow (MS): As a truly independent film, the first step was writing something I could shoot. I think the film offers a good example of writing for an ultra-low-budget or microbudget. Mostly two characters. Mostly one location.
What was the casting process for “Smile As You Kill”?
Michael Sarrow (MS): I got all my first choices. I wrote the lead character Rico specifically for Rey Goyos. An actor who is both a good friend and extremely talented at both intensity and comedic timing. I sat down with him before I wrote anything and asked if he’d be willing to make a movie. Even, if we had to shoot on a phone with very limited resources. For some reason, he agreed.
After the script was complete, I reached out to Michael Teh, who I previously directed in a short film. I knew he’d be perfect for the role of Terry. Then I reached out to Jennifer Prediger, who I worked with in my first feature film. They both agreed, which made my casting life very easy. Fortunately, we were also able to raise a bit of money, so we didn’t have to shoot on my phone.
Did you rehearse in advance or what was your approach on-set working with the actors?
Michael Sarrow (MS): Smile As You Kill is dialogue-driven with each character having a well-defined arc, and we had a limited amount of actual shoot dates in the location. I felt rehearsals were essential for this film. We went through the entire script over the course of several sessions.
Both of our lead actors have been praised for their performances in our early reviews, and people who have seen the film tell me their loyalties go back-and-forth between the two characters.
How long did it take to shoot? And how much time was spent in post-production?
Michael Sarrow (MS): We completed principal photography in 12½ days. We spent 10 days in the primary location of Terry’s condo. I knew we didn’t have a lot of time, so I prepped as much as I could. On the other hand, post-production took a year. I had a talented team, but things move more slowly when working on a lower budget.
How do you balance creativity and financial restrictions?
Michael Sarrow (MS): I write my own material to direct, so I write with the budget in mind. I suspect that will always be the case, but hopefully I will gain a bit more flexibility in the future.
What would you recommend to a new director at the beginning of his/ her journey?
Michael Sarrow (MS): From a practical perspective, we’d have to address the elephant in the room. Filmmaking is perhaps the most expensive art form out there. Even if you shoot on a phone, there are a lot of costs: labor of a crew, meals, production design, locations, gear, and more.
Indie filmmaking requires luck, money, and tenacity. If you lack resources, try to create projects that require less money and less luck. Smile As You Kill was planned for mostly one location with mostly two characters, and that’s how I got it made.
Who is your creative idol and what do you love about their work?
Michael Sarrow (MS): For his thematic depth and character psychology, Ingmar Bergman is my North Star. Not exactly the most unique answer, but there’s a reason for that. As a chamber film with one character directly confronting his own mortality, Smile As You Kill could potentially be seen as “Bergman at gunpoint.” Except this film has more humor, hopefully.
What’s next for you? What are you working on right now?
Michael Sarrow (MS): I have a script with a rich lead role that I think a talented actress could have a blast with. It’s another out-of-this-world scenario with high stakes and dark humor. If people watch and enjoy Smile As You Kill, I will hopefully get a chance to make it.
Tell us what you think of the interview with Michael Sarrow. What do you think of it? What ideas did you get? Do you have any suggestions? Or did it help you? Let’s have your comments below and/or on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
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