indieactivity: What inspired the story behind this film?
Wil Glavin (WG): I was born in Philadelphia, raised in NYC, and went to college outside Boston. After having spent nearly all my life living on the east coast, I was a bit shell-shocked when I moved to LA. There were influencers/content creators on every street corner. They were inescapable. I wanted to educate myself on them. So, that led me to construct this narrative.
Can you describe your vision for the film when you first started?
Wil Glavin (WG): I am a lover of classic Hollywood. I thoroughly enjoy the mystery and film noir genres of 1940s and 1950s cinema. I wanted to take that general story structure and implant it into today’s fast-paced technological world.
How did you approach character development? Were there specific influences?
Wil Glavin (WG): The crux of the film is how one would react and respond to a critical scenario. When the danger isn’t immediately directed at you personally, it’s no longer fight or flight; it’s more about protecting and saving. How would you react if you knew your loved one was no longer safe?
What was your collaboration process like with the screenwriter? Or did you write it?
Wil Glavin (WG): I wrote it.
The Official Trailer for “When The Ringlights Dim,” Directed by Wil Glavin
What themes or messages do you hope the audience takes away from the film?
Wil Glavin (WG): Technology and self-obsession are definite themes. How much are you sharing online? How easy would it be for someone to find your number, your address, and your loved ones’ information? This leads to the theme of self-awareness. Are the characters cognizant of how their actions affect others?
How do you think this film reflects contemporary issues or societal themes?
Wil Glavin (WG): I definitely wanted to tell a 2020s story that fit our cultural zeitgeist. It is very clearly a Gen-Z LA story. We dive into social media, dating apps, content creation, remote work, and several other contemporary issues. The film definitely could only take place in this era at this specific time period.
Are there any personal experiences that influenced the film’s narrative or characters?
Wil Glavin (WG): The main personal influence is my OCD. I personally have had OCD my entire life and enjoy writing about it and educating audiences. In both of my novels, I wrote about characters with OCD, and in this film, the character I play struggles with contamination OCD and labels himself “a washer.” OCD is an important part of my life and who I am, and I believe it has helped me achieve the level of success I’ve attained thus far.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during production?
Wil Glavin (WG): The main challenge was just our incredibly small on-set crew. I was tackling four different jobs at once, as was our cinematographer, Tannie Xin Tang. When shooting a low-budget film, naturally, one will have way fewer people on set, so it leads to the crew having to occasionally work outside of their zones of experience. Luckily, we had an incredibly talented group, so our quality helped make up for our quantity.
How did you choose your cast, and what qualities were you looking for in actors?
Wil Glavin (WG): Believability was crucial. I wanted to make sure the audience would and could believe that this actress has the look and behaviors of a real-life influencer. Several of my cast members have large followings on social media and are recognizable real-life creators, which I feel adds to the authenticity of the film.
Can you share any memorable moments from the filming process?
Wil Glavin (WG): On the morning of our second shoot day, our lead, Valentina Mami, wasn’t feeling 100%. I offered to alter her shoot days, but she was determined and said she wasn’t contagious. Her solution was to have a nurse come to the set to give her IV fluid to start her day. This was somewhat shocking to me, but apparently the IV has become common practice for some influencers/content creators/entertainment industry people these days. A nurse came, injected her with fluids, and she felt much better afterward and finished the whole shoot day without issue.
What role did cinematography play in conveying the film’s mood?
Wil Glavin (WG): My cinematographer, Tannie Xin Tang, and I wanted to convey this feeling that these characters, and people in general, are always being watched in our current society. Every moment, every blemish, and every mistake is online or on camera. We wanted to show our characters not just speaking to their followers when they were at their best, but also when they were at low points. We have a lot of “security camera” overhead shots, mirror shots, iPhone shots, and our specialty, “ring light shots.”
How did you approach the film’s soundtrack or score, and what impact did you want it to have?
Wil Glavin (WG): I worked very closely with our composers, III Worlds Music. We went scene by scene and came up with already existing songs that conveyed the right mood and tone for each moment of the script. They then came up with their own unique music that had the general vibe of pre-existing songs. We wanted to keep things light and fun leading up to the kidnapping, and then have a dark tonal shift following that shocking moment. We definitely tried to keep the film’s score contemporary and often opted for EDM (electronic dance music) as the genre of choice.
Were there any specific techniques or technologies you used to enhance the storytelling?
Wil Glavin (WG): For us, it was about showing the many different angles of these creators’ world. We used a lot of phones, laptops, Zooms, ring lights, and security camera-type footage. These characters are surrounded by technology in their everyday lives, so we made it a priority to have all of these be focal points during the film.
What do you want audiences to feel or think about after watching the film?
Wil Glavin (WG): At the end of the day, I want audiences to feel entertained and satisfied. This should be a fun, light-hearted, occasionally comedic film with some thrills and some heartfelt moments. It’s an easy hour and 41-minute watch that’s great for a relaxing Friday night at home with your significant other or a watch party among roommates/friends.
How do you hope this film will resonate with different demographics?
Wil Glavin (WG): A lot of the themes will resonate with a younger demographic—high school, college-aged, and post-grad twenty-somethings are a logical prime target. However, the film is a great educator for all four quadrants at any age. If anyone wants to learn more about content creators, influencers, or how social media affects one’s mental and emotional well-being, this film is for you too. At the end of the day, fun and entertaining movies are for everyone.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
Wil Glavin (WG): I was so eager to make the movie that after the first round of funding, I decided to fund the rest of the film from my own personal savings account. It was a bold, bet-on-myself move and allowed me to make the movie ASAP, but it has led to some sleepless nights!
What do you hope to explore in your future projects?
Wil Glavin (WG): This one was a kidnapping thriller. I think I will do a murder mystery in the future. I would love to add a bit of gore/gunfire. At the end of the day, I just want to make projects that feel wholly original and unique. I can and have written in any genre over the years; I just want to remain adaptable and continue to be a great collaborator and communicator.
How do you see your style or approach evolving in your next films?
Wil Glavin (WG): I am definitely a writing/storytelling-first director at this stage in my career. I was an English major at Tufts, and the large majority of my experience has been with writing short stories, my two published novels, and a lot of screenplays and pilots. I think with each of my subsequent films, as my directing experience catches up with my writing experience, you’ll see more advanced technical aspects, inimitable shots, and settings that you have never seen before.
Tell us what you think of the interview with Wil Glavin. 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.
FILMMAKER INTERVIEWS
