A few weeks ago, I found myself in a screening room in Hollywood, sitting in a seat behind Werner Herzog. We were both there to see a film he executive produced that deals with memory, tragedy, and connection.
The movie is called Reeling, and it just had its world premiere at SXSW in Austin. It was directed by Yana Alliata.
It tells the story of Ryan, a physically and emotionally scarred guy who lost some of his memory in an accident just outside his family’s home in Hawaii. He’s now back for a luau, and everyone is treating him like a guy who died.
What struck me about the film was how mature and empathetic it was toward everyone on screen. There are no villains or heroes in this movie; it is just one family trying to move on but not forget. No one is quite sure how to handle the situation, and in those awkward pauses and conversations, we see this movie glow.
‘Reeling’CREDIT: SXSW Film Festival
This is underscored by some of the best cinematography I’ve seen in an indie movie, and the Hawaiian backdrop serves as another character in the film.
I was so excited to sit down with Yana Alliata, to hear about her process of getting this story to the screen. And to hear that after being celebrated for her debut film at SXSW, Alliata is raising financing for her next project – a haunting thriller at an idyllic Hawaiian wedding.
Let’s dive into our interview below.
NO FILM SCHOOL: I’ve never seen a psychological thriller/drama set against the picturesque locales of Hawaii. Was this based on a true story?
Yana Alliata: The Lu’au is an event that takes place every year on my friend’s property, but the story is fictional. I grew up on Oahu, and I’ve always wanted to capture my experience of home, the people, and places that are not typically depicted in the movies/shows out there (like tourists at a resort or lifeguard shows). I wanted to break out of the stereotypes we see in Hawaii and tell a meaningful story. I’m also Italian, so I grew up on European films in Hawaii. You can see the influence of that in REELING.
NFS: It’s a very authentic film where you blur the line between fiction and what feels like reality. How did you achieve this tone so consistently?
YA: Yes, the moment I set out to make a movie back home, I knew I’d have to use real people (not actors) who are a natural part of the environment. My guy friends who are prepping the imu pit and body surfing had to feel real. I mixed professional and non-professional actors to achieve the sense of realism in the film. The actors improved their way into every written scene; some scenes were entirely improvised. I loved working with friends and family; it made the professional actors have a real sense of place. We also all lived on the property during filming which created a sense of family and familiarity that the professional actors could hold onto.
‘Reeling’
‘Reeling’CREDIT: SXSW Film Festival
NFS: Your lead, Ryan Wuestewald, is particularly effective in the role of a man with a traumatic brain injury struggling to fit in with family and friends back home (returning home after an accident changed his life forever). You place us in his POV, and you can really feel what he’s going through. How was this layered into the film?
YA: I wanted us to feel every moment that Ryan was going through. The story takes place over 24 hours, it’s a moment-to-moment psychological drama that has to be married to his POV. As the character remembers the moment his life took that turn, we are right there with him. I also used the score to contrast his mindset with the peaceful, ‘Aloha Friday’ environment around My him. The cinematography and score amplify the sense that his is a character who is out of step with the reality around him, he is a ghost or shell of the man he used to be. A once familiar place is now a complete stranger to him.
NFS: I loved the scene where Ryan makes friends with a gecko. It’s crazy how you got that footage. How did that happen?
YA: Totally! We were thrilled with his performance (that gecko now has a SAG card). We had hoped we would find a gecko on set and were ready to film it if the miracle presented itself. When it happened, we were over the moon, and Ryan (in character) started communicating with the gecko-like it was his only friend in the story. It showed a side of Ryan’s personality that is sensitive and let us into his struggle to fit in with the humans/adults at the party.
‘Reeling’CREDIT: SXSW Film Festival
NFS: The cinematography is so calculated. Your use of long takes and continuous shots vs standard coverage is particularly effective and, I can imagine, also challenging.
YA: Yes, my DP, Rafael Leyva (who was on the NFS podcast), is brilliant. It was important for me to team up with a cinematographer who understood the challenges of executing these shots within the production schedule we had. I was so relieved that we achieved what we set out to do. The opening shot is a long, ominous, Steadicam shot through the house as Ryan reintroduces himself to everyone, and that was crazy to shoot. There was a mix of professional actors and non-actors in that scene who all had to land their marks and lines at the right time. We finally got it, though, but it was a circus! It was very beneficial to have a steadicam rehearsal day the shoot so that helped with landing that scene!
NFS: What were some of your biggest hurdles on set?
YA: I had an incredible cast and crew. Everyone was so passionate and supportive while shooting. The challenge was time. The majority of the film takes place outdoors, so the sun was our greatest ally and worst enemy. Other than that, I’m so proud of what we pulled off. Set life is putting out fires left and right, and to have a DP who could act as a firefighter in putting out the fires with me was invaluable.
NFS: What’s up next for you? And where can people find Reeling?
YA: We just had our world premiere at SXSW in the narrative feature competition! We are currently seeking worldwide distribution and are excited to share this unique Hawaii-based psychological drama to audiences everywhere. You can follow us on Instagram @reelingmovie for more updates. In the meantime, I’m developing my next film – a haunting thriller set at an idyllic Hawaiian wedding. It’s a ghost story set in the rainforest that I grew up in on Oahu. Very excited to shoot that next!
Author: Jason Hellerman
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
