He's A Rockstar

What happens on set...stays on set.

...or not, because these stories are just too good to be kept under wraps. The set of He's A Rockstar was anything but boring. Every set has its "moments"...and believe me, this one was no exception.

[Little warning, y'all--HERE BE SPOILERS. If you haven't yet seen the film and don't want to ruin anything, you might want to proceed with caution.]

Pre-production
In workshops, we had to give our piece a title, even if it was just a temporary one. Well, I didn't have a title for my treatmentwhen I first began to present it--I just called it "Reden" after the song that inspired it--but I added the English translation of the word, as well as a note that it was a temporary title. There were a couple of jokesters in my workshop group, so every time I workshopped my treatment, he read the full title--"Reden (Speak) Temp. Title"--out loud.
One of the many questions I kept getting was "Why is the rockstar a virgin?" That was probably the most-asked question, from all sides...so when I brought the script to a group of friends for and asked for a critique, I was expecting a comment on that. I was not, however, expecting a huge, multiple-occasion, ongoing discussion about exactly WHY Skye was still a virgin. I refused to change it--but people STILL were harping on about the whole "virgin" thing well into rehearsals.
So my production designer is kind of...well...interesting, to say the least. He has a hell of a flair for marketing (understatement of the century), and all his films have this kind of out-of-this-world look to them, so when he offered to do production design I agreed right away (even though at the time I didn't even really know what that was). Well, one day, I was talking to my art director about the technical details, which is where production design usually comes in, so I called Aaron over and...well...

I believe this image speaks for itself.

Everyone knows that you are never, ever, EVER supposed to go into a casting session with someone picked out ahead of time...and yet I seem to keep doing that. I went through the whole workshop process with an image of someone COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from Sheridan in mind, only to get up to the auditions and discover that Sheridan, who I'd never really spoken to before he got called for tryouts, was absolutely brilliant. Believe me, everyone, I had one tough decision to make. I went over my notes from the auditions over and over. I talked to my AD, who in turn gave me one of those frequent reality checks that he pulls off better than anyone else I know (thank you, Travis). I called my parents. I talked to my roommate. I read and re-read my screenplay and character bios. Finally, I decided to go with Sheridan. The deciding factor? How much chemistry he'd had with Erin Johnson, whom I'd chosen for the leading lady...and guess what? They knew each other before the auditions! They were together! Talk about coincidence!

Just in case it wasn't weird enough that I cast a couple as...well...a couple? The theater department, which is where most of the Interlochen MPAs' thesis film casts come from, was running waaaay low on male actors at the time I cast my film, so I had a few people from the film department come in to widen the talent pool. And guess what? One of them, Harry, who eventually wound up playing Jack, had actually auditioned for me the previous year, for Possession (he didn't get the part, but he was definitely a top contender). Even weirder? The character that he played was actually based in-part on him. Oh, and in case THAT wasn't weird enough? He lived down the hall from Rowen Kahn, who played his "best friend" in the film.

The graphic art, including the Psychology Trap logo, was done by Bonnie Brade and Pippa Adam--both of whom are friends with Dani Katz, who did the artwork for Possession.

I was lucky enough to be the third person that school year to shoot my thesis, which meant that I pretty much got top picks for my crew--that is, if they hadn't already made pacts with their best friends to work each other's theses. This is why I wound up with a lot of first-year students (who ROCKED, by the way) on my crew.

Speaking of crewmembers...mine were shuffled around. Like, a LOT. Especially my DP. Aaron Tyson, my production designer, was initially supposed to DP. Then he got overbooked, so I replaced him with Nic Weinfeld, but then I saw Nic's photography and decided I'd rather have him do my stills, so that's what he wound up doing, so I FINALLY settled on a DP--Keaton Manning--WEEKS after I'd chosen my AD (Travis Coe, a.k.a. one of the few who ended up with the role he was initially supposed to do). And then there was the issue with the key grips. Harry Hunter (remember him?) was the first person I asked, but he wasn't 100% sure, and I didn't want to a) push him into a job he didn't want, and b) wind up key-grip-less at a critical moment. The solution? Connor Einarsen, a.k.a. one of the most down-to-earth, flexible MPAs I've ever met--who kept his grip gloves on him at all times, even when there weren't any scheduled productions on that particular day. I asked him, and lucky for me he accepted the offer.

We had rehearsal problems like you wouldn't believe. First rehearsal: I'm nervous because my thesis advisor is there, I messed up the auditions, and I really want her to see that I'm competent and that I know how to work with actors...but I mess up the rehearsal too, by all but insulting one of my actors. Second rehearsal: Leading male actor is sick. Third rehearsal: In the middle of a busy rehearsal, I get my two leads to come and rehearse so the male lead can catch up on what he missed...and block the kissing scene while grips set up lights around us. Was this awkward? Can you imagine?

Okay, so when you're a student filmmaker, you have to do everything by yourself, pretty much. And I do mean everything. Not only do you have to buy the materials and make the props, but you have to basically create the "look" of the world that your film is set in. So we had to make the t-shirts, we had to make the CD covers, we had to design the layout of the nightclub...we had to do it all. So one night, we had a t-shirt-making party on the boys' floor of the dorm, and I had to print out the designs onto the iron-on paper...but I didn't know that I had to flip the image before I printed it, with the result that all the "Psychology Trap" logos were backwards. We didn't have enough iron-on paper to reprint the logos...so that's why, in the film, all the Psychology Trap t-shirt logos are backwards.

Production

Oh, where to begin...well, first of all, remember I told you we had to do everything ourselves? Well, that meant getting the set ready, too. Not counting all the planning, it took us over eight hours to get the club/venue location set up--we started the night before and worked right up to the last minute. We were just barely done when the actors arrived. My costumes/vanities consultant, Nicole Abbott, was absolutely AMAZING--technically, she only had to help me choose costumes and do Erin's makeup, but she set up the "merch table," she created a poster spread, she helped set up/decorate the bar...she set up half the nightclub even though all she had to do was make-up for one actress. Were we grateful to have her there? You bet your life.

Anyone who has ever heard me complaining about shooting the basement scenes inSachte(directed by Aaron Tyson, my production designer--I was one of his grips) knows that I pretty much hate fog/smoke machines with all my being. Well, guess what? We had one on the nightclub set. Now, keep in mind, we weren't in a confined basement this time (THANK GOD IN HEAVEN), but the way we were all positioned, I was pretty much in the thick of the smoke whenever we had to set that thing off, and we had to set it off for almost every take. Guess who spent half of the first day of her shoot holding in her coughs while the camera was rolling?

Speaking of the fog machine...my production designer likes those a little too much. Every take, he would set that thing off until we had to hold the take until the smoke cleared. At one point, one of the exasperated advisors reminded him, "We're not in a New York alley," much to the amusement of the rest of the crew.

You wouldn't believe how often I get asked this question--why is it, exactly, that only Nic Weinfeld is credited for stills in the "official" credits, but whenever I supply stills for a website, I credit Nic Weinfeld, Johnny Stanton, Jamie Tucker Robbins, and Aaron Tyson? Well, I'll tell you why: Nic was the original stillsperson. BUT. Aaron never misses an opportunity to take pictures, and since we had extra grips on the first day, some people--like Johnny--wound up with stretches of time where they didn't have much to do, and so resorted to taking pictures to amuse themselves. Then on the second day and first half of the third day of shooting, Nic and Aaron had to go to Harry's pre-light (it's a loooong story), so Jamie filled in as stillsperson (and yet somehow also managed to find time to help set up lights, tear down afterwards, and generally make everything run more smoothly...how the hell did he do that? Don't ask me).

Rowen Kahn (William) had a hell of a time with the fake cigarettes used on-set. On the first day, he got sick after accidentally inhaling the chalk powder (used to simulate smoke) while trying to take a "drag" on the fake cigarette. Then on our last day of shooting, we decided it would be funny if, when he saw Emerson for the first time, his mouth fell open and the cigarette fell to the floor. But on our first attempt at a take, the cigarette stuck to his lip and refused to drop.

The moment where Skye and Emerson "connect" (after she turns off her tape recorder) was mostly unscripted. Basically, the dialogue ended at "I really want to make documentaries"/"I saw a great one about The Antonyms"--after that, Erin and Sheridan are on their own. We only got one take of this, and without music underneath it, that is probably the most awkward-sounding dialogue ever captured on camera.

There were two doors at a right angle to each other on the "hotel room" set. One of them led into a closet, and this was the door we used because it looked more natural on-camera; the other door led out into the main room of the cabin, and that door was the one everyone used to enter and exit the set. The very first take we did in the hotel was the shot of Skye messing up the hotel room. At the end of the shot, he was supposed to open the door and lead Erin into the room. But I got mixed up and told him to open the wrong door--and when he did, there was no one there.

We had such a fast-paced set that it sometimes got confusing for our AD--which is, no doubt, why half the outtakes are some variant of Travis saying "Oh fuck, I forgot to change slate."

At Interlochen, you have to be in-uniform when you shoot your thesis, which means navy-blue pants (NOT jeans) and a light-blue collared shirt. But I was out of uniform for my entire set--and if anyone noticed, they didn't say anything.

In rehearsal we didn't really discuss much what Rowen/William was doing when he said "I want...that chick, there" and vaguely pointed off in the distance. Several variations, including the idea that he was pointing at multiple girls or pointing at an inanimate object, were brought up in workshops and rehearsals, but we didn't really settle on anything. Then we got on-set, and the first shot we did was Siddhartha (Elias), Harry (Jack), and Rowen (William) choosing their conquests for the night. Siddhartha and Harry did a great little ad-lib, implying that Rowen was pointing at a guy. I loved it, and they kept it up for every take. Then Keaton, my wonderful, amazing, brilliant DP, got a shot of Neal (the only male extra) winking in Rowen's direction--and boom, instant comedy.

Another great on-set improv was when we shot Skye and Emerson's first meeting, when she asks him to sign her CD. Originally he wasn't supposed to drop the pen, he was just supposed to look at her CD and notice that it was acoustic. But while we were shooting that scene, Sheridan dropped the pen (in the first take, I think) and we liked it, so we had him keep doing it--and it looks great on-camera. (Let this be a lesson to you, fellow student filmmakers: The best moments in your film WILL be the unscripted ones.)

The look for the nightclub/concert venue set was inspired by the Agora Ballroom in Cleveland.

Figuring out how to block and shoot the kissing scene took FOREVER. We pretty much had two options: 1) Have a clear view of Sheridan's face the entire time, or 2) have a clear view of Erin's face the entire time. Our solution? Shoot on an angle favoring Erin and have her tilt her head to the front--that way, we could at least get both of them in profile.

Speaking of the kissing scene...this was the second of three times that I've had to shoot a kissing scene for one of my films, and usually it's difficult to get natural chemistry between your actors, especially if they know each other beforehand (imagine making out with your best friend...not a fun image, is it?). But in the case of Sheridan and Erin, their natural chemistry was amazing--so amazing, in fact, that I frequently caught myself telling them, "Guys, it needs to be more awkward!"

Two of the hardest shots to get were the tracking shots: The long shot of Sheridan (Skye) messing up the hotel room, and the shot of Siddhartha (Elias) walking across the club to his bandmates. Ironically, Siddhartha's tracking shot was cut from the film (which I was not happy about, mind you).

Look closely at the merch table in the "venue" scene. Yes, there is plenty of merch for Psychology Trap, but there is also a stack of t-shirts promoting The Thumbnuts, producer Gus Péwé's band, who provided a song for the film and a song for the trailer.

Post-production

During the hotel sequence, there was supposed to be a moment where Skye took out his guitar to serenade Emerson and broke a string when Emerson blurted out the multiple-meaning line, "I've met so many musicians." It was hard to cut this one--that was one of my favorite lines in the screenplay--but that scene just slowed everything down; it had to go.

In another (very short) scene, Emerson looks at Skye's number, considers for a moment, and then takes out her phone to call him. This scene was cut because, well, it just didn'tadd anything. However, this one was hard to cut too, for sentimental reasons: It was the first scene we shot, on the very first day.

We filmed an "intro" for Siddhartha (Elias), where he walked across the club to the bar, snapped his fingers, and had a "beer" slid across the bar into his waiting hand before he joined his bandmates in "claiming" girls. I ended up cutting this because it put to much emphasis on Elias, and I wanted it to be clear, from the start, that this was not Elias's story.

As any smart filmmaker does, I brought in a "test audience" of two people who had not been through the film workshop to see the finished cut of He's A Rockstar before it premiered at the school screening. One of my testers brought in an umbrella, which somehow managed to walk itself around DeRoy [Interlochen film building] and wound up in my editing advisor's office...meanwhile, we were frantically looking all around campus for it.

The song "The Bassist" was not written specifically for He's A Rockstar. I just heard Rachel Gerson perform that song while the film was in pre-production, and I thought,Wow, that is a good song...I really want that song in my film! Same story with "First Name John"--I heard Sam Keeble and Gus Péwé perform that song at a Coffeehouse (Interlochen open mic) and knew I had to use it somewhere in the film.

"Every Time" and "Dust" were both commissioned for the film early on in the writing process. At the time, "Dust" was supposed to be a plot point: In the scene where Emerson picks up the CD off Skye's bed and finds out that he likes The Antonyms, a metal song about a drug overdose was supposed to play, leading to a discussion between Skye and Emerson instead of a make-out session. Eventually the script changed, but the song didn't. So now you know why the song that plays when Emerson and Skye finally connect has such depressing (but still damn good!) lyrics. ;)

The song used in the original theatrical trailer is "Kyle's Stacks" by the Thumbnuts--who also provided a song for the film ("First Name John").

The day that we recorded the original music (and "The Bassist"), there was one catastrophe after another. First, Rigoberto Ernst had to learn the lyrics...less than an hour before we were scheduled to perform his song. Then we forgot to bring an amp for the guitars...but luckily, Brock Morman (who is AMAZING, by the way) kindly provided one for us. Finally, the vocal tracks were messed up (due to the mic, if I recall correctly) and had to be re-recorded on a different day...and guess what, I couldn't be there for the re-recording! But it all straightened out okay, and the songs were recorded on time, and the soundtrack turned out great.

While finishing up the final cut of He's A Rockstar, I recorded a music video for "The Bassist" as a thank-you to Rachel Gerson, Preston Craig, Dani Katz, and Jarryd Elias.

I was taking a Post-Production and Beyond class while cutting together He's A Rockstar...so I was literally learning to edit and promote my film as I was editing and promoting my film.

CREW BIOS:

Writer/Director/Editor AVERY UDELL decided to become a filmmaker at age twelve after seeing Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow. She applied for Interlochen Arts Academy and was accepted as a freshman, but decided to defer to junior year, when she made her first film, Possession. Though Possession was rejected by no less than eleven festivals in its first year, this only further fueled Udell’s determination to succeed in the film business. She began working on the screenplay for her next film, then titled Reden.

Reden was inspired by the Tokio Hotel song of the same name, which is about a one-night stand with a fan developing into a personal connection. Udell drew heavily from her childhood crushes on her favorite musicians, as well as her extensive collection of rockumentaries, to write the screenplay.

Before He’s A Rockstar had even begun shooting, Udell was already working on the screenplay for an experimental short film, tentatively titled What's Left of You, with fellow filmmaker Matthew Antonino. She is set to attend McDaniel College this fall and is planning to study cinema, psychology, and creative writing.

Director of Photography KEATON MANNING spent the first seventeen years of his life in rural Pennsylvania, where artistic curiosity and a bulky VHS camcorder lead to his discovery of passion for filmmaking. Committed to deviate from his action-packed life surrounded by grazing cattle, Keaton made his way to Interlochen Arts Academy, an arts boarding school in Michigan where he satisfies his artistic appetite as a motion picture arts major. Keaton’s senior year at Interlochen presented substantial opportunities that stimulate his determination for more opportunities that will allow him to persevere as a student artist.

Assistant Director TRAVIS COE is currently a junior in the Motion Picture Arts Department at Interlochen Arts Academy. He is from Woodbridge, New Jersey and has ambitions in both film and theater. His professional theater credits include Novus Production’s Bright Obvious and Arabian Nights, Terra Firma’s Fall Dance Repertory Concert, and Cleo Mack Dance Company Sirens. Film credits include Ophelia (Director), The 36 (Producer), Absent (Assistant Director), and He’s a Rockstar (Assistant Director).

Producer GUS PEWE was born near Portland, OR and spent half of his childhood in Naples, FL and the other half Horton, MI. Gus began making films with his friends an family at a very early age, being influenced by Pee-wee Herman, Monty Python, Star Wars, Michel Gondry, Robert Crumb, Tim and Eric, and Japanese monster films. He progressed from school video projects, to stop-motion animations, to absurdist comedy films. In 2010 he made The Three Vivid Dreams, a film that won him the opportunity to attend Interlochen Arts Academy for his senior year of high school. In May of 2011 he released his next film, My Favorite Planet.

CAST BIOS

SHERIDAN STEVENS is from Portland, Oregon and is currently a junior at Interlochen Arts Academy. Prior to attending the IAA, Stevens attended Riverdale High School and had one season at the Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in 2007. His latest role was the Beast in Interlochen’s production of Beauty and the Beast. He’s A Rockstar was Stevens’ first major role in an Interlochen thesis film.

ERIN JOHNSON has been doing regional theater since second grade and is so grateful for those experiences, learning about theater, but also life in general. Prior to He’s A Rockstar, Johnson had never worked with film before, preferring to work in musical theater. She has worked with The Davidson Community Players, Theater Charlotte, Children's Theater of Charlotte and The Old Courthouse Theater. While her favorite role was Sally Brown in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, because, she says, “I have a real knack for acting 5 years old,” playing Jolene in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Interlochen Arts Academy is easily a close second. Of her experience in He’s A Rockstar, Johnson says, “Working on this film was really cool and much different than I anticipated. Thanks so much to Avery for this opportunity and everyone's patience with me on set!”

SIDDHARTHA RAJAN is from Huntley, Illinois and has attended Interlochen Arts Academy as well as Huntley High School. In addition to He’s A Rockstar, Rajan’s most recent credits include Andre in Interlochen’s production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Adam in the one-act play The Vagabond of Boise. He will be attending University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the fall, studying biology.