“INFAMOUS”: SOCIAL MEDIA FAME IN LATE NIGHT CINEMA

How does social media fame intertwine with obsession & violence? For some, attention goes to the head. Joshua Caldwell’s latest film “Infamous,” starring Bella Thorne & Jake Manley, shows how far one can go with their ego, and dives into adolescents experiencing today’s heavily saturated internet feeds in America. Can social media let you create your own destiny?

Poster for “Infamous”

How are you during this new normal period of quarantine?

I’m good. It’s been challenging having the kids home from school because my wife and I both work full-time. The trade off, of course, is we’ve had an enormous amount of time with the kids that we’ll never get back. So that’s been really special.

You’re a director, screenwriter, & producer. Tell us about your journey into the creative film world. Did you always see yourself working in a creative field?

I did. I discovered my love for filmmaking in high school and continued making films through college. One of those films, THE BEAUTIFUL LIE won me an MTV Movie Award and I moved to LA after college egotistically thinking I was going to be the next big thing. I was not. I wrote scripts, directed music videos, and hustled until I ended up with a job working for Anthony E. Zuiker, the creator of the CSI: franchise. I produced digital projects for him and got a lot of experience on the front lines of the industry. That was a lot of fun, but I was itchy to work on my own stuff and so in 2013 I directed my first feature film, LAYOVER, which I made for about $6000. Since then, I’ve directed three other features, including INFAMOUS, and a series for Hulu.

Your new film “Infamous” is about a lonely twenty something firecracker who wants her life to be bigger and more significant than it is. Arielle longs for something exciting and dangerous. When she finds another troublemaker who wants to start doing these mischievous activities with her, things go haywire. Would you like to tell us about the film and your inspirations behind it?

I was interested in the intersection of social media fame with its currency of likes and follows and violence and crime. Two things that seem to be uniquely American is our love of celebrities and fascination with crime. So, the framework of committing crimes in an effort to become famous felt both ridiculous and, unfortunately, not that far-fetched. 

It used to be that gatekeepers were making the decisions on who got press and who didn’t. But that’s all gone now. With nothing more than a phone anyone and everyone has the ability to create and reach an audience into the 10s of millions, if not more. And they never have to step out from behind that device.  I was fascinated by that collision of celebrity and crime, and I wanted to explore the most extreme version of it, which doesn’t feel all that extreme, really.

Still of Bella Thorne & Jake Manley in “Infamous.”

The film is very stylized with its fashion, visuals, and music.  Why did you choose the overall aesthetic you did?

I wanted to try and mimic the way in which content has changed as a result of social media, and yet still stay cinematic. So, we sought to make it a subjective experience for the audience, to show things from Arielle’s point of view. The idea was: the movie you’re watching is a version of Arielle’s social media feed. Everything you’re seeing is what Arielle wants you to see and how she wants you to see it. So, there’s a bit of a fantastical element to it. Beyond that, we brought in elements that are familiar to creators and consumers of social media based content: everything in the social media world is self-shot, so it feels very gonzo and it’s also had filters applied so it’s very colorful and bright. We shot handheld, long takes, made the image very bright and poppy and colorful. 

I just wasn’t interested in making some super dark and gritty looking film about the dangers of social media. In some ways, I almost wanted it to feel like we’re celebrating this empty, nihilistic pursuit of fame – because frankly, I think America celebrates it.

Still of Bella Thorne & Jake Manley in “Infamous.”

I find that you created such a fun film, while making it very serious and dark, and tongue in cheek. What was the filming process like?

It was one of the most difficult shoots for me and I’m sure for the rest of the crew. We had a very constrained prep schedule, we only had 21 days of production, and a limited budget. Every day we either had stunts, gunfire, multiple company moves, or big dialogue scenes.

That said, it was one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling shoots of my career. The crew was fantastic, the cast was a joy to work, the producers were so supportive of my vision and I never felt like I had to compromise. Plus, I’m getting to direct another film! So, I have absolutely no complaints. We had a blast.

Still of Bella Thorne & Jake Manley in “Infamous.”

To me, this film showed homage to the great late night 90s edgy road trip films. However, I think it really stands on its own. Especially with how it displays social media, violence, and greed with these young characters. Do you think that social media is getting more dangerous, when it comes to things like fame, money, and recognition?

I think Bella said it best recently which is social media is just a tool. It’s not inherently good or evil, but it can be used for both of those pursuits. It is a question about what should or shouldn’t go unchecked, where do we draw the line? In the case of the movie, I’m not so sure social media companies would take down Arielle’s post. You can imagine a social media company saying “We’re not law enforcement. These people haven’t been arrested or convicted by a jury, so who are we to say whether or not a crime has been committed?” and leave the post up because it’s getting eyeballs. And it would get eyeballs. We know that if this happened in real life we’d all be following it online. 

The main issue I see with social media is that the value proposition is quantitative not qualitative. So, if someone has 80 million folllowers and 50% are fake accounts, 25% hate-follow that person and 25% like-follow them, well none of that matters. All that matters is that 80 million number. So, if you hate follow or hate retweet, it’s irrelevant and in fact, ends up adding value to the account that you hate. On the other hand, a lot of good has come out of social media as well.

Ultimately, I’m not actually condemning social media. It’s a satire, asking questions about where we as a culture are willing to draw the line. 

There are some great performances by Bella Thorne, Jake Manley, & Amber Riley in this film. I loved how Bella’s character was so layered. She was powerful and strong, angry, damaged, unwell, but you were very drawn to what she was going to do next. You almost start to trust her and feel bad for her at some points. Is it important for you to display layered, strong, female characters in your films?

It is. I’ve always found myself drawn to female driven films with complicated female characters. I’ve tried to avoid the mother/wife/girlfriend trap of it all and instead create or bring to life women with agency, with attitude and aggression and frustration. Complicated and emotional but not reliant on emotion to tell that story. 

With Arielle I was deliberately interested in a character who was unapologetic in her desires, aggressive in going after what she wants, and not interested in or wanting your sympathy.  But also fun and sexy who owns her playfulness and sexual energy. She’s certainly one of the most batshit crazy characters I’ve thought up, and in collaboration with Bella she just leaps off the screen. You might hate her but you won’t forget her.

                                                                                       Still of Bella Thorne in “Infamous.”

Amber Riley had a small monologue in the film that really stuck with me. She says something along the lines of being a fan of the two main bank robbers (Bella & Jake’s characters,) for the reason that she wanted more excitement in her life. She then goes on to talk about how she went to art school, and nothing really came about her passion after that. Was this a moment that you ever felt in your own life?

No, not really. With Elle, I was interested in a counter-point to Arielle. Someone who is far more deserving of support and love (as empty as that love may be) and happiness. Elle is us: in debt, experiencing FOMO, drifting in our day to day…I think that’s why Americans have always been so interested in outlaws. They’ve bucked the system and seemed to be living their best selves (as terrible as those “best selves” may be). Meanwhile, the rest of America is stuck behind their phone watching other people do things and supporting that with clicks and likes. I think Amber Riley really nailed it and gave a pretty heartfelt performance. You felt her inability to figure out what a next step might be.

You can watch “Infamous” at select drive-in theatres in the US, iTunes, & PrimeVideo.

Official INFAMOUS Trailer

To follow Joshua Caldwell’s next steps in film, you can follow him at:

Instagram- @joshuacaldwelldirector

Twitter- @joshua_caldwell

Website-  Joshua Caldwell

MY GREGG ARAKI STORY

 

Gregg Araki. New Queer Cinema. Both are statements in their own right. When I describe Gregg Araki or New Queer Cinema to friends who have no idea about Gregg or his Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy, the most simple way I can explain them is that if you’re meant to find them, you will. And I don’t mean that in a “you’re not cool enough” type way, but at the same time if you are weird enough and into campy & dark acid like teen films, you will find them. These films are for the outcasts who think differently, who view the world in a different and skewed format. 

 

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DVD’s for “The Doom Generation” & “Nowhere” (Araki films on DVD have by far been the hardest for me to find. I guard these with my life.)

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Rewinding back to my early “tween years,” I became really interested in indie/teen films that happened to be from the 90s to early 2000s era. They were different and not all of them were actually progressive in some ways, but a lot of them brought forward real types of teen culture that people were afraid to show. They seemed more fun to me than what my generation and I were getting fed at the time. From “I Know What You Did Last Summer” to “Scream,” teens were being shown as angsty & strong headed, silly, narcissistic, but also intelligent. That’s what I personally thought was great about that time from the looking glass of where I experienced it. There were depictions of realistic teens and then there were the parody-like and artificial archetypes in campy, funny yet dark films that were meant to poke fun at how older generations looked at teenagers in the 90s. 

Firstly, I discovered Sarah Michelle Gellar and Rose McGowan and became enamoured by their filmography. There was no one like them around in films (both different, but with similar messaging.) This led me to discover Gregg Araki and his “Teenage Apocalypse Trilogy” (Rose had roles in both “The Doom Generation” & “Nowhere.” I remember how much I followed the rules back then. I watched the trailers for both “Doom” & “Nowhere” so many times. Until I was finally allowed to order them online when I was beginning high school. But then I let myself watch “Mysterious Skin” (another Araki film) online when I was in grade 5. I don’t know why I thought this was better for me to watch at that age? It really affected me, but I did think it was an amazing film. It’s definitely one close to my heart.

But both “Doom” & “Nowhere” (There is also another film in the trilogy called “Totally Fucked Up”) were unlike any type of film I had ever witnessed. The cinematography, nihilistic tones against the hatred towards different types of youth in America, were both things I was never taught in school. Gregg was my schooling for queer individuals. I related to these hyper, colourful, and angry characters. Without them, my art and my character wouldn’t be the same. They took me up in a space shuttle and set me free into the world I never knew I was longing for. Even right down to the soundtrack. I felt like I needed to be at these parties in “Nowhere.” 

The green landscape photo is one of my photography pieces. However, I decided to contrast it with the Japanese (according to ebay) poster print for Doom. I absolutely love how it was designed.

Within the past 10 years (with tumblr, indie cinema gaining more attention due to the Internet, etc.) there’s been a resurgence in popularity towards Gregg’s films. There’s more young people who have now found these films that are nearly 25 years old now. These people now resonate with the themes that the films display (from the amazingly weird designed sets, random cameos and scenery that felt so well composed.) What is it with Gregg that finds more people drawn to his films and elements as the years go by? What I think is that Gregg’s films don’t try to be something they’re not. They don’t try to act “a little edgy,” while still being accessible to big mainstream studios and audiences. They are in your face, certainly not for everyone, and going at full speed with power, sex, violence, and real issues that adolescents faced in the 90s in America. The same exact problems may have changed for the latest generation, but the problems are still there in different ways. Young people still have reasons to fight back (i.e., wage equality, sexual assault, racism, toxic masculinity, etc.) These young people who are realizing they are fighters and can change the world are becoming inspired by people (in this case a filmmaker,) who doesn’t hold anything back when it comes to the troubles that queer youth have to go through. Even as an adult. 

The fact that there’s also a whole community of people who love Gregg’s films & New Queer Cinema can be really heartwarming. To me, when I find out someone is an Araki fan, it’s one of those things where I automatically can tell this person is wicked cool and understands the outcast way of life and thinking. I’m in shock that they aren’t bigger than they are, but I love that the Internet gave these films a new light beyond the indie film buff community. For not being on any internet movie platform, these kinds of stories from the 80s-90s era can sometimes fade into obscurity. But with a story and aesthetic as strong as these films give, it’s hard to not have these titles rise up in admiration again (whether it’s on Twitter & Instagram gifs, clothing lines, inspiring new dark teen films, etc.)

Imagine how cool it would be if there were more behind the scenes documentaries from the sets of the Apocalypse films? Personally, the most visuals I’ve ever seen were from makeup artist Jason Rail’s instagram account (@nosajliar on instagram) who actually worked on many Gregg Araki films back in the 90s, and now shares candid polaroids from his time on the sets. Every picture he shares is gold. From snapshots of Guillermo Diaz, Mena Suvari, Traci Lords, etc. It feels like things were truly indie & fun in the 90s because it looked like indie films truly didn’t have the amount of help they do now (in certain circumstances.) It seems like these artists behind the scenes worked hard and Gregg made sure the films were made the way he wanted. I even heard the sets in “Doom” & “Nowhere” were handmade. From the outwardly cool polkadot backdrop red, white, and blue backdrop to all the checkerboard print hotel rooms, this was DIY at its finest.

If you feel alone in your friend group, feel like an outsider in life, feel like the world doesn’t like people like you, Gregg’s films are for you. Especially films like “Nowhere” & “Doom.” And with lines like “look, you fucking chunky pumpkinhead!,” where can you go wrong?

#JUSTICEFORNOWAPOCALYPSE 

Ryder Houston- A future leader of the indie film scene speaks on “Rapture in Blue” film, his thoughts on labelling his new film “queer,” and why it’s good to push the envelope.

Ryder Houston is a young creator whose upcoming semi-full length film (approx. 50 min.) “Rapture in Blue” is about to bring new camp, exploration, and darkness to the 2020 indie film scene. This is Ryder’s second official film. His first being the 2018 short “Vamp Till Cue.”

What made you want to be a director? Would you say are a very creative person in life?

Ever since I was young, I have been interested in film. I was the kid that would be more enamoured with the behind-the-scenes than the actual movie. Pixar was a favourite, however I realized I don’t have the patience for animation. I’ve never considered myself a storyteller, but more of someone trying desperately to convey the things I feel through abstract measures. I guess that’s what an artist is. I got a little side-tracked with acting. It’s something I really enjoy, but I started realizing there were certain expressions and emotions I couldn’t get to come across in my face. I knew exactly how the story should flow, how the scene should read, but I had difficulties actually manifesting those thoughts into my performance. I found it easier to explain these things to actors. Actors who are more qualified with performing. Not to “suck my own cock,” but I do think I’m really creative. I draw, write, edit, make music, I used to sing and dance, etc. Maybe I wasn’t particularly great at the last couple of things, but I still found performing in general to be very cathartic. The Ouija board once told me I’d be a graphic designer when I grow up. I wouldn’t complain. 

BTS shot (photographed by Parker Healy,) promo shot (photographed by Ross McKay Craig)

Who/What is one of your main inspirations for your work? (i.e., a certain theme, individual, genre, etc.) 

David Lynch. That’s really evident. I fell in love with his film “Lost Highway” while writing the script for “Rapture,” and it really influenced the entire style and tone. That and the relationship I was in at the time. I love the idea of a neo-noir. You get to explore classical cinematic aesthetics and archetypes while telling a new story in a new place. It helps it feel timeless in my opinion. It’s also made me realize there really aren’t any rules. And I’ve always been drawn to the bombast of horror/terror, so that’s a given.

Promo shot (photographed by Ross McKay Craig)

You describe your first full length short “Rapture in Blue” as a psychosexual drama. The film’s protagonist is a male teen who is having complications with his girlfriend, while a new boy who moves into his past childhood home. What separates this film from other indie teen dramas? 

I’ve seen films done by other people my age and they almost always leave me frustrated. They don’t deliver the goods. They don’t take you all the way. I believe in going big or going home, giving the audience the full fantasy, hence the name of my pseudo-production company. I think “Rapture” is an immersive film, be it as it may. It’s really a suspension of reality in a very dreadful kind of way.

Do you find that films that have an “atmospheric alternate reality” type theme to them are more interesting than other “realistic indie character driven” films? Can they go hand in hand? What are your thoughts on this & labeling films?

I don’t believe one or the other is inherently true. Both styles can explore deep depths each in their own right. Labeling films this way is a dangerous thing, though. A label I am especially hesitant on slapping onto “Rapture” is “LGBTQ” or “queer”, since I think a lot of queer films made by people around my age are very superficial and just barely poke the surface. It’s always about bullying or not being accepted by your parents, which are big deals in reality, but are a lot of the times handled on screen in a very elementary way. The latter theme is actually explored in “Rapture,” but I think in a more doomish kind of way. I don’t treat the concept as something so suburban. It is a queer film, but it really isn’t.

Promo shots (photographed by Ross McKay Craig)

Since creating this film, has this really pushed you into a “creative hole”? 

Oh, God, yes. Sadly, creating a film of this stature, albeit merely half the length of a regular feature, is a horrible feat when you’re left with most of the work by yourself. The writing, the pre-production, coordinating every detail, budgeting and buying each prop out of pocket, then meticulously sculpting every element of the picture in post really takes a toll on your life. I’m not complaining. I wouldn’t trust anyone else to do it all! The best part, even though it was the most horrifying, was the shooting, itself. Directing and working with my generous crew was one of the most human things I’ve ever done. I am sort of an isolated person in my everyday life. On set, we all knew it was do or die. It forced a change in personality. It was so refreshing. I can’t wait to do it again. Speaking of which, I have already begun writing the next script— a full feature length picture!!

How would you like people to view you as an artist? 

Things just wanna be the way they wanna be. That’s something I started saying since we started production. I’m not gonna force anything. I don’t want to be seen as pretentious, a show-off, as superficial… I’m just doing what I want to do. I don’t control it. These things come out the way they were meant to be. It’s fate, that way. I believe in fate. See, that sounded pretentious!

To someone who has never come across your work before, what could they expect from “Rapture in Blue”?

“Rapture in Blue” is a high-camp melodrama. It’s really up there, theatrical and surreal. It’s like that for a reason. I want to make that clear.

When can we expect “Rapture in Blue“ to be released? What platforms will it be available on? Have you gotten any attention yet from any upcoming film festivals? 

It’s all up in the air. I’m putting the finishing touches on it and it will be 100% complete come March. I would like to do a local screening March 12th, but I have to consider festival rules, or if I’m even submitting to festivals. I actually am seeking consultation on the topic as we speak. I know the film is an odd length, but it feels so right the way it is. It really covers all its bases in that regard. It’s just up to what others will think of what’s been done. I want to put it on Amazon Prime Video, but I don’t want it to die there. It’s all a risk, I just have to decide which is more worth it, and quick. A festival run, or a public release. I say both, but it’s so complicated.

All promo images were photographed by Ross McKay Craig. Behind The Scenes shot photographed by Parker Healy.

For more info on “Rapture in Blue,” you can: 

Follow Ryder on Intsagram: @-ryderhouston

“Like” the “Rapture in Blue” Facebook page:  “Rapture in Blue” Official Facebook Page

Watch the trailer: RAPTURE IN BLUE – OFFICIAL TRAILER

Five “First Choices”

I’m not one to tell a lot of people what to watch. Not because I don’t have interest in doing so, but because of the fear of them being like “whaaaaaat…?”. I feel like I can’t get through a conversation with many regarding film for the most part. There is such an over saturation of media that not as many people seem to watch the same things as much. Of course I’m biased, but I feel like us being so desensitized to watching the the same type of plot over an over makes us in a way- enjoy what we are seeing. With more constant ways for films to be released, it also means that mainstream companies must try even harder for film after film to be churned out. While majorly hijacking some ideas along the way at times might I add…

My point here is that if we are being fed so much to us nowadays in a span of minutes, it is becoming harder for us to pay attention to smaller scale projects or people that aren’t necessarily large money figures. Sometimes it even happens to things that do still have a decent sized amount of money behind it, but because of it not catering to the current “thing”, “fad”, etc. it’ll be hidden from of us.

I am even finding it hard and I am a person who has always tried to find things based around my interests, and for the most part not “new releases” or “what’s trending”. And there is nothing wrong with that if that is who you are. It can be me too depending on what’s out on a certain day, or when something along the lines of my interests gets moderately popular. So how do we get back to what we like (whatever that may be)? The internet (along with Netflix & YouTube) help organize things it thinks we might like, but I find it overwhelming at times. I must say however that YouTube gets it just right for me and my interests, whether it’s short films, vlogs, old TV Shows, etc.

To go along with this, I’m displaying to you a few films (and one online upcoming TV Series) that I hope get a decent sized amount of recognition; and appear to be adding themselves into genre-less categories:

 

1. “The Blazing World”, written & directed by Carlson Young: 

“The Blazing World” is an upcoming short film (could be possibly turning into a full feature length) that actress, creative, and now director Carlson Young created herself after she had a reoccurring dream that kept inspiring her with ideas. It premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in 2018, and is continuing to be shown at other film festivals and theatres. I am personally hoping that it gets released on some type of platform this year.

I don’t want to to take anyone’s quotes about the plot of the film, but to me it seems like a very mysterious and coming-of-age like story around a dark twisted fantasy theme. Whether the main protagonist (Carlson Young herself) makes it out of the unknown dreamscape adventure she makes her way through will be revealed, once our eyes can capture it hopefully before the end of 2018.

For my info on “The Blazing World”, click here:

 

2. “Assassination Nation”, written & directed by Sam Levinson: 

“Assassination Nation” also premiered at Sundance 2018 and I believe will be a critique of today’s millennials & social media culture. According to the trailer and plot I watched/read, it will mainly be about an “accidental” leakage of privacy that occurs in an American town which causes all actual hell to break loose. A group of high school teens are among the many in this film that are apart of the violent outbreak of anger that takes place, where they have to fight for their own and each other’s lives.

I think the cinematography in this is going to be pretty spectacular and very much enhance the visual appeal of the scenes so far displayed in the trailer. It also looks like it’s going to cater to a “niche” market, but in my opinion is going to gain attention for it’s unique storyline about today’s youth and the shocking content.

It’ll be interesting to see if it will glorify violence in a way that is meant to shock people enough to start paying attention to what kind of stuff is actually happening to those under only twenty years of age. Personally, I like that it is going to be “campy” with a bratty and nihilistic tone, but in a realistic way. While informing youth the seriousness of today’s issues.

To watch the trailer, click here:

 

3. “Lords of Chaos”, written & directed by Jonas Åkerlund: 

“Lords of Chaos”, based on the book by Michael Moynihan & Didrik Søderlind, is yet another Sundance 2018 film. It will focus on true crimes in Norway that happened in the 1990s. Which involved the metal bands Mayhem and Burzum.

Not a lot is known about this project aside from that, but I think Åkerlund has a way of displaying films in such a new form that you could give him an episode of a Disney Channel series to direct; and he would put his own signature spin that could change the entire atmosphere. Look at the music video for “Praying” by Kesha or “RM486” by Rose McGowan for examples. You can feel his storytelling skills, even when it is around a mostly visual project.

“Lords of Chaos” will star Rory Culkin, Emory Cohen, Jack Kilmer, and one of my personal favourite creatives, Sky Ferreira.

 

4. “Monsters and Men”, written & directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green: 

“Monsters and Men” is a Sundance 2018 film that I have only recently came to know about, but I’m happy to have found it. It is a film that seems to show different sides of a situation from different lives that are connected to it. I am always drawn to those kinds of films, especially if they tie them in together in a way that does not make it cliche. But instead just makes it fit. It tells me it was well thought out and created to make you know how one thing can so easily connect so many people, who have not even met each other.

Back to the plot, the film focuses on a police shooting that occurs when a cop murders a black man in front of someone who happened to be filming the “issue” between them. After the man dies, it brings different lives together while the man who originally was a bystander now feels compelled to be part of now making a difference with activism.

This interests me because I would like to see how this deals with those who are complicit and involved in bad situations, and brings them into the light while still holding them accountable for something they were once apart of. Education and improving is key.

To watch the trailer, click here:

https://youtu.be/4AnpybNQ-hU

 

5. “Binge”, Created by Angela Gulner & Yuri Baranovsky: 

First of all, “Binge” is not a film and it is already released. It is an internet show that stars Angela Gulner (one of its co-creators) as the lead protagonist in a dark comedy where her character deals with Bulimia. It is also inspired by Gulner’s own past struggles with Bulimia.

I found out about this show on YouTube (shout out to my earlier comment about YouTube being the best platform for recommending you things) about a year and a half ago when I came across the “Pilot” episode. However, currently the series only has one official episode and a prequel episode, providing you with backstory on the lead character that Angela portrays.

I think what “Binge” does so well is that it does have comedic aspects to it, but not in a way where it degrades or pokes fun at eating disorders. That would be dangerous. And it does not try to bank off of the illness in any disrespectful sort of way. Which is significant because eating disorders and body image are things that are still very much looked at as shameful, and scary to talk about.

This show is important and I encourage my audience (what I have so far) to really pay attention to this. In addition to that, The creators recently were trying to get a full season for “Binge” up above the ground and they have officially succeeded, according to their official website.

To watch the first two episodes of “Binge” The Series and get more info, click here: 

https://www.bingetheseries.com/ (Info & Episodes found HERE)

 

I hope whomever read this enjoyed it. My goal is to create awareness for projects and people that I think truly deserve attention.