Stage to Screen

Andrew Hopper www.harmswayinc.net

November 30th, 2014
In our first video article, Andy Hopper of Harmsway Inc and family break bread (I mean, lasagna) with Bloated Hippo Magazine to discuss the challenges and evolution of his career as a writer, director, and performer along with what inspired his new short film: Sunfish Lake.



Here are a few snippets:

How did you become a writer/director?

I started writing and directing because I wanted to for as long as I could remember and mainly, out of necessity- it feels helpless to wait around for other people to offer you a job.  It took a long time before I got to the point where I felt like it was something I could do.

Just the idea of having to get cameras, people, and locations together was intimidating.  That all changed in the mid 90’s when I learned how to edit.  Then the cameras and people didn’t matter as much- you can always find them.  The challenge was to find a place like your home or an office to pull it all together.

How do you balance different creative hats?
 Don't spend any time thinking about balance.  That can be a full-time job.  Honestly, though, I'm a control freak and want to be able to assert my voice and choices.  That comes from writing with a very clear vision and understanding the pace, tone and color palette of the work.  That's what you want to see and produce so you can see it.  Then make sure that it works.

What are the benefits of collaboration?

It’s important to work with people like Matt Park and Amy Quint of Quattro Gatti because they bring ideas you haven't thought of and perspectives you don't have.  You try to hire, in every aspect, the best people that you possibly can to make your project. Our collaborative relationship began when my wife made us move to New York.  They were nice enough to invite us to work with them on something that they already started.   Then we just kept it up.

What is it like to transition from theater to film?

When you are working in theater with an audience- if they hate you, they are right there to hate you.  Also, when they love you, they are right there.  It’s something we all experience together whether you are on stage or helping with the show- we all feel it immediately.  You’re camped out and have to take care of each other.

Then doing film, to me, it's still the same.  I don't assume people will love what I made.  The difference is that you make a film knowing it's the best you can do.  Although, in the back of your head, there may be people out there who won't enjoy it- they aren't there at the moment.  It makes me feel tighter with the people I'm working with because I do feel like, in the end, we are making it for ourselves, with each other and for each other.

What’s you creative development process?

Well, one show, the short film Sunfish Lake, took two days.  The other, a stage play, Dateline: Macbeth, took a year and a half.

I wrote the Sunfish Lake script, sat up one night, and the whole idea came to me- the entire story was just there.  I had scratched it out on paper and the next morning before it went I away I just sat there and typed it all out.

For Dateline: Macbeth, I was responsible for managing audience expectations of both Macbeth and Dateline.  If you let either one of them down you'll get hit with bad reviews.  So, that took a year and a half to get right.

What’s next?

There are a few things that I want to do.  It’s a process of elimination and a matter of time and money (oh, and baby).  I want to have a feature shot by the end of next year that we may do in California.  One idea that I’ve been leaning towards is a female Waco-type cult leader with sci-fi under tones.  Oh yes, and always, continuing to challenge perceptions!

Sunfish Lake recently premiered at the MPLS Underground Film Festival

STARRING MATTHEW G. PARK NIAMH MCCORMALLY & AMY FRANCES QUINT

ORIGINAL SCORE BY JESSE INGALLS

SOUND BY DAN STEWART

PRODUCED BY QUATTRO GATTI & T KEATON- WOODS

WRITTEN& DIRECTED BY ANDY HOPPER