Director's Cut

thunder

>> So what? Just like that? You don't love me anymore? >> No, of course I still love you, it's just-- It's hard to explain. >> What do you want me to say? >> Well, I don't want to break up, but-- >> But, what? >> I don't know. >> Hi, welcome to Director's Cut. I'm Pete Schwaba, and that was a clip from Two Day in February, a film that explores a young man's struggle through the final days of a long-distance relationship. We're joined today by the film's director, Michael Noens. Michael, welcome to Director's Cut. >> Thanks for having me. >> Okay, so that clip, that awkward dialogue that everyone's so familiar with when it comes to break-ups. Tell us, I mean we kind of know, but tell us a little bit more about what's going on in that scene. >> Well, he's out with his friends. They're having like a game night. She just kind of calls out of the blue and is like, hey, I need to talk to you. He's just, you know, the signs have been there and he just hasn't seen them at all. So he's completely blind sided by this. Wait, there's a problem in this relationship? >> That's probably what the problem was. >> Right, exactly. >> You hate? I love you. >> What's going on? >> Yeah. I was reading in your bio, you've done like four Indie feature films since 2009. >> Yeah. >> How on Earth, you know, have you been able to do that? You're never really done with an independent movie. It's always kind of with you, you're posting, you're prepping shooting. So how do you do that? Do you sleep? What do you do? >> No, I don't sleep very much, actually. A lot of my friends and colleagues have pointed that out to me. I'm definitely a workaholic. I just have all these stories in my head and I just need to get them out. I just basically have been moving from one to the next. You know, I guess I would end up pushing this film on-line while I'm in pre-production and production on another film. And I've got a great team of people who have been-- Producers and I work with a number of different people, which is great, who have been wonderful to kind of take the reins as I'm to another project. >> And how do you do that? Are you constantly raising money? Because there's the fund-raising aspect to this too. Four feature films, that's four different movies you've figured out a way to finance. Talk a little bit about that process. >> Well, at the end of every year, like between November and December, the production company that I'm with, CNGM Pictures, we're a not-for-profit production company, what we do is we have these fund-raisers at the end of the year. We invite all of our supporters and people that have worked on films and come to our films. We've just built up this great support group, really. >> Yeah. >> And we incorporate students into the process on the crew, in the cast. We have paid internships, stuff like that. >> Okay. >> It's a little different. >> A serious operation there. >> Yeah. >> Wow, that's a pretty good network for independent filmmakers. What made you want to tell this story? Is it semi-autobiographical? >> Well, I've always-- Not always, I should say that. I had the idea for the film while I was in college. I wanted to tell a story about a break-up from the male point of view in his head. Like, what he's going through. I don't know, I don't feel like that has been done a lot. >> Right. >> So I had that idea. It was just an idea, then finally it went on the page when a relationship ended. >> Oh, there you go. >> I didn't want to be that guy that bored his friends with, ahhhhhhh, I loved her! >> I'm not going to talk to you guys, I'm going to make a movie instead. >> Right, instead I just put all on paper. >> All right, well, let's see another clip from Two Days in February. >> What if things start to fade? >> Excuse me? >> I know it's silly, but it's important that I know. >> Know what? >> If we go in separate directions, we'll still be friends, right? >> Of course. >> That is, unless you do something terrible. >> What do you mean? >> I don't know. If you ran over my dog with your car we might have some issues. >> You don't have a dog. >> What did you do, Val? >> Stop it. I'm trying to be serious here. >> Yeah, I don't see why we wouldn't be friends. >> Neither do I, but-- >> The only reason we wouldn't is if we stopped communicating. That's why people grow apart. >> Yeah. >> So as long as we're communicating, friendship should work. >> Well then, good. >> We're talking with Michael Noens, director of Two Days in February. A lot of this film was shot indoors. You have a lot of interiors. There's only a few times where you go outside. Was that a budgetary decision, or just kind of keeping with the mood, more of an artistic choice? >> That's actually a really good question. I actually haven't really thought about it that way. Because I didn't make any changes to the script as far as for budgetary reasons. I think I just wanted to be more intimate, and inside, you know indoors, you get more enclosed. >> Sure. >> Especially in his apartment. We're in his apartment so much. I wanted that to just feel like he's trapped in that. >> That did come across. I was like, watching this going, man, that apartment. The perfect place, the perfect apartment to OD in. Which it looked like he was close to doing a few times. Your actors had really good chemistry. Talk a little bit about your cast. >> Just wonderful people. Some of them I'd been friends with beforehand, some of them now I am friends with, after working on the film. Nick, who plays Grant, I had met him through the producer of the film, actually. I had seen him in a show down at Illinois State University. He was in a play down there. After the show I started chatting with him. Then a year later we ended up doing the movie, and I kind of had-- As I was writing it I was like, you know, I think he would be great for this main role. Then Katherine Cunningham plays Val in the movie, in that scene. She's just a wonderful person and a wonderful actress. >> Yeah, she was good. >> Just a lovely person. I just think that, you know-- She came in, she auditioned for the role, and it was just one of those, you know, usually we do it a couple of times so I can get some notes. It was one of those, it was like, I had nothing to give her. She just, she nailed it in the first read. >> That's good. And then you had two other girlfriends in there too. >> Right, Courtney Rioux, who plays Dani, this was the first time I had worked with her. I've worked with a number of these actors in a few different projects. And she's just such a generous person in general with other actors, on scene too. I think she is just another lovely person, lovely actress. >> So much of anything writers write is autobiographical. How much would you say, you said you wrote this when you went through a break-up, but how much of it would you say is autobiographical? >> Some of the settings, some of the very specific memories. Definitely, I built upon personal experience. I put that in in the script. But then, you know, I would change how it played out. I didn't want it to be completely autobiographical. I wanted it to be fiction. But it was definitely inspired by real experiences. >> Sure. Can people stay friends after they break up if they were really in love? >> I think so, actually. I would say the person that Dani is mostly based off in my life was the first girl that I fell in love with, and we're still friends. >> Did she love you back? >> Did she love me back? >> Yeah. >> Yes, I think she did. >> Okay, then that's a legitimate answer. >> And I think that shows in our friendship since. She lives on the West Coast and I live here. So we don't talk everyday, we're not like best friends. But yeah, we get along. we've hung out whenever I've gone out there. >> You're officially an expert, I think. Let's take another look at a clip from Two Days in February. >> Hey, Dani. >> Grant. So, did you like the show? >> Oh, yeah! It was awesome. >> Wait, this isn't how it went. We had been flirting for quite a while now, and this was the moment. >> The moment. >> This is much more like it. >> I think it's a lot more dramatic as a memory. >> With us everything involved drama. >> Now this was dramatic. >> One of our best moments. >> How did it go again? >> Not quite, but I like it. It's a good change. >> How hard is it to light in a darkroom? >> Really, really easy actually. We shot with a white light, completely blew it out, and then made it all red in post. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I don't know how much light we would need to do it with real red light. It's just such a-- The camera just doesn't pick it up. >> Yeah, right. >> So yeah, we just decided to do it all in post. We did a couple of tests with it and it worked out great. >> That was a great music choice there. Talk about how hard it is to find good music on a low, indie budget. I'm always fascinated with people who are so resourceful and get good music on a small film. >> Yeah, it's definitely always a struggle. I'm struggling with it right now on my next feature. A lot of it is connections, just people. I go to shows in Chicago and I meet the band. I'm just a fan of their music. I'm not like, hey, I want to put your music in a movie. Like that group is called Band Called Catch. I'm now really, really good friends with the lead singer. So we've put various songs of his in movies. He appreciates it because we're getting him out there more. Yeah. >> Is it the kind of thing where you hope they give you a good deal as you go on in the movies? Or is it sort of a trade off in favors? >> It has been mostly a trade off in favors. There are a few songs where, yeah, we need to get the rights to it. We get the festival rights to it, and once we distribute it then, that process. But I've been lucky. I've been very lucky. It hasn't been a lot of music where I've had to do that. >> One thing I was a little unclear on in the film. They're in a long-distance relationship, but it was never really specified. How far away where these two characters? >> Within driving distance, instead of the way I tried to put it. There's a point where he drops her off in the movie. I think it's towards the very, very beginning. He drops her off and they have a little argument, a small, little one. I guess I didn't think it was super-important where they were. It was like within two hours, like the distance between Madison and Chicago. >> Interesting. >> Yeah. >> Grant has these two other loves that make an appearance in the movie. I'm wondering, as a writer, when you're writing these characters are you trying to sway the audience? Do you want the audience to have a favorite girl that you want Grant to end up with? I mean, it's not a total romantic comedy, but were you kind of cheering for one of the girls? >> That's a really good question. I've never actually looked at that way. A lot of people, I think, that I've talked to and that have seen the movies have really gravitated towards Val, because they've been in that situation where it's not working and they've got to pull the plug on the relationship. I think that's the conversation. I think most people kind of side with her. I think the fact that Dani is just a version of her that's in his head, I think it's more like his version of her instead of the real person. >> Right, I got ya. And she was more of the comic relief too which was nice. she was good. Let's see another clip from Two Days in February. >> What do you think our best moment was? You're kidding. This was our best moment? >> It's one of my favorites. >> But this was bad. >> What do you mean, bad? >> No, I mean it was very good. But I was dating Randy and you were dating Sarah. >> I never actually kissed you. >> You wanted to. >> So did you. >> Isn't that bad enough? We more than kissed here. >> Yeah, we did, didn't we? What's wrong? >> This is Sarah's couch. You cheated on her right here in her home. >> Me, I cheated? >> I never really forgave you for that. >> Hold on a second. We were both in the wrong. >> I told you that I wanted you. I was completely ready to end things with Randy, but you wouldn't leave Sarah. >> What do you mean you don't like this movie? This is quality cinema. >> What do you mean this is quality cinema? I doesn't make sense. >> I can see the zipper on the back of the monster costume. Wait, this part's really good. Wait for it. >> When is it? >> This part, the part with all the blood. There's the spurt. >> That's awful! This is awful. >> It's supposed to be awful. That's what makes it fun. >> It's not fun, it's just bad. >> Don't be a buzz-kill. >> Shut up. You're a buzz-kill for picking this awful movie. >> You're the one who likes bad movies. I figured you'd appreciate it for what it is. >> That's insulting. >> You're insulting. >> You're insulting. Okay, yes, I am insulting. But you picked a really bad movie. This is awful. This is the worst movie I've ever seen in my life. >> Like it, like it! >> That was a clip from Two Days in February. We're talking with Michael Noens, the writer/director. That was the scene where I started to go-- You know, they're on the couch, but he cheated on that couch. I assume they were roommates or something. And then the girl appears on the other couch. It made me go, how much of this film is in his head, and how much is really happening? Obviously, she wasn't really sitting there. There were times in the film where I didn't know if it was in his head or if it was really happening. Talk a little bit about that choice. >> In that scene, when it's Sarah and Grant on the couch and they're just watching the terrible horror movie-- >> What was the movie? >> Oh, I don't even know. Actually that scene was entirely improvised. That whole section between the two of them, so that was fun. The two of them-- What was the question? Sorry. >> The choice you made to keep some of it in his head and some of it actually happening, and how you keep those two worlds-- >> It was a memory, then it's like Dani is infiltrating the memory. It's not really happening. It's his perception of the scene, of the memory. Then Dani kind of shows up and interrupts that memory to be like, hey, we need to talk about what's going on. >> So it Dani ever really in the film? Or is she all a figment of his imagination? >> She's entirely a figment of his imagination. There's a moment in the movie where you're like, oh! >> Okay, that's interesting. So now, it's a pretty dark film in terms of lighting. You've got some pretty somber music and the subject matter is a break-up. Talk about, were you worried that it would be too dark or too depressing? How do you make those choices so that you get your point across but it's not too gloomy? >> You know, it was a fine line to ride. It started out, the first draft of the script, obviously at the end of a break-up, it was mostly very sad >> She kills him! >> Right. >> It was very sad. >> On page two. It didn't work out very well. >> And, the end. It was a short film. The way it was in it's original draft was it was very dark and it was very sad. Melodramatic, is actually the way I would put it. So in late drafts, the more I distanced myself from it, I worked in the humor. I worked in funny moments into these memories. There were a few good moments in the original script, happy memories, but it definitely came later. >> When you're making a movie about relationships and you're doing it on a low budget, is there the pressure to make it edgy? We need more sex or we need more violence or we need more swearing, or whatever. It seems like you hear that from distributors. It's not edgy enough. Were you worried about that at all, or is that just not how you work? >> It's typically not how I've worked. There's been a few scripts that I've been attached to and worked with a writer, and it was definitely more of a really marketable film script. So we worked stuff like that in there. But typically I try to stay away from it. I hate having to throw things into a movie that are really kind of like, well, that was pointless. Why did we do that? Oh, because it sells tickets. >> I agree with you. >> And I felt like this movie, this is more of a labor of love. It's not really a movie that everybody's going to be like, ooh, that's amazing. >> All right, quick guy question. Which girl do you pick? >> Dani, probably. Probably Dani. >> All right, let's see another clip from Two Days in February. >> It's just a word, a word that is heavily abused. >> Yeah, to the point where it doesn't mean anything. >> It's beyond you and Val. We all love over and over again. The love of our life is only that if they stick around for the whole thing. What most people don't catch on to it that the person we love is also the person we hate. After we push them away, we learn that the things we hated so much are also the things that we loved. It isn't easy. We have to allow them to break our heart again and again. Loving someone for the rest of your life is a decision you make every day for the rest of your life. Val woke up one day and didn't want to fight for that anymore. Don't let that cripple you like this. Rise above it. >> That was actually my favorite dialogue in the movie, that monologue right there. I'm labeling you an expert because you made this movie. Is love a feeling, or is it a choice? >> I think it's a feeling. I think, to be corny, it's kind of like gravity in a way. When you fall for someone you just completely-- You know, you get sucked into their gravitational pull. >> They're vibe. >> Yeah, I don't know. That's from my experience at least. >> It's probably a choice, like she was saying, to keep the relationship going. What was the biggest challenge, and I might know the answer to this because you kind of talked about this before we started talking. You said you took a long break. Was that you're biggest challenge in making this film? Is it tough to get the actors back in sync? Talk about your biggest challenge on this film. >> The weather, I would say was the biggest challenge. Shooting in the Midwest is very tricky. It's so unpredictable. We lucked out. The scene on the swing set, it was just lightly snowing and it was perfect. >> Yeah. >> And we just lucked out that day that it wasn't terribly cold. >> It could have been 40 below. >> Right. Yeah, I mean, taking a three month hiatus was tricky. But we had so much one on one rehearsal, you know, with the characters. Grant and Dani, they would rehearse, and Grant and Val. So we would have like a week of, okay, let's get back into it. I would show them rough cuts of scenes. This is what you've done. This is the chemistry you've put together on scene. >> You've got to start doing a cameo on these films. You're an engaging guy. You've gotta put yourself in there. Do like a little Hitchcock thing. >> I do too much hand motion. >> How many locations did have in this film. It was a lot in his apartment, we know. Does that make it that much easier filming? >> Yeah, scheduling-wise, absolutely. I don't know off-hand. I would say there's probably in the ballpark of 15 to 20 locations throughout the movie. Yeah, I mean, I think really what makes it tricky is these memories that are like a minute of screen time, or 30 seconds of screen time, and it's its own location. So it's like it's its own day of shooting. >> Well, you did a great job. Nice job, and we appreciate you coming on to talk to us about your film. >> Thanks for having me. >> Good luck with it. And thank you for watching Director's Cut. From more information on Two Days in February please go to wpt.org and click on Director's Cut. I'm Pete Schwaba and I'm officially breaking up with Michael Noens. I'll see you next time on Director's Cut. >> This isn't a movie. You get the rare occasion of a movie moment, but we don't always live happily ever after.