“Exploring the Depths of Creativity: Bas Majzoub on Directing ‘Condemned’ and the Journey of Filmmaking”
- What inspired you to create “Condemned,” and how did the idea evolve over time?
I could always draw and have always played with cameras, and after a lifetime of making shorts, music videos, time-lapses, and stop-motion experiments, I decided it was time to challenge myself and make a feature film. I knew I’ll never be ready, so I just went for it. Once I started writing the script, the story took off on its own and wrote itself!
- Can you describe your vision for the film? What themes were you most eager to explore?
Being a musician, surrounded by musicians, I knew it would be about the music industry, even if just peripherally; having said that, the story is about mental illness and how it can manifest itself physically; I also wanted to explore the idea of how mental illness can be contagious, and how it can destroy relationships and families.
- How did you approach the casting process? What qualities did you look for in your actors?
I spent 6 months auditioning over a hundred actors for the project, and many roles, including the 2 leads, were recast multiple times; this detailed almost neurotic approach to the casting afforded me the best of that generation of indie actors in Toronto. It was a thorough process, and it paid off. I also love working with my friends, so two of the roles I wrote specifically for close friends, and since one actor quit on me last minute, I had to jump in, and you could see me disheveled with no sleep trying to be a thespian, while at the same time, DPing, directing, and producing! Was worth it, though.
- What was the most challenging scene to shoot, and how did you overcome those challenges?
As the director, cinematographer, producer, actor, grip, gaffer, craft, etc, I couldn’t focus exclusively on directing the actors and telling the story. Also, this was an independent movie, so a few of the locations we didn’t have permission to shoot, and you could see people approaching to shut us down in the background; a lot of those scenes I could only do one take, or two at the most, before getting shut down, and as a result, some stuff is out of focus, or the performance isn’t as solid as it could have been. We got it done, though! As far as technical challenges, the decomposing bird time-lapse was tricky, because it was 18 days long, in the shed, in the snowy winter, with sporadic blackouts, so I had to have a backup battery for the lights, etc; was fun though, and the shot turned out. The nude time-lapse was also a challenge, as we had a rig with cables on a motor, which was pretty cool. We built our own grip gear, it was hilarious! The biggest challenge, however, was the post-production, especially the sound editing. I got fellow producer Yannos Pigadas to create a midi file of Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion, with the individual instruments on their own tracks, which was fun to edit with the picture; I also had to listen to thousands of folly sounds and effects, getting the license and downloading, then editing them with the picture, building atmosphere and tension, etc. Editing the sound and music was probably the most challenging thing, and although editing in general is a lot of fun, it was exhausting!
- How did you develop the characters in the film? Were they inspired by real-life events or people?
Well, as a musician, I based some characters on folk from the local scene, while others were inspired by family. A couple of the characters I wanted to be euphemisms; for example, the character of RENT is supposed to represent judgment, or the Angel of Death going after what we owe; or the character ok MR. LUKES is a metaphor for the light that our main character, BARR, is constantly chasing, and once LUKES is out of the picture, our character fully loses his grip on reality (Luke means light in Latin). Having said all that, the movie as a whole, is an audio-visual representation of me and my personality!
- What role does the setting play in “Condemned,” and how did you choose the locations?
The main house was my residence at the time, and I rented the classroom and music studio; also, a lot of the film was shot on a sound stage at a studio called DC Music in Toronto; I have a long standing relationship with DC Music from my own music career, and I was glad to use them, and they offered me ‘friend’ prices. Highly recommended sound stage for any indie filmmakers in the Greater Toronto Area.
- What message or feeling do you hope the audience takes away after watching “Condemned”?
Metal illness is very serious, can be contagious, and potentially destroys families. Also, I’d like to point out that a lot of the time, parents and adults have no idea what their kids are going through, and their projected assumptions usually drive the kids away and right into folly.
- How did you handle the pacing and structure of the film to maintain tension throughout?
I wanted the film to start and go, leaving the audience scrambling to catch up with the story. I love that intense style, though I did contrast it with a slower pace in the second act, and it picks up again by the third act.
- Were there any unexpected moments or surprises during the filming process?
Well, I had actors quit after the production started. Although, overall, it was smooth, as I scheduled and planned the scenes quite diligently.
10.How does “Condemned” fit into the current landscape of film, particularly in its genre?
Truthfully, I avoid ‘inspiration’ from other films, as I try to be original and have a style that uses nontypical storytelling methods. Having said that, I’m a huge David Lynch and Salvador Dali fan, so I try to be abstract or surreal in my storytelling style. It’s like I’m in a bubble of how I want to tell the story (or do a painting, or write a song), as it can’t be easily understood, and has to be confusing, though once understood, is like ‘Ah! So cool!’.
- Your movie “Condemned” won multiple awards at the Stockholm City Film Festival, how was your experience with the Stockholm City Film Festival?
I’m really humbled by the warm reception CONDEMNED has received from the SCFF; I look forward to traveling from Toronto to Stockholm for the annual event, as the film did so well, it will very likely be exhibited, and I’m anxious to witness the audience’s reaction and talk to people. I also am looking forward to meeting the nice folk behind the scenes, hopefully, I’ll get to at the October 10th annual event. Gonna be an adventure and I can’t wait!
12. What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers looking to tell their own stories?
Advice is for Doctors, Lawyers, Accountants, and A-holes! I don’t like to give or receive advice, and prefer it that way; if a person wants to learn, they’ll pay attention and will do or not do whatever they want, regardless of any advice. So nevermind the malarkey, you know what you want to do, so go ahead and do it!
13. Looking ahead, what projects or themes are you interested in exploring in your future work?
I’m currently working on the pre-production for my next picture (the script and other pre-production chores). It’s a WW2 period piece (titled HERR DOCTOR) that’s inspired by true events, and has been my dream project for a long time: it’s STAND BY ME meets SAW, in a concentration camp; with the festival success CONDEMNED is receiving, I’m excited at the prospects regarding my next project, including distribution opportunities.
