Film-maker Sophie Kargman’s short film QUERY not only has the bonus of a cameo by Armie Hammer, but has an intriguing analysis at its’ heart, focusing on the bond between two heterosexual males.

Film And TV Now recently interviewed the director as she focused on the film’s creation and production.

FILM AND TV NOW: QUERY analyses the concept of a bromance between two seemingly normal males in their youth who question every concept surrounding it. Where did the start-off point for the project originate?

SOPHIE KARGMAN: The catalyst for QUERY sprung from my desire to direct another short film. I had caught the directing bug coming off of my first short, “Susie Searches”, which is a proof of concept for the feature of the same name, and I was desperate to have another go around, but I didn’t have much money to finance it. So I thought, What story can I tell that will require a very small production?  It would certainly have to be contained: one location and one day.

Therefore, it would have to be under ten minutes. Two actors. Maybe just one conversation? Most importantly, the subject matter had to be topical. With those stipulations in mind, I went to Ryan Farhoudi… when I have an idea for something, I usually go to Ryan or my other frequent collaborator, Will Frank, (my co-creator and writer of “Susie Searches”). Ryan and I tossed a few ideas around and essentially cracked the story in one sitting.

It started as a conversation about the beauty of the Gen Z generation, and how they challenge preconceived notions about sexuality more than any prior generation. For many individuals, sexual orientation and desire are far from rigid or constant throughout their lives.

We are fortunate to live in a time when people are primed and open to discuss previously censored topics including but not limited to race, gender, identity, and sexuality. And that’s super interesting. I love that “Query” reflects our ever-evolving culture.

Our creative process for this was organic and seamless. Ryan spit out a first draft in about twenty minutes. He’s a very instinctual, very fast writer. The words explode out of him. And god, hes funny. Hes truly the funniest human I know. I’m more structured and analytical… and I like to tweak and change and craftand then tweak some more.

So I spent the next two weeks tinkering with it… and that’s basically how long we had before we shot the film. It all came together extremely fast. But all my favorite parts of “Query” originated from Ryan’s first draft, which is a huge testament to him.

FTVN: The sexually-motivated banter is another key part of the storyline. In movies today, profanity and slang has become accepted and sometimes dilutes the impact of what the overall film is trying to say. How important were these terms as you were writing the screenplay?

SK: That’s a great question. And I agree with you… especially when I feel like the slang or profanity used in certain films feels forced or superfluous. Then it stands out like a sore thumb.

Our number one goal for “Query”, however, was to service the storytelling. It’s important to understand how these specific characters would actually be speaking to one another. We wanted the dialogue to service the characters, to reflect (in a real way) who these two young guys are. When you think about servicing the character, then it’s not about trying to force cool or hip jargon into a film, you’re simply helping these two guys push honest words out of their mouths.

FTVN: Armie Hammer makes a brief appearance in one scene during this short. How did you get him on board?

SK: Nick Delli Santi and Ashton Ramsey, two of our producers, let us shoot QUERY at their house. On the day of the shoot… Nick and Ashton wanted to stay out of the way while we were setting up, so they went to see Armie (who is a dear friend of all of ours) who had just gotten back from London when we broke for lunch, Nick called me, he knew that I was planning on this specific shot where we would track the boys as they walk down the middle of the street.

For any cinephiles out there, it’s reminiscent of a shot early on in Terrence Malick’s “Badlands” where Kit and Holly walk down the middle of the street, and in the background someone in the neighborhood walks behind them with a bag of groceries. It’s a tiny moment but I loved the texture that the person in the background gave to the moment… like there was a whole life going on outside of the ones we’re following.

Anyway, Nick knew that we were planning to shoot that scene after lunch, so he goes, “Wouldn’t it be fun if that person in the background is Armie?” I started laughing. I thought the idea was hilarious and perfect…. So Nick and Ashton and Armie show up forty-five minutes later— Armie’s already sporting a fabulous track suit— and the rest is history.

FTVN: Tell us about your two lead actors.

SK: Those two guys…. gosh…. There’s so much I could say about Justice [Smith] and Graham [Patrick Martin]…. First and foremost, they’re great actors. Real pros. So alive, so moment to moment, they took risks (which I loved) but were also fantastic at taking adjustments.

It’s such a treat to work with wonderful actors. Because they’re immediately starting at a high level. But maybe even more importantly, they’re just lovely humans. I can’t say enough about how how easy, kind, generous and gracious these two were.

And fun! We laughed a lot on this shoot. Both actors work a lot— they don’t have a huge amount of downtime between projects— so the fact that they were excited to do this little short, simply because they believed in the project, says a lot about their character. Not only that, but they were so prepared, basically off-book, even for our rehearsal.

I was lucky enough to get one day of rehearsal [in the actual space!] with these boys (and Irvin Liu, my cinematographer) about a week before we shot the film. And that was a huge asset.

My background is in theatre, and I’m such a proponent of rehearsal in general (if you can get it). In rehearsal, you have the opportunity to try things out, to experiment with the actors, talk with them about their backstories, explore the space with different blocking…all without the pressure of ‘making a day’. You can work through any lines of dialogue that potentially feel clunky in the actors’ mouths.

I was actually able to go back and re-work some of the dialogue with Ryan [Farhoudi] after my rehearsal with Justice and Graham. We were also able to tailor a bit more of the dialogue to the specific actors saying the words… because now you’ve had the chance to hear the words come out of their mouths, so you understand the cadence of their speech etc.

Small side note, and this is also proof as to how good these actors are: very little of the film was improvised. Almost everything the actors said was written dialogue. That’s how gifted these guys are. I’ll never forget the look Irvin gave me after the boys left rehearsal that day… he goes, “You’re right, all we need to do is point the camera in their direction and this film will be really good.”

FTVN: Tell us about your production team.

SK: Nicole Smolen was the ‘on the ground’ producer for QUERY. She’s also the reason why QUERY was such an easy, seamless, successful shoot. Not only did she do the budget and schedule, but she also brought on so much of our incredible crew.

Most importantly, Nicole was an incredible sounding board. Smart. Thoughtful. Trustworthy. A real creative partner. There is no one more on top of it, more responsible, or communicative than she is. I want to work with her forever.

My other producers were Ryan Farhoudi, Nick Delli Santi, Ashton Ramsey (who I mentioned above). They all went above and beyond for the production. I still feel so indebted to them for everything they did to make my life easier during that time.

The two other people I have to mention are my incredibly talented, thoughtful and patient cinematographer, Irvin Liu. Even within the financial limitations, he was determined to bring my vision to life.  And my longtime editor, Christine Park. She’s been my editor for everything I’ve done (and will do). And at this point, we have such a wonderful shorthand that it almost feels telepathic!

FTVN: You attended Harvard, a prestigious institution. How influential and significant was that place in your development both as an individual and as a film-making creative?

SK: I loved my time at Harvard. My four years there informed so much of who I am today, and I feel forever grateful to my professors, advisors and mentors who supported me but also pushed me to be better. Harvard also catalyzed my love of cinema. 

It was there that I was introduced to the greats: Orson Welles, Federico Fellini, Jean Renoir, Michelangelo Antonioni, Howard Hawks, Ingmar Bergman, Yasujiro Ozu, Francois Truffaut, Akira Kurosawa, John Cassavetes and Jean-Luc Godard, among others… I remember petitioning my senior year to get into this graduate seminar in Visual Environmental Studies on the sensuous cinema of Wong Kar-wai… and by some freak of nature got in. It was incredible. Difficult is an understatement but I absolutely loved it. I’ll never forget it.

At Harvard I was also introduced to other young film-makers, who are still some of my closest friends. I think I starred in nine thesis films by the time I graduated. Besides that, most of my extracurricular time was spent at the ART and my senior year,  I won the Jonathan Levy Prize for the most promising undergraduate actor. I really felt supported by my teachers and peers there.

The last thing I’ll say is that because of Harvard’s name and reputation, it attracts such a diverse group of people— my classmates were from all over the world. My roommate and best friend to this day is from France.

Another one of my best friends is from Turkey. And another grew up in America but her mom is Russian and her dad is Nigerian— English is her second language. Having friends from all over the world has exposed me to so much…. It’s made me a more curious, open, attentive, compassionate person.

I’ve never really thought about it before, but maybe that’s also why I’m so drawn to foreign cinema….it also allows me to step into the someone else’s vision, expanding my own, reminding me that there is something beyond my own experience. It teaches me about the human condition. I can only hope that my films will do that too for the people that watch them.

FTVN: You sold a true-crime series in your writing capacity to eOne Entertainment. Tell us more about this series and when can we expect to see it in production, given the current situation?

SK: That specific show in that specific iteration is on pause for the moment. That isn’t to say it won’t come back at any moment… but right now, I’m solely focused on my feature directorial debut,SUSIE SEARCHES, as we were just green-lit with 141 Entertainment (INGRID GOES WEST) producing. We’re still aiming to shoot this summer in Upstate New York. That is, if this pandemic is over by then. I (like everyone else) am hopeful it will be.

FTVN: Given the need for more diverse and female voices in film-making post #MeToo, what stories are you looking to tell that can help move things forward on all fronts, both on a creative and a personal level?

SK: Alfonso Cuarón once said, “As artists, our job is to look where others don’t.” And I couldn’t agree with that sentiment more.

As a film-maker, I want to tell to stories that force people to think about something in a new way. In my work, I aim to challenge preconceived notions. I am drawn to stories about the underdog…. Or when we, as an audience, want to root for an anti-hero. Because people aren’t black and white. They’re various shades of grey. And as a creator, I believe it’s my job to broaden horizons, challenge mindsets, and make people become a little more compassionate.

My upcoming feature, SUSIE SEARCHES,is a deliciously wicked satirical thriller about an awkward college student who seizes the opportunity to bolster her popularity— and her overlooked true crime podcast— by solving the disappearance of a much-loved classmate. But as her investigation proceeds, we realize Susie isn’t at all who she seems. 

On the surface, the film is a darkly comedic psychological thriller. But the story is really a cautionary tale about our society’s current fixation with insta-celebrityand how it can even damage good people with positive intentions.

Although the protagonist’s actions are extreme, they are also strangely relatable. I want the audience to empathize with her and root for her as a person simply longing for connection. And at the end of the day, we should be able to see ourselves in Susie.

I certainly do. 

Because just like anyone else, Susie isn’t perfect, but we still love her in spite of her flaws. And that is what’s important: to shine a light on those who, for whatever reason, aren’t normally seen.

FTVN: Finally, what are you most proud of about QUERY?

SK: I’m most proud that QUERY seems to resonate with a larger audience. It feels good to make art that somehow speaks to something universal in all of us… I’m thrilled that QUERY has become a catalyst for conversation…and can only hope that it pushes boundaries and potentially expands mindsets. But probably more than anything, I love that it makes people laugh. We could use more of that in the midst of this very dark time. 

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Film and TV Journalist Follow: @Higgins99John Follow: @filmandtvnow

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