1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?

When I was around 10 my parents gave me a compact VHS camcorder. I'd have friends over or go to their houses and we'd come up with an idea for a movie in the morning, shoot it—editing in camera—and then watch it at the end of the day. Later I got a hi8 camera and some editing software. To learn how to work it all, my dad showed me the intro to the Sopranos and drove me around the neighborhood so I could film houses going by. Then I cut it all together and added some music. I watched a lot of action movies growing up. Goldeneye and John Woo's Broken Arrow were early favorites. There was a great documentary I loved called Jackie Chan: My Stunts where he explains how he choreographs and shoots stunts, and in doing so essentially teaches the basics of filmmaking.

2) What was the initial idea for this project and how did it evolve from there?

I had the idea while living on Cape Cod over the summer with my girlfriend Elliot and her family. I had a box of expired film with me from my friend Kenny that I was excited to shoot. I was looking for inspiration and David Hockney's Alphabet came to mind—a book in which he made a drawing for each letter of the alphabet, then had a number of writers contribute bits of corresponding prose. I used that book as a jumping off point and figured I'd do a different shot for each letter using what was around me. I wanted it to feel like a calling card or self-portrait, so I tried to pick ideas and objects that might coalesce into something that felt personal. When I got back to NYC my friend Vinnie made some music for it and it all came together.

3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And the easiest part?

The biggest challenge was trying to achieve a sense of unity between all the disparate shots. The easiest part was the filming of it, thanks to the unusual surplus of time during lockdown. There were no deadlines and I had no schedule, so I could just wander to the beach and spend an entire morning filming fiddler crabs etc...

4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?

I just watched Bresson's Lancelot du Lac for the second time in a few months. It's a dream. So many great sequences and bits of editing, with incredible color and sound. The knights' costumes are really beautiful too. I also just watched Hitchock's the Trouble With Harry for the first time. So fun!

5) What’s next for you?

I'm directing a short film later this spring which I'm really excited about. I'm also hoping to get a feature off the ground in the not-too-distant future.

—

www.guykozak.com | IG: @guykozak