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Title: Cafe Glass
Runtime: 9 min
Country: USA
Director: Wen Ren
Placement: Honorable Mention
Competition: June, 2015
Synopsis: In a future augmented by wearable tech and online dating, a student must risk offline dating to connect with a mysterious profile due to a failed network.
OR: What was the inspiration for your film?
WR: The moment when I realized this fact, humans as a “social animal”, are no longer social or animal in the traditional sense. On February 14th, 2013 (Valentine’s Day), I walked into a cafe in Rowland Heights and had a flash vision. On Valentine’s Day, I saw couples who were not in exclusive relationships with the beautiful and smart person across the table, but with the slick and smart device in their hands – as if they expected and found more joy from technology than the company of their significant other. I spent about half an hour watching everyone and noticed almost ZERO human interaction throughout the cafe. That night I went home and knew I just had to make a futuristic comedy farce about how incredible yet stupid our future would look like. Most of the story came to being that night.
OR: When did you conceive the idea for your film and how long did it take before it was realized?
WR: About once a year, an idea hits me so hard that I feel obligated to make it exist outside of my head. Once I wrote the script I immediately sent it out to several friends. Although we couldn’t secure much funds to make the film, we went ahead anyway and decided to make it in whatever way we could. This involved pulling favors to get a cheap cafe location and bringing passionate friends together. Next came to designing the technology of this world. Very early on, I knew that wearable glasses would not have just one look, but many variations as fashion usually employs. Wearables could only thrive at the intersection of technology and fashion. My friend Bradford Hill helped create and install EL Wire (electroluminescent wire) to 3 separate designs. After an 8 hour shoot, we finished principle photography. Next came 5 months of post production with Artim Miroshin, the VFX Supervisor, and myself before finally finishing the 9 minute short.
OR: What was the most challenging aspect of working in a short film format?
WR: It’s harder to make things shorter. This is a fact. You want to try and squeeze a 3 act structure within the time frame of exposition. Short films tend to require some form of punchline as well.
OR: What was the most challenging aspect of your production?
WR: The most challenging aspect for me is always producing and raising the funds. Once production starts I feel like I’m in a highly stressful sandbox. I get to play and have fun. You can have fun until you set up and prepare everything.
OR: Do you have any advice for first-time filmmakers?
WR: Don’t wait. Just Do. I find this to be true time and time again. Don’t wait to produce it or find the funds. Once you find the funds don’t hesitate to start production. Especially after production, don’t wait until starting post. After you finish post don’t wait to apply to festivals or start distribution! There are so many points where you need to just keep the momentum going until you finish the whole project and start the next. Be an urgent perfectionist.