Overwhelmed by the look of celluloid: The Making of ‘Whelm’ 

“Ryan Dwork and Lynn Gustafson at ARRI Rental have always supported up and coming talent,” states Herrera. “My first assistant, Nicole Lehrman, has become like a sister to me. Paul Schreiber, our second AC, was invaluable. We let Steadicam operator Greg Arch loose to feel the moment with the actors, and it all made it up on the screen. Our gaffer Brenton Oechsle was instrumental in allowing us to make our days without sacrificing the look we were going for. Kodak Film Lab Atlanta manager Rob Wales oversaw the development of our negative, and I never had a bad night’s sleep during the shoot thanks to him. Mike Brown, the VP for Kodak Motion Picture – Atlanta, championed our ability as filmmakers. Ian McDonald went the distance with us on the look of the dailies. Jack Rizzo of Metropolis Post personally handled the finishing scans for us and Ian Bostick looked after the dust busting of the negative, as well as all our final deliverables. Every frame has the texture of a Renaissance painting and I owe so much of that to the artistry of our DI colorist Alan Gordon at Post Pro Gumbo.”

“I believe the one true challenge we had was our attempt to minimize the compromise, in every respect,” observes Herrera. “I was fortunate to be working alongside a relentless director, cast and crew, so it was about all of us working at 100 every day. If any of us got tired or gave a fraction of where we were supposed to be at, it was about holding each other accountable; that’s what built our camaraderie and what led us to capturing every piece the best that it could be, given the day-to-day realities of this production. Lawson favours a particular cinematic moment. “Without giving anything away, there is a heist that opens the world of our characters a bit. Before that happens, we slow the inner clock of the audience just before the narrative gets shattered into new territory.” Complicating matters is the global lockdown caused by the coronavirus. “We are currently seeking out the right distribution partner. With the festivals on hold, we are actively trying to get our movie in front of audiences. I’m excited for them to take the ride. Whelm truly is unlike any Indie film they’ve seen. I’m confident in that.”