GOOD BOY (Bom Garoto) Directed By Davyde Wachell

Shane: Tell us about your film? 

Davyde: Bom Garoto is the story of a young boy who takes up a life of crime to support himself and his mother. He keeps his line of work a secret in order to remain a boy in her eyes, but ultimately the harsh person he has become is revealed to her. 

S: How did you come up with the idea for the film?

D: My writer and producer Vinicius wrote the initial draft based on his observations growing up in Rio de Janeiro. Together we refined the story to make the relationship between Andre and and his mother more specific and intense.

S: Was this a school project?

D: Yes and no. It was for a class, but I don't think of my projects as assignments. This was simply a film I needed to make.

S: How did you find your cast?  
D: We cast at a community center named Nos do Morro in a favela called Vidigal. It was the same community center that the actors from City of God came from. The experience was absolutely amazing. Each actor we met with gave us honest and heartfelt performances and talked openly about their lives. I felt very humbled and lucky to have the chance to interact with so many great people at Nos Do Morro.

S: How long did the film take?  (From conception to final edit)

D: All told, a year from the first draft to the final touches on Color Correction and Sound. 

S: What was the most difficult part of the shoot for you?

D:  At one point we lost a location in the middle of a shooting day because the landlord hadn't been informed. I had to lose a couple of shots and get creative with some alternative ideas. There was a moment where I thought all of the crew's hard work would be for nothing, but everybody was supportive and I got back in the game and we got the shots done. I definitely had a beer at the end of the shooting day.

S: Tell us about the films festival experience so far?

D:   The film opened at Tribeca which was our greatest hope. We'd be excited if we screened at more festivals abroad this year. Tribeca was amazing. The staff was so helpful and fun.  The directors and producers I met were an absolute inspiration. I feel so energized and excited about my upcoming projects now, and I really hope I bump into some familiar faces at other festivals.

S: What has been your most interesting Q&A so far?  What was your favorite question?  D: How was the dialogue afterwards? 

I liked it when people asked questions about casting or the story. It was also kind of fun to let people know we made the film for $2000. 

S: What films or filmmakers inspire you?

D:  Lynne Ramsey's Ratcatcher is haunting. Gus van Sant's Paranoid Park really spoke to me. Gaspar Noe's work makes me wanna lose my mind. Park Chan Wook is the best stylist out there.  Hou Hsiao-hsien's Red Balloon was simultaneously an intellectual masterpiece and a sensual feast. I thought JJ Abrams Cloverfield was a great spectacle and I had fun watching it.

S: What made you decide to become a filmmaker?

D: An amazing and spirited woman named Karina Abramova. I was a total movie nerd my whole life, but it never occurred to me that filmmaking was something I could do. Karin used to work in the box office at a big theater back in Vancouver. We watched lot's of movies together.  One day after we saw Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine, and I was ranting and raving about how much I liked it, Karina said, "Why don't you make films?". By the time I got home that night I knew I had to make films.

 S: What is next for you?   
D:  A short film called Recess about three private school girls who have a very interesting, and violent relationship. It's based on a theatre piece by Corrina Hodgson. The story lines up with some of my own experiences, and I feel the characters are unique and interesting. I have a great cast put  together and I can't wait to shoot. Other than that I just finished a draft on a feature and I've got 2 others in the works. Paying rent is also gonna be a big focus...

S: What is next for the film? 
D: More festivals and if all goes as planned... distribution.

S: If asked to give one piece of advice to a new filmmaker making their first short film… What would it be? 

D: Don't make a film if you don't think it's going to change you. Be as honest as possible. Ask the hardest questions of yourself and your actors. Take the work seriously, don't be lazy but remember to have fun. Your first short will probably be ill conceived, but that's

ok, you'll get better. Shoot as much as possible and follow your instincts. Be more gracious and grateful to the people you've worked with than I have.