The Precious Nature Of Life: Shaun James Grant On His Short "Hope"
Writer/director Shaun James Grant is an accomplished commercial and music video director, working with artists such as Jorja Smith, Maverick Sabre and Kojey Radical, as well brands such as Nike, Women's Aid and Superdry and River Island. Having directed a student film (Lies) at the end of his film school , Hope marks his professional debut short. The film focuses on a couple trying to find peace in an impossible situation.
A couple on an ominous journey pull into a diner in the early hours of the morning. What ensues is a series of events that slowly reveal the couple's heartbreaking motivation.
This heart-wrenching film will be screening at this year’s 2021 Manchester Film Festival. We had the chance to chat with Shaun about the film, its origins, creating the right look, and much much more!
How did the concept for Hope originate?
The idea of the story originated from the diner. I would pass it as a kid when we went on road trips as a family, it had this isolated Americana feel that made me always want to stop and get a burger; we never did. I never thought too much of it back then but as I got older and drove the road myself I often thought about my short memories of it as a child. Now a director I always thought it would be a great place to shoot something. I wondered who went there and where they were going. This was the beginning of the story. When it came to writing the film, we had a lot of crazy ideas that just felt too elaborate; I was constantly trying to simplify. It was then I started to consider my own personal fears as a father and how we could create a very human story surrounding the issue of parental fear. From there, it just formed a life of its own.
The film has such a lovely look. Can you talk about how you and cinematographer Patrick Golan brought this emotional and heartbreaking story to life?
It was always my intention to shoot on 35mm. Emotionally, I felt the texture and depth would bring us closer to the characters. Practically, I knew it would help — given we were shooting at night — to not lose any quality that may happen when going down the 16mm route. These initial thoughts however were just the beginning, i’d say, of our look. I’ve been a big fan of Patrick’s work for some time. He’s able to build these appealing looks without compromising the humanity captured in his approach. I think that’s such a rare quality to have amongst cinematographers that I felt would be perfect for the film. This was only reinforced when he came over and started prepping. I always enjoy subtlety within work, but he really showed me how trusting yourself to do less can equal a lot more emotionally. He got me thinking in a way that really allowed for the nuance of the film to take center stage. Our shot list for each scene was so minimal. I think it shows. I also have to give props to our colorist Thomas Mangham who worked with me extensively to dial in the final look of the film. Again this was just about finding a sweet spot, keeping things appealing without overdoing it, he did a great job at that.
Jane Dowden and Yann Gael both give emotional performances. How did you get connected with them? What was it like collaborating with them to bring these characters shading and dimension?
All credit for finding Yann Gael has to go to Hannah and Grace at Lane casting. They came on the project quite early on, and after I briefed them they went all out to find the right French actor for the male lead. They showed me his reel within the first week of pre-production, and I was immediately captivated by him. Jane actually came in to audition for another role but there was something about her that I felt could have been good for the role she played. We called her back and she just blew me away. Once I’d seen her do that, it was a no brainer.
What drew you to the visual arts? How did you get into directing?
It started quite young, in my mid teens. I was just drawn to film as a form of escapism. I soon found myself asking questions of the films I was watching. How did they do one thing technically, or write another thing narratively. It was a long journey from then to actually making my first short film, but it all stems from there really.
How has your work in music videos and commercials shaped your approach to narrative storytelling?
I’ve always wanted to direct narrative. I actually think I’m better served in a narrative space than maybe I am in music videos and commercials. Mainly because there’s time and space to tell the story. With music videos the pressure is often on placing an artist front and center, not always but it does happen. Commercials are a great training ground to some extent because you are working with a script and breaking things down to small puzzle pieces that you're putting back together again. I think that’s a lot like narrative filmmaking. What I would say both of these things did do is give me the confidence to lead a team of people and have them trust my intentions.
What films or filmmakers have inspired you or your style?
The list is so long. I'm a big fan of many filmmakers, but I don’t think I subscribe to any one or small collection of people inspiring me; there’s something to take away from anything good. Currently, I would say I’m deeply fascinated by both David Simon and David Chase who created The Wire and The Soprano’s respectively. That’s more from a writing point of view. The level of detail they have in their work without it getting in the way of moving the story forward. Those shows raised me, and each time I watch them, I find myself with a new profound sense of appreciation for what they accomplished. Regional Rose’s 12 Angry Men showed me how a story can be both very simple and hugely gripping at the same time.
I also love Terrence Malick and Kenneth Lonergan’s humanism as well as Christopher Nolan’s ambition. Denis Villeneuve’s early work, Prisoners and Arrival in particular, had both these elements which were close to perfect for me. I could go on!
What do you hope audiences take away from the film?
I hope they feel something. Maybe it’s the precious nature of life or the understanding that everything isn’t what it seems and we shouldn’t judge or assume we know someone's plight based on a short encounter.
Do you have any future projects in the works that you can share with us?
We’re currently working on another short film, which is being supported by a domestic abuse charity. Looking forward to that. We’re also working on a TV series idea for Hope, which we have been developing pretty much since pre-production of the short film. That is coming along well. Hopefully it gets picked up!
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!