How did you become a filmmaker?
After working since 2000 as an animator in the field of moving images I decided to go a step ahead – combining my screen-abilities in postproduction with telling exciting stories, work with actors, communicate.
How was ”Hit the Road” born?
As a directing student at the Filmarche Berlin, I was searching for a location that could inspire me for a story. I arrived at a bridge above a freeway and stopped. Concrete, real, no magic, no nature, unreal somehow. To create contrast I thought about bringing something completely non-solid into this setting – a ghost!
How did you finance the short?
My team and I financed it by ourselves. It was around 500 Euros.
How did you make the short (Technically, artistically)?
For me it was important not to create a typical horror short. It should start quite “normal”, nothing should be associated with a spooky film – until the end, where we learn who “Marie” actually is. So, switching cinematically from one genre into another was my aim.
We built a fake rail that has been placed onto a real bridge above a freeway. So we could shoot that two actors where separated by the rails without having an actor standing outside in reality. Further we used green screens to create the illusion of a character standing outside the rails.
Where did you hear about Shortcutz?
I visited it in 2012 for the first time. Nils Strueven, a directing colleague at the Filmarche entered “Hit the Road” for me.
What are your plans for the short?
Handing it to short film festivals, finding a distributor.
What are your next projects?
I’m working on a short, that should evolve the mood for my first feature film. It will be a dark drama in the style of “Black Swan”, “Pi”, “Sixth Sense”.
