In an effort to bring more cinematic stories to life, Dadley Productions is proud to highlight filmmakers across the country producing cinematic stories in their local communities. This week we are featuring NYC filmmaker, Justin Giegerich.
Location: New York City, NY
Dadley Productions director, Bradley Hawkins, met award-winning director/actor Justin Giegerich at the Hang Onto Your Shorts film festival in Asbury Park, NJ in 2018 where Giegerich's film Green Shoes won Best NJ Short and for Best Actress in a Long Short. The two directors became long-distant friends via social media immediately afterwards and have been supporting each other's work ever since.
Tell us how you like to tell cinematic stories.
Simply! I tend to consider myself a cinematic minimalist, so I like to strip away as much as I can in hopes of getting to the very core of characters as we catch them passing through a short segment of their life.
How did you get started as a filmmaker?
Like many filmmakers, I started out as an actor. Being on set began to pique my curiosity in the process of filmmaking, and that was that!
What inspired you to pursue filmmaking in your local community?
Well, before I moved to NYC, I was heavily involved in the filmmaking community at the New Jersey Shore, where I grew up. When I started out, I had no idea how much creativity was flowing through the region I called home for the first 18 years of my life, and it was incredibly special getting to know and learn from terrific local artists.
What do you love most about your local film community?
Now a member of the NYC film community, I am just overjoyed by the incredibly deep pool of talent. Finding gifted collaborators is oftentimes as simple as a Facebook post.
What one piece of advice would you give to someone wanting to tell their own story?
Have a point of view! I keep the faith that if a filmmaker has something to say - ANYTHING to say, their work will resonate with someone.
What is one *practical* way people outside of the filmmaking community can get involved in cinematic storytelling in their hometown?
Gosh, there are tons of ways. It seems like Bradley [Dadley Productions] really nailed this with the production of Calf Rope -- catering donations from local restaurants, sourcing props from local businesses, donating space as a shooting location. I've found that folks outside of the filmmaking community have had very enriching experiences by joining forces with a film production, and I believe that sort of collaboration can strengthen and bond any community!
Tell us about a recent film or TV series that inspired you in some way.
Quarantine has certainly brought an over-saturation of content for me, so it's hard to narrow it down to just one. I have been particularly interested in Americana cinema of the 70s/ 80s - Jarmusch, Wenders, Antonioni. As far as contemporary filmmakers, I have been catching up on the work of Kelly Reichardt, Mike Mills, and Sofia Coppola.
How can people best keep in touch with you? (i.e. this is where to plug your social, website, etc.)
My work can be found at www.justingiegerich.com, and all of my social media handles are @justingiegerich.