Interview with young director Andy Hauptli
Welcome Andy, we are very excited to have you today with us to discuss about your work.
Who is Andy Hauptli and how did the passion for filmmaking begin?
My name is Anderson Hauptli, and I am a multihyphenate. I have always gravitated toward the idea of pursuing multiple interests instead of settling for one. I am a filmmaker, manager, artist, actor, DJ, and admirer of life. In my early years, I had the notion of becoming a painter.
The concept of art compelled me far more than other subjects or areas of potential interest, until high school. Once high school came around, I fell in love with the stage. I participated in acting courses, afterschool plays and musicals, directed two one-act plays, returned to my middle school theatre program to direct, and eventually performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.. Stage acting had almost won me over. When applying for college I faced a dilemma: do I take to the stage; or pursue my passion for film? Film was a magical form of escapism from the day-to-day nonchalant behavior of my life.
I decided to take on film and was admitted into my dream school (Emerson College). Ever since my studies initiated at the school, I have been practicing filmmaking and acquiring knowledge like a sponge.
Can you tell us about your previous work?
My previous passion project The Shoes We Wear (2022) provided me the ability to recognize my capabilities as a low-budget director. The Shoes We Wear is a short documentary on footwear and explores what a pair of shoes can tell about the person wearing them. “A shoe is just a shoe unless someone steps into it.” - Jason Bateman in Air (2023). The project was filmed over the entire year and was purposely shot downward to give focus to the shoes, not the human. Previous to this project and following the project, most of my film work is on the administrative production side. I was the producer for 87 Myrtle St (BYOB) (2023) by Savannah Miller, the producer for seasons 2 and 3 for Emerson Channel’s first and only Live-to-Tape Dungeons & Dragons show Hit Point Hall (2023), and am currently producing an apocalyptic short film titled Alone Again (2024) by Yankel Gelman.
CONVERSATION ABOUT: THE EMBRACE
Can you share the inspiration behind "The Embrace" and what sparked the idea of two strangers becoming psychologically bonded soulmates?
My short film, The Embrace, had been an idea of mine for about two and half years before its production. During COVID-19, the fear of isolation was prevalent among many. I had dreamt of a scenario where two soulmates were unable to be together due to external circumstances. Initially ignoring the idea, I wrote it down intending to return to it one day. Eventually, the fear of this tragedy manifested into a rather abstract concept that I decided to tackle on film after my two-year hiatus from directing. The films that inspired The Embrace were El Columpio (1993) by Álvaro Fernández Armero, Black Mirror: San Junipero (2016) by Owen Harris, and Her (2013) by Spike Jonze.
The journey of the protagonists to find each other seems like a metaphorical adventure. Can you elaborate on the symbolism behind their journey and what it represents in the context of the film?
The two protagonists, played brilliantly by Zoe Seitz and Honey Brumfield, had to embody metaphorical entities. As soulmates destined to be together, it was the actors’ responsibility to emulate an entire journey of finding each other in a two to three-minute montage. The journey ultimately represents the trials and tribulations of finding that “perfect someone”. One way we were able to achieve this metaphorical representation of finding a soulmate was through the wardrobe. Before filming, I asked the actors to prepare clothing that was red and pink to represent love and provide a sort of “Valentines-like” aesthetic to the piece. The wardrobe choice in combination with the somewhat dull and gloomy cityscape of Boston created two vibrant subjects that could pop in the frame. As the narrative advances and the subjects become drawn to one another, like a magnet, we begin to root for the subjects to come together and embrace. Even without dialogue, we were able to express the desires of the characters through non-verbal cues such as body movement, facial expressions, and the general look of the characters. I was and am ecstatic about my choice to cast Zoe Seitz and Honey Brumfield in this project.
Reflecting on your past projects, what valuable lessons have you learned as a director, and how have these lessons influenced your approach to newer projects like "The Embrace"?
One of the most valuable lessons I have acquired in my career thus far is to just get started. Plenty of people tend to wait to get started on a project until they have received “sufficient” equipment, “larger” budgets, etc. The issue with this particular mindset is that the creative process is hindered by waiting for things to occur. While it's nice to receive equipment, budgets, etc. we now live in a day and age where access to filmmaking is greater than it ever has been. Independent filmmaking is in a golden age due to the simple reality that many of us have a magical filmmaking device in our pockets, our phones.
My previous project The Shoes We Wear (2022) was shot exclusively on an iPhone 12. The shooting process was seamless and allowed me to be flexible with my personal shooting schedule. Creating The Shoes We Wear allowed me to approach The Embrace with a more thoughtful budget-friendly experience.
Did you face any difficulties while creating and developing your project ?
Overall, the project’s production was easily achievable. I had two phenomenal actors who took direction well and created tactical choices with their characters. Additionally, my assistant director and camera operator Aryan Chaudhari brilliantly framed the camera and walked me through the idealistic versions of the shots in my mind. Communication among the entire team was extremely efficient. The only production difficulty was the long takes with the characters walking through various Boston locations. As a team, we had to repeat shots often due to environmental factors (animals, vehicles, terrain, etc.) and pedestrian foot traffic that hindered the isolation of these characters. However, after several practice shots, we were able to easily move from location to location retrieving the shots effectively and successfully.
Are there specific filmmakers or films that have had a profound impact on your style and approach to storytelling? How do you incorporate or reinterpret these influences in your own work?
Surprisingly, the bulk of my work has been inspired by animation. In my free time, I watch a plethora of animated media including anime, films, and television shows. The niche worlds that each of these mediums creates are what inspire me to create concepts that are relatively unexplored in the live-action space. Films such as Robin Hood (1973) by Wolfgang Reitherman, My Neighbor Totoro (1988) by Hayao Miyazaki, and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) by Henry Selick along with shows such as Cowboy Bebop (1998) by Ikurô Satô, Adventure Time (2010-2018) by Pendleton Ward, and Over the Garden Wall (2014) by Nate Cash have not necessarily inspired my approach or style to filmmaking but have provided a foundation for understanding compelling storytelling. Ultimately, I take in all aspects of the media I consume to then create stories that I find truthful to my character.
Given the evolving landscape of audience interaction with films, how do you envision audience engagement evolving in the future, and how does that impact your storytelling decisions?
I believe transmedia storytelling, the practice of designing, sharing, and participating in a cohesive story experience across multiple traditional and digital delivery platforms, will be the future of audience engagement in film. Nowadays, audience members continue to want to be engaged by familiar source material. For example, if someone watched the film Leave the World Behind (2023) by Sam Esmail and enjoyed it, they may then want to read the novel with the same name by Rumaan Alam. Or, they may even want to see the source material get adapted into an open-world video game that can be played via console or mobile device. The notion of this practice is that one cohesive experience can be created for the viewer across various physical and digital delivery platforms. In terms of how this will impact my storytelling decisions, I believe that I would like to engage with this practice when applicable. As a multihyphenate, the idea of taking my ideas into multiple mediums excites me. I would love to have the ability to expand my storytelling experiences into books, games, virtual reality, etc..
Can you tease any upcoming projects or themes you're excited to explore in your future works? Any particular genre or storytelling approach you're eager to delve into?
I have two films that I produced that will be released this year. The first is an apocalyptic film titled Alone Again by Yankel Gelman and the second is an intimate piece about a son and a grandma titled Cause Grandma Said So by Ryan Stafford. In terms of personal film projects, I have nothing queued up at the moment. I partake in a practice called “marinating” in my work. Essentially, I step away from personal work for a bit to steep in the morals, values, and lessons I learned from my previous project. I believe this process helps me understand myself as a creator and allows me to approach my next project responsibly. However, I am intrigued to explore the thriller genre. I have always loved Alfred Hitchcock’s filmography and would love to create a smaller-scale version of a Hitchcock-like story.
This marks the conclusion of the interview featuring our esteemed artist, Andy Hauptli. Our community is growing steadily, with a continuous influx of skilled filmmakers and screenwriters joining us. Explore our other interviews, and consider scheduling one for yourself to showcase your creative endeavors.
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