Interview with film director Alexander Manolides
Welcome Mr Alexander Manolides we are very excited to have you today and discuss about your work. Who is Alexander Manolides and how did the passion for start ?
I am a 26 year old Greek-American filmmaker. My passion for film was born at the same day I first watched Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2, in 2004. The feeling was indescribable. I played it on a loop at home when it was released on DVD. I watched the special features, and among the sea of professionals coming together for that film, I noted that it was someone’s job to take the physical footage, and either manipulate it or add elements to it, that made it what was delivered to audiences. Those were the Visual Effects artists, and that’s what I decided I wanted to be at 8 years of age. Direction seemed like a very stressful, multi-layered and intimidating task, I didn’t understand why anyone would put themselves through it.
In 2016, I took a VFX based Cinematography class, which taught us how to incorporate Visual Effects into shots. I started learning about shot composition, writing and editing for that class. I thought that I needed to shoot some of my own projects to create a reel. What initially looked daunting, quickly became an addictive passion. Filmmaking has become my life since then. It has taught me how beautiful it can be to be a part of something bigger, something that could never exist through any one of the members involved individually, but through combined effort, we bring something forth to the world, with all its perfections and imperfections, which is, in lieu of other words, alive.
Talk to us about your short sci-fi drama film. What inspired it ?
The story was inspired by an amalgamation of experiences and scientific theories. I noticed that many people around me, myself included, tend to fixate on the future, almost obsessively, which results in neglecting what we have in the present. Once we lose it, we nostalgically think about what might have been. During a time of dealing with a massive loss in my life, I came upon some scientific theories that suggest we could predict someone’s future through their DNA (down to voting patterns and even possible psychological problems).
I thought how great it could be if we could combine two people’s DNA so that we could see the relationship ending problems that would come up in the future, and act accordingly. It gave me the idea of a machine that could do just that, and if it could also access their digital footprint, it could make an accurate prediction about where that relationship is headed.
I then started thinking of the ramifications something like that could have, since our minds don’t function in that way. Once you’ve seen the future, it now becomes your past, and that past informs your actual future from that point on. I came in contact with George Ding, a very creative Chinese-American screenwriter, a lover of Greek mythology, and had the exact same idea. We called it “fate” and partnered up.
CONVERSATION ABOUT: CASSANDRA
What was your main goal with this project ? The message you want to convey.
My goal was to showcase just how seductive, yet damaging it can be to keep trying to predict something as complex as a human relationship. I chose a romantic one, since they tend to be powerful but fragile in equal measure. It’s not wrong to have goals, hopes, and expectations, but if one becomes consumed by them, they can lead to the downfall of that relationship. Sometimes, trying to outsmart the natural process and evolution of a relationship, can be its downfall.
At which point, once it becomes lost, many lock themselves off. They escape to a virtual world in order to either try and forget, or to experience that lost relationship vicariously; social media, YouTube, even movies or television shows. By placing themselves and that lost partner in scenarios where their relationship succeeded, or by seeing others experiencing a similar situation, they can learn, maybe find some sense of relief or catharsis, but they can also become “stuck” there, since “a virtual world is less painful than the real one”. It’s a subtle and possibly dangerous process, since people can lose the capacity to be open and care again for someone else.
Talk to us about our two main characters, Eleftheria and Hector. Who are they ?
Eleftheria is a free spirited, compassionate and loving woman. She’s an artistic person with business savvy, who, as we see in the future, manages to take charge of the gallery she works in, and shapes the careers of aspiring artists. She's also a bit of an emotional gambler. Once she sees that her younger friend is moving on faster with her relationship than she is, while she is happy about them, her insecurity takes over and she decides to see what happens with her partner in the future. In a way, she gets what she wants, just not the way she wanted.
Even though not referenced in the film, since we primarily follow Eleftheria’s life, Hector is a coder/ programmer. It’s part of the reason why he’s immediately suspicious and dismissive of Cassandra’s technology once it begins affecting his relationship, since he knows how easily data can be collected and how it can manipulate people. He is intelligent, but inherently insecure about whether he’s enough or not, the kind of person who is at his core an introvert, but won’t let it show until his defenses go down. Through events in his life, he doesn’t trust easily, and has placed every bit of trust he has on Eleftheria.
Their dynamic is that of a creative spirit bonding with a rational analyst, balancing each other out.
What would you describe as your directing identity style ?
My main guiding principle when making a film, is to be emotionally genuine, while crafting stories that are mentally stimulating at any capacity. The audience needs to go through an experience, to feel like their time has not been wasted. If there is no soul or beating heart behind it, they can tell, even if a film is technically good.
Visuals matter a lot to me, both in terms of aesthetics, as well as narrative. If I can tell a story with visuals alone, I will do it, and certain shots will be planned through pre-visualization during pre-production.
I also am endlessly fascinated by the concept of time, especially in a film such as this, where the past, present and future all feed into each other and eventually collide. It's why I favor intercuts and having different timelines that inform one another, even if a story doesn't deal with that concept explicitly.
How was the Sci-Fi atmosphere selected in a Greek setting ?
Science Fiction has always been a rooted in Greece. Ancient Greeks imagined concepts such as Talos, the gigantic robotic sentry of Crete. Daedalus, a brilliant scientist, created the wings that enabled him to escape his prison with Icarus in the famous story (I am convinced that Marvel’s Iron Man was at least partially based on that story). The Hellenized Syrian satirist, Lucian of Samosata, wrote the earliest known form of a science fiction story, "A True Story" (Ἀληθῆ Διηγήματα), in which he wrote about his encounter with aliens engaging in interplanetary warfare. I don’t think I need to explain further the importance Greece has played in shaping the genre, we see variations of these stories to this day, and they draw in enormous audiences worldwide.
Sci-Fi has been a part of Greece since its inception as a genre, and yet we don’t see it explored in its home country all that much, if at all. I wanted to create something that was set in Greece, combining a mostly familiar reality, with the mythological aspect of the Oracles, but give it a futuristic essence, with technologies we either see developed currently, or that could possibly be developed in the near future.
Were there any difficulties during the shooting of your film ?
Creating science fiction on a small budget was the primary challenge. When a beginner director pitches a science fiction story, most are understandably not very confident in sponsoring it. It had to be self funded. I didn’t want that to be a hindrance, and wanted it to look as professional, polished and expensive looking as possible, even on a tight budget. This meant it had to be planned out meticulously, with extreme precision, as we’d have to shoot it within a small time frame, while keeping on schedule. It’s the reason I had to act as producer, director, co-cinematographer and set designer on set. Speedy problem solving became mandatory. Most of the challenges were overcome through the tenacity and sheer will of the cast and crew to help see the project through, and I honestly cannot thank them enough.
What is the target audience of your project ?
I feel like the ones who will mostly resonate with it are audiences between 20-35. People who have had the time to experience what the characters are experiencing, or who consider the future to be guaranteed. Our 20s especially are a strange time. Some of the people during that time frame are settling, creating families and taking on dream jobs. Some don't know what to do with their lives and are discovering themselves. Some are somewhere in the middle, trying their best to hold themselves above water. Some are a combination of the above.
Romance is something we spend a lot of time concerning ourselves with especially during that time. Are we with the right person? Are they the one? Could there be someone better or more fitting? My hope is that people watching will avoid making the mistake of taking certain things or people for granted. Sometimes, it's OK if you take things slower than others. Sometimes, the grass is not greener on the other side. Sometimes everything we need is here, now, and it is up to us to make the most out of it.
Any upcoming projects in the near future ?
There is always something. Currently, I am planning to shoot a long awaited project in Bulgaria, a historical fiction story about the Amazons, called "Daughters of Ares". The idea is to shoot the beginning, and then move onto pitching it as a series. The story covers the events of the Attic War, in which the Amazons attacked Athens to reclaim their Queen.
That was the interview with our beloved creator Alexander Manolides. Our community is rising everyday, new talented filmakers and screenwriters get onboard. Be sure to check the rest of our interviews and why not schedule one for yourself to promote your work. To publish an interview simply submit on the INTERVIEW OF YOUR FILM category on our Filmfreeway page.
