Diversity in Storytelling
Paxeros is a production company that is strategizing how to evolve along with the film industry’s challenges. The LA based company has created content for such instantly recognizable names as Vogue and Doritos, the SYFY channel and W Magazine, Nike and AT&T. Venturing beyond music videos and documentary work to an improvised feature film Fully Realized Humans, Paxeros has established its versatility. Their following offering, No Right Way, is a film which possesses moral complexity and a production level as great as any other, while operating behind the scenes in a manner that is leaner and more cost effective. If Hollywood is to survive as the world’s film capital, it must take a hard look at how to reinvent itself while retaining the creative magic that earned such a moniker.
Designing a Better Path
No Right Way doesn’t sacrifice anything on screen in regard to camera lenses, costuming, or production values. Doing so would instantly place a film in the B category. Equally, a great script is a necessity. Working smarter and more efficiently behind-the-scenes is how this production achieved a first-class aesthetic and tone while dealing with the ever expanding constraints on a team. Production manager Irina Slepneva was at the center of this effort. “The work of a Production Manager revolves around problem-solving quickly and efficiently, and the better you can do that, the better you are at your job. For me, keeping in mind that we are all incredibly fortunate to be doing what we love, to be working in a creative industry filled with immensely talented people who are sharing their stories with the world has always been my ‘north star’ on difficult days. Early on in my career I determined what my core values were, and as long as I remain true to them, I can withstand any amount of pressure that the production days bring.” states Slepneva who adds, “I firmly believe that no problem is unsolvable as long as you are able to think clearly, communicate effectively, treat people with empathy and compassion, and focus on the shared goal you all have of making the movie happen.”
There is Power of Twenty-Four
One key element in the successful manifestation, both creatively and in terms of budget, of No Right Way was taking the phrase “making your day” into a very literal space. The film’s largest scene and the one with the most cast members was completely shot in a single day. A funeral for Georgie’s friend Robby who was killed after being hit by a car, this scene was the most taxing moment on screen and off. Similarly, an early scene which established the concerning living situation of the younger sibling (Georgie) was completely shot in a single day. Throughout much of the filming, approaching these pivotal scenes with the goal of completing them in a single day enabled clear communication and schedules (due in no small part to exemplary communication and planning).
Leaning Into the Unknown
One of the most unique ways in which No Right Way differs from traditional filmmaking (for the most part) is in adopting the methodology of having the lead cast improvise their performances. It’s a motto that is as old as business itself, hire the best professionals and you’ll get the best results. In acting terms, this allowed for the most authentic experiences to be created as a collaboration between the writer-director and the actors embodying their roles. The two actors at the center of this story are Chelsea Bo (of Primetime Emmy Award Nominated documentary Deaf President Now!) as Harper and Ava Acres (of Primetime Emmy Award Winning series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Primetime Emmy Award Winning series American Horror Story, Primetime Emmy Award Nominated series Once Upon a Time) as Georgie. The events that unfold between these sisters exhibit that even if your heart is in the right place, you may not get everything correct. Both the script and the team creating No Right Way establish that the same process which has served the past may not apply to the present.
No Right Way is currently available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
Writer : Basil Thomson
Punit