5Q's w/Dale Griffiths Stamos "Entwined" Director
#1: Can you describe your movie and why somebody should see it in less than 140 characters?
“Entwined” is about a Black man and a White woman in their sixties seeing each other again almost 50 years after, when high school sweethearts, racism tore them apart.
#2: What do you want the Borrego Springs Film Festival audience to know about your film that isn’t obvious from its title?
Our lead male actor, Michael Dorn, well-known for his role as “Worf” in the Star Trek TV series and films, said yes to starring in “Entwined” not only because he liked the script but because he had had a similar experience, and so it resonated with him personally.
#3: What is your movie making background? Tell us about yourself.
“Entwined” is the sixth short film I have written and produced or co-produced and the third film I also directed. I have spent much of my career as a playwright and was originally brought into filmmaking by two of my theatre directors who wanted me to adapt two of my short plays into film scripts that they would direct. The first of those films went to the prestigious Palms Springs Shortfest Film Festival, and then on to other festivals, including the Sedona International Film Festival where it won an Audience Award. I thus felt encouraged to continue in this new direction and even, by film four, to take on the mantle of director, which I have found to be a particularly rewarding creative experience.
#4: What was the biggest lesson learned in getting your film made?
Have a good co-producer! Someone who is really good at the details and nuts and bolts of film producing such as getting great locations for the lowest possible costs, finding perfect wardrobe items, hiring the right craft services, etc.! I was lucky to have Shari Doran as such a person for “Entwined,” and for the film I did before that.
#5: What does the future hold for your film and you?
I continue to submit “Entwined” to film festivals and would like it to be seen by as many people as possible. During these troubled times, an interracial love story that was broken up by racism is particularly relevant. I want people to walk away knowing love is love. As for what the future holds for me, I have been writing feature-length scripts, which have been placing in the finals and semi-finals of screenwriting competitions. I hope to produce one of these films soon.
