5Q's w/: Ian Ebright "The Way We Speak" Writer, Director
QUESTION#1: What excited you the most when making this film?: The Way We Speak is my first feature, so doing something at this scale was a big unknown—and a big part of the allure.
QUESTION#2: What was the most significant film you've seen AT THE THEATER in 2024, and how did it influence your filmmaking?: Civil War. Misunderstood and under appreciated. Alex Garland's use of set pieces set to the perfect music continues to focus my screenwriting and filmmaking on the fact that if a story is working emotionally, some of its best moments will pop without dialogue.
QUESTION#3: What's an obvious and not-so-obvious question someone might ask about your film?: Obvious: Why did you choose religion as the topic of debate in the film's centerpiece?
Not-so-obvious: Did the theme or subtext of The Way We Speak evolve between the screenwriting and actually completing the film?
QUESTION#4: A magic movie genie is giving you an unlimited budget for your next production! However, you're only allowed to use it on either "above line" or "below line" resouces. Which do you choose and why?: Below line. Working with actors is one of the biggest draws to writing and directing. But based on the screenplay I'm finishing now, it's designed to be achieved in a remote location and with a lot of practical effects—completely devoid of CGI. Pulling that off credibly and cinematically will require a lot of skilled hands, and will be the heftiest part of the budget.
QUESTION#5: What is it about your current movie that will influence your next film?: Hopefully the quality and the POV of the thing, and that the response to the film will lead to the opportunity to make another one.
Social media tags to share with our readers: https://www.instagram.com/ianebright/; https://www.facebook.com/ian.ebright