How did you first break into the industry?
My first industry job was working as an assistant production accountant on my friend's feature. I worked a lot of different positions on set and in post, but really got my bearings for story telling and structure in story producing unscripted television. Not my dream job, but it really trained me in honing right into the story, learning how to take notes from producers, and how to deliver on schedule!
Who/What inspires you as a director?
Subverting happy, sunny things always feels like fun territory. That’s where fear/horror lives for me - having your safe places taken away.
What was your best set moment on ‘Bark!’?
There was this moment where Chloe says “Do you wanna go out?” And our DP Brandon was operating and he started to respond as if he were the dog, wiggling and saying “Yeah! Yeah!” Like a big happy dog, which sparked something in Chloe, and it sort of clicked for all of us -- this relationship between her and the dog. It was cool to see the camera truly be an active character.
What sort of person is going to love this short?
Anyone who’s up for something new and can handle a few minutes of dog POV!
What advice would you give aspiring directors?
Make as much as you can with what’s available to you. Treat people well -- be someone that the crew and actors want to work with again and again. Lean into your intuition -- you know what’s right for your film -- but be open to suggestions. And remember, making movies is a marathon, not a sprint. (I’m mainly reminding myself there…)
Where can we find more of your work?
You can check out more of my short films at daniparkerfilm.com.
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