Interview With Filmmaker
Graham Alexander

Graham Alexander: Growing up in East Texas, I have always been fascinated by and interested in the rural farming and ranching life. It is poetic, and I feel we have forgotten just how beautiful the tie between a family and their land really is. Furthermore, a former teacher and good friend of mine, Ben House, has written poetry about our fathers’ land, and his poetry is woven throughout the film.

CM: The Sound of a Dirt Road is noteworthy for its well-written screenplay and the manner in which it engages the emotions of its audience. What is your background in screenwriting and writing in general? Have you studied screenwriting indepth?

GA: I have studied many scripts, in terms of structure and content. I have also read a few books on writing screenplays, but they are not as helpful as just sitting down and writing screenplays. I wrote many screenplays when I was in junior high and high school (most of them horrendously embarrassing). Learning to write well is a process; it is a craft that can only be honed by many trials and errors. I feel that I still am and always will be in the process of learning to write well.

CM: You refrain from telling your audience what you want them to feel while watching your film, while causing them to feel what you want through the use of subtlety, character development, contrast, and sparse dialogue. Is it difficult to do this well?

GA: Too many films use dialogue as a crutch by telling audiences what they should know or feel. I believe that it is more impacting to an individual, as well as an audience, to show what they should be feeling. Honestly, I do believe this is very difficult. If it is not done well, a good idea will become a disaster. Although not necessary, I do believe it is a sharper and stronger element of storytelling.

CM: Was the original score, written by Taylor Davis, donated or purchased? What is Taylor’s background in music composition, specifically for film?

GA: Taylor Davis composed the score for free, because he is beginning to experiment with scoring films. He is the Director of Music at a Methodist church in Fulshear, Texas, and The Sound of a Dirt Road is his first feature film to score. It was a joy and honor to get to work with Taylor, for his talent and vision for the film was an invaluable asset.

CM: The most blatantly comic moment of the film is seen when Robby Piantanida plays Clarence in the hardware store. What is Robby’s story?

GA: Robby Piantanida is our Director of Photography. When I was still in the writing process, my biggest prayer was that God would deliver one person that would care about this film project as much as I did, so that we could get this project accomplished. My close friend, Ross Renfroe (our main actor), introduced me to Robby and told me he was very interested in helping out. Robby was the man God sent, for he was an extremely vital part of getting our vision accomplished. He thoroughly enjoyed the script and pushed all of us to complete the production phase of The Sound of a Dirt Road.

The one scene that Robby is in has a funny story to it: the actor that was originally going to play Clarence had a scheduling conflict. Therefore, moments before we had to shoot the scene, Robby shaved everything but his mustache, donned on the hardware store apron and delivered quite a comedic performance.

CM: You play the part of screenwriter, producer, director, editor, and supporting actor in The Sound of a Dirt Road. Is it inherently negative that independent Christian filmmakers often have to wear so many hats, or can some do it well?

GA: Naturally, extremely low-budget independent filmmakers find themselves donning many hats to get their vision accomplished. If it can’t be avoided, it can’t be avoided. However, if filmmakers have an opportunity to delegate responsibility to others, it is in their best interest to let others help. There is a difference between wearing many hats because there is no one else, and wearing many hats because you are extremely controlling and individualistic about the project. Humility and community effort are two significant things that beginning independent filmmakers must learn.

CM: Do you plan to fill as many roles during your next film project?

GA: Lord willing, I would rather devote all my time and effort to just one or two roles. If I had a heart that desired to fill as many roles as I did in The Sound of a Dirt Road, I would consider that very selfish, for the movie would be all about me. If I can focus on just a few roles, then others can devote all their desires and energy into the other roles.

CM: Of all the hats you have worn in filmmaking, which comes most naturally? Which do you prefer?

GA: Naturally, I understand the language of editing. However, I prefer both writing and editing.

CM: You experiment with many different camera angles, lightings, and silhouettes throughout this movie. What did you learn through your experimentation? What were you trying to achieve?

GA: Once again, honing the craft of filmmaking is achieved through trial and error. Robby and I learned a great deal through our experimentation, mostly what works and what doesn’t. We try to use the lighting and camera angles to reflect what the audience feels about the content of the movie.

CM: Did you employ multiple cameras during the filming process?

GA: No. We had an extremely low budget, so we worked with what we could. However, my Canon GL2 did break about 3/4 of the way through shooting, so we had to borrow a friend’s GL2 to wrap up shooting.

CM: At the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Academy, you sat on a panel alongside feature filmmaking veterans such as Stephen Kendrick of Facing the Giants and Fireproof fame. What did you garner from that experience?

GA: It was a very humbling experience to be sitting alongside the pioneers of the new age of Christian filmmaking. In getting to meet these men, I realized that we are all fellow filmmakers, no matter what the production values, distribution agreements, or marketing campaigns. It was an honor to meet these men, because it is on their shoulders that future Christian filmmakers will stand.

CM: The film credits MyShow Productions and Borrowed Productions, and references the making of a Sounds Good Production. The first is your production company, but who runs Borrowed Productions and what is a Sounds Good Production?

GA: Borrowed Productions is Robby Piantanida’s company, and Sounds Good Production is the joining of MyShow Productions and Borrowed Productions.

CM: Your film is most impressive for having been filmed on a budget of $900 over a period of eighteen days. What are a couple of innovative, and perhaps impromptu, tactics you used to save money and time?

GA: Well, where is money most needed? Food and gas. Buy cheap food and drive as little as needed. We always tried to film as much as we could in one location and in one setting. We borrowed equipment, vehicles, props, dresses, etc. We asked many people to volunteer their time, and they were extremely kind, or half-crazy, to help us.

"I had to learn my limits."

CM: What are the top three things you wish you had known before you started?

GA: First, I wish I had known that my camera would break just a few days before the end of shooting. If I had known that it was falling apart internally, I would have shot on a different camera.

Secondly, I also wish that we had known it would rain on the first day of shooting.

Third, and most importantly, I wish we had been prepared for how difficult and time-consuming the project would actually be. We are extremely grateful that the project got accomplished and was selected as a feature film finalist in the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival.

CM: What was the biggest hurdle that you faced during the filmmaking process, and how did you overcome it?

GA: Time. Most who have heard about our film assume that our biggest hurdle was funding, but I never really worried about money because the majority of our resources were used free of charge. That is why a loving and supportive community is vital in independent Christian filmmaking. Nonetheless, time was our biggest hurdle. We had such a short slot of time available to shoot this film, for many people on the set were heading back to college soon. Thankfully, our youthful energy and determination allowed us to pull 36-hour film shoots, sparing only a few minutes for a cup of coffee between sunset and sunrise.

CM: What was the most significant lesson that God taught you, from a personal standpoint, during the making of The Sound of a Dirt Road?

GA: Patience and humility. I had to learn my limits, which can be an ugly thing to experience at times. I believe that I have greatly grown as a person as well as a filmmaker through the process of getting The Sound of a Dirt Road made.

CM: How may people purchase The Sound of a Dirt Road?

GA: The Sound of a Dirt Road can be purchased one of three ways:

1. Send $12 cash or check to:

MyShow Productions LLC
6620 Rollins Drive
Tyler, TX 75703

2. Purchase through Vision Forum Inc. for $13.50 at http://visionforum.com/

3. Download for viewing on a computer for $9.95 at http://behemoth.com/

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