Interview with Filmmaker Andy Koeger (ROSIE, OH)

ROSIE, OH was the winner of BEST FILM at the May 2018 FEEDBACK Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Andy Koeger: My co-creator Apple Xenos originally had the idea for the film. I was so drawn to her idea that I was inspired to create it with her as my Senior Thesis Film at SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design. We became obsessed with creating a story that took place all in one singular moment in a person’s life.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

We had the idea the summer before our last year of art school. I made the film as a thesis project, where students were given 10 week for development, 10 weeks of preproduction and production, and 10 weeks of postproduction. All in all, it took us a year to create the film from start to finish.

3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?

Experiential moment.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

There were so many obstacles in creating a one-shot short film. We troubleshooted the technical aspects so thoroughly that they became significantly less of a challenge as we figured out the best way to make the film feel seamless. My biggest fear however was in finding the right actress for the lead role, as that performance would basically become the entire film. We got really lucky when we found Maddie Dixon-Poirier, the lead actress.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

It was cool to hear from the audience without me having to be involved in the discussion! I heard a couple new things from audience members, which was cool. The film has been circulating film festivals for about a year and a half, so I had heard lots and lots of opinions, concerns, questions, and praise throughout it’s distribution process. The film generally garners extreme opinions, and this audience was no different in that.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK of the Short Film:

6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?

Apple came up with the idea, then together we decided to create the film in one single shot, which really transformed the way we told the story.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Pulp Fiction is my favorite film. I’m drawn to it’s iconography, vibes, and how it gets you to think outside the box about what film is and what it can be.

8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?

I love it! FilmFreeway makes learning about and submitting to festivals super easy. I appreciate how the contact info is readily available for the festivals so I can reach out to them directly.

9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?

Super unrelated to my filmmaking but probably Xtal by Aphex Twin. That kinda early 90’s electronic music relates more to my next film I guess : )

10. What is next for you? A new film?

Yes! I’ve made two other shorts since Rosie, Oh, and I also direct lots of commercials and music videos. I live in LA but travel frequently for my shoots. I’m currently writing a feature screenplay with my film school dream-team Dan Frantz and Clayton McCracken, which we aim to bring to the big screen in the next couple years. I’m not going to give away too many deets about the film, but it’s an aggressive and drug-fueled journey of a group of rag-tag kids who run a pirate-radio station in the early 90’s. It’s going to be super weird, vibey, and a lot of fun.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every single month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 3 times a month. Go to http://www.wildsoundfestival.com for more information and to submit your work to the festival.