Canadian feature film & TV director Deanne Foley talks about the long-journey of bringing Rosemary House’s An Audience Of Chairs to the screen.
I’m interested to know about the process of optioning the original novel. And how long ago was that – because I know sometimes these projects, based on existing material, can take a while to get going?
Deanne Foley: Screenwriter Rosemary House adapted the novel and from my understanding, it was in development for 6 years or so.
Can you talk about some of the challenges in getting “An Audience of Chairs” up?
DF: I think filmmaking is a series of challenges that you need to overcome to tell your story. The obvious one is financing. I know my producers worked really hard trying to raise enough funds to support the vision. We filmed most of the exterior scenes in a small fishing village, Tors Cove, which is about 40 minutes from the capital city in Newfoundland. I fell in love with the location as soon as I saw it but the majority of the land surrounding our hero house was owned by one person. That person did not give us permission to film on her land so it created enormous challenges for us. We used a draft crane and we had to be creative and rethink on how we shot various scenes. And of course, time is always a challenge in indie filmmaking. We had 19 days and we shot in Newfoundland and Ontario. The interior of the house was shot in a hockey arena turned studio. So we had to be careful on matching the interior and exterior scenes for both performance and lighting. Everyone rose to the occasion.
READ MORE: Our Full Review of Deanne Foley‘s Drama An Audience of Chairs
Was financing dependent on the cast?
DF: I think if we had landed a name, our budget would have increased. When we are applying for financing, cast is extremely important.
Is it fair to say this is a big departure for you?
DF: Yes, this was my first drama. I had done two features – both comedies. But I had come to a point in my life where I was looking for a project that had meaning and relevance. I never went to film school so I guess my first two features, I was figuring out the craft of filmmaking and with An Audience of Chairs, I was focused on: what do I want to say.
Do you find directing a narrative feature any different to directing a documentary? Is one more challenging than the other?
DF: I’ve mostly directed narrative. Having said that, with documentary, the story unfolds as you are filming which can be very exciting and also daunting. With narrative features, you have your script, your blueprint, which outlines your story for you. I still like to remain open to discovery with my actors on the day but it’s much more contained.
Have you discovered any surprising fans of segments of the film?
DF: I was really nervous about taking on a project based on a beloved novel. So I was delighted when I heard fans of the book where also fans of the film. That was extremely gratifying.
Filmmakers usually have a bunch of projects on their to-do list – what about yourself? Can you tip us off to any?
DF: I’m currently developing a TV show called DEADKNOT about a dead psychiatrist and the three women who were intimately connected with him. I’m also developing a couple of feature films.