THE CONTROL tells the story of what happens when a cutting-edge computer-brain interface is developed to keep hibernating colonizers safe and sane for their journey. To send humanity to a distant galaxy, the mysterious CEO of The Fuller Corporation must develop a cutting-edge computer-brain interface to keep his hibernating colonizers safe and sane for a journey of unknown length. Mike, a brilliant, single-minded programmer, and Eric, an unorthodox neurochemist, take on the challenge, eager to make their mark on history. But as they collaborate on the most sophisticated virtual reality system ever conceived, their ambitions clash and they find themselves working on different approaches to the same program. When Mike’s muse gets wind of their project, she secretly volunteers as a test subject for Eric and becomes trapped inside an unending program. When Mike tries to save her, he finds himself in a chess game of alternate worlds where reality can break apart and the normal rules don’t always apply. Unsure what is real and what is virtual, Mike has to deconstruct the program from the inside in order to gain control and bring everyone back to reality.
THE CONTROL was written and directed by Michael Stasko & Eric Schiller. We spoke to the gents about the film, which is now available on DVD and Digital.
When did you get involved in THE CONTROL?
ERIC: Mike and I had been having regular meetings from about 2012-2014 to write something. It started as a fun fiction exercise, kicking around ideas for a hypothetical season three of Twin Peaks, but ultimately figured we’d leave that to the experts and focus on something we could make ourselves on a low budget. We’re both big sci-fi fans and get most excited about the more conceptual end of the sci-fi spectrum like 2001 and Primer, so what came out was The Control.
Being an independent production, I imagine you had to wear quite a few different hats on it?
BOTH: We were lucky to have a great crew but yes, inevitably when you’re making a small production like ours you end up doing a little of everything. Basically when your budget is so small, you can’t afford to pay your crew enough to dedicate their entire lives to this project for months, so when it’s crunch time you just have to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself. But ultimately it was our baby so we were all-in on getting it done.
Any hurdles to jump before filming even kicked off?
BOTH: Originally we expected to use ACTRA (the Canadian acting union) to find all our actors, but our negotiations were getting pretty stressful as our shoot day loomed so at the last minute we made the decision to use all non-union actors, including ourselves. So that required a bunch of last minute adjustments to the budget and script and what not, and we totally lucked out finding the actors we did.
Now is this something you pretty much bankrolled yourself, and had to pan for gold to get up, or was it a door-knocking exercise?
MIKE: There’s a really great and interesting filmmaking community in Windsor, where we’re both from, and that includes local investors. We’d already made a few movies (Things To Do, Iodine, The Birder) and had a bit of a track-record and network there, people keen to help by investing in movies get made. Naturally we did do a lot of begging, asking friends and family, and Eric sold a kidney.
Tell me about the pursuit of getting distribution interest…
BOTH: We basically took The Control on its festival run and then jumped into planning for another project (Boys vs. Girls), so we weren’t rushed on securing distribution. Ultimately we got picked up by Freestyle Digital Media for North America and Iuvit Media Sales out of Italy picked up the rest of the world.
In the future, do you expect more and more filmmakers will be releasing projects themselves? Is that becoming easier, you think?
BOTH: It must. The distribution landscape is so different than it was when we were in film school. There was no “streaming” then! Now there are platforms looking for content that we’ve never even heard of, but how you get your project into their hands is constantly evolving. But more than just releasing a project yourself, you need to get it in front of the people who’ll appreciate it. So the classic distribution model has that advantage. Whereas if you self-publish your novel there’s nothing driving people to read it but your own annoying Facebook messages.
Who did the art? It’s a nifty job!
BOTH: If you’re talking about the poster, that was our friend Greg Maxwell. There’s a clue in that poster, and Greg pulled it off. He was also our art director and property master on the movie. He’s a great artist. Check out his Instagram @theuglyvision
Did you find it at all difficult to market, being that it’s a crosspatch of several genres?
ERIC: t is pretty difficult. Most pop sci-fi movies these days take the form of superhero movies, and they’re really action-oriented. Our movie is almost completely conceptual, which traditionally doesn’t make for a blockbuster. We knew we were making a movie for a niche audience though so it wasn’t surprising that the tweens weren’t packing our festival showings.
You’re working at Blockbuster Video, back in the day, and this comes in – – which shelf do you place it on?
BOTH: Staff picks.
If you were stranded on a desert island, and could only take one movie with you, what would it be?
BOTH: Probably 2001: A Space Odyssey. Or Bottle Rocket.
And if you could only have one actor join you on that island, to keep you company, who would it be?
BOTH: I think Ray Wise would have some great stories to tell.
What are your future plans?
ERIC: We’re hoping once COVID lockdowns end we’ll be able to continue taking advantage of the scene in Windsor to make more movies. But ultimately we both plan to escape Earth’s gravity before the Rapture and live in a virtual reality until our vitals tail off.
Any advice for those looking to tackle the industry?
ERIC: There are hundreds of ways to get into the industry, but it’s probably a good idea to think backwards about where you ultimately want to land in the industry and reason out the path of least resistance.
Do you consider social media a ‘must’ for any entertainment professional, these days?
BOTH: It’s hard to imagine any industry that wouldn’t benefit from social media at this point. Neither of us are very good at using social media but it’s the new ecosystem where all the media lives, so we kind of force it on ourselves.
Dream gig?
ERIC: Faith healer.
MIKE: Plastics.