Jeff Wallace, director of the new drama Angel By Thursday, two families struggling with deep rooted despair and guilt stemming from the horrific events in their past, fills us in on the film’s long journey to the big screen, directing independent films, and his next film – a Christmas flick!
How’s your year been so far, Jeff?
Even with the hassles of a pandemic, it’s been a great year. The way I look at it, as long as I’m still walking, breathing and creating, I’m making every minute count.
And this finds you in Hawaii? Is that home?
Yes, Hawaii is home. Been in the islands since I was five which makes it sixty-one years now when my parents moved us from Colorado with no job; only a dream. Without a doubt, their inspiration to “just do it”, played a huge role in my upbringing and me subsequently taking on the insane magnitude of making a feature-length this late in life.
Was the pandemic as punishing on your as it was most in the industry? How did Hawaii cope?
Industry in Hawaii was greatly affected. But there is something unique about our culture and mindset here. For the most part, we (as a population) live aloha. Not only is it used as greeting or goodbye, but on a much deeper level, it’s a sense of love and caring for one another. That said, we have the highest vaccination rate in the country. Couple this with strict mask requirements has allowed our film industry continuing to thrive.
Was it a blessing that you work primarily with direct-to-digital releases, considering what happened with theatrical releases, you think?
For us, yes. Being a true indie done on an ultra-low budget scale, it was highly unlikely we’d ever see a theatrical release, so access to direct services provides us with multiple platforms to share our story.
ANGEL BY THURSDAY – where did this idea hail from?
Some are fortunate to have their stories write themselves. In my case, just the opposite. Brainstorming “what ifs” with my wife, “Angel by Thursday” popped out of the blue. I have no idea where it came from but something about it felt golden; felt right and knew I had to spin a story around it. That said, the process of interweaving two families linked by tragedy with an added bit of mystery took shape and finally came to fruition.
And was this ever intended to be a big-screen release or has everything gone to plan?
As mentioned above, it was highly unlikely from the start it would have a theatrical release so yes, I can say it has gone according to plan and exceeded all expectations.
The film is like a beautiful postcard and meaty drama in one, but are there any films in particular you wanted the look, style and tone to emulate?
No. To me, emulating someone else’s work wouldn’t be true and deny me full creative freedom to express my vision.
Are you cast all locals?
Yes. From the onset, I had this priority. Tell an emotional compelling story done with local cast and crew while showcasing island beauty. Hawaii has so much talent to offer and future projects will enlist this same formula.
Do you think the indie film game got a bit of a boost during covid because so many people were at home watching streaming films?
I do. For our release and others, people holed up is good for viewing. As is often said, “timing is everything” and covid has turned out to be a boon for film makers.
Is there a certain platform that has the potential to make the best return here, for instance, iTunes or Amazon?
In our case, Tubitv provides the best return. Although it is free, the unfortunate thing is, viewers have to endure commercial breaks which really disrupts the emotional flow and journey. In the end it’s the viewer’s choice because were also on Amazon, Google Play and YouTube Movies.
Will the next be shot in Hawaii too?
Yes. It’s called No Ordinary Christmas. An uplifting tale about a destitute wedding planner relocated in paradise who must choose between orchestrating a billionaire’s wedding or providing a holiday miracle for the homeless. I’ve got the script written and now in the preproduction phase.