WILL ROOSE, Staff Writer—James Ward Byrkit’s Coherence is arguably one of the best science-fiction films to come out in the last decade. Independent cinema at Denison is special in that many of the cinema majors will delve deep into the small-scope “indies” that only circulate through positive word-of-mouth and local festivals. Mr. Byrkit’s body of work was one of my indie movie finds just over two years ago, and with his new television series, Shatter Belt on the horizon, I was incredibly excited to have been given the opportunity to interview the multiple award winning writer/director about his filmography, including his time as a storyboard artist for films like Rango, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Baby Driver. Coherence is available on our school streaming service Kanopy, Amazon Prime Video, Crackle (a free streaming service with ads), and many other free platforms. The Cinema Department at Denison recommends this truly mesmerizing sci-fi film, and hope that we are able to host a screening with Denison Film Society in the near future.
1. Could you describe a particular moment or film that made you want to pursue the art of filmmaking? You worked as a storyboard artist—was this just one step to the endgame of writer/director, or did you consider the art department as a long-term job?
It hit me at a young age that I was affected by films and more obsessed with them than my peers. I’m not sure there was a moment because even as a five or six year old I was drawing these big cinematic scenes that wanted to be movies. So it was always there in some form, needing to get the ideas out of my head and onto some tangible medium.
Storyboarding was always a step toward directing. I needed to get as close as possible to directors and that was my way of leapfrogging right into the mix of it and seeing up close what was going on and what was going into the planning and execution of a film. I started storyboarding commercials and several of the directors I worked with then went on to direct movies and so I got to witness that transition. After drawing several thousand frames for various directors, it felt like I was getting a vast overview of the picture from multiple vantage points.
2. As both a screenwriter and director, would you say there is a different or similar approach that you take to each medium?
Directing fulfills me in a way that writing does not, but the writing is what propels the early stages of the vision. The healthiest way for me is to constantly bounce back and forth between the infinite possibility of the page and the realities of execution. Writing is a lonely, insular process, and I really crave the collaboration that comes with directing. Being part of a team of creative people that love what they do is intensely fulfilling and I love working with experts who know a lot more than I do.
3. Coherence placed itself within the realm of sci-fi but offered truly effective elements of horror in-between (without getting into spoilers). Would you say this is the tonal approach you are also bringing to Shatter Belt, or are there other genres you would like to explore with this project?
Shatter Belt probably won’t scare anyone so much as transport them to an uncanny new place in their own minds, or perhaps question reality in a way that unsettles them before bed. But like COHERENCE, each story is designed to provide enough to talk about with your nerdiest friends until the wee hours. If anything, there will be a slightly more science fiction tilt, as it gets into questions of consciousness and the coding of the universe. For the next season, I’d love to branch out and have a Christmas episode, a music themed episode, and some puzzles wrapped in enigmas wrapped in seaweed and rice.
4. Filming during Covid-19 has been a challenge for the whole of the industry, could you describe the biggest challenges or perhaps hidden advantages of navigating this climate as a creative?
Alas, I don’t think there are hidden advantages. The biggest challenges involve spending a lot of money on complications that arise from having more than a few people together on set. We’re in a time when it’s becoming clear that certain measures are actually helpful, or healthful, and certain measures seem to be done for performative reasons only, with no actual health benefit. So it’s frustrating to go through motions that serve no purpose. We have a responsibility to make the set as safe as possible for everyone and so there’s a lot of communication and coordination going on behind the scenes to make sure we can do that and still function as a film unit. It will be great when that energy can once again go back into the actual filmmaking.
5. Would you say there is a balance between sticking to a script while being prepared for spontaneous moments of improvisation both on your part or the cast. If I’m not mistaken, every actor on coherence was given small notes rather than pre-crafted dialogue, which is one of the reasons that film feels so emotionally genuine despite its fantastical nature. Are you approaching Shatter Belt with the same type of style, or does a large-scope series of this nature warrant a more controlled environment?
That ended up working out really well for COHERENCE because the actors rolled with the style and the approach so beautifully. So I take those lessons into Shatter Belt, even if we have more scripted episodes to begin with. I encourage the actors to deviate from the script when it feels right, to improvise and find new, unexpected moments. I love a little chaos and unplanned tangents. I’m always trying to get actors to actually talk to each other and not just wait until it’s time to say their line. The spontaneity is where the best energy arises, so the COHERENCE approach (or “comet style” as we now call it) will definitely be used as much as possible.
7. Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring filmmakers like myself who will be approaching the industry in just a few years?
There are three things aspiring filmmakers can look at. First, life experience is always an under appreciated element. Today, there are so many people who are incredibly proficient at filmmaking but have little to say because they haven’t experienced anything. Whether it’s traveling, working in a field unrelated to filmmaking, or interfacing with people besides your college friends, a filmmaker needs to experience the world a bit, and especially the world of people that are not like you.
Second, if you want to tell stories, you need to dig into the primal reasons of why we tell stories at all. What makes a good campfire story? Why are people craving stories as a way to process the world? There is something profound there that slips away if you’re too focused on the superficial.
Third, a filmmaker today has no excuse not to be making films. The equipment is insanely easy to get. Your phone is so much better than any camera I could have gotten hold of in school. Don’t make expensive films, just make films that feed your creative fire. Always be shooting and practicing. My favorite mantra from years ago was just six words: Start something new. Finish it. Repeat.