Filmmaker Profile: Brian Lederman
Brian Lederman
Brian is an emerging writer/director based in the New York City area. Over the past few years he's done things like direct dramatic narratives, edit reality television, and write sketch comedy. “Pushover” is his second short film and, after working almost exclusively in the YouTube space for several years, a return to his more passionate, cinematic roots.
This Q&A is part of the Bushwick Film Fest Filmmaker Q&A series.
What inspired you to create this film, and how did the initial idea come to you?
There's this old-school musical instrument and equipment company that I used to buy gear from. Months after a purchase, I'd get a call out of the blue asking me if I was enjoying the gear. Very kind, but always struck me as a tad strange and a little awkward. Those experiences, in addition to constant emails from Amazon asking me to "Please review a purchase." led to this darkly funny visual of someone being held hostage at these companies, their lives on the line while attempting to be as fake-nice as possible. I just found that really absurdly funny. That was just the initial germ of the idea. All of the headier subtext came later.
Why does this story need to be told now?
All of our situations and circumstances are more alike than they are different. No matter what part of the state, country, or world you're from. Civil conversation has taken a backseat to vitriol and histrionics. We fight each other instead of institutional power. We need to come back together and remember compassion. We're all in this together.
What was a big challenge you faced while making this film?
All of it was a challenge! I mounted it myself from the get-go, took out credit cards, put my mental health on the line, all of that fun stuff. But more specifically, the paperweight prop caused quite a few aneurysms until I found an amazing craftsman and collaborator in Christine Pfister. Also, RIGHT as we started shooting on the first day, a Labor Day parade started down 5th Avenue, a week after Labor Day. No fun for sound. Yet, we made it through. Any film ends up being some kind of miraculous accomplishment, I think. I've always felt that you need to be a little crazy to even attempt it.
Tell us an anecdote about casting or working with your actors.
I got so lucky with the amazing Josh Tobin in the lead! At my day job, we work with quite a bit of the NYC comedy community, Upright Citizens Brigade, etc. I needed to cast a role in a sketch we were shooting, and Josh was recommended. I already had the script for Pushover and wasn't looking forward to a casting call because of the specific nature of the role. As we were shooting the sketch, it became obvious to me that I had found my guy. He fell into my lap!
Why is filmmaking important to you? Why is it important to the world?
It's the perfect merger of every previous art form and medium. Literature, music, painting. It's all of those things combined, the paintings now moving. I believe that if you're lucky and manage to get all of these things vibrating and working together at just the right frequency, it's possible to convey an idea or emotion more powerfully and coherently than in any one of those mediums by themselves.
Brian Lederman’s Q&A is part of the Bushwick Film Fest Filmmaker Q&A series.
