Interview with Brendan Beachman for INTERSECTION (2015)

INTERSECTION (2015) by Brendan Beachman held its world premiere @ Palm Springs International Shortfest 2015

Synopsis - Intersection is a short dark comedy about two road construction workers flagging for non-existent vehicles on a remote, desert intersection. The monotony of their day is smashed by the violent arrival of an object from the sky.

In a recent interview with Brendan, here is what he had to say about his film:

What inspired you to make a film about two guys in the middle of the desert holding stop sign? Is it a comment on American culture or was it inspired by real events?

The original inspiration for the script actually came from personal experience. During the summers of my high school and college years, I worked road construction in my tiny hometown in northwest Colorado. There were many, many days in which I played the role of a human barricade in searing summer heat, on some desolate, dirt road. It felt pretty existential, so when I started writing the script, I used the basic setup of Waiting For Godot and placed it within a modern, personal context. I liked the idea of these guys waiting for nonexistent cars and battling boredom with banal, but semi philosophical banter--only to be interrupted by a violent act of God. There is a little bit of a critique on American culture. Especially since I chose to set it in the American west. The way Chris (the younger character) talks about the meteorite being a gift sent from God brings about the idea of Manifest destiny. I guess if I were to describe the overall message of the film, it'd be 'a satire about the futility of greed.'

Do you think that solitary places like the desert where people spend a lot of time alone lead people to a kind of madness?

That's a good question. I feel like being alone can be healthy and centering, but too much time alone can definitely cause a little craziness. I spent a ton of time location scouting out in the mojave. I left with a newfound respect for the desert. It's beautiful in a way, but everything has to be so harsh to survive. It was a blast exploring out there, but I think I've had my fill of the desert for a while.

Your film is kind of a horror/psychological thriller. Is this your preferred genre?

I do find myself gravitating towards horror/thriller when I'm looking for films to watch. My favorite genre to write and film myself is dark comedy. I like films that can have elements of both horror/thriller and dark comedy. Hopefully Intersection bridges those genres successfully!

Do you think you will turn this into a feature?

I think that I stretched out this story about as far as it can go, so I don't really foresee adapting it to a feature. However, I am in the process of writing a feature script now that has similar characters and a very similar dark comedy/thriller style.

What was your experience at PSSFF and how were the responses to this film?

This was my first experience at PSSF, and it was incredible. The fest was so well run and the program was jam packed with amazing shorts from all over the world. This was the biggest audience that I've ever screened Intersection in front of, so it was very gratifying (and nerve wracking) to see people's responses. I've become very attached to the film after being involved for so long, so when I watch it, all I can think about is what was going on behind the scenes and things that I would have done differently. It's great to be with people who have no attachment to the film and see them really react...whether that be laughing, jumping at the right moments, or covering their eyes in the more gruesome moments.

What are your plans next for this film and for future projects?

PSSF was only the 2nd fest that I've screened Intersection at, so I am hoping to take it to more festivals this year. Then I will see about distribution or putting it up online. I'm hoping to use it as a calling card for my feature script since they are so similar in tone. I also have a couple short films planned. This time they will be shorter shorts...3-5 minutes. Intersection was 20 minutes. I don't want to tackle something that big again until I have a budget source that is not my credit card.

View a piece of the film here:

Interview by Vanessa McMahon