Wed 9/2 @ 7PM
This just in: guys like to bust each other’s, um, well … Let’s just say guys like to be guys. Local movie producer Steven Hacker said such a familiar dynamic is explored on many different levels in new short film On a Technicality.
In a nutshell, the movie, whose creative team also includes director Andrew Gorell and actor-writer-producer Jeff Grover, revolves around five guys who meet for a weekly breakfast at a deli. The funny, poignant tale made waves earlier this year at the Cleveland International Film Festival. The movie is also slated to have a viewing this fall at the New York Independent Film Festival.
Cool Cleveland talked to Hacker, a multiple Emmy-award winning cinematographer, about On a Technicality, which has a screening, followed by a Q&A session, Wed 9/2 at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, and another short film project that’s about to get a sneak peek.
Congrats regarding On a Technicality. Tell us about the movie.
It’s an interesting story about five close friends. It’s loosely based on a real story about five guys who get together every Wednesday for breakfast at a local deli. We sort of take off from there with both a story about these five guys who enter into a preposterous bet out of boredom more than anything. The bet involves death and things don’t go exactly the way they thought it would go.
Tell us more about this preposterous bet.
Everyone has to bet on a relative at least 75 years of age who they think will outlive the other person. And if the other person dies, then they have to buy breakfast for each other for the next week. It takes place over 10 years and the bet is paid out. There are a lot of fun elements as far as when they order breakfast when the other guy has to pay, they really pile it on. But something unintended happens with the story. That’s where the twist comes in. It’s a story about life, mortality and lifelong friends who are there for each other.
Geez, five guys in a deli meeting for breakfast. That could be any restaurant, right?
That’s exactly right. When I tell people it’s a story about five guys getting together for breakfast, they ask if it’s a documentary. It sounds so real. It’s what guys do. If you go into a restaurant in the early morning, there are tables with these guys sitting around. Personally, I go to Corky & Lenny’s and Jack’s Deli. In fact, we shot at Jack’s Deli.
What have audiences told you about On a Technicality?
That it has a number of elements. It has humor. Because it’s so close to what people really do, in terms of this experience of getting together, they can identify with it. They take away the fragility of life and how we have to enjoy this when we can. It’s a cool story, it really is. And it shows how friends take care of each other.
We see at the upcoming Maltz Museum event you’ll be showing a preview of your next short film Between the Lines.
We just wrapped cinematography. It’s still in post-production. We have a lot to do but what we’re planning on doing for the September 2 event is putting together a trailer. One of the reasons why we want to do that is the baseball exhibit is currently at the Maltz Museum.
How does baseball affect the story?
The story is about a nine-year-old girl who has her first major league baseball game with her dad. He doesn’t like to pay for parking so he parks really far away from the ballpark. Basically, they park in front of a homeless shelter where they meet a homeless dad and his daughter. They both attend the baseball game but the homeless guy sits with a radio outside of Progressive Field. And the well-to-do dad goes into the park. It’s about how two dads give a wonderful experience to their daughters. And then ultimately the stories combine at the end.
With On a Technicality and Between the Lines, it seems as though you guys are really busy.
Yeah, we are. We’re filmmakers and actors and directors fulltime. We’re trying to make a living doing everything else. We’re self-funding these films. So in between doing these shorts, I’m paying my bills making other films.
The On a Technicality screening and Q&A takes place at Wed 9/2 @ 7pm at the Maltz Museum. The event is $5 or free to museum members.
[Written by John Benson]
One Response to “Deli-based Local Film ‘On a Technicality’ Receives Showing at @MaltzMuseum”
Bob Arnoff
Another great Steve Hacker production!