Q&A with SUN CHOKE Writer/Director Ben Cresciman

On August 2nd, writer/director Ben Cresciman’s stunning indie thriller Sun Choke arrives on VOD platforms everywhere, and will subsequently be arriving in select theaters on August 5th courtesy of XLrator Media. Daily Dead recently did a Q&A with Cresciman to hear more about what inspired his twisted psychological story in Sun Choke, his experiences working with the talented trio of Sarah Hagan, Barbara Crampton and Sara Malakul Lane, how he collaborated with his cinematographer Mathew Rudenberg, and more.

Let’s start off by talking about this story. Obviously, there is a lot going on with the relationship between Irma and Janie at many different levels in Sun Choke, which is fascinating to watch as it unfurls. Can you discuss your approach to the material and how you viewed the give-and-take between these two women?

Ben Cresciman: A big key early on was abandoning the binary of good and bad, hero and villain. All that matters to me is what matters to the characters. That they each in their own way believe—or more practically, know—that they are the one on the side of right, and only doing what is necessary to assert their position in the world, and within their relationship. Bad things happen, but everybody has their reasons.

With this material, I’m guessing it requires that you have a lot of trust between you and your actresses, but also you have to hope that they can build trust between themselves as cast members, too. Can you discuss working with Barbara, Sarah, and Sara and how they came together throughout production? 

Ben Cresciman: Sarah Hagan, Barbara Crampton, and Sara Malakul Lane are all three insightful, engaged, and fearless performers. The script presented challenges that they were each game for in their own way, and the ways in which they rose to and exceeded those challenges brought such incredible depth and nuance to their performances.

Do you feel like being able to make this film at the indie level, where you have a cast and crew that are most likely there for the right reasons, was helpful in terms of keeping the intimacy that’s reflected in the script?

Ben Cresciman: Definitely. The first two weeks of the shoot we were in that house every day. That helped the cast and crew really cohere quickly, because we were all locked up in this weird house making this crazy little thing, and all sort of living each moment of the film together. You always want more time, more money, more of the stuff that we understand as making the process easier. But none of that means anything if you don't have a talented and dedicated group of filmmakers alongside you when you show up to set each day.

I’d love to hear more about your collaborative process with your DP Mathew, as he did a phenomenal job on the film.

Ben Cresciman: He did! Mathew is a brilliant cinematographer and all-around excellent human, and brought so much to the film, as well as the process of making it. We started by sitting in a room for five or so days straight going through the script, exploring possibilities for the visual vocabulary. I had developed a shot list, and we used that as a guide to start, but then we had a really free collaboration back and forth as we solidified the look of the film and the visual approach to each scene.

Mathew also came with a number of aces up his sleeve that really elevated the film's visuals beyond anything I originally imagined.   Ultimately, it's about understanding and communication, whether it's discussing references in pre-production, shot listing, or improvising a new shot in the moment when the shot list isn't working.

What was the biggest thing you’ve taken away from your whole Sun Choke experience—from filming to its festival run to now seeing it getting a release?

Ben Cresciman: I honestly don't know where to begin. The whole process has literally been a dream come true. To have this remarkable group of filmmakers trust me with their talent has been a—if not the—true highlight of my life, personally and professionally.