The Andy Baker Tape Film Spotlight
Today’s film spotlight focuses on the feature film The Andy Baker Tape directed by Bret Lada.
What is the title of your film and what inspired said title?
The Andy Baker Tape is an homage to found-footage films and drawn from the sequence of events in our film.
Tell us a little bit about the story and origins of your film.
The Andy Baker Tape was written, shot, and edited in a 6-month period during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Created by a displaced screen actor, an out-of-work Blue Man, an Australian- based sound engineer, and a first-time female producer; this film is a testament to creation and keeping the artistic spirit alive while the rest of the world was forced into hibernation.
Dustin Fontaine and I were classmates in drama school and the hiatus during the pandemic gave us an opportunity to reunite to work with each other.
Any films or filmmakers that inspired this film?
Yes! We drew inspiration from tons of different films; Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, The Blair Witch Project, Willow Creek, Creep, The Greenbook, and spent hours watching found-footage films to research what was effetive an what wasn’t.
What is the goal of the film for you?
The original concept of this film was an exercise in filmmaking and giving ourselves a creative practice while the rest of our artistic careers were put on pause. After our first successful screenings, the goal shifted to getting as much visibility on this project as possible. We played 24 Film Festivals in 2021, were awarded 26 Jury Awards including Best Feature, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Editing, and Best Screenplay, and developed a great fan base that has helped champion our film.
What has the journey been like getting the film into production?
The Andy Baker Tape was a labor of love. Our small team of 4 producers wore multiple hats. Bret and Dustin spent two weeks on set alone working closely on the cinematography, sound recording, and acting. For a few of the difficult shots, the duo enlisted producer Caitlin Borek who aided with the more difficult scenes. Arthur Giamalidis is a wizard of a sound designer who spent three months on our audio. Matt Dubrow and his band Matt Dubrow & the Captives scored the film with custom music along with Jerome Shuler and his group Molly and the Pineapples. All-in-all the project was an eight-month process. The first discussions of the script started in May of 2020, we finished the script by September of that year, the film was shot in October, and we had a final cut of the film by January of 2021. During our distribution proccess, we rescored some of the film with new music due to unexpected copyright issues. Terror Films is releasing us on August 5th of 2022.
One thing you learned from this project?
So many things! We gained so much knowledge on camera use and the importance of sound. As filmmakers, we faced multiple obstacles during filming which taught us to stay calm and problem-solve. During the initial film festival run we spent countless hours marketing, pushing the film, designing graphics, and fundraising to help cover expenses. This film was a boot camp in movie making.
How can folks find you and your film online?
The Andy Baker Tape will premiere on the Terror Films YouTube channel on August 5, 2022, before a wide digital release on August 12 and on the Kings of Horror YouTube channel on August 19.
Any last pieces of advice for fellow filmmakers?
BE OVERLY AMBITIOUS! Don’t sell yourself short, trust in your vision, and you will find a way to execute. Also….HAVE FUN. Storytelling is a fun endeavor and while you are in the trenches of filming, editing, and production woes remember the broader picture and execute on your vision!
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