Christina Raia
Christina Raia, is an American independent writer/director/producer who co-founded her own production company, CongestedCat Productions, in 2011 with photographer Chris Carroll. Christina is known for her short films including: Moving On (2010), Come Here Often (2011), House Near the End of the Street (2012) and S.K.A (2012), among others. Christina also created the brilliant web series comedy Kelsey (2013-2014), starring Nichole Yannetty. Currently, she is in the post-production stages of releasing her first full length feature film Summit.
SN: Good morning, Christina. Welcome, and thank you for talking the time out to speak with me today. Firstly, I would like to know how you originally got into filmmaking and what inspired you to take that path. Was it something that you had always dreamed about growing up?
Christina: Good morning. Thanks for interviewing me. I'm really honored to be on Screen Nut.
It's always a little hard for me to answer the question of why filmmaking because I really can't remember a time when I didn't dream of making movies. I didn't grow up around anyone who was a filmmaker for a living or even aspiring. I don't think anyone ever even explained to me that it was something one could do with their life. I just knew that I loved movies as a kid and wanted to make my own one day. My mom says I would tell people I want to be a "movie maker" as early as 5 years old. I also started writing stories at that age. The biggest inspirations for me were definitely Tim Burton movies like Beetlejuice & The Nightmare Before Christmas (of course I later understood Henry Selick's contributions to the latter), and I loved The Twilight Zone at a very young age. I believe that show is why I was specifically interested in genre filmmaking and realized that I wanted to be responsible for what makes each work unique (i.e. directing) because I intuitively paid attention to the aesthetics that were so different between that show and everything else I was watching.
SN: As inspirations go, they certainly are some great ones. Having previously made short films such as Do Over and The House Near the End of the Street, and with your upcoming first full-length feature Summit, it appears as though your preference leans towards the darker subject matters, whilst sometimes blending them with comedy. What is it about comedy and horror that appeals to you, and which genre are you most passionate about?
Christina: As a director, I often start with issues I want to explore. I'm really passionate about social issues in general, in the broad sense like oppression and ostracization, but also in the minute sense of just interpersonal relationships and tension. The horror genre has always fascinated me because it's a form of filmmaking that plays with your senses in a way no other genre can. Audiences have such a visceral experience with it, as it can trigger you in so many different ways and force you to physically, mentally and emotionally interact with it, even after you've consumed it -for instance, being scared while lying in bed hours after watching a film. I think the biggest reason I've always been drawn to the horror genre is because it lends itself so well to allegory and metaphor. This is slightly off-topic, but The Babadook is a recent film I absolutely loved, and I think is an excellent example of the point I'm making.
In terms of comedy though, I've always loved making people laugh. I didn't have the easiest life growing up. I didn't have a hard life, but I had a single mom and we struggled and I think I had to grow up and be responsible in a way many kids do not. So, I think I always looked for opportunities to find hardships and setbacks funny and entertaining. I searched for the irony of situations and tried to find a story in that. Mixing drastically different genres very much came about as a result of this, I believe. I love taking what's expected or even what's intended and subverting that; making you see something a totally different way. Summit is very much a reflection of genre mixing and subversion in a subtle way I haven't seen done before. For that, I'm proud.
I wouldn't say that horror is my passion, though I do plan on making more horror films in my career. I think comedy is where I feel most at home. It's what I do most, at least as of now, and what I enjoy interpreting for the screen most. However, there will likely always be a little darkness mixed in with my comedy because that's real life, and if I'm not saying something while making you laugh, I'm not doing what I set out to do.
SN: I understand that completely and I couldn't agree more with your opinion of 'The Babadook', that was an amazing film. Getting to your upcoming horror Summit, I imagine your excitement levels must be pretty high considering it is your first full length feature. What were the biggest challenges of going from short features to a larger production?
Christina: I'm definitely excited, as well as a little nervous. This is a film I've been in post-production for, for almost 2 years. The idea of finally sharing it with people is both exhilarating as well as nerve-wracking, especially because it was such a learning experience for me and I see the film as very flawed. In terms of challenges (which play largely into the flaws of the film), I suppose I didn't quite know what I was getting into when undertaking such an ambitious film on such a small budget. I had made quite a few short films prior to Summit, but had not shot many days in a row for one project or in extreme weather conditions. Summit is an 80-minute film that we shot in 16 days, only 12 of which were actual production days. I didn't realize how much successive shooting days would take its toll on the crew, so I would say the biggest challenge was definitely keeping morale up and trying to get the best work of out everyone without overworking them while still meeting the needs of the shooting schedule and budget.
Also, from a directing standpoint, Summit was a challenge in that I had never directed 5 actors in constant dialogue-heavy scenes before. It was a fun challenge, something I'm glad I took on, as these 5 relationships are the essence of the film. However, it was definitely something I wasn't completely prepared for, to be able to be aware of all performances and give direction to each all at once, especially while contending with my own distracting discomfort at times (the average temperature during outdoor shoots was below zero). Summit was really just one large learning experience in writing, directing and producing, and especially in terms of doing them all at once. Many people argue that you should learn as much as possible before making your first feature, but you just can't learn what you will from making your first feature without doing it, I think. It's an interesting dichotomy. In the end, I am just very excited to get the film out there and not just share it as piece of my work, but also as an experience that allowed me to grow as a filmmaker.
SN: That pretty much sounds like the essence of great filmmaking. For anyone that has seen the teaser trailer, what can they expect from Summit that separates it from other group-friend horrors that are currently out there and how much has the story-line evolved since the original seed was planted?
Christina: I first came up with the idea for Summit back in June of 2011. It was while having lunch with my friend and production company (CongestedCat Productions) co-founder Chris Carroll. We had just shot our first short together and were discussing new movies coming out. Of course, the discussion turned toward horror films and I mentioned how much technology makes it hard to pull off an effective horror film these days, in large part because getting lost seems nearly impossible. Chris was actually the one who suggested that maybe technology could be incorporated into a horror film in that a killer could use a GSP to steer someone in the wrong direction. It was that little idea that first planted the seed for Summit. I toyed with that concept for a while before spending one night writing the first draft of the film between 8pm and 4am the next morning.
The idea Chris posed was much more in the vein of a sort of formulaic slasher film; but this kind of running through the woods from a masked killer in the middle of nowhere formula with generic and token characters, and no realistic character motivations or behaviors, was something I specifically hated about most horror films at the time. However, the idea of setting up a film that would make you think it's that exact formula, and then take you in a different direction really appealed to me. The script went through many revisions over the next year, as I fleshed out these characters more. I wanted them to feel real and complex, and like they existed before the movie started, which is something I don't think you see in (mainstream) horror films often. I don't want to give my movie away, as I've already told you what it's not. But I will say that it's a film that has the suspense and enough gore to pull in horror fans, but at its core is an exploration of relationships. It's unnerving on a psychological level because it sort of pushes you to identify with this group of friends, and maybe see yourself in any one of them. I believe that audiences will walk away affected by the film in a way they haven't been by the group-friend horrors they may have seen before.
SN: That's certainly enough information to get horror fans excited. Summit sees you working again with Lauren Kennedy who, for people that aren't aware, is part of your production company team. What was it like to work with Lauren on your first full-length film?
Christina: Interestingly, I met Lauren A. Kennedy while casting for Summit. Because relationships are so key to the film, I wanted the cast to be friends in real life. So, I cast the film almost a year in advance and did a lot of chemistry testing as part of callbacks. During that year, I utilized much of the cast for smaller projects because I wanted to get familiar with working with all of them and advance my filmmaking ability while preparing for my feature. Notably, with Lauren, I made House Near the End of the Street in that time. I ended up becoming really great friends with her and admired her acting talent in particular. Somewhere along the way she became an integral part of the team and I have continued working with her since shooting Summit in 2013. My web seriesKelsey was shot 3 months after Summit, in which she played a supporting character. We worked on one short film together last year, and I have 2 shorts starring her planned for this year. She's an incredibly versatile actor who I feel inspired by. I imagine this is just the start of a longterm collaborative relationship.
SN: Stepping away from Summit for a moment and following on from what you just mentioned: Kelsey is a fantastic web series that easily rivals some of the bigger budget mainstream comedies (in some cases even surpassing them). How did the idea of Kelsey come about and when can we expect to see some brand new episodes?
Christina: Thank you for saying that. I'm glad you enjoyed the series. It was a collaboration with my friend (and now producing partner) Kelsey Rauber. She and I met in a TV Writing Class in 2010 and became fast friends. When I was in pre-production for Summit, for which she was my Script Supervisor, she told me a story about a disastrous but hilarious night out after a tough breakup where a woman kissed her so hard that she bruised her lip. I saw a real possibility in the story and in Kelsey post-breakup as a character, so kind of pitched the idea to her of creating a web series around this incredibly relatable, but original subject matter. She loved it and immediately began writing. This was about 5 months before shooting Summit, so we had ample time for me to be reading and offering feedback on scripts while still focusing on prepping for my feature.
I'm particularly interested in telling stories of under-represented individuals, and trying to find innovative ways of portraying themes addressed again and again. So, I knew that if we were going to make a series about a bunch of friends in NYC, we needed to approach it with diversity in mind and with an unexpected style. For anyone who watches the show, I hope they appreciate our non-linear approach to the storytelling of the episodes because that's an aspect we're both really proud of pulling off.
As for more episodes, we wont be doing any. We've moved on from the series, but are so grateful to the fans that have asked for more. As much as I loved making Kelsey and am so proud of the end result, I know that we need to take the following we gained and the lessons we learned and try to aim higher because we need a little more financial backing and resources to get the recognition needed to sustain a series at the creative and technical level we want, as well as be able to make a career out of it. We have a new series idea that would be longer and more complex than Kelsey, but play with similar themes and types of characters that we hope to get off the ground this year. We're in the early stages of developing a pilot that we hope to pitch to networks. I think it'll really appeal to the viewers that watched and enjoyed Kelsey.
SN: Well that pretty much answers my intended question on what influenced the show, so thank you. I think the non-linear approach worked really well within the context of the show (I'm quite the fan of that style of filmmaking) and although I must admit to slight disappointment that there will be no more, it's no stretch to appreciate it for what it was. You should indeed be proud of it. Going back to Summit; when can we expect to get an official release date and what format will it be released on for the viewing public to watch it?
Christina: For a while, I toyed with the idea of a traditional distribution model of trying to have the best possible festival premiere, hope for some sort of distribution or licensing deal and maybe a minor profit on the backend. However, as I've learned more about the business and politics of film, I've realized how unlikely it is that I would get into industry-driven festivals and get a deal that would be beneficial, especially considering how small our budget was. Instead of this being discouraging though, it was sort of empowering. Nothing about making Summit was remotely traditional, so I can't imagine why releasing it should be. I am still awaiting festival responses, and do still hope for the best possible premiere. However, I've mostly targeted genre festivals and will be treating the festival run as a tour to promote the album, so to speak. I'm planning to release the film on Vimeo on demand the day after it has its first public screening, which I wont know the date of for sure until I hear back from the first few festivals in March, but I'm hoping that it will be in May. Then I'll use any festival screening after that to try to push for views on Vimeo. I hope that any press or followings gained at festivals will turn into rentals on Vimeo.
Aside from furthering the audience for the film, I aim to make back the money I spent on it in order to be able to put it toward my next big project. I personally believe in the new model of independent film that's been emerging where we cut out the middle men that often take all the profit before it can trickle its way back to the filmmakers, and instead self-distribute our work through audience building. One of the things I've been strongest at since first crowdfunding Summit in 2012 has been audience building and making that audience feel included in my filmmaking process. I think distributing the film directly to them makes the most sense. I hope to be able to do that as soon as possible this year. I would recommend people Like us on Facebook & Follow on Twitter, so that they'll know the release date as soon as I do.
SN: Well, I'll certainly be pushing to get this out to as many people as possible myself. Now, obliviously you are knee-deep in post-production with this film. That being said, You already have two more shorts in the pipeline and your second feature film About a Donkey. Can you give us any clues as what to expect with your second feature?
Christina: About a Donkey is another collaboration with Kelsey Rauber. It's a quirky comedy about family and getting older. It's a film we hope to spin the 'Kelsey' following into because the central character is a lesbian and it could be perceived (though not literally) as the 'Kelsey' character a decade later. It's an ambitious project though, one that would require a budget bigger than I've ever worked with. So, I'm easing into development for it. I want to do things right and make sure that I can give it what it needs as both director and producer. In the meantime though, similar to what I did while in pre-production for Summit, I'm taking on smaller projects to fulfill myself creatively amongst all the planning. The two shorts I'm working on are, genre-wise, more related to Summit. I'm trying to balance my feet between these two somewhat different target audiences I've gained through both Summit and Kelsey, while always making it a point to create whatever it is I feel inspired to create.
SN: Sounds like it is going to be great. Finally, what are your most cherished memories of your career so far?
Christina: What a great question. I haven't been asked that before. Honestly, my most cherished memories have been working with my team of people. When you have an idea, it can be isolating and discouraging trying to get people to understand your vision. But I work with such amazing people who just get it. We get each other, and when we put our talents together, magic happens. As much as I love writing, it's being on set and feeling the energy of my co-workers and putting all our little pieces together to make one big thing that I really love. Shooting Summit was so taxing, both mentally and physically, but these people that stood out there in negative degree weather to make a movie that initially started with just me was such a humbling and overwhelmingly inspiring experience. Most of my most cherished memories are from Summit specifically because even when things were going terribly wrong (like our U-haul getting stuck on an icy road one night), it took all of us working together to make things happen and change. That's what filmmaking is: collaboration & teamwork. I genuinely believe that if you ask me this question 20 years from now I'll bring up Summit because it's the production where I discovered many of the team members I hope to work with all throughout my career.
SN: I'll make a note in my diary for twenty years from now then. Christina Raia, it has been a genuine pleasure talking to you. Your obvious love and passion for all aspects of filmmaking is undeniable. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today. I wish you all the best for Summit and all your future projects and I hope that I will get the opportunity to follow up with you in the near future. Thank you.
Christina: Haha sounds great, I'll put it on my calendar as well. Thank you for this opportunity, and for the lovely words about my work. I really enjoyed talking with you.