Question and Answer with Ty Clancey

Ty Clancey

Drawn

Tell us how you came to make the film?

I gravitate toward intriguing mysteries and high-concept thrillers. Back during the pandemic, I wrote a collection of short films for a spec series titled Bad Guy Wins, and Drawn was the most ambitious of all. We made the short as a proof of concept and are currently pitching the feature-length version that expands the world and explores the backstory of the characters we get a taste of in the short film. We have an incredible script penned by the writing duo Adam Hiebeler & Carl Lauricella that is a gripping tale of grief, dark powers, and the lengths a father will go to protect his child—a sinister and suspenseful journey through the rural countryside, tinged with moments of sweetness. It has shades of the father/daughter relationships of Paper Moon and Let the Right One In, the descent into madness of The Shining, the dizzy structure of Memento, and the twisted mystery of The Sixth Sense. We’re incredibly excited about where this story can go and believe it could be an entire series of movies akin to The Conjuring and Insidious series.

All our shorts were judged by their variety of location and big-screen cinematography, tell us a bit about the locations. Were there any special challenges while filming?

I was incredibly impressed with how our cinematographer, Stephen Tringali, was able to capture the stark beauty of the Simi Valley ranch where we were lucky enough to film. Halfway into our shoot, a huge storm blew through. Luckily, we had already shot all of our day driving on these gorgeous dirt roads that created beautiful plumes of dust in the magic hour light at Big Sky Movie Ranch. But when the storm hit, all of those gorgeous dirt roads turned into treacherous canals of mud. And they all led to our hero house up on a bluff. We were forced into cover sets and, luckily, utilized the rain for our night driving, which lent a more sinister and ominous mood. However, since we’d already shot exterior moments that follow on dry dirt, I had to craft a new beat where our protagonist falls asleep and has nightmarish visions so that I could stretch time. I used cutting floor moments for the nightmare, shots where we were rolling as we moved the camera or adjusted focus, or an actor was warming up. I also enjoyed creating the sound design for this nightmare using all sorts of noises I’ve recorded over the years—a creepy Air BnB in Cleveland with antique instruments, or elements from installations at a Sound Museum in Prague. But the thing that pleasantly surprised me was the attitude of our crew in the face of this daunting weather. They were persistent and determined to adapt and conquer the challenges that we faced. Our old menacing hero tow truck didn’t even tow until our driver, Lyle, MacGyvered a single wire to hold it all together and make it so reliable that it saved our crane truck from sliding in the mud and crashing into an old barn. A first-time P.A., fresh from Iowa to California, handled a gator expertly, ferrying supplies up and down the slick access road. Everyone bore the brunt with grace and grit. David Lean once said, 'Good films can be made only by a crew of Dedicated Maniacs.' I want to extend my appreciation to our cast and crew full of Dedicated Maniacs who got the job done.

Why did you decide to be a filmmaker??

I grew up as a child of the ‘80s, glued to HBO and often re-enacting movies for fun. My dad would video family events and vacations with a camera that needed a battery slung around your shoulder. I’d borrow it and make terrible parodies with friends. All of the editing had to be done in-camera, so it was really just… awful stuff. But, it was fun and it gave my older brothers something to make fun of us for. But I've always been a storyteller, so I focused on learning the mechanics of production in school, and made my early career in editing which gave me an important barometer for what I needed to shoot efficiently.

What are some of your favorite genre-shorts (or features) and why?

Thunder Road

Anything by Nash Edgerton - Bear, Spider, etc.

The Neighbor’s Window

Curfew

Light’s Out

Who supports you in your film career?

First and foremost my family has always been there, supporting me. My parents introduced me to storytelling. I work with my brothers, and they have always encouraged me to turn my ideas into reality. Friends have helped me get jobs and been there as a sounding board. My most steadfast supporter is my wife, Britta. I literally could not still be pursuing this dream if it wasn’t for her. Spending two decades pouring creativity into spec projects can be draining, so it’s vital to have someone who has your back. Stephen King once said, “Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference.” Can’t thank my wife enough for helping keep the dream alive.