QUESTION#1: What excited you the most when making this film?: There are two things that I was excited about. #1 was working with an active duty Army reserve Staff Sergeant in the lead role, as this is a very important issue facing our service members. Having active duty and veterans involved in the production was important and exciting. I was also excited about filming at Lake Mead. It is a very important scene in the film and it was that exciting kind of stress you get on location in a remote area, make or break time.

QUESTION#2: What was the most significant film you've seen AT THE THEATER in 2024, and how did it influence your filmmaking?: I'm going to answer this a bit differently than my fellow directors. I want to mention two films I've seen at two different festivals that inspired and influenced my filmmaking. Both were incredibly well made and entertaining films that spoke to larger issues, and I love films that do that. The first was FORTISSIMO by French director Victor Cesca. It was a wonderful comedy that dealt with class issues and religion. While the film was in French, even with no subtitles it played perfectly. It was a great reminder at the universal power of comedy, regardless of language. The second film was STOLEN TUNDRA by Jonah Z Helms. This was a creature, action, thriller, comedy that spoke to the climate crisis in a wildly imaginative way. It was a little indie, but the production value was awesome. Both of these amazing films influenced me by showing that small budget projects can tell big stories that entertain and enlighten audiences.

QUESTION#3: What's an obvious and not-so-obvious question someone might ask about your film?: An obvious question would be; is it based on a true story? A not-so-obvious question would be; how did you get that long take at the lake?

QUESTION#4: A magic movie genie is giving you an unlimited budget for your next production! However, you're only allowed to use it on either "above line" or "below line" resouces. Which do you choose and why?: Easy, below the line. This is an easy answer because, in my opinion, we don't really have movie stars anymore. We have actors we recognize and love, but none of them can actually guarantee box office success anymore. Those days are over. That reality is liberating for a filmmaker because you can put all your resources on the screen and find talent, who may have all the star quality of old time stars, but aren't very well known. If you find that talent, they may be a star, but you don't need to overspend to get them.

QUESTION#5: What is it about your current movie that will influence your next film?: Tough question. This particular film came together rather magically, a lot of things fell into place as they should have, not always as I planned. If all those elements had not come together as they did I wouldn't have ever made the film. So, perhaps the aspect that may influence my future projects is patience. I am not a patient person, but this project was a great experience in being patient and allowing destiny to work. Forcing results doesn't mean you'll actually get the results you want. You have to be willing to let the universe do its thing.

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5Q's w/: Jason Aaron Goldberg "Every 85 Minutes" Director, Writer, Producer