Back to selection
“I Aimed to Capture the Subtle Cruelties of Social Isolation”: Yana Alliata On Her Herzog-EP’d SXSW Drama, Reeling
Reeling Shorts filmmaker Yana Alliata, who has worked in various film industry jobs (Fox Searchlight, FX Networks and Film Finances) makes her feature debut in Reeling, a dark Hawaii-set drama that’s executive produced by Werner Herzog and deals with trauma, memory and the implicit horror of family gatherings. The movie begins with a long, gliding steadicam shot of Ryan (Ryan Wuestewald) entering his family’s ranch-style Hawaii home, where the clan is gathered for a Lu-au that’s also something of a memorial for the their late patriarch. The family is welcoming, but Ryan, beneath the forced smiles, signals fight-or-flight mode, a mental state that may have something do with the long scar jutting down the back of his skull. Over the course of this long evening, we watch as family dynamics trigger memories (how reliable, we’re not sure) of the cause of that scar — a painful reckoning that the film handles with both subtlety and intensity. Reminiscent of films such as Krisha, where a solitary outsider capsizes amidst group dynamics, Reeling impressively, and non-didactically, dramatizes the way in which traumatic brain injuries hinder their sufferers’ necessary attempts to narrativize and find meaning in their lives.
Below, Alliata discusses the origins of the film, her blend of professional and non-professional actors, and working with Werner Herzog.
Filmmaker: What inspired the story of Reeling and its protagonist, a man dealing with the long-term after effects of a traumatic brain injury?
Alliata: I was at my friend’s birthday Lu’au and there was an uncomfortable moment at the food blessing; someone reacted inappropriately during a moment of silence. That moment stuck with me, along with the thrilling memories made through the course of the celebration. I wanted to tell a family mystery/drama using the protagonist’s memory as a narrative device to serve the story. I have always been fascinated and terrified by memory because it isn’t static, it’s constantly changing. Our identity is tied to it. As the protagonist pieces together fragments of the past, he confronts the assumptions and self-blame that have shaped his sense of identity since the accident.
Filmmaker: What sort of research did you do into the science of brain injuries and the healing process, and how did this research or understanding help shape the screenplay? There is that scene where Ryan reacts incredibly inappropriately. Is this scene rooted in specific science or observations around how certain emotions can trigger such reactions?
Alliata: Both. My co-writer, Amy Miner, has worked extensively with students with disabilities. One student had a spontaneous ICH (Intracerebral hemorrhage), and that very much informed the character. The event had minor impacts on him physically, but major impacts on his language, memory, pace, alertness, and emotions, all of which you see reflected in Ryan’s character.
Filmmaker: Reeling joins a number of other strong films dealing with the horror of family gatherings. In your film, Ryan’s family is initially very welcoming, and the environment is warm, yet the viewer connects with his anxiety, uncomfortableness and alienation immediately. How through your filmmaking did you aim to achieve this duality?
Alliata: The backdrop of the story is a relaxed “Aloha Friday,” and I wanted to counter that with Ryan’s point of view. I aimed to capture the subtle cruelties of social isolation, how people often mask discomfort with politeness when confronted with someone like Ryan and his injury, whether intentional or not. As Ryan returns to his family home for the first time since the accident, he moves through this familiar place and faces as though he is a ghost; A shadow of the man he used to be. The camera is a reflection of this, moving through scenes in choreographed long takes and lingering on improvised moments. The score was a big part of how we achieved this. My composer, Michael Maccalister, crafted a chaotic and unpredictable percussion that is out of step with the reality around Ryan (just like his mental state).
Filmmaker: Werner Herzog is an executive producer on the film. How did he get involved, and what did he bring to the filmmaking process?
Alliata: Werner has been a mentor of mine for years, he’s watched multiple cuts of my short films over time. For my first feature, Reeling, he read the script and advised me on shooting within the time frame I had. He joked that he could shoot my movie “In four days’…you’ll be fine!” Later, when I was in the editing room, I presented him with my assembly of the footage, and he enthusiastically responded to the material and came along to the final editing sessions as well as our final mix session. It has been invaluable to have Werner’s eyes and ears on this film from script to screen.
Filmmaker: Blending professionals with non-professionals can be tricky, but I was impressed how well the overall ensemble works here. Tell me about this blend, and particularly why you wanted to use non-professionals in the cast alongside your professional leads.
Alliata: I cast friends and family who were at the real birthday Lu’au (two years ago) that inspired this film. Growing up on Oahu, I knew the only way for the film to feel authentic was to cast actors who were comfortable with one another and naturally fit the environment. The story was crafted in a way where they didn’t feel the pressure to “act” they could just be themselves. I also did not share the script with the non-professional actors, that way I could capture their reactions authentically and make sure they remained present with each take. There was also a lot of communication leading up to the shoot so everyone could be on the same page when we started.
Filmmaker: What camera did you shoot Reeling on, and tell me about accomplishing the film’s long, sustained takes in terms of camera choreography and your work with the actors and their action?
Alliata: I have a theater background so I’ve always preferred long takes over standard coverage. I knew that was the approach for Reeling, especially for a moment to moment character study. We had a steadicam rehearsal day for the camera crew with the professional actors to land their marks. That was critical for hitting the ground running on day one. When we actually shot the scenes, I could focus on the performances. The schedule was molded to what was best for light, specifically with the exterior scenes.
We shot on the Alexa 35 and the flashback sequences were shot on Kodak Vision 3 5219 35mm film, (Arriflex 235) a visual way to signify a time change. My cinematographer, Rafael Leyva, is film obsessed so we had to sneak film in somewhere. Rafael shot 35mm stills that he used to create a LUT and expose to it on the Alexa 35. It was important for us to get as close to the film look as possible to capture the hundred year old property and timeless feeling of the birthday Lu’au.
Filmmaker: Before making Reeling you worked in development at Fox Searchlight, so I imagine you must have read hundreds of screenplays. What did your work in development teach you in terms of story that you brought to Reeling?
Alliata: Yes! I started there after working on the set of Alexander Paynes Descendants. That was an eye-opening experience for me and captured a tone that I’ve always been drawn to. I’ve always learned more on film sets than in offices/classrooms, but when I started at the Fox Searchlight, I was blown away by 127 Hours and Black Swan. The scripts that stood out to me the most were character-driven narratives. I carried that with me while making short films all the way to Reeling.
