Staff Select First Premiere "Dekalb Elementary" by Reed Van Dyck |

 CONTENT WARNING: The following video contains material that may cause harm or distress to certain audiences.

Based on a 911 call that made national news in 2013, this week's Staff Pick Premiere is "Dekalb Elementary," the gripping Oscar-nominated short written by Reed Van Dyck.

A film that's shot within a single room doesn't get much better than this. In the space of 20 minutes, Van Dyck puts forth an amazing feat of environment and pace. The tension is based on an eerie feeling of seclusion, along with a clear and perplexing understanding of a dubious threat. "I was looking to explore the things we do not be able to see," says Van Dyck. "Whether it's blocking an actor's face or leaving the mess of kids running and screaming off-screen, heard but not seen. I was thinking that you, the viewers, would create more interesting pictures within your mind that I can show you." The play with space ultimately makes each minute much more compelling than the one before it.

Given the astounding performances from the lead actors Tarra Riggs as well as Bo Mitchell, it's no surprise that Van Dyck said he wouldn't make the film without the right actors. It's a true testimony to the actors, crew and the care given to the art of narrative filmmaking, "Dekalb Elementary" feels like a non-fiction report of an extremely real-life event.

 We talked to Director Reed Van Dyck to talk about inspiration, the challenges, and managing throughout the production.

What was the inspiration for creating this film?

 "'DeKalb" is the basis of an incident that was reported on 911 and made national news back in the year 2013. The call is in which we hear Antoinette Tuff discussing with an unidentified young man named Michael Hill, who walks through her Atlanta elementary school with an AK-47 and five hundred rounds. I hadn't heard about the incident when it was first reported however, I came across it years later during research for a project that I was working on about an mass shooting. I remember sitting on my couch at home in Los Angeles riveted and emotional as I listened to the 14-minute audio recording play out. In the weeks that followed, I was unable to take their voices out of my mind. Their strength and kindness, his confusion and regret. The story touched me from a deeply emotional way and I began to wonder if I could bring their encounter to life on film."

 Did you encounter some challenges while making the film?

 "The film is basically one-man show. One of the main problems was to find the best actors for the parts. Then I decided that I couldn't make the film without the perfect casting. It took me months of scouring IMDb as well as looking over the cast lists for independent movies, TV series and more. If I came across someone who appeared to match one of the two leads, I'd add their name to the list. After the list had gotten to 30 , 40 or more I'd begin going through all the actors on it and watching their previous work (TV performances, films, or films, etc.) before narrowing it down.

 And then I'd do the whole process over again. That's how I found Tarra Riggs as well as Bo Mitchell who play the leads. I also hand-picked each actor from the film, including the supporting roles, using this identical method. It was my belief that a single false performance note from anyone would pull our attention away from the actuality of the situation and so I wanted the most talented actors I could find to play every part ."

 It's difficult to create a compelling tone with subject that is as important as this. What did you find to work for you when crafting such a tense environment?

 "My north star in creating the film was the 911 call. When I began thinking about ways to make the film physically and in terms of sound, I decided less was more. I had such a strong reaction to the call which was more or less a radio play -with just two voices. And so with the film I was looking to play with things that we cannot see... for example, obstructing an actor's face or the chaos of kids running [and] screaming off-screen, hearing but not being seen.

 The impression I got was that you, as the viewer would create more interesting pictures in your own mind than any I could present to you. By presenting less details visually and in a narrative, perhaps the viewer would engage even more actively with the film, bringing greater personal involvement to the film. That was the goal at the very least. ."

 This film exhibits incredible control and makes it appear like it was shot within a single day. What did the production timeline end up looking like?

 "The script was twenty pages and we shot for five days. I attempted to reduce my daily page count as low as possible due to the exact reason that you speak of. As long as my team and I spent to work on the project, the more intentional and thoughtful we could be with respect to shot design, blocking, performance, costumes and design for production. So for me, longer production time is more control. That includes a long pre-production process ."

 What's your top tip for aspiring filmmakers?

 "This isn't a lot of advice, but I lived in a small town in New Jersey called Mahwah. My homestead on is an unceded tribal Lunaape land. I've studied the Lunaape extensively for a documentary that I am making. One thing that really struck me, moved me, was the way they viewed stories. Stories were believed to be an effective healing tool for the entire people in the community. The Storyteller was a key character who traveled across clans in the tribe. They told stories to teach people about the ways to lead. Stories are a part of the way the tribes and individuals developed and changed over time.

 Personally, that's why I love going to the cinema. And in strange times like the present, I want films and filmmakers willing to speak honestly and deeply about the world and themselves. I crave stories that will inspire me to keep on waking. And so my (selfish) dream or hope for filmmakers who are aspiring is that they begin the work of a filmmaker -- this path -looking into themselves and the world , and then sharing what they find ."

 What's next? Are there any projects coming up?

 "I'm in the process of creating two feature projects right now. One is an original script by me. My producers and I are out to actors on that. The other is based on an New Yorker piece and we're at the point of securing release rights, rights, etc. ."