Creating a DIY Indie Thriller in The Stay

What was your strategy for pulling the pieces/talent together once you decided to produce it?
I was sure that I had to assemble a team of people I knew and worked with in the past. When it came to cast, crew and investors, I needed people I could count on, who were professional and had no egos. They also had to have trust in me. I asked them to work long hours at a furious pace and pay them a fraction of what they are used to. Needless to say, I’m indebted to them all, and I’m so grateful to each and every one of them for taking this journey with me.

Where there particular challenges in making an independent thriller?
The biggest challenge in making an independent thriller was money. You would be hard-pressed to find an industry where the term “time is money” applies so fittingly. Whether it needed added shooting days, another pair of hands, more set-ups, more coverage, or simply adding another location. The reality is that everything costs money you just don’t have. It’s a challenge having to sacrifice things you want in your film and not having a wealth of resources to draw from. That being said, I loved every second of the independent filmmaking process, and I’m forever grateful to my investors who believed in me and the project.

“The reality is that everything costs money you just don’t have.”

What do you think was the smartest decision you made while making the movie?
The smartest decision I made was no doubt bringing filmmaker and friend Kipp Tribble on board. Without him, I don’t know if The Stay could have been brought to life. From producing, writing, directing, editing, he knows it all. He has honestly forgotten more about indie filmmaking than I know. I have learned so much from him, and we plan on making many more films together in the future.

What was a decision that was made that you wish you could have changed in hindsight?
The decision I wish I could change was sleep. Try and sleep at some point.