CLASSIC MEETS MODERN: EMERGING TALENT YVONNE BASS DISCUSSES THE CREATION OF “UNDONE”
Putting a new spin on a Shakespearean classic is no simple feat. There have been many renditions of Macbeth in movies over the years, so it is so refreshing to see a new twist to a historical classic in “Undone.” By embracing the classic dialogue of Lady Macbeth with a unique perspective, an ethereal performance by Angela Lazar, superb cinematography by Justus Page, and top-notch editing by Ike Mauga, Undone draws the viewer in and seems to confront the guilt that might be latent in all of us. ZFA had the opportunity to interview newcomer Yvonne Bass (Utah State University alum) about directing her first project. ZFA awards won include Best First-Time Director (Yvonne Bass), Best Actress (Angela Lazar), Best Editing (Ike Mauga), and an Honorable Mention for Best Cinematography (Justus Page).
ZFA: The jurors were very impressed with the Shakespearean dialogue and modern twist. What inspired this story?
Yvonne: My love for Shakespeare inspired this original story. I love going to the Shakespeare festival in Southern Utah- there, they create all sorts of different twists. Mad Max Tempest, Harry Potter Hamlet, gender-bent Much Ado. Modernizing Shakespeare was something I saw there and I loved the idea of bringing history into the current time period. These characters that are hundreds of years old are still relatable to us today.
Shakespeare helps us learn from the past. As for the storyline of Lady M in the bathtub, that came from a day I was taking a bath and had gotten eyeliner on my hand I couldn't get off. I thought of the infamous line "out damned spot", and I thought that could make a fun premise.
ZFA: How did you go about casting for this project? How did you assemble your team?
Yvonne: A lot of my film-making projects have started with Facebook, so I posted the casting there, and SO MANY people applied. It took days to sort through the videos and to organize callbacks. It was a very different experience for me to be the one behind casting rather than being the one auditioning. It lent me a lot of perspective, knowing that even if the director doesn't choose you for something doesn't mean they weren't impressed or happy that you auditioned. I got to see so much talent and I felt in awe that so many people were wanting to participate in something I was creating!
As for my crew, they were all film friends that I have worked for beforehand. My pocket change budget would not pay the crew adequately -the people who helped with Undone selflessly volunteered. I tried to help return the favor by working for them unpaid. But even unpaid, the crew worked so hard and were willing to give their all
I hope to not host another unpaid project again; I want to respect my filmmakers and their craft by paying them what they are worth (which is a lot). But their willingness to help me create my first real project was really amazing to me.
ZFA: The cinematography and visuals were so unique and compelling. How did you find your Director of Photography? Were there inspirations behind your visuals?
Yvonne: My DP was the phenomenal Justus Page. I worked with him on another shoot “Neighborhood” by Micheal Merrell, where I really loved the way he talked about his craft and the way he went about filming. I believe my first time on camera crew on an actual set; he was the DP. He was willing to answer all of my questions and encouraged me to think like a DP. He ended up moving to Georgia and has become a full-time filmmaker, an inspiration for us indie filmmakers. He came back to Utah to visit and volunteered to DP for my project!
With visuals, I wanted to play around with reflections to follow the theme of Lady M reflecting on herself. I wanted dark and moody, which really helped bring out the reds. I also like going for center framed, as Lady M could only see herself.
ZFA: How long did the project take? Where was it filmed?
It was filmed at an amazing home here in Utah owned by Nicole Bird. We filmed it in ONE DAY, which is once more why I am so grateful for such a hard-working crew. It took me another year to finish it up. I worked with the amazing Ike Mauga, who made Undone the polished work that it is. After filming, I shelved it for a good minute, I was intimidated by the project and it was a lot of pressure for me to know that so many people were helping to create it. I took a step back and then very slowly started to piece it together with Ike.
ZFA: Any lessons learned? Any advice for aspiring filmmakers?
Yvonne: I learned a lot about what sides of filmmaking I love the most! I loved directing! It was an amazing and empowering day on set. I learned that I hated the social media and distribution side of it all.
My advice would be to find a good mentor, someone you trust and someone that understands the part you struggle with the most. Whether that's staying motivated to even start, or finishing strong.
ZFA: What is next for this film? Any upcoming projects in the works?
The last thing for Undone is to release it to the public! Keep your eye out for it!
For me, I'm mostly leaning toward acting for upcoming projects. I would like to star in a feature, it would be a lot as I've only done supporting roles for full-lengths. But being behind the camera is still a passion of mine! I hope to create something soon with Jacob Smileyy and my other film friends! In the future it would be a dream to work on an A24 film set.
ZFA: Where can we find you, and how can we follow your work?
Yvonne: I don't have a platform I have collected all of my work on, that is another piece of advice for filmmakers- make a collective for your work! You can find me on Instagram under @yvonne.captures, on youtube @yvonnebass and on Facebook.
