THE MAKING OF REKLAW WITH POLARIS BANKS

If you ever wanted to know what it takes to be a filmmaker, this article on the making of Reklaw is your chance. Many dream of making it to the top of Hollywood and working with a multi-million budget. Some of those dreams come true, but some don’t because this is a difficult game to master. Especially when you are starting and trying to make a name for yourself. In the beginning, most filmmakers are as green as the green screen they use. With that said, there is much to learn when you start making baby steps in this massive industry.

Director Polaris Banks does not hesitate to tell the truth about his journey. His recent short film Reklaw which premiered at the recent SXSW festival had the film circuit buzzing. To make that buzz took a lot of sacrifices according to director Polaris Banks. His money, time, and own standard of living all had to take a hit when making the short film.

Not all up-and-coming filmmakers will be making sacrifices that director Polaris Banks chose for himself. But every filmmaker’s journey to their projects is not as rosy as others. Sometimes, the most challenging is the most rewarding. We in the industry should respect everyone’s process. Are you ready to take that journey? FERNTV spoke to Polaris Banks about the making of Reklaw.

The Interview

FERNTV: You stated that you funded the entire film yourself.  Can you tell us why producers, studios or film festivals did not help fund your project? Or was this an approach you took on yourself?

Polaris: Well for one, short films don’t really make much money. They serve mostly as prestige pieces and work samples. So if your short’s price tag is over a few thousand, you’re pretty much on your own. And two, I have trouble asking people for handouts unless I’ve got tangible evidence that the project will be worth their investment. Reklaw is a proof of concept in drumming up funds for the feature version. I would feel like a snake oil salesman if I was getting people’s hard-earned cash from slick pitching. I rather let my work speak for itself.

That being said though, I DO NOT advise any other filmmaker to go down my route. It took me five years of selling my body to research studies and living out of cars to save up the $200,000 budget. It was just something I had to do. If you can bring yourself to raise funds for your short through outside means, for god’s sake do it.

FERNTV: Can you state briefly some of the clear advantages and disadvantages of funding a film through your own pocket?

Polaris: One of my goals in making Reklaw was to compromise the artistic vision as little as possible. (Which is why the thing got so damn expensive.) When you’re spending someone else’s investment, when the money runs out, you have to start making some heartbreaking decisions. But learning the research study racket gave me the comfort that there were always more funds available if I was willing to spend the time. I started seeing every budgetary decision in months instead of dollars. “Can I afford those lenses? Sure, that’s just another three weeks in the facility.”

FERNTV: What inspired this film Reklaw?

Polaris: It’s a pretty crazy story. A man attacked me in a road rage incident, and I ended up stabbing him during the struggle. He’s ok and no charges were laid. I was looking at possible prison time if he hadn’t recovered from his injuries. Shortly after that, I saw a prison documentary and was imagining what my life would be like on the inside. It seemed to me that most people left incarceration worse than when they came in. The best thing to do would be to just let them go if real rehabilitation wasn’t sincerely being attempted. So I started fantasizing about how someone realistically subverts the justice system, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

FERNTV: If Mr. Wolf from Pulp Fiction ever had a crew or company, these vigilantes in Reklaw would be it.  Can you comment on that?

Polaris: Ha, it’s hard to avoid comparisons to Pulp Fiction. Especially, since both involve a crime scene cleanup and monochromatic outfits. I think what really makes Reklaw such a unique concept is the team’s motivation. There have been several criminal stories involving the destruction of evidence. But never for complete strangers in the service of indiscriminate forgiveness. I often find that what makes a character fascinating is not what they’re doing, but why. 

Set Building

FERNTV: Tell us of course why you built your set instead of scouting for locations?

Polaris: Creating a specific alternate world for your movie to exist in is something most filmmakers dream about but rarely an option for low-budget indie productions. Sure, you can get away with cobbling together interesting existing locations. Unfortunately, it’s never going to be the realization of something you imagined unless you build it from scratch.

I’ve never been one to accept what people tell me I “can’t do” at my level. “You can’t work with movie stars.” “You can’t shoot on 35mm.” “You can’t record a live orchestra.” “Those are for REAL filmmakers backed by REAL studios.” Making those types of movies is my lifelong dream, and waiting for permission is tiring.

We not only built the main set from the ground up but most of the key props and furniture as well. I even had the sweaters custom knit. Making a movie with that amount of control over the art design is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

FERNTV:  What was it like to work with Lance Henriksen and what was his input like when doing this film?

Polaris: Lance is the most down to Earth and game actor you’ll ever meet. He didn’t fight me on any of my creative input and was always excited to try new things. For him, it’s all about committing to the overall vision and making it work. In order to do that though, he has to at all times connect to what he’s doing from personal experience. (Which he has a deep and varied well to draw from.) So Lance’s main contribution was authenticity. The movie can be pretty quirky and out there sometimes. There would be a danger of it floating away if Lance hadn’t staked it so firmly in reality.

FERNTV: What was a product (ie. filming equipment or products that you used while filming) that you found efficient to use that was within your budget and you would recommend to indie filmmakers?

Polaris: THE LITEMAT 2L! My cinematographer Robert Nachman wisely added it to the equipment list, and it was a lifesaver. We were moving very fast on set and didn’t even have a lighting crew. So we pretty much set up some permanent lighting areas and then just walked the LiteMat around on a stand as needed. Any time someone watching the movie says “Damn, that’s a nice looking shot,” it was just the LiteMat off-camera pointing right at the actor. The quality of that piece of equipment is impressive.

FERNTV: What is it like to be part of SXSW and as well what has the pandemic taught you as a filmmaker?

Polaris: I shot Reklaw before the pandemic. So the shutdown actually coincided with my post-production. The additional Covid restrictions on set have reminded me that one of the main responsibilities a director has is safety. Both for the physical and emotional wellbeing of your collaborators. I like to make films with plenty of stunts and intense situations. I will be better at making sure everyone is taken care of in the future.

SXSW was like a fun summer camp. I just loved talking with other filmmakers whose work I respect and picking their brains. It was really encouraging and humbling all at the same time. It’s great to meet other lunatics like myself putting everything they’ve got into their passion projects. It’s like being a stranded alien and finally meeting the rest of your species. But it was also a reality check that I’ve still got so much to learn. It’s easy to slip into a “big fish, little pond” mindset when you’re toiling in isolation for so many years. Competing in a top-tier festival really recalibrates your ego.

www.reklawmovie.com