A little techy wizardry can go a long way to when it comes creating movie magic. Today’s director, Doug Purver, built up a career in VFX, working for the likes of Stardust, before setting up his own studio Roadnorth and making the leap to directing. Last year he proved his mettle with his beautiful short Omar and His Skyhook, initially a short contribution to Pssst! Pass It on which was then expanded into a full film. Since then he’s been building up his directing reel with a new spot for Nike.
What motivated the move from VFX supervising to directing?Directing was something I always had my eyes and ears fixated on, but remained as more of an abstract thought for a long time. It was my time spent as vfx supervisor/director, that the role really became clear, solidified into something more of a desperately sought out desire. During that time I was working closely with people on the production side, being on set, speaking with DP’s, the crew, and of course the talent. I was immersed in the creative conception process and I immediately fell in love with it. This is where I needed to be, this is where I feel I can make my biggest contributions.
And how have you found the transition?
Right now I’m doing a little of both still, but moving towards directing has felt completely natural. The beginning of each job is still a bit daunting, you feel so responsible for all that could go wrong. At the same time it’s completely empowering. You have a vision that you want to show the world, and there’s seemingly nothing that will get in your way.
What was the inspiration for Omar and his Skyhook?
A lifelong obsession with fish has kept that animal in the back of my head but not out of reach for a long time. Conversations about kite photography had a lot to do with it as well. Trying to figure out how to rig a camera to float through the air…controllably. After that, I don’t know, the leap in imagination seems obvious to me. Hahaha.
I understand that the film started off as part of Pssst! – what motivated you to expand the segment into a standalone film?
Pssst! is a great collaborative process that involves creating moments of a story, moments that end up being put together in a complete narrative. As I was developing the idea for my contribution, I realized that Omar had a bit of a bigger story to him. There was a transformative element that needed to happen for this little boy. Needing this story to be realized, I planned accordingly before production to get the coverage needed in order to tell Omar’s story fully.
I’m not sure if there’s a part that wasn’t challenging. The idea and execution was half something we had never done before, and the other half were techniques we implemented at an intensity few have achieved. A lot of the really technical stuff was difficult. When you try to do something that feels real, the attention to detail is so focused. There’s no hiding in there. If something’s not right, you see it straight away, and there’s no quick fixes.
The shooting process was monotonous and exciting at the same time. The one shot take took two and a half hours to complete, and I think I shot that corner about 7 or 8 times before I got the one I liked. Trying to get people to not stand in front of the lens as you are shooting time-lapse is a stress in and of itself. You want to be polite, “please don’t ruin my 2.5 hr shot”, but approaching midnight, you end up with some rowdy crowds.
Do you see yourself as primarily an Animation/VFX Filmmaker/Director or is live action something you’re into too?
It’s the blend of the two that really inspires me. I love starting with something real, there’s already so much beauty out there, and capturing that light through a lens can create such powerful pictures. Taking that as a starting point to then unleash whatever it is I see inside, is so much fun. Creating impossible realities, feeding that child-like wonder we all grasp to retain, is the type of project that really gets going.
Outside of filmmaking what do you enjoy doing?
Traveling is probably my number one. Whether near or far, just wandering around seeing new things, meeting new people, taking pictures of it all. It’s how I recharge, or refill the well. The great outdoors with its complexity and calming demeanor is usually my go-to for a good centering. Being in NYC, also, there’s rarely a chance of boredom. Lacking a good time is quite the challenge here.
