Staff Select premiere "Dekalb Elementary" by Reed Van Dyck |

 CONTENT ADVICE: The video below has content that can cause harm or distress to some audiences.

Based on a 911 message that was featured on the news 2013 and this week's Staff Choice Premiere is "Dekalb Elementary,"" the gripping Oscar-nominated short directed by Reed Van Dyck.

A film that's shot within one room isn't more impressive than this. Within 20 minutes, Van Dyck puts forth an amazing feat of environment and pace. The tension is based on a feeling of confinement as well as a simple and astonished comprehension of a baffling threat. "I wanted to play with what we don't see," says Van Dyck. "Whether it's blocking an actor's face or leaving the mess of children running [and] screaming in the background, which is heard but never seen. My feeling was you, the viewers, could create more intriguing images inside your head than I could ever show you." The tension between time and space ultimately makes each minute much more compelling than the one before it.

Given the astounding performances from the lead actors Tarra Riggs and Bo Mitchell, it's no surprising that Van Dyck said he wouldn't do the film without the best actors. An exemplary example of the cast, crew, and the care given to the art of narrative filmmaking, "Dekalb Elementary" feels like a documentary of an extremely real-life event.

 We met with Director Reed Van Dyck to talk the inspiration behind his film, as well as challenges and the control of the film.

What was your inspiration to create your film?

 "'DeKalb' is based on a 911 call that made national news back in 2013. On the phone, we hear Antoinette Tuff discussing the young man Michael Hill, who walks into her Atlanta elementary school with an AK-47 as well as five hundred rounds. I had not heard of the phone call at the time the news first broke however, I came across the call years later while researching for a work I was involved in concerning the mass shooting. I remember sitting on my couch at home in Los Angeles riveted and emotional while I watched the recording's fourteen minutes unfold. In the weeks that followed, I was unable to get their voices out of my mind. Her strength and compassion, his confusion and regret. It touched me in a profound way, and I wondered if I could capture their moment to life in film."

 Did you encounter some challenges while making the film?

 "The film is essentially a two-hander. One of the main problems was to find the best actors to fill the parts. It was my decision to not produce the film without having an appropriate casting. It was a months-long process of combing IMDb as well as looking over cast lists for indie television shows, films and more. Anytime I saw someone who seemed to be one of the two lead actors I'd add them to a list. Once that list had grown to 30 , 40 or more I'd begin looking through the names of all actors on it and watching their previous work (TV appearances, films, or films, etc.) before cutting it down.

 After that, I'd begin the entire procedure over. That's how I found Tarra Riggs as well as Bo Mitchell who play the leading roles. I personally selected every actor who appeared in the film, even the supporting roles, using this similar method. My feeling was that even a single fake performance note from anyone would pull our attention away from the actuality of the situation and so I needed the best actors I could get for each role. ."

 It's not easy to set an enthralling tone when dealing with that is as important as this. What worked for you in crafting such a tense environment?

 "My north star in making the film was the 911 call. When I began to consider ways to make the film both visually and emotionally, I decided less was more. It was a resounding response to the call, which was more or less a radio play -with just two voices. And so with the film, I wanted to play with the things we can't be able to see... whether that's blocking an actor's face, or keeping children in chaos around the room screaming being heard, but not seeing.

 I was thinking that the viewers would create more interesting pictures within your mind that I can present to you. By presenting less details, narratively and visually maybe the audience would take a more active interest in the movie, adding their own personal experience into the enjoyment. That was the goal at the very least. ."

 This film has exceptional control, which makes it feel like it was shot over the course of a single day. What was the timeline of production end up looking like?

 "The script is 20 pages in length, so we shot five days. I attempted to limit my daily pages at a low level due to the exact reasons you mentioned. The more time my team as well as I were involved in production, 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 favorite tip for aspiring filmmakers?

 "This isn't so much advice, but I lived in a small town located in New Jersey called Mahwah. The land I grew up on is unceded Lunaape Tribal land. I have researched about the Lunaape extensively for a film that I am making. One of the things that struck me, moved me, was the way they viewed stories. Stories were believed to be a potent remedy for the whole community. The Storyteller was an important person who moved from clan to clan within the tribe and told stories to teach people about what they needed to do to survive. Stories played a role in how these tribes, and the individuals within them continued to evolve and wake.

 Personally, this is why I go to the movies. In times of uncertainty such as ours, I long for movies and filmmakers that be honest and open about themselves and our world. I crave stories that will enable me to continue my journey to awakening. Therefore, my (selfish) dream or hope for future filmmakers is that they set about the work of a filmmaker -- this way -- exploring themselves and this globe and documenting what they learn. ."

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

 "I'm working on creating two feature projects right now. The first is an original script from me. My producers and I are reaching out to actors for that. It's based off the New Yorker piece and we're in the final stages of securing release rights, rights, etc. ."