Romance in the Making – ‘Love in Focus’

I have worked film sets with hundreds of people on set at a time, but I enjoy intimate productions much more. The ability to craft a film with only a small number of cast and crew can be very stressful and limiting but has the payoff of being more nimble and able to adapt to changes quickly, as was the case with the following filmmakers. 

I recently interviewed directors Brandon Ho and Joseph Reidhead, along with producer Jonathan Robert Andrus, who shared insights into the making of their latest film, “Love in Focus.” The romantic drama starring Nicola Posener, Dan Fowlks, Colin Cunningham, Charla Bocchicchio, Shona Kay, and Trey Warner revolves around the unexpected love story between a TV star and a nature photographer in a mountain cabin.

“The original idea for Love in Focus was something I came up with while working on something else” said Andrus. “A concept came and I just thought, oh we could do this.  However, I’m not much of a writer, so Joseph was looking for ideas and I pitched it to him and he liked it so he took the concept and ran with it. He came up with the story and script as it is now, it only vaguely resembles my original concept.  But I’m pleased with where it ended up.”

“I am going to let you and other aspiring film writers in on a very important secret” said Reidhead. “If you want to write a movie that gets made, you need to ask film producers what stories they want to make. I knew Robert and worked with him before. I have always thought he had great taste in stories and I knew he was looking for more films to make. I had written a few of my own original script ideas into features and wasn’t getting traction, not because they were bad I just didn’t know anyone that was excited to make them. I asked Robert, and he was kind enough to tell me an idea he had. It was a great idea. I took it and made it my own idea with characters that I genuinely liked. I told Robert that I had written a script with his idea and of course he wanted to read it. After reading it we collaborated on making it better. I am not saying to abandon your own original ideas but if they are not getting made right away I think it is wise to be curious about the ones that are.”

When asked why making “Love in Focus” was personally important to them, the responses varied. 

“It was important because we were coming out of a pandemic and it was great to get together with people again and create” said Ho.  “I’m a social person and having to isolate for the safety of the community was important but hard for me.”

“To me there is no greater joy than seeing an idea I have written come to life on the silver screen”said Reidhead.

For Andrus, the story’s theme of facing unexpected life changes resonated with his own experiences of redirecting his career path.

“Love in Focus is a story that at the heart of it, is about a girl whose life has been going along pretty well, but something happens and then she’s faced with a moment where she all the sudden has to decide what she’s going to do with her life at time where she’s already been a bit unsure and perhaps lost in other aspects” said Andrus. “I think it’s important to understand that we can’t let the past keep us from our future and that a good thing isn’t always the best thing for ourselves.”

In exploring their motivations as filmmakers, Jonathan Robert Andrus described his unique focus on the filmmaking process itself, particularly enjoying the on-set experience and interaction with diverse individuals. 

“When I hire out to other film sets it’s working as a DIT or data manager more often than anything else, I often end up being the de facto Workflow manager if they don’t already have one on board” said Andrus. “I also greatly enjoy meeting new people and being able to share stories and experiences with people from all different backgrounds.”

Brandon Ho emphasized the power of storytelling to foster empathy and shared experiences.

“There’s something wonderful about filmmaking where you get to experience the joys/pains/triumphs with other people in a safe place” said Ho. “We get to experience and know what it would be like to fight in a space war, walk with elves, overcome the trauma of loss, or the delight of falling in love.”

Joseph Reidhead expressed a deep interest in stories that explore the dynamics of love between people.

“It doesn’t matter if it takes the form of a romance, a friendship, or a family connection, I want to see how people react and change because they love and are loved by someone” said Reidhead.

Reflecting on the production of “Love in Focus,” the filmmakers unanimously praised the camaraderie and collaboration among the cast and crew. They cited the challenging weather conditions during outdoor scenes, particularly in an orchard, as the most difficult aspect of the production. Despite the unpredictable weather, the experience was described as both fun and challenging.

Looking back, the filmmakers acknowledged areas where they might have made different choices, with Andrus expressing a desire for more efficient planning and different prioritization of shots. However, the overall sentiment was one of learning and growth.

To stay updated on their projects, the filmmakers recommended visiting the Golden Works Entertainment website GoldenworksEntertainment.com and following them on social media.

I am amazed by the ingenuity of filmmakers that are so motivated to tell stories that they find ways to overcome all barriers including creative, financial, and even a global pandemic. Well done everyone! ‘Love in Focus’ is distributed by Candlelight Media Group and is available now online on Amazon . You can watch the movie HERE.

About Warren Workman

Warren Workman is the founder of the Utah International Film Festival. Workman’s passion is to share the stories of the filmmakers behind the movies and to encourage the next generation of filmmakers. Workman provides these services through ReelVibe PR.