Staff Choose First Premiere "Dekalb Elementary" by Reed Van Dyck |

 CONTENT ADVICE: The video below contains material that may cause harm or distress for some viewers.

Based on a 911 call that made national news in 2013, the Staff Pick premiere this week is "Dekalb Elementary,"" the gripping Oscar-nominated short directed by Reed Van Dyck.

A film that's shot within a single room doesn't get much better than this. Within the span of just twenty minutes Van Dyck puts forth an impressive feat in environment and pacing. The tension is based on an eerie feeling of seclusion and a clear and astonished perception of the threat as a dubious one. "I tried to investigate what we are unable to know," says Van Dyck. "Whether that's obstructing an actor's face, or leaving the mess of children running [and] screaming in the background, which is heard but not perceived. I was thinking that you, as the viewer could create more intriguing images in your own mind than I could ever present to you." This play on space ultimately makes each minute much more compelling than the one before it.

Given the astounding performances from the lead actors Tarra Riggs as well as Bo Mitchell, it's no surprise Van Dyck said he wouldn't complete the project without the right actors. A true testament to the actors, crew and the care given to the art of narrative filmmaking, "Dekalb Elementary" feels like a non-fiction report of a very real incident.

 We talked to Director Reed Van Dyck to talk about inspiration, the challenges, and the control of the production.

Was your motivation for creating this film?

 "'DeKalb" is a retelling of a 911 call that became a national story in 2013. On the phone, we overhear Antoinette Tuff talking to an unidentified young man named Michael Hill, who walks into her Atlanta primary school carrying an AK-47 as well as fifty rounds. I had not heard of the phone call at the time the news first broke however, I came across the information years later when I was researching for another project I was working on regarding the mass shooting. I was sitting on my couch at home in Los Angeles riveted and emotional when I was listening to the fourteen-minute recording unfold. For weeks I couldn't get their voices out of my mind. The strength of her compassion and love as well as his confusion and sorrow. The story touched me from a deeply emotional way and I started to think about how I could capture their moment into the world of film."

 Did you encounter any challenges when making this film?

 "The film is basically an action film with two hands. One of the main challenges was finding the right actors for the roles. It was my decision to not create the film without an appropriate actors. It took me months of searching IMDb and looking through casting lists of indie television shows, films as well as other TV shows. If I came across someone who looked right for either of the leads I would add their name to the list. When the list had grown to around 30-40 people I would begin reviewing all of the actors in it, and watching their previous projects (TV appearances, films, or films, etc.) before cutting it down.

 Then I'd start the whole process all over again. That's how I found Tarra Riggs as well as Bo Mitchell who play the leading roles. I also hand-picked each actor in the film, even the parts that support them, using this identical method. I was of the opinion that one false note by anyone could pull away from the truth of the situation and so I needed the best actors that I could locate for each role. ."

 It's not easy to set an enthralling tone when dealing with that is as important as this. What did you find to work for you when making this arousing environment?

 "My north star in creating the film was the 911 call. As I began to think about how to create the film visually and aurally I came to the conclusion that less is more. The film had such an intense reaction to the call it is more or less a radio play -- just these two voices. In the end, when I made the film I set out to investigate the things we can't be able to see... regardless of whether it's the actor's face being blocked or leaving the chaos of kids running [and] screaming off-screen, heard but not seen.

 The impression I got was that you, as the viewer will create more intriguing images within your mind that I can show you. In addition, by providing less detail visually and in a narrative it is possible that the viewers will be more engaged with the filmand bring greater personal involvement to the enjoyment. That was the goal at least ."

 This film exhibits incredible control that makes it seem like it was shot within a single day. What did the production timeline come out like?

 "The script is 20 pages in length, so we had to shoot for five days. I tried to reduce my daily page count as low as possible because of the reason you mention. The longer my crew and I spent in production the more deliberate and thoughtful we could be with respect to shot design blocking, performances, costumes, and production designs. So for me, more time equals more control. This includes the long, pre-production process ."

 What's your favorite tip for aspiring film makers?

 "This isn't really a piece of advice, but I grew up in a small town located in New Jersey called Mahwah. The place I grew up on is unceded Lunaape Tribal land. I've studied on the Lunaape extensively for the film I'm making and one of the things that struck me and moved me was the way they viewed stories. Stories were believed to be an effective healing tool for the entire group. The Storyteller was an important character who traveled across clans in the tribe and told stories that taught people what they needed to do to survive. Stories are a part of the way these communities and their individuals developed and changed over time.

 Personally, that's why I go to the movies. In times of uncertainty such as ours, I long for films and filmmakers willing to be honest and open about the world and themselves. I want stories that help me continue to wake. Therefore, my (selfish) dream or hope for future filmmakers is that they begin this task -- this path -looking into themselves and the globe and documenting what they learn. ."

 What's next? Do you have any new projects in the pipeline?

 "I'm currently creating two feature projects right now. The first is an original script of mine. My producers and I are out to actors on that. Another is based on an New Yorker piece and we're nearing the end of securing releases, rights and other agreements. ."