Included below are brief synopses and stills of my films. If you only have time for one or two items, may I recommend the 4k trailer for my latest, and my commentary for 2020's Men I Trust.
Also, read my selected writings on film here.
Also, read my selected writings on film here.
Men I Trust. 2020. Directed by Nathan Vass. 33 mins.
Two sisters and a spouse wrestle with love and loss, finding hope in unexpected places. Winner, 2020 New Renaissance Film Festival in Amsterdam: Best International Short. Click here for the film's webpage– trailer, essays, posters and more.
Two sisters and a spouse wrestle with love and loss, finding hope in unexpected places. Winner, 2020 New Renaissance Film Festival in Amsterdam: Best International Short. Click here for the film's webpage– trailer, essays, posters and more.
Regulate. 2016. Directed by Nathan Vass. 28 mins.
A recently remarried woman in her 40's, whose daughter is suspected of terrorist activity, finds it in herself to finally break free from the psychological abuse of her ex-husband. Starring Eleanor Moseley, Ryan Cooper, John Fantasia, and more. The general idea was to shoot a chamber dialogue piece with greater-than-normal attention to aesthetics (see more below). Although I've received a lot of compliments on the film's visual design, I say the main cause célèbre here is Eleanor's performance, particularly her closing monologue, shot in a six-minute unbroken take. This premiered at the Henry Art Gallery and was an Official Selection at the 2016 International Women's Film Festival, 2016 IndieWise Virtual Film Festival, and New York's 2016 Movies4movies Fest. A few thoughts of mine on Regulate and Rejuvenate here. IMDb link here.
If you're in the mood for a tell-all, check out Regulate's hour-long commentary with yours truly. I'm not sure how I managed to talk that quickly for that long without any dead air.... Every question you could ever lob at me about theory, regrets, successes, content and formal decisions– good and bad– gets answered in this hour. Put it on while you do the dishes. This is how I see film.
A recently remarried woman in her 40's, whose daughter is suspected of terrorist activity, finds it in herself to finally break free from the psychological abuse of her ex-husband. Starring Eleanor Moseley, Ryan Cooper, John Fantasia, and more. The general idea was to shoot a chamber dialogue piece with greater-than-normal attention to aesthetics (see more below). Although I've received a lot of compliments on the film's visual design, I say the main cause célèbre here is Eleanor's performance, particularly her closing monologue, shot in a six-minute unbroken take. This premiered at the Henry Art Gallery and was an Official Selection at the 2016 International Women's Film Festival, 2016 IndieWise Virtual Film Festival, and New York's 2016 Movies4movies Fest. A few thoughts of mine on Regulate and Rejuvenate here. IMDb link here.
If you're in the mood for a tell-all, check out Regulate's hour-long commentary with yours truly. I'm not sure how I managed to talk that quickly for that long without any dead air.... Every question you could ever lob at me about theory, regrets, successes, content and formal decisions– good and bad– gets answered in this hour. Put it on while you do the dishes. This is how I see film.
Rejuvenate. 2015. Directed by Nathan Vass. 15 mins.
A window into the lives of Tricia Sullivan and Willie Jones, 2013's Real Change Vendors of the Year. Premiered at the 2013 Real Change Annual Breakfast, at the Washington State Convention Center. Official Selection at the 2016 Seattle Transmedia Film Festival and the 2016 Grand IndieWise Convention.
We see a lot of stories in process on the street, and we wonder where these folks come from. With Rejuvenate I wanted to offer a window of sorts, and not the usual dour one: I find tiresome the approach of filming the homeless in unsophisticated static shots of desaturated brown and grey. Just because documentaries focus on content doesn't mean they should get away with a lower bar for visual aesthetics. Here we focus on communicating to the viewer with dynamic camera movement, natural lighting, and rich color. We'll leave sociological analysis to the experts; this is a vérité celebration of two faces in the crowd as fleshed-out people with energy and dreams like yours and mine.
Full (fifteen-minute) film here; IMDb link here.
Here's a newspaper profile on me written by one of the film's subjects, Tricia Sullivan.
A window into the lives of Tricia Sullivan and Willie Jones, 2013's Real Change Vendors of the Year. Premiered at the 2013 Real Change Annual Breakfast, at the Washington State Convention Center. Official Selection at the 2016 Seattle Transmedia Film Festival and the 2016 Grand IndieWise Convention.
We see a lot of stories in process on the street, and we wonder where these folks come from. With Rejuvenate I wanted to offer a window of sorts, and not the usual dour one: I find tiresome the approach of filming the homeless in unsophisticated static shots of desaturated brown and grey. Just because documentaries focus on content doesn't mean they should get away with a lower bar for visual aesthetics. Here we focus on communicating to the viewer with dynamic camera movement, natural lighting, and rich color. We'll leave sociological analysis to the experts; this is a vérité celebration of two faces in the crowd as fleshed-out people with energy and dreams like yours and mine.
Full (fifteen-minute) film here; IMDb link here.
Here's a newspaper profile on me written by one of the film's subjects, Tricia Sullivan.
As They Rise. 2009. Directed by Nathan Vass. 13 mins.
Using images and sound in favor of dialogue, this visually-oriented narrative explores the futility of revenge and redemptive power of kindness in the homeless urban environs of Seattle. Starring Ryan Cooper, Andrew Schoneberg, and Meredith Binder. Official Selection (in competition) at Seattle True Independent Film Festival. Played at NW Projections Film Festival ("SLAM"). Recipient of the "STIFFY for Street Cred" Award (2009).
Using images and sound in favor of dialogue, this visually-oriented narrative explores the futility of revenge and redemptive power of kindness in the homeless urban environs of Seattle. Starring Ryan Cooper, Andrew Schoneberg, and Meredith Binder. Official Selection (in competition) at Seattle True Independent Film Festival. Played at NW Projections Film Festival ("SLAM"). Recipient of the "STIFFY for Street Cred" Award (2009).
Edgar Fun Degas. 2010. Directed by Nathan Vass. 18 mins.
Dancers prepare, perform, and wind down during their final rehearsal before the big night. Choreography by Rachel Randall. Official Selection at Dance Film Night 2010, presented by Barefoot Collective.
Dancers prepare, perform, and wind down during their final rehearsal before the big night. Choreography by Rachel Randall. Official Selection at Dance Film Night 2010, presented by Barefoot Collective.
Process. 2013. Directed by Nathan Vass. 50 mins.
Shot during the making of Regulate, Process explores the reality, banality, humor, and craft present in this fly-on-the-wall view of the work known as filmmaking. Starring Brian Bell! Included at Blindfold Gallery's "The Full Nathan" (an up-til-then retrospective reviewed by The Seattle Times here).
Shot during the making of Regulate, Process explores the reality, banality, humor, and craft present in this fly-on-the-wall view of the work known as filmmaking. Starring Brian Bell! Included at Blindfold Gallery's "The Full Nathan" (an up-til-then retrospective reviewed by The Seattle Times here).
Green Triangle / Poopy Park. 2008. Directed by Nathan Vass. 7 mins.
Improvised modern dance exploring the relationship between the camera and dancer. Featuring Rachel Randall and Joyce Liao. Played at Next Fest Northwest’s 2008 Annual Dance Film Festival and Dance Film Night 2010, presented by Barefoot Collective.
Improvised modern dance exploring the relationship between the camera and dancer. Featuring Rachel Randall and Joyce Liao. Played at Next Fest Northwest’s 2008 Annual Dance Film Festival and Dance Film Night 2010, presented by Barefoot Collective.
Drifting. 2004. Directed by Nathan Vass. 5 mins.
Abstract exploration of urban life above and below ground in Seattle.
Abstract exploration of urban life above and below ground in Seattle.
For Want of All Else. 2006. Directed by Nathan Vass. 13 mins.
A fragmented, high-impact visual/aural narrative depicting a businessman, Eric Von Stroheim, who, late for work, notices something that stops him dead in his tracks, causing him to consider a radical shift in his lifestyle and way of thinking. Starring James McIntosh. Official Selection (in competition) at the 2006 New York International Film & Video Festival.
A fragmented, high-impact visual/aural narrative depicting a businessman, Eric Von Stroheim, who, late for work, notices something that stops him dead in his tracks, causing him to consider a radical shift in his lifestyle and way of thinking. Starring James McIntosh. Official Selection (in competition) at the 2006 New York International Film & Video Festival.
7 via Rainier. 2005. Directed by Nathan Vass. 73 mins.
Metro’s busiest route, the 7, once ran from Rainier Beach all the way to the U-District. Vass films one such journey before the route became truncated.
Metro’s busiest route, the 7, once ran from Rainier Beach all the way to the U-District. Vass films one such journey before the route became truncated.
Year of the Tiger. 2010. Directed by Nathan Vass. 11 mins.
Record of movements and atmospheres at Seattle's 2010 Lunar New Year Celebration, presented by Seattle Chinese Times.
Record of movements and atmospheres at Seattle's 2010 Lunar New Year Celebration, presented by Seattle Chinese Times.
