(In the upcoming weeks, we’ll be highlighting other INTERPRETATIONS entries that caught the jurors’ eyes but didn’t make it to the final five. But each day this week, we’ll spotlight the five winning finalists in their own words, followed by a few words about their films from a few of the jurors. Next up, Kha Do.)

KHA

“I am a child of the desert, residing in Phoenix, Arizona. If my parents knew that I was going to aspire to become a great filmmaker, they probably wouldn’t have raised me in an uncultured wasteland that was scorching sunshine 8 months out of the year, plagued with dust storms, and jejune suburban living. But perhaps it’s in the uniformity that I sought to find a distinct voice. One of my favorite movies is INTO THE WILD. I love movies that depict the epic story of man and nature. I find myself frequently venturing out into the desert with a camera as if to prove that life can grow out of the most barren places. If I make it out of the desert alive, I hope to end up on the coast composing, capturing, and telling stories.” See Kha’s INTERPRETATIONS profile page here.

When I saw the script, I heard in my head like fragments of dialogue, and I began thinking about how to tell pieces of a story with the dialogue and have it come together as one. The story came to me really in a coffee shop (I know…SOOO CLICHE, but this is the truth. Inspiration comes with the muse, and for me it was a public setting and a glass of iced gunpowder green tea). With my headphones on listening to the sounds of Max Richter, fragments of which you hear in the short video, I began thinking about a story about memories. And I thought about how memories define us and I knew that though I have these painful memories of my own, the redemptive journey in forgiveness and moving on was one worth telling about.

And since I’m being honest, I did not originally want to do this contest. The initial deadline had passed and I hadn’t made a short in a few years. But a friend, Paul Sun, told me the deadline was extended and urged me to do it, and not with winning or a cash prize in mind, but with simply seeking the journey in myself to create and tell a story again, I set out to do it…with one day before the deadline! (I am not bragging about this, I’m just being honest, and I am truly humbled to have this privilege). So I rounded up some friends, with a camera and balloons we set out to tell this story. Basically you see two contrasting stories–one with a character struggling with loss in a gloomy lit room, small, dark tones, and the other of two characters in a field, it’s bright and warm and dreamy. These two stories unify as our character enters into his own memories and psyche as he wrestles with letting go.

I wanted the story to be told through the visuals and not rely on the text or dialogue. I saw it all like a dream or a memory, and like all dreams and memories, there is this sense of order and coherence in randomness, you know? Like puzzle pieces that you know make sense, but scattered, they’re a mess. So from the music to the colors, to the props, to every visual I wanted everything to connect either as a motif or convey a theme. Images and visuals became “inclusios,” bookends. Shots blend into each other. Emily and the Balloon were one. The color red on the girl and the balloon signifying love. The images of the sun and the balloon being in the shape of a star, and light portraying how friendship will always shine in our lives, especially in the contrast of the darker scenes where our character is emotional.

As an artist, I’m a junkie for the journey. It was not winning or submitting the film that brings me the excitement, it’s the process. I crave creating. It’s what I was made to do. This for me is just a piece of the puzzle, I guess. I look forward to the future and see how all this seemingly random events in my life, my experiences, my joys and sorrows, will come together.

In addition to voting, some of our industry jurors also included comments about the films they enjoyed. Here are some of the juror comments about Kha’s entry:

Kha used visually interesting, non-linear techniques to evoke real feelings. Creative use of the three minute format. I really enjoyed it. — MATT HOLLOWAY (screenwriter, IRON MAN)

Beautifully shot and extremely touching. — DAN LIN (producer, TERMINATOR SALVATION)

Beautiful telling of a truly sad story. Best acting, cutting and mise-en-scene. This director is a STAR. — JON MORITSUGU (director, MOD FUCK EXPLOSION)

Beautifully shot and directed – was emotional, beautiful imagery, atmospheric, told the story well, good use of the script. Well done! — LAURA KIM (publicist/distributor, founding member of Red Flag Releasing & Warner Independent Pictures)