(light music) (light dramatic music) - Welcome to "TvFILM".

I'm Amani Olugbala.

"TvFILM" showcases the talents of Upstate New York media makers across all genres.

This episode features two films from New York's capital region.

The first is an experimental narrative film about the relationship between a husband and wife in the wake of an unspeakable tragedy.

"A Void" is directed by Joel Gietl.

- So what you're about to see is a portion of my movie "A Void" that sets up what's to come for the rest of the film.

And the portion you're gonna see is basically just establishing where these characters are at in their life and jumping back and forth in time in a nonlinear fashion, a sort of fragmented mind state that these characters are in.

Showing how they're living in the past while simultaneously trying to move forward in the future.

My goal was always to show my talents to the best of my ability and show my team's talents to the best of our ability and tell a full story, and I think we did that.

And hopes of maybe getting off a feature film off the ground from this project.

We submitted to 15 different film festivals so far, and probably after that onto a streaming platform where everybody can watch it online 'cause I know a lotta people have been asking me.

So I feel like by the time you get the end of our story, and hopefully viewers come to watch the conclusion of it, you'll feel like, okay, I see where this was going now, and some of these things that we set up which were little details come back in really big ways, even if it's just a line of dialogue.

So I'm quite proud of everyone involved and just the amount of work we did on a pre-production front.

And I'm very proud of the story in general.

(light music) (light music continues) (train horn honking) (light dramatic music) (dramatic music) (man gasping) (dramatic music continues) (light dramatic music) (birds chirping) (distant kids talking) (light dramatic music) (muffled talking) - Mr. Thompson?

Have you given it any thought?

- I don't know.

It just doesn't feel right.

How are you supposed to express what he meant in a sentence?

- I can understand that words feel hollow.

That's why I typically tell folks to keep it short and sweet.

We have a book you can flip through.

Maybe it'll give an idea to the kind of things that others have done.

There's no right or wrong way to grieve, and I'm not here to tell you how, but at times like this it's good to lean on each other for support.

- No.

- Just take your time.

You don't need to decide now.

The most important thing to remember is you're not alone in this.

(somber music) (duck quacks) (light dramatic music) - What color is this, Max?

He knows.

(woman giggles) - Maxy, your dad's colorblind, he doesn't know what color it is.

- It's a car, got that part right.

I can tell it's a car.

(light dramatic music continues) (baby cries) (muffled talking) (man laughs) Look at that.

That's perfect.

(light dramatic music continues) (dramatic music) (metal rattling) (crickets chirping) (fire crackling) - Out like a light.

Finally.

- Dad's working hard.

(man sighs) - He just wants to be here with us at all times.

- I know.

Well, I don't hear any crying so we must be making some progress.

- Speaking of progress, how was work today?

Any update?

- Like looking for a black cat in a dark room.

And we're still fine tuning the heuristic algorithm.

Of course, maybe there's no cat at all.

I guess Grant's looking for a new project manager.

I was told if I apply there's a good chance I'll get it.

- Oh, that's good, right?

Why wouldn't you?

Half the time you're doing his job anyway.

(man sighs) You don't need to worry about us.

- If I took it I'd basically live there.

- You can always spend your vacations here.

Look, all I'm saying is we'll be here, whatever you decide.

(distant baby cooing) You hear him?

- (chuckles) Yeah.

- What do you say we head in?

I'm being eaten alive out here.

- Yeah, I wanna check on him.

(woman groans) My feet are killing me.

(man scoffs) - Here, come on.

Get up.

(glasses clinking) (woman chuckles) (man chuckles) You think they'd let you wear Crocs in the lab?

(woman laughs) - Tell me more about your day.

- Oh, Max wanted to build with his blocks again.

Taking after me, I suppose.

He got really sucked into that, too.

Ended with a bang.

Story time.

(door creaking) - "Daydreams of a Drowning Girl" is a drama that tells a story of a character's desperate attempt to escape their circumstances and change their reality.

The filmmakers are Logan Rando and Mal Shannon.

- A common thread with my characters and my storylines is it's always somebody dealing with struggle.

And even though it appears that our character Madeline's struggle is external, really for her it's an internal struggle.

- In the true ending to what happens to this character she doesn't succumb to this and she takes control.

And so I think it was a very powerful way to end.

(crickets chirping) (light dramatic music) (leaves rustling) (bird caws) (bugs trilling) (light dramatic music) (water trickling) (light dramatic music continues) (water splashing) (light dramatic music continues) (water splashing) (light dramatic music continues) (birds chirping) (crickets chirping) (sheep baas) (woman humming) (chickens clucking) (light dramatic music) (bird squawking) (grass rustling) (chickens clucking) (bird squawking) (thudding) (chickens clucking) (light dramatic music) (wood creaking) (wood thudding) (light music) (crickets chirping) (woman sniffles) (light music continues) (thudding) (light music continues) (silverware clinking) (man sighs) (mouth crunching) (man sighs) (mouth crunching) (light piano music) (woman hums) (light piano music continues) (woman hums) (dramatic piano music) (clattering) (crickets chirping) (woman sighs) - Look at you.

Dreamer Madeline playing the piano.

Why am I not surprised?

Yesterday chicken coop, day before fucking around in the fields with the sheep, today I come home for lunch starving to salad.

A salad!

What is it that you do all day?

What do you do all day long?

What do you contribute?

Get your ass in the kitchen, make me a goddamn dinner now!

(light dramatic music) (crickets chirping) Sitting down where you belong.

(light dramatic music continues) (clock ticking) (dramatic music) (clock dings) (crickets chirping) (thunder rumbling) (water trickling) (water splashing) (light dramatic music) (crickets chirping) (water trickling) (light dramatic music continues) (water trickling) (crickets chirping) (birds chirping) (woman hums) (bugs chirping) (water trickling) (water bubbling) - Learn more about the films and filmmakers in this season of "TvFILM" at wmht.org/tvfilm and be sure to connect with WMHT on social media.

I'm Amani Olugbala.

(light dramatic music) - "TvFILM" is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.