A fun-filled, high-energy exclusive interview with writer/director/actor ADAM SAUNDERS talking about his feature directorial debut, the delightful DOTTY & SOUL.
What a way for Adam to kickstart his directorial career! Talk about fun and entertaining – not to mention uplifting – film! DOTTY & SOUL is the cure for whatever ails you.
SYNOPSIS: Hotshot entrepreneur Ethan Cox appears poised to sell his self-driving car company and make his investors filthy rich. But when his problematic Halloween costume gets tweeted, the ensuing social media firestorm nearly ends Ethan’s career. Desperate to figure out a way forward, Ethan hatches a plan: he will hire a 71-year-old snack cart vendor, Dotty, to pose as his company’s figurehead, with Ethan still managing from behind the wings. But when Dotty decides to no longer play the straw man, and starts expressing opinions of her own – everything changes.
DOTTY & SOUL is a sparkling gem filled with fun and laughter as writer/first-time feature director/lead actor ADAM SAUNDERS taps into themes relevant today but told with heart and humor, both of which are larger than life thanks to Leslie Uggams playing “Dotty” to Saunders “Ethan”. Uggams is fabulous, feisty, and funny and lights up the screen at every turn.
Boasting a supporting cast with David Koechner and Gary Owen – and even a few scenes with M. Emmet Walsh – will have you in stitches (especially Koechner). But all of the characters are well-defined and beyond engaging. No excess exposition in this film!
From a story standpoint, Saunders has a solid construction that keeps the relationship between Dotty and Ethan at its core, which Saunders then piggybacks with solid and engaging visuals. The almost “motherly love and worldly wisdom” that Dotty imparts to Ethan establishes the two of them as the heart and soul of the film. Notable is that there is an authenticity to story and the characters, especially Ethan as he embarks on his own journey of personal growth.
The production values are strong led by cinematographer Jay Visit who keeps the visual tonal bandwidth light and bright while editor Peter CabadaHagen moves the story along at a clip with crisp and clean editing that demonstrates a deft hand at editing comedy and creating flow. A real joy comes from composer Kathryn Bostic who delivers a score that is subtle with touches of whimsy that capture the often juvenile behavior of Saunders’ Ethan. A perfect complement to the story and the visual grammar.
Adam and I cover it all as we dive into the “making of” DOTTY & SOUL, talking about, among others:
- story and the relevancy and timeliness of themes that speak to human interaction, the business world, corporate versus the small business person
- casting
- collaborating with cinematographer Jay Visit and developing visual grammar
- wearing multiple hats of writer, director, and actor
- the all-important question, “How well does actor Adam take direction from director Adam?”
- pacing and Peter CabadaHagan’s editing
- developing tone in the filming stage so that an editor doesn’t have to “hunt” to find tone during editing; walking the fine line of comedy
- composer Kathryn Bostic and establishing a complementary score
- setting the tone of the production while on set
- lessons learned as a filmmaker and storyteller
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 05/16/23
DOTTY & SOUL is available now on Digital and On Demand!
