WORKED FOR ME
After a devastating break-up, a young man seeks advice from an unlikely source.
- 2009 | 5:28
- Starring Isaac Visaretis, Saffron Cassaday, Frank Longo, Baker the dog
- Cinematography by Alex Dacev
- Written by Ken Simpson & Katharine Reid
- Produced, Directed & Edited by Ken Simpson
"Overall the film is of great quality. It sports many nice camera moves, looks professional and feels great. It's very sleek." - James Dubbeldam
"There are quite a few interesting things about Ken Simpson's heartfelt short film, "Worked For Me." But the most interesting thing of all… is that it has a nugget of wisdom that can save millions from spending exorbitant amounts on shrinks, self-help books, and large bar tabs." - Hilary Kennedy, YouPlusDallas
Director's Statement (2009)
My experiences with directing over the last few years have helped me solidify not only what kind of movies I want to make, but how I want to make them, and perhaps even more importantly who I want to make them with.
Worked for Me is one of my proudest achievements thus far and visually speaking, it's probably the smoothest and most succinctly realized film I've made to date. Made on a shoestring budget with only a handful of dedicated friends, the film is a great example of the sum being more than the total of it's parts.
On set, the production team consisted of little more than my cinematographer (Alex Dacev) and myself. After collaborating for several years together, we're able to work creatively and efficiently with surprisingly little discussion beforehand.
The leads, Saffron Cassaday and Isaac Visaretis, have both worked with me on several occasions, and their talent and dedication made them obvious choices for Jannie and Michael. Frank Longo on the other hand was someone I've wanted to work with for some time now and I was over the moon with his portrayal of the flawed, self-medicating, wannabe life coach doctor.
Other longtime friends like Lara Amersey, Tareq Dabbour, Russell Challenger, Tomas Street and Katharine Reid were the glue that kept the production together.
Everyone deals with loss at some point in their lives, Grief is an essential part of growth, and if this film's message of distraction, self-development and humour resonates with its audience, I'll be very pleased indeed. Speaking from experience, it worked for me.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
Frame Grabs
Behind The Scenes Stills
Interview with Caleb Pike of DSLR Video Shooter
Stop talking and make a film… In this hour long podcast Ken Simpson & Alex Dacev sit down with Caleb Pike to discuss using the 5D for narrative film, gear, post production and tips on starting out in filmmaking.
