8-Count

8-Count follows an ambitious young dancer whose dreams begin to unravel when a career-defining performance forces him to confront the personal sacrifices he's made in pursuit of success. Over the course of one chaotic day in New York City, he must decide whether his ambition is worth the life he's left behind.

This film was very interesting to film. In pre-production, we found ourselves interested in a more documentary style for this film. We wanted a looser camera on longer lenses to supplement the chaos of his day. That also gave us a a strategic choice of when to break out of long lenses and give our protagonist a breath. That being said, we wanted the lighting to weigh down on him. When we’re outside, it’s dark and dreary. When we’re inside the dance studios, the lights should feel crushing.