Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1533763
www.postmagazine.com 20 POST MAR/APR 2025 OBEX OBEX, from Baltimore-based filmmaker Albert Birney, is a lo-fi fantasy about Conor Marsh, a man who lives a secluded life with his dog, Sandy. One day he begins playing OBEX, a new computer game. But, when Sandy goes missing, the line be- tween reality and game blurs. In addition to writing and directing the project, Birney also handled ed- iting duties. OBEX was shot by DP Pete Ohs, who first met the filmmaker back in 2017. "Shortly after meeting, we got tacos and started brainstorming an idea for a zombie movie," Ohs recalls. "That movie never got made, but it was clear we had complimentary ideas and a similar spirit centered around the joy of making things with friends. Five years later, I was in Baltimore... and Albert shared an idea for a new movie. We immediately started brainstorming what would become OBEX." Ohs and Birney outlined the film, and wrote part of a script based on his initial idea. Birney would handle basically everything in front of the camera, including acting, dog wrangling and production design, while Ohs would take care of everything behind the camera. They would split the editing duties. Ohs shot OBEX using a Canon 5D Mark III. It was edited in Adobe Premiere. "There are technically better cameras in the world, but I'm convinced the camera doesn't actu- ally matter, as long as there's a vibe and aesthetic that compliments the story," he explains. "This camera/tripod/slider setup has been my rig for multiple features now and I'm very comfortable with it." Birney's dog Dorothy is the real star of the film, taking on the role of Sandy and impressing with her performance. "She has her preferred places to sit and sleep and bark," shares Ohs, "so we planned accordingly and she always delivered." Opus Filmmaker Mark Anthony Green's Opus follows young writer Ariel (Ayo Edebiri), who is invited to the remote compound of legendary pop star Moretti (John Malkovich). Moretti is both beloved and mysterious. He disappeared 30 years ago, but has recently emerged and invited a select group of guests to hear his new music. Ariel, however, finds herself surrounded by his cult-like following and a twisted plan. Juliette Lewis plays a supporting role as gossip show host Clara Armstrong. Opus was released theatrically by A24 in March. Cinematographer Tommy Maddox-Upshaw, ASC, shot the project, which features a visually-rich though unsettling world. He relied on the Sony Venice 2 and DZO Vespid Retro primes to create the shifting aesthetic. Green describes Opus as having three distinct visual worlds: before, during and after Ariel's encounter with Moretti. In each, color, light and composition are used to reflect her transformation. "We wanted the visuals to follow the arc of Ariel throughout her journey from a cool tonality to a warmth of discovery, back to a cool, neutral-tone existence," Maddox-Upshaw explains. The dining-room scene was one of the most difficult, since the production wasn't allowed to hard-rig anything into the ceiling. "We had to make-shift something into the one skylight that was in the structure, and we were not allowed to have any actual fire light...so I was so limited in the approach," he recalls. Maddox-Upshaw cites the puppet show as the most enjoyable to shoot. "It was so crazy, with all the beats and things that were going on," he recalls. "I thought the performances and the stunts in such a small space were great." The Librarians Director Kim A. Snyder's new documentary The Librarians looks at today's America and the polit- ical polarization that finds librarians under siege during a wave of book banning. Editor Austin Reedy had a few conversations with Snyder and producer Janique L. Robillard about visual ideas, and ultimately came onboard, joining editors Gaby Torres and Leah Boatright. "A lot of that early work was on some of the visual ideas Kim wanted to try, so I did some experiments, largely using After Effects, to try and work some visual ideas into the edit," Reedy shares. "I started using After Effects a few years ago to mock-up temporary GFX. I've done a lot of films as a VFX editor as well, and I found that learning some basics in After Effects really helped me communicate ideas for directors more quickly than staying inside the NLE." In addition to the visual style, the team also worked a lot on the documentary's structure. The film follows several librarians connected primarily through their shared experience. "The challenge with these ensemble stories is how to balance them to make sure the narrative continues forward while making sure we don't lose track of the characters," Reedy explains. "We were lucky to have three editors onboard at this time. Kim really values that collaboration, so we were able to move quickly as a team more than we would have been able to accomplish as a solo edit." Reedy points to the stories of modern librarians and how they blend seamlessly with archival foot- age and cinematic references as a highlight. "That was one of the early ideas Kim want- ed to figure out and it came together over time with several people all tweaking those pieces," he explains. "I think that flow through time and style works really well, and wouldn't have been possible without all the folks contributing to them. I ended up having to move to a new project right before the film finished for Sundance, and so Mark Becker came to work on it, and he did a great job with the other editors to really make that stuff shine."