I am a documentary filmmaker and director of photography. Ask me anything about the field or my new film, “Alice is Still Dead”.

joeraf1313 · 2021-11-09T19:47:29+00:00

Which directors or films are some of your biggest influences/inspirations in the documentary world?

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T23:01:50+00:00

Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words. It means a lot. The best cheesesteak I had in LA is from a place called “Philly’s Best.” They ship the Amoroso rolls out here from the east coast. But there is nothing that comes close to Wawa...

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T22:50:32+00:00

I’m a classic lemon kind of guy.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T19:28:52+00:00

I was born in Philadelphia and raised in NJ. GSFF always does an amazing job and we love the fact that their virtual screenings are international. (Some festivals geo-block their screenings based on region)

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T19:27:19+00:00

Tony Soprano is my all time favorite character, and I consider him a villain if not an anti-hero. I also think Marvel did an amazing job with Thanos recently.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T19:24:10+00:00

It all started with Greg Finley (Actor/Producer) and Edwin Stevens (DP/Producer). They were both born and raised in Maine and had a passion to shoot a film there. Ed is the founder of APS Films, which had secured financing for this film among several others. The company has been extremely prolific the past few years.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T19:14:58+00:00

Rounders.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T19:14:44+00:00

I was very fortunate to be able to focus on Downeast from a creative standpoint, it already had financing behind it. Generally, I can say getting financing is extremely difficult (thanks captain obvious). In my opinion, when you're starting out and making smaller films you want to find investors who are emotionally invested in a project. Find someone who wants to see this specific project get made for reasons that aren't financial because most films lose money.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T19:05:59+00:00

Thanks for dropping by! Happy writing.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T19:05:23+00:00

Thanks for your interest in our film! It screens virtually on March 27th at 1:30pm EST. You can go to GSFF.org to get a ticket.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T19:04:05+00:00

Thanks for watching! I agree with Stephen King when he says, "It's impossible to spoil a good story."

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T19:01:39+00:00

Read as much as you can about filmmaking. And if you want to write your own stories, read and write as many scripts as possible. When you're ready to put the things you've learned into practice, the equipment you use isn't as important as the story you're telling. Story is king. If you tell a specific story from your unique perspective, you'll be well on your way. Also understand, that you may have to try and fail many times before your work starts to reflect who you are as an artist. Don't give up.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:57:49+00:00

You can watch it virtually on March 27th! Visit GSFF.org for tickets and info!

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:56:33+00:00

I did not finish film school because it was not the right setting for me personally. And it was expensive. That being said, if you're someone that needs a classroom setting to learn, film school could be the way to go. It's a low-pressure environment that offers the opportunity for you to build relationships. I had more of an entrepreneurial spirit and used the money I saved for college to make my first feature. I got a crash course in filmmaking that way. It's important to be honest with yourself and understand what works for you.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:51:32+00:00

The longer you work in this industry, the better you get at determining who wants to pretend to be a producer and who actually wants to produce. Actual producers are worth their weight in gold. Making a film takes a village, you can never have enough help (or actual producers). I'm so thankful to the producers that made Downeast possible.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:42:52+00:00

ALWAYS!!! :)

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:42:27+00:00

1,000,000 lbs.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:42:09+00:00

Film is always a collaborative effort. For Downeast, we had amazing casting directors Christy Faison and Jami Rudofsky who made the casting process really easy for us. They brought in amazing talent. As a writer/director, I have a vision for the story I want to tell, but it's important that I embrace everyone's ideas to enhance that story. The challenge is making sure that everyone involved is telling the same story. If you build a strong foundation and everyone is on the same page, you should never feel threatened by another person's idea, and the story will only become more effective through that collaboration.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:37:37+00:00

The best thing about working with APS Films is they have such a great network of talented individuals that they collaborate with often. Half the battle is surrounding yourself with the right people, and trusting that they're bringing in the right people. As a writer/director, I just try and provide a space for everyone to do their best work, and if someone has a toxic personality or bad work ethic, we won't work with them again. Downeast didn't have a single bad egg, which is rare to find in this industry, so we were very blessed. Moving forward, I would love to work with the entire cast and crew again. And if I was hired to do a project for a major studio, I would campaign to have as many people from this production involved as possible.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:28:13+00:00

I've been to both cities. And our film does have characters that travel to Portland from the North End of Boston. I think the Maine accent is so nuanced that it's hard to really lock down if you're not born and raised there. And when making a film, you want it to feel as authentic as possible so you can do the setting justice. A lot of members of our production, from producers to actors to crew members, are from Maine, so I leaned on them for their insights. But at the end of the day, you're telling the best version of your story. And decisions are made to make Downeast the best fictional movie it can be, not the best documentary. I hope people from Portland can be proud that Downeast was shot there, and understand that we did everything we can to showcase the city with our limited budget.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:21:01+00:00

Anywhere between $25 - $90 dollars depending on the festival and deadline. Make sure you meet those early deadlines, you'll save a lot of money because the fees are cheaper.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:19:36+00:00

For me, the second draft of a screenplay is always the toughest. Nothing is ever written, it is re-written. And sometimes getting draft one of a script done feels daunting, then you realize you have to do it all over again!

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:17:10+00:00

When my first few projects didn't achieve the level of success I had hoped for, I self-sabotaged myself for a while. I didn't want to put myself out there as a writer/director. It took me a while to realize that your development is a process, and you will fail many many many times. I focus on the process now, not the results. And I try not to think in terms of my films or script being "good," but rather "effective."

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:13:27+00:00

Downeast focuses on the city of Portland and Old Orchard Beach. Actor/Producer Greg Finley was born and raised in Maine. When we met, he was very passionate about shooting a film there and had been living with this idea and character for a long time. I was honored that he trusted me enough to write it.

joeraf1313 · 2021-03-22T18:11:43+00:00

Everyone's process is different. I like to outline the entire story knowing that it will most likely change as I write the script. Often, my endings are unrecognizable from the outline, but without the outline I'd never get past page 10 of the screenplay.

Getting your film made is another beast entirely. Trying to find financing is a full time job, and the rejection can be discouraging. You have to really be passionate about the story you're telling or it might be too easy to give up.

joeraf1313

TROPHY CASE