The film has a Hollywood producer, Brett Thompson, and has been picked up for distribution through NY-based Dreamscape Media. ‘Silhouettes’ had its world premiere at the 2017 Montreal World Festival, and was most recently screened at the Washington DC South Asian Film Festival – one of the oldest in North America. You may check out the details via this link. It was also recently screened at the Indian Film Festival of Cincinnati; please check out this link for further details.
A bit about Tom…
Tom was born in Kuala Lumpur, and after finishing his studies at Garden International School, he moved to America to begin his postgraduate studies. During his time in the United States, Tom completed: a Master of Arts in Humanities at the University of Chicago, a Master of Fine Arts in Film Directing at Columbia College and A Bachelor of Arts in Marketing at Long Island University!
Tom found success in film-making from early on in his career. His first feature film, ‘The Quiet’, won Best Independent Film by Screen Magazine. He is also kept busy in the world of brand strategy and marketing: he is the founder and owner of Silva Brand, a successful branding agency based in downtown Chicago (www.silvabrand.com).
Tom, what is your film ‘Silhouettes’ all about?
‘Silhouettes’ is a love story of opposites that unfolds over a series of conversations, in the spirit of films like ‘Before Sunset’ and ‘Lost in Translation’. Aamod is a retired executive and playboy who lives alone in his sprawling downtown Chicago apartment; Nadia is a whip-smart lawyer in transit to see her conservative Muslim parents for the first time in more than a decade. When her train is delayed, a chance encounter brings them together for a magical day in Chicago, wandering its secret corners and its most haunting spaces for a few fleeting hours. What emerges through words is the power of their feelings for each other as Aamod grapples with whether he can let go of a tragic secret and embrace a future with Nadia. ‘Silhouettes’ is unusual because it confronts issues of race, identity and culture head on, forming a new chapter in the American love story.
Can you tell us more about the experience of filming ‘Silhouettes’?
When I first moved to Chicago I originally studied theatre, but quickly changed my focus to film making. So, for the filming of Silhouettes – in which I play a leading role – it felt wonderful to be back in front of the camera again! Making this film was particularly because we had such a fine team – including director Gustavo Bernal and the student Academy Award-winning cinematographer Wonjung Bae. We were also lucky enough to work with seasoned performers such as Chicago actors Fawzia Mirza and Puja Mohindra.
After the film wrapped, I also had a chance to write the music for the film with renowned guitarist and producer Phillip Amerson. Together, we worked with lots of extraordinary musicians, including Juilliard-trained flutist Lyon Leifer, and the singer Mona Jethmalani who sang the film’s theme song – which is in three different languages!
Filmmaking is joyous but very hard work. We routinely worked 16-hour days and had to move between locations all over the city, which was tiring.
What advice would you give to our GIS students who want to work in the film industry?
I would focus on developing the craft of storytelling. Whether it’s through studying screenwriting or something technical like cinematography or sound design, filmmaking is a skill that requires hundreds of hours of study and practice. It’s also important to meet other creative people, because they will be critical to successfully mounting any production – whether it’s a short film or a feature. I went to film school because there were no other options back in the day; today, there are so many more places to take diploma courses or even online instruction. If you want to be a filmmaker, invest in studying the history of the form, meet as many people as you can within the industry, work on as many films as you can and always watch good films yourself!
There is tremendous work being done all over the world today — from Turkey to Russia to France to Iran to Romania. Seek out these films because it will inform your work.