“Juncture” is a quick, ambitious, funny, self-aware, meta film that shows the true challenges of creating independent film. While simultaneously syncing up 2 different story lines of 4 different characters

Juncture is a 3 1/2 wall breaking, self-aware meta film that shifts seamlessly back and forth between being “on set” with the husband and wife movie making duo of Scott and Eva (played by real life husband and wife Anthony and Arielle Fanelli) to their own underground mob short film, “The Debt,” starring and directed by Scott and Eva. Sound confusing? Well it’ll all make sense if you give this a watch as this “1-take” short film is one heck of a fun ride.

The story is like a fast-paced film inception. Where the “on set” discussions and insecurities seamlessly transition into the film they are making. Full of edge and pace, Juncture is a film junkie adrenaline rush, wonderfully mastered by Anthony and Arielle. The film within the film has enough premise on its own, but the entire thrill is in the on-the-fly decisions by the filmmakers which throw us right into the action within a flick.

The Film Within The Film

“The Debt” tells the tale of the low-level “mobster” duo of the stressed out Lincoln and the hot-head Aiden (who are being played by Scott and Eva, who again are being played by Anthony and Arielle Fanelli). Lincoln and Aiden soon find themselves in way over their heads when a routine gambling debt shakedown results in the unplanned kidnapping of a mysterious man who may or may not have access to a random stash of cash. When word comes from their boss Roni (played in voiceover by Scott and Lincoln’s friend Jay, who is played by Jay McKinney) that this mystery man is someone that shouldn’t be messed with, the usually indecisive Scott has to make a very quick and life-changing decision.

Making Movies is Hard Work

Well, making movies is hard work and there’s a reason there’s a lot of people that work on a film… because there’s a million different little things that go into it. However, I wanted to make a film about what it actually takes to make a film and to prove that something of quality can be made with only a few people if the vision is right. Plus I wanted to make something with my wife as well 🙂 

I was actually reading the Duplass Brothers’ book “Like Brothers” and I vividly remember just being sparked with motivation (as cheesy as that may sound) when they were describing how they ended up making “This is John.” I turned to my then fiance’ (now wife) right then and there in the middle of June, with no concept or thought yet on what I wanted to make and said “hey I’m going to write a short film for us to star in together and we’re going to make it in July.” And we did.

Anyway, the film also needed a little bit of a hook to make it more engaging; hence the “1 take” premise of the film that was created, “Juncture” shifts seamlessly back and forth between Scott and Eva “on set” discussing their insecurities and second guessing every creative choice they’ve made, are making and will make… to then watching the film within the film, “The Debt.”