Peer Review: Savannah O'Leary

Who are three contemporaries that you admire?

I love Anderson Wright’s last two short films — The Mark On The Wall and Seeking Comfort In An Uncomfortable Chair. They are both so creative despite also being quite contained, and the pacing is a nice respite from our collective obsession with quick cuts. It’s a reminder that a worthy frame can hold your attention for several beats.

It’s such a peaceful, pensive movie but it shakes you to your core.

Photographer Sarah Van Rij! She excavates beauty from these totally banal, everyday moments. She’ll focus on foggy windows, concrete, raindrops—textures that aren’t inherently precious, but she renders them so. Her work is proof that with the right framing, the ordinary can be remarkable.

And Lance Oppenheim! I love the way he treats the documentary genre with narrative flair. His visuals are so imaginative and art-directed.

Please share 3-4 pieces of work that exemplify great directors, and explain why?

Nice Try for Apple by Max Sherman—just a brilliant use of 30 seconds. I love the way the music drives the pacing and the story. It’s equal parts short film and commercial. So good. 

I have probably watched Sara Dunlop’s Facebook India campaign a hundred times. I love the casting, the breadth of locations, the jarring edits, and the way she breaks the fourth wall. It keeps you on your toes. 

What makes the subtle difference between something that sounds sentimental and something that sounds saccharine?

I am still thinking about Celine Song’s Past Lives. The loaded silences, the body language, the way it simultaneously captures the claustrophobic, domestic version of New York and its glittery exterior. It’s such a peaceful, pensive movie but it shakes you to your core.

What do you like most about the work that you do?

I think my use of music. I love pairing an environment with an unlikely genre. When I was editing Gone Viral (which takes place in a very bucolic neighborhood in southern Illinois) I was using temp tracks that spanned everything from Argentine Tango to ‘80s rock. I worked with Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly to replace these with original compositions, and it was so much fun to explore how the genres added tension, charm, and quirk to the film. Collaborating with composers is also probably my favourite part of the filmmaking process when I have the opportunity.

It wasn’t until I started dabbling in directing commercials and worked with a professional editor for the first time that I realised how inefficient I was as an editor.

I just worked with Mike Dragovic of Interval—he did the gorgeous, meandering piano pieces for Merit America and the lullaby for Air Force Reserve. I love the brainstorming part of the collaboration; it’s always an exercise in vocabulary. Like, what makes the subtle difference between something that sounds sentimental and something that sounds saccharine? Ultimately the finished product kind of lives and dies with music. I love how open-ended and consequential the possibilities are.

What was your journey to becoming a director?

My background is in editing. It was my favourite craft to focus on in film school, and I thought that’s what I wanted to do professionally. I loved putting puzzles together. I used to edit my friends’ director’s cuts for fun, and I edited both of my first two short films. It wasn’t until I started dabbling in directing commercials and worked with a professional editor for the first time that I realised how inefficient I was as an editor. I was better on set than I was in post! But I think the experience helped shape my instincts. 

Sometimes, it’s really hard to reconcile the backstory of production with what’s best for the edit, but ultimately, it’s irrelevant. 

What is the most valuable skill you’ve learned in your career, and why?

How to kill your darlings! I (think) I’ve become less stubborn about it.

On location for the Merit America campaign in Kyle, Texas, we spent a good chunk of our two-day shoot filming a scene at a pie shop. My producer and I were on the hunt for a visually striking diner that offered a strong sense of place, and we were so thrilled to have found this little gem and gotten last-minute access. 

It had iconic wood paneling, vinyl booths, lace curtains, and checkered flooring. We built our whole schedule around it, and then it didn’t make either cut. For whatever reason, it just didn’t serve the edit. Sometimes, it’s really hard to reconcile the backstory of production with what’s best for the edit, but ultimately, it’s irrelevant. 

What is one thing every director needs?

An unwieldy playlist. For me, an approach or an idea often starts with a reference track—I round up inspo here!

I feel lucky to have close friends in the industry I can trust to stress-test ideas and get honest feedback from.

Who was the greatest director of all time? Why?

This feels impossible to answer, but Joshua Oppenheimer is the first name to come to mind because of The Act of Killing. I’m in a permanent state of bewilderment over what that movie was able to achieve—the access, the approach, the surreal way in which the making of the documentary became the documentary. 

Did you have a mentor? Who was it?

Not a mentor per se, but I feel lucky to have close friends in the industry I can trust to stress-test ideas and get honest feedback from. Renee Mao and Stephen Paul Wright are often the first pair of eyes on an edit. Also, I’m so grateful to belong to a company that’s so community-oriented. Sarah, Kirstin, and Carly at SLMBR PRTY are really invested in the creative and are always willing to bounce ideas around, and the roster is really supportive of one another. 

The prompting mechanics seem to be constantly evolving, and the more I play with Midjourney, the more I appreciate how much of a skill it is.

What’s changing in the industry that all directors need to keep up with?

My very unoriginal take: AI. I think it’s crucial not only to stay updated on the potential of the technology but also the way it works. I have found Midjourney to be pretty useful for visualising a shot that’s in your head. I used it a lot on Air Force Reserve to make references I shared with my DP and Production Designer.  These are a few of the before and afters: [images below].

But unless you use it often, it’s easy to become out of practice. The prompting mechanics seem to be constantly evolving, and the more I play with Midjourney, the more I appreciate how much of a skill it is.