Cinematography is the paint by which film is created and today we’re speaking with the painter herself, Out Of This World’s Cinematographer Kelsey Talton. Music video guru and master of color, Kelsey brings together each element of the scene into the frame. She has a knack for making any director’s dreams come true on set. In our one on one, Kelsey let us into her thought process on the core of how to make a film beautiful.

Thank you so much for sitting down with us Kelsey! You’ve worked on countless music videos and you are known for your unique use of color in them. What initially drew you to work on Out of This World?

I just love sci-fi in general and I draw a lot of inspiration from that in my work. Having the world of an Alien who controls light at my fingertips was something so unique and exciting that I jumped at the opportunity.

And we’re glad you came aboard! Your work in narrative films and music videos have also won awards in lighting for the camera. Since light plays a big role in Out of This World, what was your approach to lighting it?

I wanted certain colors to represent the characters themselves, especially Nebby. I wanted both earth and the spaceship to have their own vibes but still be connected at the core because I think it was destiny that Arianna and Nebby meet and collide in color.

That’s how some of our most important relationships begin. Since the relationship between the Director of Photography and the Director is so important in filmmaking, what was your collaborative approach with Elia for the shoot?

My biggest concern was making sure that Elia’s wildest dreams of this crazy adventure film were realized. So with that in mind I wanted to get into his head as much as possible and see where he was drawing inspiration from. We spoke (through zoom) for about 3 months before the shoot and went over every detail of the script and really broke down all the elements of emotion and theme. It was wonderful.

That sounds magical. Which cinematographers inspire you and your work and why?

To absolutely no one’s surprise I have to say that Rodger Deakins is obviously a huge inspiration because he creates a world for each story rather than just applying his “look” to each film. I think that one of the most challenging things to do is reinvent yourself with every project. Mandy Walker is another huge inspiration because she’s just been such a staple in creating a path for female cinematographers. I’ve been obsessed with Kate Arizmendi’s work for a long time as well, I think she’s got a really distinct style and can shoot just as well, if not better than the big boys.

What do you wish more people understood about cinematography?

Honestly just how much work goes into it. Every visual element that is captured on screen has been meticulously thought out by the cinematographer, alongside the production designer and costumes and even makeup. It really is a team effort and collaboration among those departments to bring the director’s vision to life. There’s a lot of responsibility on the cinematographer to showcase not just the lighting but every element that each department brought to the table.

You’ve learned a lot on your industry journey. What advice would you give to a younger Kelsey or aspiring cinematographer wanting to make it in Hollywood?

Don’t take no for an answer.

Cinematography has been known as a male-dominated field. What’s it like being part of a new wave of female cinematographers making an impact in film? What barriers still need to be broken down?

There is still an impression that women or people who identify as female don’t have enough experience or can’t handle bigger projects. It’s an archaic and completely ridiculous line of thinking and I hope that more women are given opportunities to prove that wrong.

After shooting an alien adventure, do you believe in aliens?

100%!!!

Want to learn more about the storyboarding process for Out of This World? See how the film progressed from Storyboard and Screen and visit our TikTok to see the scenes come to life!

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Behind every good Director is a great Assistant Director. Veteran and industry professional Bashir Taylor was Out of This World’s indispensable 1st AD, helping us work through all the hoops and roadblocks on set to make our space opera dreams come true. Managing personalities, set safety, shooting schedules, and dream shots can be a near impossible job, but Bashir makes it look easy. In our recent one on one, we got to cover topics related to filmmaking that our aspiring crewmembers might find valuable to read.

Hi Bashir! Thank you for sitting down with us, honestly we are a little starstruck! Besides working on numerous movies, you’ve also worked on music videos for popular artists like The Weeknd, Eminem, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, K’naan, and more. What was different working on Out of This World compared to a normal music video or film?

To be honest, I never treated this project as a music video. The narrative was so good along with all the prep involved, it felt more like a feature. Which was great for me as an AD. It was more of a puzzle to figure out. I love that.

I love that you love that! As a 1st AD you’re concentrating on the planning and logistics of the shoot and managing all the other departments so the Director can focus their energy on creative decisions. It’s truly a difficult and invaluable job given all the moving parts. What do you think is the most important part of the Director/1st AD relationship, and how does that come out in your working relationship with Elia Petridis?

Great question. The Director/AD relationship can really make or break a shoot sometimes. We really have to be dialed in and on the same page when it comes to what we’re shooting and how we’re going about doing it. It’s my job to sometimes let a director know that what he wants is a little ambitious and we won’t have time for certain things but I usually like to give alternatives instead of just telling my director “No”. Unless it’s a safety issue then it’s cut and dry.

With Elia it’s not only a great working relationship but it’s also fun. Our dynamic has just clicked since day 1. He’s honestly one of the sharpest and more brilliant directors I’ve worked with. You really have to be prepared and understand what we’re shooting and what he wants or he runs laps around you. Lol. I love the fact that the crew likes watching our interaction on set. I truly believe it sets a tone for the entire crew and the shoot.

It totally does. So tell us, what are the main differences, besides the obvious ones, between working on a film shoot and a music video shoot?

Structure! This is by far no disrespect to the music video world or music video AD’s because it’s very challenging and also stressful at times dealing with artists and management, but the film world is more of a steady pace and the set etiquette is more structured and less loose. Also more rules are involved when it comes to film vs. music videos.

What do you wish more aspiring and veteran filmmakers understood about assistant directing in general?

One of the things I had to learn when I started was how do I know what questions to ask (scouting and shoot days) and when can I tell the director “no”. I was told to always just understand what you’re shooting. When you know the script or treatment like the back of your hand then the questions automatically come.

And always...SAFETY FIRST!

What advice would you give to young people wanting to get their first job on a real film or music video set?

Pay attention. Listen to the walkie. Hustle like you NEED work. Not just WANT work. Always introduce yourself to the 1st AD (if you’re pa’ing). Be early, not on time!

Working the set life I’m sure you’ve seen it all, but do you believe in aliens?

I do believe they exist. Funny thing is that before we started prep for this project I was seeing stories, videos, pictures etc. about aliens and UFO’s. Not sure if that was a sign or Elia purposely sending those things my way so I could be ready to shoot with him. Lol.

Want to learn more about the iconic diner where Out of This World was filmed? Check out the images below from films and TV shows shot at the Pink Motel, and visit our TikTok for more on the history behind the building!

Honeyboy (2019)

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Grease 2 (1982)

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How do you take a seedling of an idea and turn it into a full-fledged original short film? That’s what our Creative Producer Marlene Lacasse found out how to do, shoot for the stars and land among a space opera. From photography to producing to leading an intergalactic band, Marlene knows a thing or two about finding the light in the dark of the creative process. During our conversation, she shared the details of her own journey that might help our readers take a step out into their dream themselves.

Nice to sit down with you, Marlene! You’re the Creative Producer for Out of This World and you also have a “Story By” credit on the film. Tell us, what inspired you and the Director, Elia Petridis, to make this bright retro-futuristic sci-fi world?

The concept for Out of This World started as a music video for a different track. When we didn’t get awarded for that artist, we decided that we absolutely loved the concept and wanted to make it no matter what. Finding the song “Lonely Star” by Ariana and the Rose really helped to refine the story from its original iteration. Elia Petridis, the Director, and I work together sort of like “art” and “copy”. Once we come up with the concept and story together, I’ll build and design the visual world while he writes the script and the story to live in the world. It’s a super collaborative process. The story itself is a reflection of my youth and I think it’s a story that most people will be able to relate to.

A film of this magnitude tends to be very collaborative. What other artistic influences did you have in making this world?

We knew we were making a sci-fi alien film, but I wanted to design an alien world in a way that we haven’t really seen before – since it’s been done so many times in so many iconic ways. For the Nebby character and spaceship concepts, my design was largely influenced by water and aquatic themes. I thought about how little we know about the ocean and how it’s just as mysterious as space. I imagined that a spaceship coming into the atmosphere is kind of like a submarine going into the ocean and kind of ran with that.

I am super inspired by retro-future space vibe aesthetics. I wanted this world to feel super timeless, like you can’t put your finger on when it happened. I pulled influence from a lot of different eras and wanted to make sure nothing in the film could be “dated”. So lots of 60s mod influences, 90s grunge, but also some things that feel more futuristic.

Since we’re on the subject of influences, how do you view light as an influence on the world of the film?

As a photographer, light is everything to me. It was another way we could differentiate this world from other alien tropes. An alien that controls light and can see auras!? I like to always think about bringing light into the world, so for Nebby to do that in a very visceral way really spoke to me.

Tell us more about where the character of “Nebby” came from. What about them speaks to you as an artist?

Nebby as a character is honestly inspired by any adolescent that has ever felt lost, alone, and misunderstood – I think it is safe to say, pretty much any adolescent has felt that way at some point. Nebby is an entity, a being and their experience is fairly universal. I have seen so many teen girl or teen boy movies, so I was excited to put a character on screen who is just a teen! Plus, LGBTQIA+, in this case, non-binary representation is so important especially for youth who are settling into their identity.

A little backstory – Nebby’s name and catlike mannerisms are inspired by my one-eyed cat, Nebula!

Photo Credit: Natasha Wilson

Talk about a cool origin story. Even though you were mostly behind the camera, you do show up in a band poster in the film for the fictional band “Starstruck”. Tell us more about that!

That was so much fun!! The poster is a huge theme in the film and I don’t want to give it all away. Honestly, I was just so excited to be styled and costumed by Orchid Satellite and Elias Martian. It was the most rockstar I have ever felt.

What is your favorite easter egg or prop from the film?

Hands down the Golden Record. Definitely do yourself a favor and look into the history of this incredible artifact! Basically, they created a literal golden record with sounds, music, and cultural representations of Earth. It included diagrams of humans and maps indicating the origin of the record – just in case any aliens ever find it! It was attached to the Voyager spacecrafts and launched into space. So, in the film, we imply that Nebby was the one who eventually finds it. I have a tattoo of one of the maps from it as well! Double easter egg!

Well we’re not sure whether aliens found the Golden Record or not, but we have to ask – do you believe in aliens?

Oh, of course. I think I know a few.

Beyond Creative Producing, Marlene is an incredibly talented photographer! Check out some of her analog only, hand developed shots here and follow her on Instagram for more.

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To have an out of this world space opera, you need an out of this world lead. Cue Bex Taylor-Klaus, who filled the intergalactic boots for our main alien role of Nebby. If you’ve been watching the silver screen lately, you’ve seen Bex. Their most recent roles include Pidge in Voltron, Hannah in Dumplin’, and Casey in 13 Reasons Why. They’ve been acting since their 2013 breakout role as The Killing’s Bullet which won them two Joey Awards. In our recent chat with Bex, they had a lot of advice and love to give our readers.

Thank you for sitting down with us! Out of This World is a film about a sudden connection between Nebby and Ariana, two complete strangers who share this wild journey together. Have you ever had an unforgettable experience with a stranger?

Yes, my wife was once a stranger with whom I had a strange beautiful connection! When we first met, we were just strangers on a short film shoot, and the minute I asked her if she believed in magic it felt like there was magic in the air. She’s not a stranger anymore though, so I hope that still counts!

It sure does! So what’s your favorite part about Nebby?

I love Nebby’s curiosity. They are fearless in their curiosity. Rather than just being intrigued by something, Nebby actively pursues it, even when it might be dangerous.

We could all use a little bit of Nebby’s fearlessness. You’ve been acting since your teens, so you’ve definitely needed that fearlessness in your career. The teenage years are a notoriously difficult time to find yourself. Do you have advice to give young people pursuing acting that you wish you’d been told?

Here are a few tips I tend to give out: 1. Develop a thick skin. This industry can be absolutely cruel and brutal! A seemingly endless string of “no” can easily beat you down if you can’t find your own internal cheerleader. Validation MUST come from within FIRST! 2. After each audition, pack all the thoughts about it up into an imaginary duffel bag and drop it at the door on your way out. Obsessing about it can eat you alive! Drop it, let it go, and move on so you can go onto your next thing without any hidden burdens. That way if/when they call you back you’re excited rather than just relieved. 3. Go do something nice for yourself. No, for real. Your real job is auditioning to get a job, so every time you audition for something, go get yourself a treat! Having your job be constantly job hunting is exhausting. Self-care has to be a priority. After an audition, go to the park, go on a walk, go snuggle a fuzzy creature, go try that thing you’ve been dreaming of, or just get a snack! Refill your heart and soul after a hard day. Treat yourself, no matter how small. 

When auditioning, what is something you look for in a role before taking it on?

Representation! Not just in the role and the script, but also in the production team. Representation, especially when done authentically, can be life-changing and life-saving. It’s important for everyone to have a voice and be able to see themselves. I’m also a sucker for a coming-of-age story.

Representation absolutely matters. So let’s talk more about the similarities between you and Nebby in Out of This World. You designed your own first tattoo and a tattoo for your character on The Killing. What kind of tattoo do you think Nebby would have?

Nebby would have a cow. Just a little one. Maybe a globe or the earth. I think Nebby would have several tattoos if given the opportunity. A cow, a globe, a guitar—specifically an electric guitar, and probably an ineffable science sort of thing—something someone far smarter than I would come up with. So at least 4 tattoos.

If you could have your own spaceship like Nebby, what galactic item would you want? What color would you make it? What galactic companion would you bring aboard?

Whatever it would be, it would be green with lavender accents. I would bring a galactic rabbit, and would probably have a bunch of space junk. I’d probably just collect space trash, honestly. I would be a space raccoon (with a space rabbit for a companion)! Note: this was composed while playing with a rabbit; creature answer subject to change.

It would definitely be nice to bring along a space rabbit for company. Who/what made you feel less alone during the pandemic?

My wife and my creatures!

Which planet would you like to explore? Hypothetically, of course. 

First of all, I’m insulted that ‘hypothetically’ is included in the question! I want to explore Pluto because it was slighted by NASA and I’m not over it.

What’s something you want to tell people who might watch Out of This World and feel alone or unseen in their life?

You’re not alone! I know it can feel like you are, but there’s at least one other person out there who feels you, who’s felt that way before as well. It’s possible to find your people, and once you have you won’t feel alone again. Know that you are loved—at least by me!—as you look for them.

Wondering how to take a film from page to script to screen? Follow along on our TikTok page where we’re capturing every step of the process (and having dance parties on set!).

Watch Bex Taylor-Klaus disappear and Nebby the Alien emerge…

If I must be perceived, I want it to be like this.

Nebby says ‘shake it off!’

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In order to produce the wild space opera Out of This World, we knew we’d need otherworldly talent on board. That’s where Producer Kris Wynne came into play. Wynne has a history of producing in Hollywood for over twenty years, working with studios from Syfy to Disney, and with stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, Natasha Lyonne, and Kristin Davis. Kris had plenty of knowledge to share with us during our recent chat, where we spoke with him about the challenges and rewards of joining the crew of Out of This World.

So tell us, you have 20+ years experience working in Hollywood and have produced numerous features, TV shows, and short films. What was unique for you about working on a film like Out of This World?

Out of This World was the first short film I have ever produced (and one of the few projects I have been involved with) that was centered around music. I don’t think I totally understood what we were trying to achieve with the film until we started shooting and the characters and sets came to life. Typically, I have my finger on the pulse of what I am producing but with OOTW, I had such anticipation and even moments of anxiety because this was uncharted water for me. It was a Director, Producing Team, Cinematographer and Production Designer that I had never worked with plus a lot of the crew was already hired prior to my involvement. I felt like I was given the keys to a Ferrari and my job was to not drive too slow or too fast. This project, while smaller in scope, was a massive lift to achieve what Elia [Director] and Marlene [Creative Producer] were trying to accomplish. While I was confident we could pull it off with the team we had in place, you never know until the day of how the set will run.

Absolutely! Being a producer, you not only have to see how the film is made, but you’re the one helping make it. What would you say is the most challenging part?

The most challenging part of producing is managing a group of people that come from all walks of life and experiences. You have to ensure that everyone from producers to an unpaid intern feels like they are a part of the process, not overlooked, and given your full support to the best of your ability. You have to hold some hands through the process but on the flip side, you have to let people do what you’ve hired them to do without stifling their creativity. Managing time and money is more black and white. Managing dozens if not hundreds of personalities is the grey area.

It is quite a balance. What has been your most rewarding experience on a set? 

I think the most rewarding experience from OOTW was a conversation I had with Elia about 3 weeks after we shot. I am paraphrasing but he said something along the lines of, “We shot exactly what I wanted to shoot with this film.” It was not an easy lift to pull off with the logistics of a film that is heavily dependent on character performance minus dialogue with the sheer amount of lighting, grip and camera trickery within 5 days in two very tight shooting locations during a global pandemic. So knowing we pulled off what Elia was envisioning was the ultimate reward. 

As for on set, I think the most rewarding thing for me personally was a chance to work with my friend of over 25 years, Omar Torres. We’ve been friends since high school. We were roommates back in the day. I was at his wedding. We both have worked in film for 20+ years but we have never been on a set together. So seeing him and his team pull off amazing special effects was really special and personal for me.

You’ve lived in LA for a long time. What first inspired you to work in the film industry and make the move to LA in your adult life?

I was born and raised in Hollywood and my father worked as a caterer on dozens of TV shows in the 1970’s and 80’s but I never had any idea I would end up doing film. I was a history major who played baseball in college. My end game was to become a teacher and coach. My journey to becoming a filmmaker started when a friend of mine randomly asked if I wanted to tape boxes in the shipping department at New Line Cinema after my junior year. It was a 3 week temp job that paid $8 an hour (which was $8 more per hour than I had ever made). That 3 week gig turned into a full time gig but I quickly grew tired of being the shipping guy and wanted to be on set. I asked one of the executives who I should talk to about being on set. He mentioned a woman named Emily Glatter would be a good source to get on set. I spoke with Emily and within 2 weeks, I was sitting on the Warner Lot as a production assistant on The Cell starring J Lo and Vince Vaughn. To this day I am still chasing the high of getting that job.

Is there any advice you would give to your younger self and aspiring producers in Hollywood? 

For aspiring producers and filmmakers in general, your journey is unique, don’t let other people’s paths define your path. Use them as inspiration or teachable moments of what to do and what not to do. But ultimately you define your aspirations.

As for my younger self, I would go back and tell younger me to take more calculated risks and not be complacent when you’re comfortable. I spent a good portion of my 30’s thinking I had “made it” when in reality, I was not happy with my career.

And we gotta ask: Do you believe in aliens? 

We’d be foolish to think that we are the only “intelligent life forms” in the galaxy. In the words of Ariana and Nebby, “WE ARE NOT ALONE!!!!!”

Check out some art and artists that inspired the film!

To make Out of This World truly come to life, it took pulling together a team of people from all departments who were ready to send our set into space. One of our all time greatest sci-fi inspirations, 2001: A Space Odyssey, owes its iconic look to its own special effects team. Here are four ways 2001: A Space Odyssey was a visual-effects pioneer.

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