"My hope is that enough people come and the word spreads so other theatres want to take it."
Will told the Courier he wanted to thank Allan Webb for supporting our indie film and screening it in his theatre.
"We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity," he says.
"American Desert was my first lead role in a feature, and I was very happy to work with Adrian Bartol who also wrote the screenplay and made his directing debut.
"We spent months discovering the locations in various desert towns across California
while talking with locals, many of them near military bases.
"Adrian encouraged much of this discovery as a part of really getting inside of my character Matt's world and fleshing out the most human details.
"On our scouting/discovery trips we began test filming things to see what was working
and what wasn't. This process also helped both of us, especially me, to really discover Matt Benning and his wider world in order to begin seeing through his eyes, imagining what someone in his shoes might go through."
To get into the role, throughout the test filming, scouting, and discovery trips Will began reading everything he could get about the veteran's experience in and after returning from Afghanistan in 2010, as well as watching numerous documentaries.
"One of my favorite moments in the shooting process was early on when we were still figuring things out. We got a server weather notification that a midday dust storm was coming our way," he says.
"Knowing the light would be unbeatable, Adrian suggested we drive straight into the storm to shoot one of the pivotal scenes in the film.
"That insane flexibility is almost impossible on a larger production and is just one of the things that enabled us to capture and explore such unique moments in this film."
Will says he is extremely fortunate to have had this filmmaking experience playing opposite such profound actors, many of whom had much more experience than him.
"Ruby Modine brings Brandi Wells to life in a truly layered and multi-faceted way, each
scene she brought the full breath of her instrument," he says.
"Acting opposite Michael Ironside was intimidating at first to say the very least. Yet that tension helped to feed my character's position in the film, highlighting just how truly cornered and desperate he is to find some sense of normalcy and equilibrium despite the intense psychological and environmental obstacles blocking his way. "
He says this film would have never happened if it weren't for teamwork and commitment.
"We pieced this indie together over years of shooting in the height of desert summers and the driving sleet of its erratic winters.
"Despite the challenges faced making this movie, I will definitely carry the lessons learned with me for the rest of my career.
"We hope you enjoy the filmic journey of American Desert".
American Desert will open in Te Awamutu on Thursday, March 18.
