The five-year-old brainchild of Eric Lommel and Adam Lowder, Clever Girl Productions was fortuitously conceived over dinner at a restaurant when Lommel and Lowder met to discuss separate screenplays they had each been working on, and seek some helpful feedback in the process. Soon enough, the two expressed their shared goal of starting a web series, and what began as a peer review meeting quickly became the genesis of Clever Girl Productions. Titled \u201cDaydreaming,\u201d the series marked Clever Girl\u2019s first project, and it wasn\u2019t long before the creative duo brought two new cinematic talents into the fold by way of Ariel Pacheco and Eric Gravez.<\/p>\n
Though every member of \u2018Clever Girl\u2019 boasts a trifecta of cinematic talent \u2014 each with acting, writing and filmmaking credits under their belts \u2014 the group maintains a symbiotic balance to their dynamic, where everyone\u2019s strengths and weaknesses complement that of their collaborators. And when asked which aspect of the filmmaking process they most enjoy or feel comfortable with, their varied responses demonstrated this artistic synergy. For Pacheco, acting has always occupied a special place in his heart, though he says he\u2019s now ready to branch out: \u201cI\u2019ve always loved acting and being in front of the camera. I loved being on that side, and being representative of the people I didn\u2019t really see as much. I love getting into the minds of people and telling stories in that way. But over the years I\u2019ve also started to fall in love with writing and directing \u2014 and now I really want to do that more often. I would love to just be a part of creating the stories \u2014 but at the same time I\u2019ve always been proud of being able to figure out how to be as honest as possible in front of the camera.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continues: \u201cIt\u2019s almost unfair to call them strengths yet because we\u2019re excited that there\u2019s still so much more to learn. But I think Eric, Eric, and Adam are incredibly strong in front of the camera. These are three amazing actors who will take a text and bring it to life.\u201d For Lowder, his partner Eric Lommel\u2019s \u201cknack for writing comes from being curious about people. That\u2019s such an important quality to have as an artist, exercising curiosity about people without judgment. Roger Ebert once said that movies are empathy machines, and I really try to live by that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rather than strictly delineate roles, the crew adopts a more creatively flexible work environment\u2014lending an air of spontaneity to every project that allows each member\u2019s input to reflect their own particular cinematic fortes, while also letting them flex new creative muscles and grow as filmmakers. Given this latitude, it isn\u2019t surprising that the four encourage each another to utilize the collective\u2019s resources and simultaneously pursue solo endeavors, and at any given time, Lommel, Lowder, Pacheco and Gravez can be seen working on their own personal passion projects, seeking each other\u2019s input at a later stage of development. Yet even these bear the group\u2019s trademark collaborative spirit; \u201cThe interesting thing about Clever Girl is that one person can be working on a project, and we figure out a way to plug the other person in someway or another,\u201d noted Lommel. \u201cWhatever we can do to make the project work.\u201d As Lowder emphatically notes, \u201cI think it\u2019s really arrogant when directors insist that everything needs to be exactly how it was in their head. I want to really collaborate with these guys and see what they bring\u2014I don\u2019t just want to be on an island by myself. Plus it\u2019s so much more fun when you\u2019re sharing. Your ego just can\u2019t get in the way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, despite their individual sensibilities and strong suits, the four agree that having experience with every aspect of the filmmaking process has made them into better artists. For Lommel, his acting training continues to be central to his growth as a director: \u201cIt showed me how to communicate my thoughts and my vision, and really connect with the person I\u2019m directing. It seems like having some experience with acting should almost be a prerequisite for someone looking to direct.\u201d Adding to this, Pacheco believes \u201cThe actor is so essential to what\u2019s going on behind the camera, and having an understanding of that helps put your project on a whole new level. It isn\u2019t enough to just have technical experience, because it ultimately comes down to whether or not you believe the person in front of the camera. We don\u2019t view actors as props, they\u2019re the ignition to every story.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This unfettered versatility and creative free reign are fundamental to Clever Girl\u2019s ethos, resulting in a harmonious mosaic of talent whose films reflect the collective\u2019s organic, collaborative and intuitive approach. \u201cWe don\u2019t let ourselves off the hook at all when it comes to the foundation of what a story is, which is letting a script breathe and having actors that you can trust,\u201d notes Pacheco. \u201cBut you can only start maneuvering the script organically once you work on it meticulously. After that, you can let go and have fun\u2014and that\u2019s when the adventure begins.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lowder seemed to agree; \u201cSidney Lumet has said that the more prepared you are, the more freedom you have, and the more opportunity you\u2019ll give yourselves for the happy accident. And that\u2019s what we\u2019re all trying to search for.\u201d<\/p>\n
For now, the group says they\u2019re focused on making films that shed light on the human condition through character-driven stories that emphasize authenticity over flashiness. They believe that delivering natural, understated performances is crucial to capturing life\u2019s honest and raw moments\u2014as is allowing characters the chance to be flawed, fully realized human beings. This penchant for gritty realism permeates not only Clever Girl\u2019s indie sensibilities and the subdued aesthetic of their films, but the themes they explore and characters they inhabit.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on this, Pacheco drew on his experience playing a troubled character in \u201cSleeping Dogs,\u201d a Clever Girl short film written by Lowder and co-directed by him and Lommel: \u201cIt was a really solid short script about two friends who brutally assaulted someone, and later have to face the consequences. Before shooting began, though, Adam approached me and asked that I read the script first, which I thought was weird because anytime one of us asks the other to act in a film, we\u2019re always like \u2018Fuck yeah!\u2019 In the story, my character is accused of being a wife beater, setting in motion the violence that ensues. When I finished reading the script I was like \u2018Yes, I\u2019m going to do this!\u2019 But then it hit me: here\u2019s another black guy being seen as a wife beater in front of the camera. After that I understood Adam\u2019s hesitance.\u201d<\/p>\n
He goes on, \u201cWhen it comes to onscreen representation, I think it\u2019s really important to talk about these things. I mean, I\u2019ve certainly witnessed and have been subject to that kind of negative stereotyping\u2014but with this character I didn\u2019t really see that. Yes, he was a bad character, but that\u2019s not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, you can have bad people, and there are so many bad characters in fiction\u2014so I felt like if this character is this kind of person, then I want to see him be this kind of person. Let him be a bad person. Whether it\u2019s because of stereotyping or there being a lack of roles with actors of color, a lot of the time their characters don\u2019t have the chance to be three-dimensional people, and part of having that human dimension is the ability to be a bad person. But I loved that Eric and Adam saw how important having this kind of discussion was to me\u2014it needed to be said, and they were willing to face that truth. I\u2019m lucky to work with people who are willing to listen and engage with uncomfortable issues without feeling like I\u2019m trying to guilt them.\u201d As Gravez put it, \u201cIt was a deeply meaningful and vulnerable moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked if this has made them more mindful of representation going forward, Lowder notes \u201cI think I\u2019m always thinking about that, but what I really care about most of all is representing human beings. I\u2019m so tired of people pandering to a political message or being disingenuously apologetic. It\u2019s like, what\u2019s the truth of your experience? What are you trying to say on a human level, rather than just on a surface level\u2014and let\u2019s get it out in the open. There were so many themes Ariel unearthed by being honest, themes that related to the story, to his character, to other characters and even humanity. That conversation wholly improved the quality of the film, and I\u2019m very happy we listened.\u201d Lommel echoed this sentiment; \u201cThat conversation added so many layers to the character that we hadn\u2019t even considered, and we ended up changing the ending as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n
So how do they avoid that pandering? For Lowder, it\u2019s a matter of \u201cjust really looking at the truth of life and following your instincts. It just so happened that the conversation we had was necessary to the film, and I think as long as you\u2019re plugged into what\u2019s really going on in life\u2014in your life, in your heart\u2014and keep asking questions, you\u2019ll find the heartbeat of that artistic truth. And once you find what\u2019s really true behind the human experience, you don\u2019t have to worry about pandering, because I think the rest just takes care of itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s next for Clever Girl\u2019s quartet? \u201cAdam is actually working on a very important film on the nature of oppression that I\u2019m excited about. I\u2019m also writing and trying to direct projects that put more women and people of color in potent roles\u2014similar to the work I did on \u201cSecond Hand NY\u201d, an Asian and Latinx-led web series. But the most important thing is maintaining a character\u2019s humanity, and that includes allowing people of color to play characters that are flawed. It\u2019s ironic how, in trying to avoid the negative representation of minorities, what ends up happening is those characters get completely stripped of what makes them human.\u201d For Pacheco, this kind of representation is both
\ninfantilizing and patronizing, and though it may stem from noble intentions, it is nonetheless innately self-defeating. \u201cThe whole point is that people are fucked up, so as much as we need to see more women and people of color onscreen, it does a disservice to have characters who are only there to satisfy the need for more visibility, because that inherently prevents these characters from becoming real people. There needs to be some deeper purpose for the story or the character, otherwise it won\u2019t ring true.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSpaceship,\u201d the working title of Lowder\u2019s film named after a Kanye West track, tells the story of a Brooklyn youth born and raised in the projects, who as a teen had to shed his nerdy image in order to survive. \u201cHe ended up getting involved with the wrong people, and one day he was asked to be a lookout without knowing why. So he just stood there confused, and moments later when he heard gunshots coming from the store, he ran home out of fear. Later that night there was a knock on the door, and this 17 year-old kid was arrested in his home. At the precinct, his lawyer informed him that he would be able to receive life without parole, as if this was a good thing! His name is Marlon Peterson, he was part of Humans of NY, and he ended up going to jail for just over 10 years. His story just really struck a chord with me, and now he talks to kids with similar backgrounds. For Marlon, it wasn\u2019t a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, but the fact that he was denied his true nature and stopped being that nerdy kid. He said \u2018don\u2019t let your light go out because THAT\u2019S what landed me in jail,\u2019 and when I read that, it was kind of a revelatory moment for me. I started exploring my own personal relationship with oppression\u2014just feeling emotionally oppressed in my life, and the things that I\u2019ve been through. And I thought \u2018Man, this is a deeply affecting issue on a human level, not just on a social level.\u2019 So I\u2019ve been developing this screenplay for about two years now, and I want Ariel to act in it and help me with the story once the first draft is completed in about a month. Hopefully the film\u2019s universal theme can affect everybody who sits down and gives it a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, Lowder plans on turning the film into a multi-media project by co-writing a rap song to accompany it; \u201cI love hip-hop, and it\u2019s really helpful to understand that hip-hop grew out of the same situation: wanting to assert your voice in the face of oppression.\u201d In Pacheco\u2019s eyes, \u201cThe seamless fusion that exists between sound and image is such a powerful way to communicate these ugly struggles with empathy.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for Lommel and Gravez? They\u2019re also working on a film whose subject matter hits close to home, and for the past year have been co-writing a feature length screenplay that explores the complicated dynamics within a family. Drawing on their own sibling dynamics, the two will be starring in the film as brothers who share a tenuous bond, with Gravez set to direct. For Lommel, who at a young age had to witness his father struggle with and ultimately survive cancer, this labor of love strikes a particularly personal chord: \u201cWe wanted to explore what happens when tragedy strikes a family. How does that event radiate throughout, and what effect does that have on each person? Not only do Eric and I share the same name and are both from Minnesota, but we also have similar familial experiences that strengthened our connection.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gravez adds, \u201cEric and I bonded over family, and we talked about the quirkiness of our state, its underexposed redneck mentality, and about real events that happened in our lives. For me personally, the story was birthed out of the estranged relationship I have with my brother…but that\u2019s all I\u2019ll say for now because I don\u2019t want to give too much away.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Gravez, Lowder, Pacheco and Lommel, each new project presents an opportunity for them to further develop their artistic identities. Encouraged by the warm reception their films have already met at festivals, they will continue to show their work at more venues around the country. They also plan to submit a film to Tribeca\u2014the quintessential celebration of New York filmmaking\u2014and ultimately, Sundance and beyond. And though they enjoy branching out on their own, these four never forget the collaboration and chemistry at the heart of Clever Girl Productions, and will soon be teaming up once again to shoot \u201cThe Sad Eyed Lady & The Lone Man Meet,\u201d a short film that imagines a hypothetical dinner conversation between Bob Dylan and Princess Diana.<\/p>\n
*On Saturday 8\/19, for one night only, Adam Lowder will be directing and acting in \u201cLone Star\u201d, one of two acts written by James McClure that will show back to back, alongside \u201cLaundry and Bourbon.\u201d The event will take place at 603 Bergen Street, and is open to the public.<\/em><\/p>\n **You can check out Ariel Pacheco\u2019s \u201cSecond Hand NY\u201d series here<\/span><\/strong><\/a> on YouTube, as well as \u201cGrowing Down,\u201d a web series he collaborated on for Flash Filmmaking<\/span><\/strong><\/a>, another NY-based production company. He plans to submit \u201cLast Call<\/span><\/strong><\/a>,\u201d his directorial debut, to film festivals.<\/em><\/p>\n ***To see more work from Clever Girl Productions, including \u201cSleeping Dogs,\u201d visit the group\u2019s Vimeo page<\/span><\/strong><\/a>, and you can follow them on Twitter @clevergirlprods<\/span><\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The five-year-old brainchild of Eric Lommel and Adam Lowder, Clever Girl Productions was fortuitously conceived over dinner at a restaurant when Lommel and Lowder met to discuss separate screenplays they had each been working on, and seek some helpful feedback in the process. Soon enough, the two expressed their shared goal of starting a web\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":11440,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2065],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[2428,2424,2413,2412,2416,2425,2420,2441,2411,2417,2439,2440,2419,2418,2442,2205,2414,2429,2422,2415],"class_list":["post-11438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Cornelia-Behind-the-Scenes-Eric-and-Adam.png?fit=1440%2C1449","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6QBV8-2Yu","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11438"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11448,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11438\/revisions\/11448"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11438"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/posturemag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=11438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}