Dissonance & Grace

I had an amazing team of people that competed in the local SATO 48 film festival where we had 48 hours to create a short film inspired by the “inspiration package” which was given to us at the beginning of the weekend. I composed the piano piece and directed the film. We did very well in the festival and won 4 out of 12 categories competing against 96 teams. We won:

Best Composition
Best Cinematography
Best Direction
Best Art Direction

 

Dissonance & Grace – a restoration in A minor from Dancing Fox Films on Vimeo.

Dissonance and Grace is an original piano composition that explores the mess we create as we avert God's plan for our lives. When we live in His will, we can create the beautiful music of a full life; harmony in His perfect design.

This film was written, shot, edited, and graded in 48 hours as part of the SATO 48 Film Festival.
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SPOILERS and fun facts:
-We actually completely blew up the piano, shot it with a cannon as well as set it on fire, but the high powered explosives we used were to fast for our camera and the other footage didn't cut well.
-It was raining part of our shooting day (that really cut into our precious 48 hours)
-We blew out 3 ARRI lights because of voltage peaks in the countryside.
-There are two different onscreen Pez dispensers that made the final cut.
-The piano is an antique dating from the 1800's…shame.
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SATO 48 Guidelines:
Competitors are given an "Inspiration package" at the beginning of the contest to get them started. This year's Inspiration Package consisted of four words:

INVENTOR
FOUNDER
MENTOR
LOVER

One of your two principal characters must be an inventor, founder, mentor, or lover, and the other principal character must be one of the remaining three. You MUST use each word at least once in dialogue, or show the word on-screen.
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DISSONANCE & GRACE
A Dancing Fox Films Production
In association with A102 Studios

Introducing Parker Payne & Ciera Carson
Produced by Sarah Kessinger
Directed by Christopher Kaspar
Director of Photography Lisa Prevost
Camera Operator Franquelis Diaz
Assistant Director Elizabeth Blomenkamp
Sound Design by Chris Davis
Original Composition by Christopher Kaspar
Practical Effects by Caleb Kessinger
Additional Support Provided by:
Miriam Kessinger
Nathaniel Kessinger
John Wilson
John Greenhaw
Crystal Greenhaw
Andy Wilson