Interview With Will Parker
Forty Winks
10 GLIFF awards winner
Hi, Will! You are a truly director at 18 years old. How did that happened, how did your career start?

GLIFF Reprsenter
Journalist
Well, I’ve been in theatre for a very long time, since I was six or seven years old and it always was mixed with films. So, if at my young age I was more into theatre, now for the last 3-4 years I noticed, that more I want to get into filmmaking. When I was introduced to “It’s a Wonderful Life”, that was the first time I got so connected to a movie, and not because I was watching it like a kid. I thought that someone made this, someone worked with camera, the crew and the budget. The idea of connecting a group of minded people together, working on one idea, telling a new story- that is what I like in films the most.
Will Parker
Director, Producer, Writer
To Notice
Eighteen-year-old Will Parker is a Writer, Director, Actor, Producer and New York Native. His short film "Donnybrook", which he made over the pandemic, was accepted into the "All American High School Film Festival". Will's style involves darkly comedic, uncomfortable and tension-built scenarios; all of which are seen through the eyes of colorful and sometimes demonic characters. He is inspired by artists such as Jordan Peele, Joel and Ethan Coen, Steven Spielberg, and Spike Lee. "Forty Winks" is his first feature-length film.
How did the idea of “Forty Winks” was born? How long ago did you write this story?

GLIFF Reprsenter
Journalist
I wrote the script at 16 and started the production 2 years ago as well. I started looking for actors, locations and finishing up the script. We shot the film in summer 2021. I definitely worke way longer, then I planned, but in the end I made a script, that gave us an opportunity to improvise some of the scenes and to have a lot of fun during the shooting process. Originally it was a 55 page script and I planned to finish all the work in two months, but then all this idea become much larger and took a lot more time, but I would definitely not change anything, because it was a fantastic process!
Will Parker
Director, Producer, Writer
Why did you decide to shoot in a black & white color?

GLIFF Reprsenter
Journalist
We always wanted to make it not just in color, but in very specific way. Because, in the end the audience gets a 2-3 seconds of fully coloured scene and that is how it supposed to be. So, we shot the movie, thinking that it’s all going to be in color. But, when I was watching it for the seventh or eighth time on post-production and payed so much attention on Fabio Baker (main character), I thought that this man is not a hero and not a thief, so he is like between the dark and white side, he is just a human. At this point I decided to make it black & white. When we started adding the black & white scenes, we saw that it fits perfectly. So, we decided to bring down two colours and see what we can do with the story and concentrate on it.
Will Parker
Director, Producer, Writer
To Notice
Will is still finishing high school, but he does not position his film as a school project. “Forty Winks” is a completely independent film, on which not only Will's friends and classmates took part, but also his teachers.
Justin Marcel looks so strong in front of a camera, his acting skills are near the major level. How did you meet this guy?

GLIFF Reprsenter
Journalist
Yes, Justin had the most important role in all this process, because he was the main character and he was leading us. Because if the actor, that had to play Fabio, would not manage to do it, the way Justin did, I think all the other characters would also lose their position. We found Justin 3 or 4 weeks before we started shooting, while other cast was already with us two or two-half month before him. This is Justin’s first movie and before he didn’t even have a small role. After our experience with him, I think we found out how the Fabio Berker had to look. So, yes he’s role in the film is more then important.
Will Parker
Director, Producer, Writer
To Notice
This is Justin Marcel McManus. He started his acting career by playing the main role in "Forty Winks" and now he received a role in second season of Starz  "Power Book II: Ghost. (Top 30 most popular serials of 2021)
From the start you wanted to be a director? You never wanted to try yourself in acting?

GLIFF Reprsenter
Journalist
From my young age I knew, that I want to act, write and direct, but it doesn’t matter who I would be, even a costume designer or something like that. I just knew that I want to be a part of it, be a part of filmmaking.
Will Parker
Director, Producer, Writer
What is the next step for Forty Winks after the festival run?

GLIFF Reprsenter
Journalist
Well, of course most of the people want their film to get distributed, but anyway the most important, that it was such a great experience. So, right now it doesn’t matter how it turns. For eight month we are doing festival run, getting people connected from all over the world ant that is awesome. We did this for the art, not for the business, so we will see how it goes from this point, but anyway I’m satisfied with the result.
Will Parker
Director, Producer, Writer
To Notice
"Forty Winks" is now a multi-awarded film: (Best Dark Comedy, Black & White Film and Best Young Director at Fox International FF) - three awards in one of the biggest Italian festivals!
Why did you start with the arthouse movie? Are you planning to try something new?

GLIFF Reprsenter
Journalist
I always want to try something new, because I want to touch every genre in my career. I want to try different lengths and different tones. In my first film we wanted to make a grounded movie, that will show different side of humanity. With this message it’s hard to be in between, so I decided to fully go into arthouse. So, the dialogues, score, lightning, direction- everything was into arthouse. The amount of audience was not important for us.
Will Parker
Director, Producer, Writer
What is the main message that you want to tell to the viewer through your films?

GLIFF Reprsenter
Journalist
For me- it’s telling stories about complex humans, that aren’t always represented and humans relationships with grief that's something that's going to be consistent. I think the time that I wrote this on it was very prevalent what effect grief was having on everyone else's lives in the cast and crew. So those are the two main underline messages then I'm going to play with.
Will Parker
Director, Producer, Writer
To Notice
" For me- it’s telling stories about complex humans, that aren’t always represented and humans relationships with grief that's something that's going to be consistent. I think the time that I wrote this on it was very prevalent what effect grief was having on everyone else's lives in the cast and crew. So those are the two main underline messages then I'm going to play with".

Will Parker
PLIFF

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