Interview: Head To The East Director Lisa Ranran Hu On Love & Climate Change

Heading to the East is a 17 minute-long short film where we follow a couple, Jinna and Alex, as they take one last trip to the desert oasis where they fell in love before going their separate ways, possibly forever. I sat down with writer-director Lisa Ranran Hu for a virtual chat about love, climate change, shooting in the desert, and more.

Film Fugitives: What was the thought process behind alternating between different frame rates all throughout the movie? And which techniques did you use to achieve that effect?

Lisa Ranran Hu: I wanted to create a sense of feeling that the whole story is a piece of memory that we, standing in the future, are looking back at something already happened in the past. Memories can be disjointed and discrete, so the motion blur matches with the feeling of memories perfectly. The technique was inspired by the visual styles in many of Wong Kar-Wai’s films. To achieve it, we shot the scenes in low frame rate (12fps) and played them in 24fps in the post.

FF: One of the things that immediately stands out while watching the movie is the effortless chemistry between you actors. How did you achieve that?

Lisa: We spent a lot of time casting. We had over 200 applicants on breakdown express and after a round of self tapes and zoom call back, we narrowed down to 4 pairs. We had an in-person chemistry read before we locked our cast. Having them to spend time and get to know each other is also very important. We rehearsed almost all the scenes before we started filming. 

FF: Was the taco plate blowing away something you planned or was it something that happened on the day of the shoot & you chose to include it in the film to accentuate the melancholic tone of the film? And how many takes and tacos did it take to get it right?

Lisa: That was in the script from the very first draft. It was not easy to achieve. We had a leaf blower to imitate the wind and if I remember correctly, that was at least 5 takes for each shot to get the timing and framing right, because we had a few shots with the plate blowing away: the one with the actress in it. We had to see the plate blown away in the frame in the right direction for her to react. And we also had the plate on the street which requires some kind of traffic control as well. 

FF: The setup and payoff of the line that Jinna takes photos of everything that won’t last is heartbreaking. What was the process of building up to the moment where Alex is reflected on Jinna’s lens and how did you achieve that awesome frame?

Lisa: That line was originally not in the script, neither was the reflection shot. I knew we needed some sort of setup and payoff at the end but it wasn’t until rehearsal that I came up with that idea. The reflection was achieved using a special lens added to the prop camera thanks to our talented DP Rocky. It also took us a while to find the reflection because the lens was so small. We also added a rack focus to emphasize the reflection. 

FF: What are some of the things in life that you think should last forever even though you know they are fading away quicker than you expected them to?

Lisa: This is a very philosophical question. I’d say relationships for sure in the context of this story, and any significant others including family and friends. Friendship is another one. Also, our bodies, the time we have with ourselves. Even ice cream usually melts faster than I expected. 

FF: Most of the film takes place in the outdoors and under the sun. So, how did you pull it off without getting dehydrated? Was it done in one day or over the course of a few days? What was it like to maintain emotional continuity in that climate?

Lisa: We were kind of close to getting dehydrated [laughs]. We rented a trailer and prepared so many electrolytes drinks for those few days. The scenes in the city were shot in 2 days in late August and the desert part was shot in 2 days and a half. We had to postpone the desert part a month later than we originally planned because of the heat. We had enough rehearsals and they’re both trained actors, so they were able to keep the emotional continuity. I had a shotlist but had to change some shots on the spot. I was wearing full protection so I was okay in that weather and honestly I felt I just forgot about the heat when I was laser focused. Our PA also did a great job handling water to keep everyone hydrated. 

FF: Which was more difficult: daytime shooting or nighttime? And why?

Lisa: Daytime was definitely more difficult because of the heat and dehydration and also strong wind. The night time was very comfortable and chilly. We did encounter some bugs at night but it wasn’t too bad. It was a private land far from the mountains so no large animals at night. 

FF: As far as my memory serves me, I don’t think I have seen a break-up story where a parallel is drawn between a couple breaking up with the climate crisis (which is like a break up between humanity and nature). Am I reading too much into it or was the environmentalism angle intentional?

Lisa: That is definitely intentional. The whole story originated from the idea of connecting the symbolism of the drying of the oasis with the end of a relationship.

FF: What was the thought process behind the costume design for both of the characters? How did you use the colors and accessories to inform the audience about what kind of people they were? 

Lisa: I’m glad you asked this question! I’m very color oriented when it comes to costumes. I usually think a lot about the relationship between a character and the environment and costume becomes such a great way to express that relationship. In this film, the desert, one of the major environments, is generally giving a warm earth color. Jinna, the perspective that we’re following, has a different relationship with the land than Alex does. She is an outsider in the sense that she doesn’t belong to this land. The landscape and Alex are both part of her memories. So, I chose earth color for Alex while Jinna wore a cool blue color.

FF: What are some of your favourite stories about love, loss, and separation anxiety?

Lisa: Aftersun (by Charlotte Wells), Fallen Leaves by Aki Kaurismäki, Past Lives (by Celine Song), Vive l’amour by Tsai Ming-liang, Happy Together by Wong Kar-Wai.