It’s quite ironic that Mesbah Uddin (SFS ’16) and his production team have been working furiously for months to bring a story about procrastination to life. 11:59, set to premiere Saturday, April 11, tells the tale of Sidney Phillips, a chronic procrastinator who contends with such issues as attention deficit disorder and depression during his junior year of college. “Procrastination is justifiably used to describe situations when we waste time online and put off our assignments,” writer and director Uddin said. “However, we also use it to describe situations when we are unable to focus on the tasks ahead of us due to anxiety and fear.”
Darnell Bland (MSB ‘15) and Jack Schmitt (COL ‘15) co-star in the film. “In my prior theater productions there’s typically been at least a month or two long rehearsal period, whereas with our project we’ve had a much quicker turnaround,” Schmitt said. “It’s been an exciting challenge.”
Schmitt portrays the protagonist while Bland plays his best friend, Marshawn Kareem, who is described as the moral compass of the film. “Marshawn is very straight laced and incredibly studious and intelligent,” Bland said. “However, like everyone else, he has some quirks and inconsistencies within his moral compass.”
In addition to Uddin’s guidance, the film is also produced by Bryan McDonnell (COL ‘16), who also serves as cinematographer. He described an average day for the production: “1-2 hours of planning, 4-6 hours of filming, and then I relay the footage [to our editors] so we can make a rough cut of the scenes we shot.”
The quickened production schedule resulted in several sleepless nights and tight deadlines for the cast and crew alike, but perhaps the irony is fitting given the film’s subject material.
According to McDonnell, the film’s stylistic choices are influenced by filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and David Fincher. More specifically, McDonnell explained that the use of natural lighting (eschewing heavy duty professional lighting for lamps and the sun) was inspired by recent Oscar winner Dallas Buyers Club. “We want 11:59 to be a funny, deep, kick ass movie with a cinema quality aesthetic that will impress film snobs and regular moviegoers alike,” he said.
The balance of comedy and drama is something that the crew worked very hard to achieve and Uddin is extremely thankful for the experience he’s gained. “I’m grateful for the support I have had for this film so far,” he wrote in an email to the Voice. “[I’ve received] words of encouragement from friends, the dedication and time of all the collaborators, and an incredible amount of support from my professors in the forms of generous extensions and occasional cameos.”
The film 11:59 will undoubtedly be worth the time, as the subject matter is easily relatable and the story will strike a chord with many a viewer.
Photo: Bryan McDonnell
