Staff Choose First Premiere "Dekalb Elementary" by Reed Van Dyck |

 CONTENT Warning: This video has content that can be harmful or traumatizing for some viewers.

Based on a 911 message that made national news 2013 and the Staff Pick premiere this week is "Dekalb Elementary," a gripping Oscar-nominated short directed by Reed Van Dyck.

Films that are shot in the confines of a single space doesn't get much better than this. In the space of twenty minutes, Van Dyck puts forth an impressive feat in environment and the pace. Tension is built around the feeling of being in a confined space and a clear and perplexing understanding of a dubious threat. "I tried to investigate what we are unable to see," says Van Dyck. "Whether it's blocking an actor's face, or leaving the mess of children running screaming in the background, which is heard but not observed. I was thinking that you, the viewer, will create more fascinating images in your own mind than I could ever present to you." This play on space makes every minute much more compelling than the one before it.

Given the astounding performances from leading actors Tarra Riggs as well as Bo Mitchell, it's no surprising that Van Dyck said he wouldn't complete the project without the right actors. It's a true testimony to the cast, crew, and focus on the art of storytelling, "Dekalb Elementary" feels like a non-fiction report of a gravely real event.

 We caught up with the director Reed Van Dyck to talk about inspiration, the challenges, and managing throughout the movie.

What was the inspiration in creating this film?

 "'DeKalb" is a retelling of the 911 call which was featured on the news in 2013. In the call, we overhear Antoinette Tuff talking to the young man Michael Hill, who walks into her Atlanta elementary school , armed with an AK-47 as well as 500 rounds. I had not heard of the phone call at the time it was first reported and I discovered it years later during research for another project that I was working on regarding a mass shooting. I remember sitting on my couch in Los Angeles riveted and emotional when I was listening to the recording's fourteen minutes unfold. Over the course of weeks, I could not get their voices out of my head. Her strength and compassion, his confusion and regret. It touched me in a deep place, and so I started to think about how I could capture their moment into the world of film."

 Did you face any challenges when making this film?

 "The film is essentially one-man show. So one of the primary challenges was finding the right actors for the parts. I even decided I wouldn't produce the film without having an appropriate actors. The process took months of scouring IMDb as well as looking over the cast lists for independent films, TV shows, etc. Anytime I saw someone who seemed to be one of the two leads I would add their name on a list. Once that list had grown to 30 , 40 or more I'd begin going through all the actors in it, and looking up their past projects (TV performances, films, and so on) before narrowing it down.

 After that, I'd begin the entire procedure over. It was how I discovered Tarra Riggs, and Bo Mitchell who play the leading roles. I actually hand-picked every other actor from the film, not even those in parts that support them, using this same process. I was of the opinion that even a single fake performance note from any actor could take us out of the reality of the scenario and therefore I sought out the top actors that I could locate for every role ."

 It's not easy to set an impactful tone in a of this serious nature. How did you go about making this arousing environment?

 "My north star in making the film was always the 911 phone call. So when I started to think about how to make the film both visually and emotionally, I decided less was more. I had such a strong response to the message, which could be described as an audio playonly two voices. And so with the film I set out to investigate what we don't see... regardless of whether it's blocking an actor's face, or leaving the chaos of children running around the room screaming heard but not seen.

 I was thinking that you, the viewer, would create more interesting pictures within your mind than any I could show you. By presenting less details both visually and narratively maybe the audience would take a more active interest in the movie, adding more of themselves into the enjoyment. That was the goal at the very least. ."

 This film has exceptional control, which makes it feel as if it was made over the course of a single day. What does the timeline for production come out like?

 "The script is twenty pages and we shot for five days. I tried to limit my daily pages to a minimum because of the reasons you mentioned. The more time my team as well as I were involved working on production, the more intentional and attentive I/we were in regards to the design of shots blocking, performances, costumes, and production designs. Therefore, for me, having more time means more control. It's a fact that includes an extended pre-production process ."

 What's your favorite piece of advice to aspiring film makers?

 "This isn't a lot of advice. I was born and grew up in a small town in New Jersey called Mahwah. My homestead on is an unceded tribal Lunaape land. I've researched about the Lunaape extensively for the film I'm making and one thing that really struck me, moved me, was their connection to stories. The art of storytelling was believed to be a powerful healing tool for the entire group. The Storyteller was an important person who moved from clan to clan within the tribe, and shared stories to teach people about how to live. Stories were part of how the tribes and individuals continued to evolve and wake.

 Personally, this is why I like going to the movies. In times of uncertainty such as ours, I long for films and filmmakers willing to speak honestly and deeply about their lives and the world around them. I crave stories that will help me continue to wake. So my (selfish) desire or goal for future filmmakers is to see them begin this work -- this journeyto explore themselves and their globe and telling what they discover ."

 What's next? Are there any projects coming up?

 "I'm in the process of creating two feature projects currently. One script is an original by me. My production company and I are reaching out to actors for that. The other is based on a New Yorker piece and we're nearing the end of securing releases, rights and other agreements. ."