The Keys; Co-Written & Directed by Amanda B. Goodman & Seth Panman

The Key is a 2018 award winning horror short film written and directed by Amanda B. Goodman and Seth Panman. A NYC real estate broker with a haunted past has an unexpected first day on the job when he meets a client who changes the course of his day. It stars Seth Panman, Amanda B. Goodman, and Jessica Mellow. The story centers around Sam, a new to New York real estate agent on his first day on the job. He meets his first client Ally and the two spend an unconventional day together that ends in SPOILER ALERT: something not good. It’s partly based on a true story.

Seth Panman (SP): When I started working in real estate many years ago, I had a boss who would say anything to get the sale and who would rather have me say anything to get the sale. And when this experience actually happened, the biggest believer in the world of “closing the deal” couldn’t believe that this deal had happened. The deal was to take this girl/client out and show her three apartments and if she wasn’t happy, “cut her off”, (that was my boss speaking).

Real estate for me was more about spending time with & getting to know people and them liking me than selling/closing the deal. So I ended up taking this girl on a safari of apartments from the lower east side to the upper east side over the span of nine hours. In the end, however, I found out that I was the deal, and this girl had been stalking me for several weeks to find “the right broker”.

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After having this true life experience happen, I was very curious to bring it to the screen and see if the feeling of putting it on film would measure up to real life.

Amanda B. Goodman (ABG): As soon as Seth told me his story I suggested we take the real fear of that situation but turn it up a notch….or like fifty shades of disturbing notches…and The Keys was born.

Did you start writing with a cast (You or any) in mind?
Seth Panman (SP): Originally we were going to hire actors to portray our main characters, but wanting to do this on a bare bones budget of under $500, we didn’t feel we had anything of interest to offer actors to gauge their interest in such a personal and unusual project.

Both having lots of directing experience, we accepted the challenge, but knew we’d have a better chance at getting it done if we acted in it ourselves. I enjoyed the process a lot more, acting and co-directing with a partner. I found it much easier to immerse myself into the role. At moments, some of the locations were extremely hot, and normally I’d be bringing the actors water to stay focused and stay comfortable, but since I was the actor, I used those conditions to fuel the fire and enhance the performance.

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Amanda B. Goodman (ABG): I did not want to act in it at first. I just wanted to see if this collaboration between us could work. But after going through the experience; writing, shooting, editing…the magic was in our chemistry because we just related to each other when the cameras were rolling the same we do in real life. I don’t believe it would’ve been the same with two random actors.

How long did you take to complete the script? (Do you have a writing process?)
Seth Panman (SP): Once Seth told me his story and the creative “seed” was planted, I sat down and wrote the first initial draft in about two hours. From there it was another week before Seth and I re-worked some elements and we had another shooting draft. As production got closer I continued to tweak things even further. As a screenwriter I believe you’re never done writing, not until you’re shooting and the director yells cut. Then you’re basically done.

During production, what scene (that made the cut) was the hardest to shoot?
Amanda B. Goodman (ABG): Every single one! (Kidding). One of the biggest challenges of shooting the film overall was that it was shot entirely in one day, chronologically mirroring the events of the film. It was odd at first. Meeting on the street in the opening scene, was not only our first shot of the day and of the film, but also the start of our story and our characters journey.

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And then at the end of the day we’re in this creepy dark apartment (made to look creepy by our crew- the real apartment was a family friends who were nothing but lovely and amazing in letting us shoot there), and Seth and I were not only exhausted physically, but shooting our most challenging and intimate moment of the film. It was nothing I’d ever experienced shooting a film or series, in which the events played out on nearly an exact timeline.

I found myself not only in the moment as the actor, but also unsure what was real and what was set up by our crew. After wrapping, I needed wine….and cheesecake. And happily I got both!

Seth Panman (SP): Through all of this I noticed Amanda could work through a fluid environment where things had not been logistically planned and could roll with the punches. Our locations were not made for shooting. In fact, I recall at one of the guerilla locations a man on a ladder was painting, and I bated him to temporarily stop working by buying him and his fellow workers lunch just so we could get through the shot.

You both produced and directed the film, what measure of input did it take to don these hats?
Amanda B. Goodman (ABG): Having had to wear many hats on most of my sets prior, often times as actor and director has always been a tricky balancing act, but one I did because I had to and because I have a very specific working style. This time, having a partner to share responsibilities with was amazing. We hadn’t planned who’d do what beforehand, so it truly was an experiment. But once we started, Seth and I took turns pretty naturally calling shots, giving one another direction, and most importantly, were open 100% to one another’s ideas in the moment.

When I was editing the film, I would go through the takes and remember a few times where we’d done about 7 takes and I’d feel we’d gotten it, and then Seth would make a suggestion to do one more by trying something different. I went into editing feeling like it was great but I’m pretty sure take 7 was useable, and both times I watched the last take and they were “the ones” and I would find myself staring at my computer screen and yelling out: “dammit Seth!” As a scene partner, we worked in a way where we would just talk to each other before a take and bring up real conversations we’d previously had with one another and figure out how we could connect to that in the scene. Nothing felt fake, and I believe that helped tremendously.

Seth Panman (SP): I believe that filmmaking is 50 percent planning and 50 percent what you let the universe give you. And this laid back and loose acceptance that Amanda had towards the way I viewed filmmaking opened up an opportunity for our partnership and a chance for us to make this great piece, and has allowed us to start working on our current series.

Where do you think your strengths lie as a filmmaker?
Amanda B. Goodman (ABG): I connect with the actors as if they themselves are the characters. No bullshit, just put yourself into it. Even if you’re playing a serial killer, what personal quirks, desires, and connections would you have if you were a homicidal maniac. Maybe it’s the way you butter your toast. Whatever it is, find it, connect to it, be it. As far as I know, none of my actors turned out to be actual homicidal maniacs (that I can prove.)

Seth Panman (SP): Telling great stories that make people think. Getting to incorporate real life situations into stories that typically wouldn’t be that interesting.

Both: In the end, we work well together because we are team who both complements one another’s skill sets, but also work out of a mutual respect for each other as artists, storytellers, and friends.

Can you tell us about your marketing activities on the project – and how it’s gone for you?
Seth Panman (SP): We hit the festival circuit in NYC before releasing the film on YouTube. In less than 2 months of being released it’s racked up 11,000 views and counting.

What do you hope audiences get from your film?
Amanda B. Goodman (ABG): I want them to look at their every day interactions differently. Especially in a city like New York, you could meet someone casually in an everyday scenario that results in a ripple effect.

What else have you got in the works?
Both: We are currently in talks with streaming networks to start production on an upcoming series to be shot in NYC. It’s a thriller/mystery best described as Sex and the City meets The X-Files 🙂