James Kautz of Red Seed Films Discusses His Work Directing Frankie

James Kautz is a multifaceted artist of stage and screen, hailed by The New York Times as “fearless” and as “fiercely talented” by Time Out New York. He’s the Founder of Red Seed Films, an independent film production company whose stories focus on personal transformation, gender, and identity. Red Seed Films’ first short, Frankie, written and director by Kautz, is currently making it’s way through the festival circuit, premiering domestically at the Oscar-qualifying, 45th Annual Atlanta Film Festival, and internationally at the Oscar & BAFTA-qualifying Raindance Film Festival. He’s the Founding Artistic Director of the award winning, critically acclaimed, Off Broadway Theatre Company, The Amoralists.

indieactivity: How did you get into directing? How would you describe your style?
James Kautz (JK): I’ve always been a painter and for a long time assumed I’d go to art school and pursue visual arts. But then I fell in love with acting, moved to NYC and made that my entire life for a good long while. All these years later, I’ve married the two. For me, directing is a synthesis of painting and acting. I focus totally on what my actors are hunting for and then I work to arrange that hunt in the most visually arresting way possible.

Do you hire a casting director, or do you cast yourself? If so, what criteria go into your casting?
James Kautz (JK): Whether working with a casting director or not, I definitely like to have major input on casting. It’s definitely the lifeblood of the work I like to do. I look for actors who have genuine craft, and folks who are able and willing to get vulnerable. As director, it then becomes my job to make sure we create the right environment for them to actually get vulnerable in.

Watch FRANKIE for free on Film Shortage

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What went into the casting process for FRANKIE?
James Kautz (JK): I basically just asked some of my favorite actors to be in Frankie. Folks I’d seen in plays and films and tv shows. I had meetings with each of them and really talked to them about what Frankie was about, what that room required. I was really blessed that everyone said yes.

Without giving anything away, tell us a little bit about the script, how did you come up with the idea?
James Kautz (JK): A few years ago, I entered into a men’s codependency group. It was honestly the first time in my life I’d ever been in a space where cisgender men were so openly vulnerable. A common theme amongst all of us in the room was this idea that we’d denied our true selves in an effort to ‘stay safe’ in the face of someone else’s addictions and fears. 

My spouse Morgan, who is a Producer on Frankie and plays Frankie, was coming out as trans, non-binary at the time, and they were having so many similar revelations about their own experience. 

The commonality of that human need: to be seen and recognized despite someone else’s fear – that was the seed of Frankie.

What do you hope a viewer takes away from Frankie?
James Kautz (JK): I hope folks who watch Frankie, especially those who maybe have some rigid preconceptions about gender and masculinity, walk away feeling genuine empathy for someone like Frankie. I hope they have a human experience, as opposed to a political experience.

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How long did it take to shoot the entire film?
JK: We shot Frankie over the course of two days.

How long was the post-production process?
JK: Post moved relatively smoothly. Our script was pretty surgical in terms of the layout of images I saw in my head and Donna, our editor, really just instinctively felt and saw the pace of the movie. Post was actually a real joy with Frankie, which isn’t always the case.

The film had a lot of talent working behind the scenes as DPs, sound designers, composers, etc. Why is diversity important both in front of and behind the camera?
JK: Frankie is all about differing perspectives colliding and the fight for a shared reality, ultimately found through empathy. Having those differing perspectives on set, in front of the camera and behind it, all problem solving from our own unique perspectives is, in my opinion, a must for making art.

What’s next for you? What are you working on right now??
JK: We’ve just wrapped up filming on another short called Not Us and are moving into the early stages of making a feature, called Lovebomb actually based on Frankie.

 What would you recommend to a new director at the beginning of his/ her journey?
JK: I think setting out to make something that only you can make, building a story that keeps you up at night, that you HAVE to tell, is maybe the most important thing. That passion is your real currency, it’s what will fuel you when the money runs out, when everyone is tired, when things get difficult. Don’t settle for making something because it seems like a safe bet or simply feels ‘filmable’. Make something that sets you on fire. 

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And then assemble a team of people who are truly the most talented (and emotionally healthy) folks you can find. Have the confidence to learn everything you can from them. 

And just keep making things. Any way that you can, whether through school, through your own projects or assisting others with theirs, just keep making films. We definitely learn by doing and I’ve found that is maybe most true for filmmaking. 

Who is your favorite director? Why?
JK: I’m not sure I have a favorite filmmaker… Two films that I find I am always thinking about though are Lynne Ramsey’s You Were Never Really Here and Robert Machoian’s The Killing of Two Lovers. They’ve both had such a transformative impact on my own storytelling. 

When there’s so little exposition, it forces us as viewers to become very active. We become emotional detectives, story detectives. And I love that.

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