Indie Filmmaker Explores Technology’s Dark Side in 12-Minute Masterpiece

Black Mirror isn’t the only story taking a hard look at how technology is messing with society. Filmmaker Fernando Tosetti is also examining our relationship to technology with his short film, ‘The Blue Room’. Despite working with little resources, he manages to create an engrossing story that delivers an eerily relevant message in under 12 minutes. We got to sit down with Fernando and dug into his creative process, from putting pen to paper to slapping on the final edits.

1. Can you tell us what The Blue Room is about in your own words?

Fernando Tosetti: Certainly. I could start with our logline, “When a solitary young man starts dreaming about his gaming partner, he begins to question the boundaries of his own existence.”

Without giving too much away, more than a man and his gaming partner, “The Blue Room” is a character study that delves deep into the human psyche, exploring our natural, intrinsic need for affection and the influence of technology on our lives as society unstoppably ventures into the realms of artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

2. What is the main message or commentary you were hoping to convey with The Blue Room?

Fernando Tosetti: The importance of human interaction, meaningful connections, and ultimately, love. How lonely and hopeless we are without those things, and how much we can achieve when we have them. Along with that, I wanted to shed light on the potential hazards of technology and its impact on our well-being physically and mentally.

3. With the film taking place in very few locations, what storytelling opportunities and challenges came from the limited resources?

Fernando Tosetti: Working with limited resources and a confined number of locations presents both challenges and opportunities. As an independent filmmaker, I’m accustomed to making the most of what’s available. Coming from a background of guerrilla filmmaking in Brazil, I’ve learned to adapt, and even thrive, in difficult circumstances. “The Blue Room” allowed us to focus intensely on character development and delve deeper into the intricacies of the human experience. Despite the constraints, we turned limitations into creative opportunities, resulting in a more profound exploration of our characters and themes.

4. You have both directed and written films as well as directed films written by others. Do you find one approach more challenging than the other?

Fernando Tosetti: I consider myself an auteur director, as Hitchcock would say. A director who likes to write their projects. My love in film is coming up with an idea and bringing it to life through the craft. I constantly come up with different concepts but I only jump into production if I really think an idea is worth coming out of the paper and into the big screen. Then, I enjoy every step of the process.

I like looking at the bigger picture, coming up with a theme, the characters, and then fleshing that out and giving it dimension by carefully choosing the right locations, props, camera, lighting, costumes, and even what sounds, music, and editing tricks are needed or better fit that film. One of my strongest suits is bringing the right team together for each project, and letting each creative shine in that environment.

Corey Churchwell and Brooke Kaya on set of The Blue Room

5. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while directing this film?

Fernando Tosetti: One of the most significant challenges during the production of “The Blue Room” was navigating a limited budget while working with such a talented cast and crew. Balancing artistic vision with practical constraints required a lot of planning and adapting. However, the collaborative spirit and dedication of everyone involved ultimately contributed to the film’s success.

6. If you could remake any movie and help create it, what movie would you choose?

Fernando Tosetti: “Jurassic Park”. I grew up watching it and have always been fascinated with the idea of dinosaurs walking amongst us. The characters, the music by John Williams, the locations and effects in that film.. I would absolutely love being on a set like that, and, like Spielberg did, I would choose a mix of special effects and CGI to bring those magnificent creatures to life.

7. Do you have any upcoming projects in the works?

Fernando Tosetti: Yes, we are currently in the post-production stages of a thriller short called “Lady Killer”. It’s a great story, I can’t give too much away yet, but it will be a short, scary, and exciting film with an unexpected twist. Following this project, I plan to delve into the genres of romance and drama, further expanding my creative horizons into new themes I am passionate about and, now, at this stage in my career, feel more mature and ready to explore.

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