When We Separate is a feature film, told in three chapters, that shows the relationship of Toni and Andi; they last for two years. What happens in between? [via Kickstarter]

[Life Between Films invited independent filmmakers with film projects completed, in production or seeking funding to converse or submit responses in their own words about their films. These profiles are being published in order to promote films that I believe in and would like to see made. To prompt the discussion, I asked filmmakers questions about what inspired their films, the challenges they faced, future plans for their films and other general questions. They were also free to add additional comments related to their projects. Please read on and support this aspiring independent filmmaker.]

In the last couple of weeks, I have been in contact with filmmaker Stefan Pavlovic to discuss his film project When We Separate:

Shala: Based on your experiences, you have a background in production and even acting. Was the plan to always work your way up to filmmaking or did this desire spring up along the way?

Shala: Can you describe how you put your team (cast and crew) together. I noticed you have many crew members with international backgrounds and even one from Louisiana (my home state). 

Stefan: The team consists only of family and friends. I find it the most rewarding to work with people that you already like spending time with anyway; why not work together on something that we're all passionate about? That we all have different backgrounds and cultures is a coincidence, I wasn't looking for that, but it makes for an interesting and diverse working environment. I only work with small crews and try to create a trusting and intimate environment where everyone feels at ease and can contribute.

Shala: How did the script come about and does it have any personal connection to your life?

Stefan: The script has gone through many stages over the last two years. What has always kept my interest and drove the story was the different ways that time is experienced in the different stages of a relationship. How a day can seem like a week; how years can fly by without you even noticing. I want to see where love goes in relation to time.

The script is not based on my life or on one specific relationship that I had, but of course it is influenced by my own experiences or events that I have seen up close. 

Shala: Two things drew me to this film project - the lapses in time as we check in with the main characters at specific times in their relationship and the sense of intimacy, both desired and forced, that the story requires. For me, it brought to mind movies like Closer which I love. Can you response briefly to why you choose to focus on these concepts.  

Stefan: Why I chose to deal with the concept of time and intimacy I'm not sure. Maybe because time can be so subjective and the sharing of time and space can be so intimate.