Charlenè Brouwer on ‘Good Boy’

Documentary filmmaker Charlenè Brouwer has turned her attention to narrative film with her latest – a short psychological drama called Good Boy. Taking the concept from inception through to completion, she’s been actively involved from writing and producing to directing.

Good Boy centres on a distressed old man and his telling relationship with his dog. The short film features David Muller, Jason Gould and introduces a rising star in Hendrik the dog. Now on the festival circuit, the drama seeks to create mental health awareness and provoke thought by way of its timely subject matter around breaking the cycle of generational trauma.

What initially drew you to this story? What themes or ideas resonated with you?

I was running when I witnessed an old man shouting at his dog. My mind couldn’t rest knowing I didn’t say anything to the old man in the heat of the moment. What was most heartbreaking was that even through the old man’s scolding words the dog just sat there in love and kept loving this old man.

Were there any particular films, directors, or works of art that inspired the visual style of your short film?

I generally don’t actively draw inspiration from other films, directors or references. I become attached to a story, see the picture play out in my head and trust my fellow crew members to contribute and collaborate to enhance the vision. This was a lot about telling the story in its simplest form and not trying to focus on too many technical aspects.

How did you translate the script (or your original idea) into a visual language for the film?

I approached my good friends and colleagues Stephen Aspeling and Kobus Louw. We collaboratively worked through my original script. Stephen and I broke down the original script and it manifested into another story more focused on translating the message of generational abuse. We created a detailed storyboard, collated images from a photographic expedition and planned shots before production.

Can you walk us through your directing process? How did you collaborate with your crew (cinematographer, actors, etc.) to bring your vision to life?

Well, in this little film directing was a bit more challenging as I was also the main dog handler with Hendrik appearing in most of the shots. I like to direct actors and not tell them what to do from the beginning to end.

I am very particular with performance and taught myself that there is no right or wrong in acting. It’s difficult to make adjustments according to how things play out on the day but sometimes it works out better than what was planned. I like giving actors the freedom to express themselves and we whittle it down to something that relates to both myself and them.

Did you face any unexpected challenges during production? How did you overcome them?

Yes, we ended up having no on-location sound guy and worked without a monitor for playback. It is so important to have all the departments represented by professionals as it just makes the post-production so much more efficient. We ended up fixing the sound in post. While I am sad that some authenticity was lost in translation, it’s an important lesson.

The film features a particularly memorable scene where the old man hears echoes from his past. Can you elaborate on the creative decisions you made for that scene?

I’m a mother of two children. I constantly remind myself that I am the first internal voice that is forming for my children. The words you speak as a parent will reside in those little people until they are adults to repeat that internal compass passed on.

It’s a big responsibility and that was the biggest motivation to have a female’s voice speaking to her son (now an old man). He died haunted by words that formed a part of his developmental identity. Some adults don’t have the ability to break negative cycles that are passed on from one generation to the next.

Short films often require a lot of creativity within limited resources. Can you share an example of how you made the most of what you had available?

Being a low budget short film, we had to call on favours and wear several hats on the day of shooting. Stephen Aspeling made sure as a co-producer that everyone was happy and looked after.

What kind of reactions are you hoping to elicit from viewers with your film?

My biggest dream is to make thought-provoking films that audiences enjoy. That make them talk about it even if they dont agree with it. I hope that by watching these 5 minutes of Good Boy that it makes them think about the profound and lasting effect we as humans have on each other.

What are you most proud of in this short film?

My dog Hendrik played a lead character, which is why I was tasked with serving as dog wrangler. I made sure that David Muller and Hendrik met before the day of shooting to help establish a bond and sense of familiarity.

They say don’t work with animals and children… and our short film featured both! My nerves were shot trying to think how we would get a dog to perform and he was a champion and definitely a “Good Boy”.

This film explores breaking the cycle of generational trauma. Do you plan to explore similar themes in future projects?

Yes definitely. Even in simple children’s stories there are a lot of themes to explore and delve into. This is why we tell stories, right? To teach valuable lessons.

What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers who want to make their own short films?

The only way to make a film is by making it. The learning curve may be steep but the experience is invaluable and you inevitably come back to make something better. Don’t worry if it isn’t good, you move on to the next one.