Independent filmmaker Andrew Dean is out with a new trailer for his latest project, Cope. The film is a dramatic action short piece that takes a stark look into the lasting effects of a former soldier trying to acclimate himself back into society while suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Dean wrote and directed the project with the help of a small crew for three non-consecutive filming days last month between August 19 and 30.
Cope stars independent performer, actor and stunt coordinator Anthony Giovanni Elias (pictured above), who Dean had known for about three months in accordance with the release of the documentary for Elias‘s newly established Florida-based film stunt and screenfighting group, Genesis Action Stunts. Dean shared his thoughts with Film Combat Syndicate on what drove him to create latest message-driven shortfilm. “I was inspired to make this because there are people in the world who have gone through events such as this.” he said. “The film isn’t just an action film with great fight and tourture scenes. It focuses on the mental stability of a person and what he’ll have to go through and learn to live with. Sometimes there isn’t always going to be a solution or a quick fix. The film is meant to not only entertain, but also to make you think and that’s what I really wanted to accomplish with this.”
Dean also accredited Elias and the crew for the work they did in blocking out the rugged bar brawl scene that takes Elias center stage in the film. “Anthony and his guys took it to another level.” he says. “They took real hits a few times, but it looked great in camera and the audience is definitely going to see it once it releases.”. That said, I was intrigued to inquire some insight from Elias about how he interpreted his character for this, his latest debut as a lead actor for a film project. He stated the following: “I’m a big fan of war movies like Black Hawk Down, Saving Private Ryan, We Were Soldiers, the series Band Of Brothers, etc. On top of that, I have a lot of family members and friends that are in the military as well, and I’ve heard some of their stories. So when Dean told me about my character and what he was going through in the story, I thought to myself ‘What’s it like inside a soldiers mind when he has seen and been through war?… How does he feel seeing his comrades die in front of him?… How did he feel when he made his first kill?… What is it like to be captured and tortured by the enemy for months and possibly years?…’ I locked myself in my room and watched alot of documentaries of these old Vets telling their stories and tried to mentally put myself in thier shoes to get my mind in that very dark place. It wasnt easy, but I got it done.”
Dean plans to release Cope into the film festival circuit, as well as online on October 1, 2013. Ths shortfilm also stars Genesis Action Stunts members Rodney Lofton, Andrew Trask, Derek Fernando Leavitt, Vidal Acosta and Marc Guionnaud.
