My Friend, Director Steven Heil
If there’s one thing you should know about my friend Steven Heil, it’s that he stands by his convictions. Since meeting in high school, the two of us have had fascinating conversations about the world and our place in it. His love for film is, perhaps, only matched by his belief in creating a more just world.
The following is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation in Summer 2016.

Emmett:
You’ve been working on a film — A feature length film — Called Another Yesterday. Can you tell me about how that process worked for you?
Steven:
Yeah, well I feel really lucky actually, because I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to shoot it this fall. Which was really great, because we shot it for four weeks in October and got to take full advantage of the beautiful fall colors here in Wisconsin. And, you know, I wrote the screen play. I wrote eleven different drafts of the screenplay. And once I felt good about the script and I had gotten a lot of people’s feedback and opinions on it, that was maybe around June or something like that, the script was fully complete, so I thought, “Well, let’s try to make this happen this fall.” I really, really didn’t think all of the pieces would fall together in place in time, but they did, and I feel really grateful for that.
Emmett:
And where did you get your inspiration for the screenplay? You wrote it entirely by yourself, from what I understand.
Steven:
Yes, I did. Well, you know, I don’t have any favorite genres of movies. I love all kinds of genres of movies. But, the trait that I most admire is, you know, movies where people can experience the story and come away from it a better person before they watch it. One of my favorite quotes is by Frank Capra, the great Frank Capra, and he said that, “Emperors, saints, popes, individuals no matter how powerful, we have an opportunity that they never had. And its to talk to millions of people for two hours at a time in the dark”. We have a tremendous responsibility. So I take that really seriously, I think filmmakers have an ethical responsibility to try and uplift the audience and change them. So, that’s my biggest inspiration and I really wanted to tell a story about the importance of acceptance and forgiveness and compassion.
Emmett:
We were talking earlier about the whole process of hiring your actors, getting together your crew, and from what I understand this was the first time you’ve done a project of this size, and from what I heard it was quite the endeavor. Do you want to talk to me about that process?
Steven:
You have to have good actors, the best actors available, or else its just going to totally, no matter how good you think your script is, your directing, your cinematography, if you don’t have good actors, those are the people bringing your story to life. Then there’s no point in even making it. Its going to fall on it face, its going to fail. So, initially we tried to find good actors on our own, reach out to them, that wasn’t going so well so eventually we decided to hire a casting director. Sarah Clark, Compass Casting in Chicago, and it was a pleasure working with her, and she got almost all of the actors in the entire movie for us, aside from — The main characters actually Japanese, and so are his parents — But other than them, there’s another person that helped us get those actors that I’ll talk about in a second. Sarah Clark helped us get all the other actors in the movie, and I feel really lucky to say that I got all my first choices for every single character. I mean, I wouldn’t change anything about the casting. The actors were just absolutely amazing, and so nice. All of them were not just talented, but such a pleasure to work with, too. I was really wondering, I mean this main character who’s a Japanese American high school senior, and his parents, I thought ideally I’d love to have Japanese actors for those roles, but realistically Asian actors are hard enough to find as-is, so I thought I’d probably have to get any Asian actors I could find who are talented playing Japanese characters.
So, we’re looking up Asian actors on Internet Movie Database Pro and stuff, because even for a casting director that’s difficult to find, so I thought, well, we’d try to look on our own, too, while she’s reaching out also. And then eventually I stumbled upon this organization called Asians on Film in Los Angeles. Its run by Scott Eriksson, and I was talking with him, saying that I needed Asian actors, ideally Japanese actors and he said, “Well, I know a lot of Japanese actors.” So, eventually through him, is how we got first the parents in the movie Naoyuki Ikeda and Akiko Shima, and actually then now through Yuki, I still didn’t have a lead role and it was getting really close to when we were going to start filming, or dangerously close, and I’m like well man, how are we going to get a lead role in time? (Laughs) And, both Akiko and now Yuki suggested a few young Japanese actors — and eventually now Yuki recommended a guy named Kento Matsunami—and he was just, I could tell right away he was perfect. I mean, he just did an amazing job in his audition — Everybody did on their audition — And it's just, “Finally.” We were so relieved — We found our man.
Emmett:
For your feature film, I thought it was really interesting when you told me — I think this must have been at least a year ago — You told you were making a script for this, and you were being very secretive, and you refused to tell me, you know a very classic Steven Heil in that matter. It was all top secret. But, something I’m pretty sure you knew at the beginning was that you wanted to tell the story about Japanese culture, and maybe how that interplays with a town in the Midwest. Because, you shot this entirely in Oshkosh. Why was it important to you to tell the story of someone who maybe has a different language that they speak at home, or specifically Japanese culture. Why was that important for your screenplay?
Steven:
Well, I’ve been interested in Japan my entire life. I’ve always been really interested by the country and the culture. Last summer I was actually lucky enough, through a volunteer program, I got to spend seven weeks in Japan, and I just, it was the best summer of my life and I miss it like crazy. And, so that definitely had a big influence on me as well, and my story it, combines Japanese and American culture, that has a lot to do with the story. Also, diversity is really important. A lot of movies — I mean most of the movies you see, actually — Is a white, male, straight character, and I think that there’s room for more people of different backgrounds’ stories to be told, and those stories should be told. Diversity is really important, and Asians specifically — Aside from maybe Native Americans — Are the most underrepresented ethnic group in American movies. In Hollywood, I believe I read only one percent of leading roles go to Asian actors. So, you know, I thought well, with my movie, I’ll tell a story with an Asian protagonist.


Emmett:
What kind of stories do you want to tell?
Steven:
You know, stories that uplift people. I mean, I’m definitely a lot more of an optimist than a pessimist. There’s already so much negativity in the world, as it is. I’m not really inclined towards super cynical stories. So, I like the audience to feel strong emotions — I like to feel strong emotions when I watch a movie. I think when people watch a movie, they expect to experience a roller coaster of different emotions. I think people should laugh, cry, be scared, everything. I think that’s a much more more fulfilling experience of the type of movies people like to watch again and again over things that have just one tone throughout the whole story.
Emmett:
Are there any films or particular filmmakers that you find making stories about those models?
Steven:
Yeah, I mean I definitely have a lot of really big inspirations. I mean, some of my favorite directors of all time. I mean, Sergio Leone, he directed my favorite movie, Once Upon a Time in the West. I’m a big fan of Akira Kurosawa. Actually, I named my main character after him, Akria, and his father, Takashi after the actor Takashi Shimura, who was in a lot of Kurosawa’s movies. There’s other directors, too, that I really admire a lot. I mean, you know, for a contemporary director Joe Wright. His style really impresses me. Oh! How could I forget to mention, too, Shinichiro Watanabe, who directed some anime I really love a lot. Cowboy Bee-Bop, and Samurai Champloo, and Kids on the Slope. And his directing just blows my mind. Anime has been a big inspiration to me, too, as well as this particular production. A lot of them have really impressive directing, actually. And actually, you know, you’re talking specifically about, you know, what inspired me to feel different emotions. That’s something that Kurosawa really believe in, too. Its that, I mean no matter how serious the subject matter of your story is telling, there’s always room for moments of levity and humor, and I totally agree with him.
Emmett:
So every since I knew you, I felt like you were very inspired by film, and like someone like me will watch a film and I’ll enjoy it, and discuss the plot or some characters I like. But, after the movie would finish, you would stop it and then we would have this 15 minute discussion about the lighting or decisions the director made. So, when you watch a film, what are you looking for? Is it a different experience than you think most people have?
Steven:
Just got to give credit to a few more directors that I forgot to credit to. You know, also Frank Capra is a huge inspiration to me. Clint Eastwood is one of my favorite directors of all time. Hayao Miyazaki, Steven Spielberg, Kenji Mizoguchi. A lot of Japanese film in general has been a big influence on me. I definitely enjoy a lot of foreign films in general. But I’m sorry now, I just wanted to make sure I name dropped those guys. What was your question again?
Emmett:
When you watch a film, is there something that you’re looking for that you think a normal viewer — Maybe someone that’s not as well-versed in film — Might miss?
Steven:
Oh, yeah. Our long conversations about movies, too.
Emmett:
Yeah.
Steven:
Well, definitely I think you know, being a filmmaker, you tend to watch movies in a different way, maybe than other people. Some people I’ve talked to claim, “Oh, knowing about how movies are made almost kind of ruins watching movies for them,” but I totally disagree. I mean, I still get it as fully as sucked into the stories and characters as anyone else. And to me, its really interesting how the writers and directors went about telling a story and going about that process. But, yeah, there’s definitely things I look for. I mean, you know, I most admire stories that have a strong point-of-view, something to say, a theme they’re driving home. I don’t like movies that are, I guess, about nothing, or have no way to enlighten the audience. I always, I really admire dynamic character arcs. It frustrates me when a character goes throughout the movie and doesn’t change at all, and doesn’t learn any lessons. Those are the main things, I think, that I look for in movies, and all my favorite movies are good examples of themes and character arcs.

Emmett:
Was there a specific moment that stands out in your mind where you knew you wanted to be a filmmaker?
Steven:
Wow, I mean, it's something I kinda known or thought my whole life, I think. Maybe in like 5th grade, or something, is when, or possibly even earlier. I remember, actually. I was standing in front of my house, and I remember even telling my dad, “I want to be a movie director.” I was really young, I think I got my first video camera in 6th grade, and you know I was always shooting little goofy movies on tape, with my friends. You know, the first movie that I ever made was a Western. We dressed up in cowboy outfits, made my Victorian house look like a western saloon. Had little plastic guns that clicked.
(laughs)
Emmett:
Do you ever go back and watch those old movies?
Steven:
Yes, I do and cringe.
(laughs)
Emmett:
Do you see yourself changing as an individual as you — Like, say you watch that first western video — Do you see you’ve grown as an individual through yourself on film. A lot of people keep diaries, but you have like a video record of what you’ve cared about, and can physically see yourself grow up in these movies.
Steven:
Well, it's very true, because when you know, even silly movies you make as a kid reflect your values, and when I was a lot younger, and a lot more immature, make pretty ridiculous movies but were often very, could be mean-spirited in nature, making fun of something, and that type of thing really disgusts me now. I mean, you know, even when watching any sort of movies or TV, I don’t like smart-assy humor that makes fun of either other people or other things. And I think a lot of, actually, kids cartoons in America here — I mean, man, some of those shows are so mean-spirited — And I think it has a really pernicious effect on kids growing up, and effects their attitudes and sense of humor. And we have a big bullying problem, here in America, and you know when you watch these mean-spirited cartoons here, I mean, you know, kids are like sponges, their brains, it rubs off on them, you know. That’s why I think what Frank Capra said is so important, because it really does affect people and how they act.
Emmett:
How do you think film impacts society? Has there been a particular film that made you consider an idea or an opinion in a strongly different way?
Steven:
Yeah, I mean, well that’s what a successful movie should do, is get the audience to think in different ways, than, I think, before they viewed them. I mean, movies, you know, I definitely often really enjoy historical movies, and I think they’re important because history repeats itself, and we need to be reminded of those things. But I mean, take Schindler’s List for example. I mean, yeah, it’s a pretty shocking subject matter, of what was going on, that the Nazis were doing during World War II, but I think Oskar Schindler can really inspire a lot of people. He was a man who got obscenely wealthy by sucking up to the Nazis, and it’s just about how he changed as a person, and he went broke saving the lives of hundreds of people. It's just so inspiring. That’s the type of story that can affect the way people live their lives. Watching that, especially about a real person like that, too. But it applies with fictional characters, too, even on a much smaller scale, than saving people from concentration camps. Like I said, that’s what I think a movie should do, is get people to think in different ways, and affect how they live their lives for the better.
Emmett:
Do you have a favorite scene, from any movie? Like one scene that kind of stands out to you?
Steven:
Oh, well there’s definitely a lot of scenes in a lot of movies I love a lot. Its funny, I mean, we were just talking about this scene, when we were hanging out around downtown earlier today. But, in the movie Ikiru, by Kurosawa, I me
That movie is split into two halves: The first half, when the main character is alive, the second half of the movie is after he’s succumbed to his illness. Once again, it’s a story about a person who’s changed his life. This guy was wasting his life away for decades, doing meaningless work, and then he decides to do something to help people with his time left, when he finds out he’s terminally ill, and he builds a park, and then after he’s died the mayor is trying to steal credit for his accomplishment, and then all these women, who have children, come to his funeral, while the mayor’s there, sobbing over him, and oh my gosh, it's almost making me emotional talking about it. Its so, its so powerful to me. It's just, what a way, visually, without any talking, to show true gratitude. It's just so beautiful.
Emmett:
Is there a piece of advice that you find yourself coming back to as a filmmaker?
Steven:
I think I for sure learned the most about filmmaking from my parents, more than anybody else. My dad is a filmmaking and script writing professor, my mom was a filmmaking major in college. So, it runs in my blood, you know, and I think they’re the ones who most drove it home into me, to tell stories with a point-of-view that positively impacts people. Their taste in movies growing up, and the things they value, rubbed off on me a lot, too.
Emmett:
Your parents both have co-producer credits on your upcoming film. What was it like working with your parents on this film?
Steven:
Such a pleasure. I feel honored I was able to work with them. I mean, there’s nobody who could have possibly done it better than them, since they’re working with their son, you know, obviously they’re not going to cut any corners. I feel such gratitude to them, and they really, genuinely believe in the project, and wanted to do everything to make it as strong as possible, and for everything to be as perfect as possible. I mean, they were working so hard, throughout the entire production, I just, it was just such wonderful experience, being able to work together with them to bring this story to life, and its something I’ll always look back on fondly for years.
Emmett:
What are your plans after releasing the film, because its still in post-production at this point?
Steven:
Yes, early on in post-production, too. Its gonna be months before its done. After that, then, we’ll try submitting to the biggest buyer market film festivals, see if we can get into Sundance, or Cannes, or Venice, or Berlin, any of those big festivals with distribution markets. And from there, you kind of start with the biggest festivals, move on to the next biggest. You start with the biggest and move downwards to the smallest. That’s the kind of the order about how you go through things, so we’ll also look into the American film market and Los Angeles for international distribution. Much of the dialogue in this movie is Japanese language. It would be really cool if we could get Japanese distribution. I mean, that would be incredible. That would be a dream-come-true, watching my movie in a movie theater in Tokyo. So, you know, we’ll see what happens with it.
Emmett:
And where do imagine yourself in the future?
Steven:
I’m just gonna keep writing and directing movies until I die. We’ll see whether I’ll have to keep directing low-budget, independent movies, or hopefully movies with bigger budgets in Los Angeles or Tokyo. I’d really love to work in both the Japanese and the Hollywood film industry, you know, kind of bouncing back-and-forth between the two. Yeah, I’ll be doing this forever, you know. You have to do what you love, or else you’ll never be happy in life.
Emmett:
So you’re a filmmaker, but you also have very strong opinions on music, so I’m just curious to hear what you’ve been listening to recently.
Steven:
(Laughs)
I guess, its mostly just two types of music I listen to, and they’re basically polar-opposites from each other. When I want something a little more energizing, or amped, you know, I’m a huge hip-hop fan. I’ve been listening to hip-hop for years. And then, I love listening to Japanese music, too. You know, any kind, any Japanese pop especially. There’s Japanese hip-hop I really like, too. Its funny, whenever I’m listening to music, its usually either some really gangster, American hip-hop or some really soft, Japanese pop. I love R&B, too. Especially 90’s and 70’s R&B, that’s really good. I love 90’s music in general, actually.
Emmett:
Have you started your next project already?
Steven:
You know, I have a couple ideas bouncing around in my head, but I haven’t seriously really tried pursuing them yet. I gotta make sure I like an idea enough before I’m gonna to spend all that time on it, you know. Sometimes you think an idea, and you really like it at first, and then you start to get turned off to it. But, I guess I still, since so recent that I finished this one, I’m just taking a little break before I start writing the next one. But, it's only a matter of time until I start writing the next one.
Another Yesterday is currently in post-production and due for release later this year. You can follow the film online at https://www.facebook.com/anotheryesterdaymovie/
