Rebekah Wiggins and more bring ‘After Masks’ to audiences everywhere
For a time the coronavirus pandemic ground the film industry to a halt. Now things are back up and running, but filmmaking has changed forever. A new feature length project was birthed by the chaos of the pandemic, and its story examines what life will be like for everyone as we move “back to normal.” Cast, rehearsed, filmed, and edited remotely, After Masks is a pandemic story for the pandemic world.
Rebekah Wiggins, one of five directors who worked to make After Masks a reality, is no stranger to creating films remotely. By now, she’s practically an expert. Wiggins wrote & directed two other films during the course of the pandemic. Clownfish and Ushering the Light both had productions that were at the mercy of Covid-19 and both managed to rise to the challenges handed to them.
After Masks is just the latest of Wiggins’s forays into pandemic-era filmmaking. As the film makes its way to festivals around the world, make your own way behind-the-scenes and take a look at the details of its production right here.
Remote creation
Many think that the pandemic has seriously damaged the prospects of films and their creators, but After Masks takes advantage of the restrictions thrown its way and uses them to create a truly unique and stunningly beautiful film. It was shot on location in Orlando, Denver, Los Angeles, Tulsa, Boulder, and more, giving it a truly nationwide feel and a singular visual style.
Seven writers worked to create the varying stories that are interwoven through After Masks. All of them examine lives altered & upended by the roiling pandemic. Casting actors and rehearing the film all took place over video calls. To complete the filming, equipment had to be shipped all over the country and shoots were virtually assisted by professionals who couldn’t always be on the scene.
As each of the stories unwind and work their way through different themes, narrator Mitchell Hoog (Saved by the Bills) ties them together with artistic commentary. From storytelling to production to cinematography, After Masks stretches the idea of what a pandemic-era film can be.
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After Masks is directed by Manaal Khan, Tayo Amos, John Crockett, Brian McCulley, and Rebekah Wiggins. Khan, Amos, McCulley, and Wiggins wrote the film alongside Ashley Serrao, Carmelo Chimera, and Lindsay Sparks. Dozens of cast & crew members across the country worked tirelessly to bring After Masks to audiences everywhere.
The stories told in After Masks take place in the most harrowing of times, but they also point to a humanity that cannot help but bring you some hope. The film promises a brighter future, both for its characters and for the filmmaking industry on a broader level. As it begins making its debut to audiences around the world at film festivals, the feature is gaining attention for its writing, production, and acting.
Make sure to keep After Masks near the top of your watch list. It won’t be long until the film is screening near you, and as we still push our way through the pandemic, it feels more timely than ever.
