Dale Griffiths Stamos
November Filmmaker of the Month
Dale Griffiths Stamos is an award-winning screenwriter, director and playwright. She has written six short films—three of which she directed—which have all been official selections at multiple film festivals, including Palms Springs Shortfest, LA Shorts International, Dances with Films, and The Newport Beach Film Festival. They have garnered two audience and four jury awards. She has penned two feature-length screenplays which have been named finalists or semi-finalists in various screenplay competitions including: Creative World Awards, Story Pros, the New York City International Screenplay Awards, and Flickers Film Festival, among others. Two of her comedy short screenplays have won awards at the Austin Comedy Short Film Festival, and the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival. Dale’s short and full-length plays have been produced around the country. She is the recipient of the Heideman Award from Actors Theatre of Louisville, and is a top-ten winner, twice, in the Writers Digest Stage Play Competition. Dale is also co-author of the nonfiction book RenWomen: What Modern Renaissance Women Have to Teach Us About Living Rich, Fulfilling Lives. Her newest works are three full-length plays in various stages of development.
Filmmaker Interview
Tell us your backstory. How and why did you get into filmmaking?
I have spent much of my career as a playwright. I did not ever expect to get into filmmaking. But when two of the directors of my plays asked if I could adapt a few of my short plays into screenplays for them to direct, I said yes. The result was my first three films, directed by Maggie Grant and then Deborah LaVine and on which I was co-producer. By film number four, though, I found I was itching to start directing myself! And so I did, with my short “The Dinner Guest,” and then with my fifth and sixth films “Dirty Little Secret” and “Entwined.” I find I love being behind the camera and particularly enjoy working with actors! My newest short, “Dancing with Shadows” is a return to wearing just the hat of writer and co-producer. It is directed by Deborah LaVine and explores Alzheimer’s and lost love.
How many films have you completed? What is your favorite project you have worked on and why?
As I said, I have completed 7 films in all. They are “Match Made” (Audience Award at the Sedona Film Festival, and Best Screenplay at NYC Downtown Shorts), “Lost Music” (Best Short at Cinema at the Edge Festival), “Unintended” (now available on the Australian platform, FLIXA), “The Dinner Guest” (Best Short at the San Luis Obispo FF Central Coast Showcase, Female Eye Filmmaking Award at the New Hope FF, and nominated for Best International Short , Best Actress and Best Screenplay at Dublin International Short FF), “Dirty Little Secret” (nominated for Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress at Beaufort International FF), “Entwined” (Best Short at Borrego Springs FF, and the Bill Paxton Award at the Ojai FF) and my newest, “Dancing with Shadows” (which has so far been accepted at LA Shorts International and Breckenridge FF). All told, my short films have gone to over 50 film festivals.
It is really hard to name one of these as my favorite project. On one hand, I am very fond of “The Dinner Guest” because it was my directorial debut and the actors seriously kick butt! I love the humor in “Match Made” and the amazing chemistry between the stars, Barbara Bain and Robert Miano; and the tension in “Dirty Little Secret” so incredibly expressed by stars Jane Hajduk and Daniel Hall. Truth is, I am proud of the amazing acting of all the actors I’ve had the privilege to work with in these shorts! But I guess… if I had to name a favorite short, it would be “Entwined.” Besides the tender and finely calibrated acting of all the actors—which include stars Michael Dorn (yes, “Worf” from the Star Trek series and films), and stage and TV actor Suzanne Ford—the subject matter of interracial love is, I feel, an important one. This film comes from my own emotional core, and I love that it brings people to tears.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from all sorts of places. “Match Made,” for example, was a case of writing a script specifically for the actress Barbara Bain (She was three-time Emmy winner “Cinnamon Carter” in the original Mission Impossible TV series.) I was lucky enough to work with her in an evening of short plays of mine called “Thicker Than Water,” and wanted to feature her in one or two plays in my subsequent production of short plays, “Love Struck.” So I conceived of ideas for two plays, each of which eventually became the films “Match Made” and “Dancing with Shadows.” Since she is an older actress, for the first, I thought, “What would happen if a woman ran a matchmaking agency for people over 70 and a man from her past walked in.” For “Dancing with Shadows,” I explored an idea about a woman with Alzheimers confusing a lover from her past with her husband. It was inspired by the fact that both the director and I lost mothers-in-law to dementia. “The Dinner Guest” was inspired by a story I heard about an aunt inviting her husband’s mistress to dinner (!), “Dirty Little Secret” was inspired by the experience of a friend who was in an abusive relationship with a charming, affluent, but abusive man, “Unintended” was an adaptation of my Heideman Award-winning play, “The Unintended Video” and “Entwined” I wrote because my best friend of over 30 years is an African American man, and both love and friendship between the races is of deep concern to me.
What is your favorite aspect of film production?
There are many aspects I enjoy. I really love working with actors! I have infinite respect for the bravery and artistic risk taking and suppleness it takes to go to the emotional places they go. I also enjoy working closely with my director of photography. I have worked, most recently, on several films with Sean Blodgett, who is also my editor. We have a wonderful collaborative relationship both during production and post. I trust his eye and camera work on set, and I work closely with him on his editing passes in post, which I love doing! There is no doubt that the three writers of a film are the screenwriter, the director, and the editor!
Why did you choose to submit to the Breckenridge Film Festival? What do you look for in a festival where you hope to show your film?
I first chose to submit because my colleague and friend, fellow filmmaker Pat Battistini (who has also been featured as a Breckenridge Filmmaker of the Month) recommended Breck Film Fest. We let each other know when we have been particularly impressed with a festival and he spoke very highly of this festival. I wish I had known about it sooner as I would have submitted many of my earlier films, but I was grateful to screen at the virtual 2020 Breck Film Fest with “Entwined” and am very pleased to attend the live one in 2021 with “Dancing with Shadows.” Having now, as I said, been accepted to over 50 festivals, there are very particular things I look for in a festival and Breckenridge has them all: a great line up of films; a filmmaker friendly atmosphere (with things such as a central filmmaker meeting place/lounge and filmmaker get togethers and social events); well run Q&As; great panels and other filmmaker events; and overall great organization! Oh, and it doesn’t hurt for a festival to be in a beautiful locale. Even attending the virtual festival of 2020, I was able to see how many of these aspects are fully embraced by Breck Film Fest and I know that attending live will even more fully enhance my experience with this exceptional festival.
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