Directors get their start in many ways, though most have some background in moving image before they take the reins on their first short. Not so Jeff Vespa, the WireImage founder who premieres his first short, Nosebleed at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Regular visitors to Rotten Tomatoes may recognise Vespa’s name; his still portrait shots, from festivals like Sundance and Toronto, adorn many of the interview features we run, including interviews with someone and someone else.
The film’s launch was celebrated with a star-studded party which welcomed the likes of Mischa Barton and Morgan Spurlock, bringing together many of Vespa’s friends who’ve found themselves before his camera lens in the past.
The short film, which stars David Arquette, is about a man whose nosebleed won’t dissipate, forcing him into ever more desperate attempts to control the gush. Shot in black and white, the film is, as you’d expect from a man who made his name in the visual arts, expertly photographed.
At turns funny and dramatic, it’s a confident first step into filmmaking and features some of the best production design we’ve seen in a short, including an impressive special effect shot which pushes the camera through a mirror without the aid of CGI. A making-of on the DVD reveals how the effect was created.
You can learn more about Nosebleed at jeffvespa.com, and Rotten Tomatoes will be sitting down with the photographer as the festival progresses to find out more about his transition from snapper to director.
