Movie of the Week: $9.99 by Charlie Rennert

When zoo animals escape in Prospect Park, a taxidermist goes lion hunting in $9.99 by Charlie Rennert. (Mentor: Gerard Zarra) During the Narrative Lab Screening premiere, Charlie shared how he overcame the challenges around the age gap between him and his actors: “The characters - the lion and the taxidermist - are way older than me. I initially felt very uncomfortable telling them what to do and directing them. But I realize if it’s just friendly and chill, then it’s okay. I never felt like I was bossing them around.”Charlie at the 2018 Narrative Lab Screening at HBO.Charlie also shared, “ “My mentor, Gerard was so helpful. Chao, Wei, and Hillary all helped on my film too.” Chao, Wei, and Hillary are Charlie’s peers from his Narrative Lab. Each student in the Narrative Lab worked on each other's films: “I did sound for one day for Chao’s film in Chinatown and I was an extra on Wei’s film.” Reel Works presents “Movie of the Week” to showcase the exemplary films made by our young filmmakers. If you’d like to get early access to the Narrative Lab films, join us on Patreon where you can support the film careers of emerging media professionals like Charlie! Watch the full film here.