Back in January, we couldn’t catch up with Shane Carruth for our Sundance 2013 interviews (we tried!) to learn about his sophomore effort, Upstream Color. Now that Carruth has launched his self-distribution of Upstream Color in theatres with digital streaming and downloads coming on May 7, 2013, the writer-producer-director-actor-editor-cinematographer-camera operator-composer opened up a little bit about his film in a Q&A with Film Society of Lincoln Center as part of its New Directors/New Films series.

To set the stage, here's the trailer for Upstream Color, currently rolling out its platform release in U.S. theatres:


In this first clip from the New Directors/New Films' Q&A, Carruth describes how his storytelling for this film led him to use shallow depth of field.

In the next clip, Carruth discusses his desire (and struggle) to prepare so thoroughly with his collaborators that he and his filmmaking team can find ways to improvise within the thematic structure of the film.

In this final clip, Carruth reveals the unintentional connections that his script initially had with Henry David Thoreau's Walden and how he and his creative team then incorporated Walden into the fabric of the film.

If you have 30 minutes and you're looking for the complete Q&A with Shane Carruth about Upstream Color, check it out below.

Check out the official website for Upstream Color to see if and when it may be playing in your area, or check it out on May 7 when it becomes available for digital streaming and download via Amazon, iTunes or directly from the Upstream Color website (powered by VHX).

Do you find Carruth's Q&A helpful when trying to understand his new film's narrative, or do you prefer to tackle and debate the meaning of a film like Upstream Color without the specific guidance of the writer/director? Share your thoughts with us in the Comments.

Link: Film Society of Lincoln Center - YouTube Channel