If a story description by an emerging filmmaker sounds interesting I'll request to see some sides if possible. Hide & Seek was described as a "dark family drama/thriller" where a couple on the verge of divorce must find a way to hide the body of the family dog. I was contacted within a few hours by casting to read for the co-lead role of Nate -- relegated to Father in the credits, presumably as names weren't spoken. A couple weeks later came a callback from director Shahmeer Madni, then an offer about a week after. Nayab Fatima Hussain played Anya aka Mother, showing engaging screen presence and conveying ambivalence in whether to deprive or offer a way for their son to discover his father's infidelity. Moreover, "baba" inopportunely ran over Millie, the family dog. In true child form, the endearing Calvin Knegten delivered a most natural performance as Abbas.

The location was set in North Bergen. The morning commute from the city reminded me just how close the area is to midtown west without traffic. Conversely, the return trip had me pricing helicopters. The crew was impressively quick on this production. "Sham's" enthusiasm balances well with his focus. Michelle Andia worked as 1st AD and stood out immediately as alert and sharp-minded. The main argument scene oustide the car ran smooth for each take as blocking had been pre-established by Sham who smartly scheduled rehearsals. I still have a tactile memory of trying to wrench the squashed and bloodied prop dog out from under the rear tire. And recall how tight the scene was against the recorded rehearsal. Let this be a reminder to emerging filmmakers that working out blocking ahead of time is invaluable.

Hide & Seek was written and directed by Shahmeer Madni and shot by Frank Hanyang Yu entirely in North Bergen, New Jersey on an Arri Alex Mini.

Running Time: 8 mintues