Isle filmmaker’s daydreams play out in urban setting

Robert Pennybacker has the curiosity of a dreamer.

Whenever the filmmaker is driving through the streets of Hono­lulu, his imagination takes over. He sees things — people, places, snapshots of city life — and makes up stories to go with them.

The process inspired his current project, a film he’s revealing as a work in progress. The first installment, the eight-minute "Hono­lulu/Urban," screened in 2010, and the second installment, the 26-minute "Break Through," will screen next month at the new Film Fridays at Coffee Talk in Kaimuki.

"I came up with it by daydreaming," the 56-year-old Pennybacker said. "I look around, and while I don’t see characters, I wonder as I drive around what is going on behind that wall or inside that apartment. It’s getting into the mindset that there are thousands of little stories going on in this city. And when you add them all up, it is a portrait of the city."

Pennybacker likens his project to "The Naked City," the stylish black-and-white film noir and TV series that ended with the line, "There are 8 million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them."

But Pennybacker, who shot the film in black and white, also gives a nod to the stylistic directors of the French New Wave movement of the 1960s. He was influenced by Jean-Luc Godard’s "Breathless," the 1960 film shot on the streets of Paris.

"The style is real and gritty and uses natural lighting," Pennybacker said.

In his project the installments are unified by their urban landscapes, Pennybacker said.

"They are all episodes that take place in Hono­lulu," he said. "Hono­lulu is the hub of the whole thing. The intent is to build enough episodes where it is finally a feature film, and from the separate episodes you get a sense of the city as a character."

"Break Through" follows five women who are trying to break free from personal problems, but only two of them — played by Leonelle Akana and Dona­lyn Dela Cruz — have speaking parts. In fact, it’s more than eight minutes of dialogue that Pennybacker told them to ad-lib entirely, he said.

Creating a film in segments like this, separated by months of time, is a practical decision for Pennybacker, who has a full-time job as vice president of creative services at PBS Hawaii.

He put the scenes together for this current installment in his head.

"I just pre-visualized it and tried to find the actors, and then I pre-visualized the scene," he said. "On this project, that is how it is coming to me. It’s a nice vacation from the so-called important things that usually go on in your head."

"BREAK THROUGH" will kick off Coffee Talk’s new film series at 7 p.m. Jan. 11. The free screenings will be held every second Friday of the month and feature Hawaii filmmakers.

"There are so many local filmmakers and so many people involved in the industry," said Coffee Talk owner Liz Schwartz. "It’s a whole interesting subculture. And I am a huge film fan and have great respect for filmmakers."

Coffee Talk not only offers a venue for an intimate screening, but a clientele that would enjoy locally made films, Schwartz said.

"And for the filmmakers, it gives them a place to talk story and have a chance for people to ask questions," she said. "And I guess people like Robert feel comfortable there. It’s a nonintimidating place for people to show their films."

Schwartz is still scheduling future screenings. If you’re interested, call her at 737-7444. Coffee Talk is at 3601 Wai­alae Ave.

AND that’s a wrap …

Mike Gordon is the Star-Advertiser’s film and television writer. Read his Outtakes Online blog at honolulupulse.com. Reach him at 529-4803 or email mgordon@staradvertiser.com.