Mongrels – Part 1: Friendship, Filmmaking And Feral Canines

Nach, thanks for sitting down with us. Debut features come with challenges of their own, so what excited you about this film? Why did you join the project?

Nach Dudsdeemaytha (ND): I was fortunate to have worked with Jerome Yoo (director) on many short film projects in various capacities — some I produced while he directed, others where he acted, and one we even wrote together. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of watching him evolve as a filmmaker, gradually honing a distinct style and voice. All of his creative growth was building towards a first feature film, and Mongrels became that feature.

When Jerome first pitched Mongrels to me, I was immediately captivated by the rich, textured world and the complex characters. It was such a refreshing take on the immigrant experience, and I could see where Jerome drew from his own past to paint the true-to-life portraits of Hana, Joon, and Sonny.

From the first draft, it was a story with real depth and nuance, and in classic Jerome fashion, the film would push boundaries and offer something exciting… The feral dogs, the three chapters, the surreal interludes. It felt like an exciting opportunity to collaborate on something really special, and I knew I had to be a part of it.

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No better reason than that! What was the development process like for this film? As a BC Producer, what was your experience raising the funds for this project?

ND: The development process for Mongrels was both exhilarating and challenging, as it was my first time putting together a feature film. We pitched to Telefilm as a Talent to Watch project, and was fortunate to be selected as a recipient of production funding in 2020. In addition to the Talent to Watch fund, we also received incredible support from Creative BC’s Production Fund, Canada Council for the Arts, as well as Game Theory Films, via their BIPOC Initiative. Before Mongrels, my experience was in short-form projects - short films, music videos, specs, webseries - all with very modest budgets. At the time, having a budget over $300K to make Mongrels with felt like a new world of possibilities.

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Did you just say 2020? Yikes. How did that year of infamy affect the project and was a positive surprise?

ND: The realities of COVID hit, and we made the difficult decision to push production. During this downtime, I started taking on bigger jobs, which included producing a Netflix documentary series and working on feature films as a Production Manager and Production Supervisor. I gained invaluable experience managing budgets of millions of dollars.

Returning to Mongrels after working on those larger features and trying to pull it off for this budget felt daunting, especially given how ambitious the script was. But what really surprised me in the most positive way was the passion and resourcefulness of our team, despite this immense mountain we had to climb. It was clear how much everyone believed in the project and were committed to bringing Mongrels to life.

Everyone understood the assignment. Our production designer Adriana graciously offered her parents’ backyard to stand in for our forest (thank you Ivo and Justine!). The Lee family home was a doorknock down the street. Our DOP Jaryl shot day-for-night wherever possible to really condense our night setups. Our Costume Designer, Tammy, worked wonders, somehow managing to costume the entire show from the back of her SUV. Across the board, the cast and crew were incredibly resourceful, finding creative solutions to make everything work. It was amazing to see everyone come together.

I was also incredibly fortunate to have an amazing partner in my co-producer Tesh Guttikonda. Tesh was boots on the ground every day, helping carry this project through some very tough days across the finish line.

Our film community and vendors were also immensely supportive, stepping up in ways we couldn’t have anticipated. It was a true collaborative effort, and the entire team’s passion really shone through. I’m so proud of what we accomplished, and I hope that everyone who worked on this film feels the same.

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That’s the textbook answer for why we love filmmaking - getting knocked down by forces out of your control only to be picked back up by the passion and talent of an incredible team of friends.

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Now let’s hear from one of those amigas, Adriana, can you describe your process for creating the visual environment of the film?

Adriana Marchand (AM): This was my first time production designing for a feature so a lot of the early process was just breaking down the script very thoroughly with Jerome. Helping find the locations for the film influenced a lot of the aesthetic choices we went with. I visited and photographed many Korean family homes, churches, day cares, etc. to help develop my eye, and source authentic props for the family spaces.

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First time! I bet you we would never have guessed. How do you work with other departments, such as costume design and cinematography, to ensure a cohesive look?

AM: I worked very closely with Jaryl perfecting our frames, we had a lot of fun together creating the world and he taught me so much about space and light during that summer. Watching Tammy's costume team was so inspiring, they had a meticulous flow that our art team really respected throughout shooting.

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What was the most challenging set you designed for the film, and how did you bring it to life?

AM: Hands down the Lee family home. This was a tiny house that we completely transformed, kitchen, two bedrooms, living room, and outdoors. A lot of the dressing came from our own personals which gave the space a very real lived-in quality.

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Authenticity is what we all strive for. Where do you find inspiration for your designs, and how do you incorporate it into your work?

AM: It's all a very intuitive process. I grew up having a lot of close friends who were Korean as a kid. It's usually just life, our director, Jerome, who guides the inspiration, I simply scavenge and organize all the little ingredients to bring it to life.

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And the most important question… What was your favourite prop?

The neighbours taxidermy.

Taxidermy, eh? Say no more. We’ll keep an eye out for it in the film.

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Derek Kwan, Mr. First AD, over to you. Can you share an example of a significant challenge you faced during production and how you resolved it?

Derek Kwan (DK): The Mountain. Ask any cast or crew member and they’ll remember this day that lives on in Mongrels lore. We’re in Maple Ridge on one of the hottest days of the summer. Our shooting location is at a landing of a small rock face. OK not an actual mountain. But on this day it felt like one. We traversed the steep incline, carefully staying low. Heat stroke had overtaken a few crew members. We tried our best to ensure everyone stayed hydrated and found shade. However, literal blood, sweat, and tears had found a way to surface. It was hands down the toughest day of our entire shoot, but we tried our best to keep spirits and morale up. With the help of popsicles of course.

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Egad, this sounds like an elevator pitch to a self-reflexive film about filmmaking… glad you all survived! As the First AD, you’re at the eye of the storm - how did you work with other departments to ensure a cohesive look/feel/experience?

DK: Communication with a capital C. I try to take on the role of 1st AD as a facilitator and conduit between all the departments and the director. To ensure everyone is on the same page and doing my best to facilitate an environment that is positive, fun, and creatively fulfilling. I tend to ask a lot of questions as an AD. Rather than telling people what to do, asking what they need. Is it time? Extra hands? A bag of Welches? This hopefully ensures a cohesive experience for all those involved. At the very least every bag has your daily dose of vitamin C.

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Welches is indeed the cure for film set blues. Didn’t know about the vitamin C, though. Your crew definitely did not suffer from scurvy! Other than taking great care of your crew, where do you find inspiration, how did you incorporate it into your work?

DK: In the people. The artists, creatives, technicians that we’re all working side by side with. Navigating this journey of contributing our individual strengths and expertise. Learning from each other. Creating memories and shared experiences. Lastly, reminding ourselves that making a movie should be fun and we should all leave feeling inspired.

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It’s surprising how easy it is to forget that. Turning now to composers, Jude Shih and Tae-Young Yu, speaking of feeling inspired and having fun, how did you approach creating the score for this film?

Jude Shih: The three chapters in MONGRELS offer perspectives from each of the Lee family members—Sonny, Joon, and Hana. Each chapter allows us to approach the score through their respective generations, identities, and personalities, leading us to create distinct musical palettes for each character. In our composition process, we delved deeply into each character’s arc, aiming to reflect their confusion, anger, realization, and possible reconciliation, while also considering their musical preferences.

From the early stages of composing, we integrated traditional Korean instruments such as the Daegeum, Piri, and Janggu into our arrangements. We devoted considerable time to exploring the fusion of Korean traditional music with Western styles, mirroring the characters' journey of reconciling their Korean heritage with their new life in Canada.

Thanks to the contributions of the renowned Daegeum player Aram Lee, the top string quartet musicians from LA, as well as the beautiful solo violin and vocals recorded by our dear friends Cassiel McEvoy and Maddie Stephenson, we were able to bring the score to life.

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That does sound inspired! How would you describe your musical style and how it has evolved over time?

Jude Shih: Music was an unexpected career choice for me. Although I had classical piano training as a child, I spent my undergraduate years studying computer science in Taiwan and never anticipated pursuing film scoring in the United States. However, I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of exploring new musical possibilities.

My composing journey began with a fascination for 70s electronic pioneers like Tangerine Dream and Vangelis, as well as progressive bands such as King Crimson and Pink Floyd. Over time, I became deeply captivated by post-Romantic classical music, minimalism, and electroacoustic music. I find particular joy in genre-bending, manipulating sounds, and blending electronic and acoustic elements. Recently, my focus has been on processing recordings of acoustic instruments and found sounds into entirely deconstructed sound palettes, a technique subtly incorporated into some pieces of MONGRELS.

Tae-Young Yu: It's difficult to define my musical style precisely, but I tend to focus on strong melodies and captivating chord progressions. Since my mother is a singer-songwriter, I've been exposed to countless songs with a solid motif for as long as I can remember. Over time, my musical style has evolved from simple piano pieces to full band or orchestral arrangements, but the essence of my music has always remained the same.

Additionally, incorporating Korean traditional instruments, scales, and rhythms is a major element of my musicality, which stems from my identity as a Korean. I believe this was one of the key factors that drew me to work on MONGRELS, as the theme of Korean identity plays a pivotal role in the film. As a Korean composer living abroad, one of my goals is to modernize traditional Korean music and share its beauty with the world, and I hope to achieve this through MONGRELS.

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How did you collaborate with the director to understand their vision?

Collaborating with Jerome was one of the most rewarding challenges of our composing careers. Since we were located in different cities—Vancouver and Los Angeles—we only met him in person after the production was wrapped up. All our meetings and discussions were conducted virtually. We spent countless hours on Zoom exploring the role of music in MONGRELS.

For anyone who has seen the film, it’s clear that Jerome is exceptionally talented at capturing the nuances of emotions and interpersonal relationships. He also has a remarkable ability to use symbols and objects to enhance the storytelling. In the beginning, we went through some trial and error to convey the specific emotions that best fit the film. Fortunately, through constant communication and numerous meetings, we aligned our vision with Jerome’s and created music that is both cohesive and compelling.

Jerome's insistence on pushing us to our limits was particularly valuable. We believe that this is a crucial aspect of film scoring. The brainstorming, revisions, and experiments we engaged in with Jerome led to ideas and results we might not have discovered on our own.

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What is your favourite piece of music that you composed for this film and why?

Jude Shih: One of my favorite pieces occurs near the end of the film, during the scene where Hana plays the Piri in the forest. The music begins with Hana’s solo performance, gradually evolving into a rich ensemble featuring the Daegeum, Piri, and Janggu, complemented by strings and bass clarinet. This combination represents the fourth protagonist—the mongrels in the Canadian forest. Unlike other pieces in the film, this cue is particularly energetic and marks a crucial turning point for Hana. The process of blending Korean and Western music involved several attempts, but it was both challenging and exhilarating. The result is a vibrant and dynamic piece that highlights the emotional depth of Hana’s journey.

Tae-Young Yu: I also love the cue for the scene where Hana plays the Piri in the forest. I composed the melody lines and structured the piece using Korean traditional scales and rhythms, and then Jude layered orchestral textures over it. The process of arranging and composing in this way was an incredible collaboration because the final result went beyond what I had initially imagined.

Another favorite piece from MONGRELS is the cue for the scene where Sonny and Hana talk on the ground in the forest, and Sonny sings 'Mother’s hand is a healing hand,' a traditional Korean children's song. This cue is particularly memorable to me because the scene moved me to tears every time I watched it while composing. I tried my best to musically capture the emotions conveyed through their simple yet powerful lines, and I hope the audience feels the same when they watch the film.

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Thank you all!

And Filmable readers, stay tuned for Part 2 when we hear from the director himself on his inspiration for Mongrels, along with DOP Jaryl Lim, Costume Designer, Tammy Joe, Editor Lawrence Le Lam and Sound Designers Sharon Tseng and Matt Drake.