"Medora" co-director Andrew Cohn

Andrew Cohn, co-director of the documentary "Medora," about a small-town Indiana high school basketball team, talks about the making the film along with Davy Rothbart. For Indy Film Fest showtimes, click here.

The Film Yap: Are either of you Hoosiers (born or raised in Indiana)? What drew you to the story of the Medora High School basketball team?

Cohn: We were both born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but both of my parents are from Indiana originally and went to Indiana University. My mom is actually from a town smaller than Medora, outside Lafayette. I spent a lot of time in Indiana with family as a kid, and my mother lives in Indianapolis now. The story of Medora was a very personal story, but also a universal story about underdogs, the value of small-town America and the small victories in life. As lifelong friends, documentary junkies and basketball fanatics, the story of Medora was a film we felt we were born to make.

Tell me about the process of getting the school and community to agree to shoot a documentary about them, and getting them to open up and invest with you.

Cohn: It was a process, for sure. It took us more than a year to convince the school to let us film. Once we were there, it took some kids longer to open up than others. Some were very inviting while others were more hesitant. But if you keep showing up, which we did, and show a genuine interest in people, eventually they get to know you and will open up. We were very fortunate to have great access. The players and their families were so gracious about opening up their lives to us, and that trust is very important with a project like this. I think that trust and openness really comes across in the film, as we were able to catch some very personal moments on camera.

What was it like to follow a tiny high school team for an entire season? Did you live in Medora or find yourself becoming part of the community?

Cohn: We all lived in a small motel in Seymour, about 20 minutes outside Medora for almost eight months. Typically, we would shoot seven days a week, 10 to 15 hours a day. Myself, Davy, Rachael Counce (our director of photography) and a few others were basically in and around Medora everyday.

The town's population is only about 500, so eventually you begin to recognize just about everyone. We weren't shy about filming, so we would often be walking around filming, interviewing families or townspeople and really becoming a part of the town. We shot practices, games, interviews and most importantly, just time at home with the kids. As a documentary filmmaker, you really need to capture things happening in real time, and you can only get that by being there and filming constantly. We ended up with more than 600 hours of footage, which had to be edited down to an hour-and-a-half, which is quite a challenge.

The film has a very polished and professional look, which you don't always get with documentary films. Talk about your funding and production process, the type of cameras and crews you used, etc.

Cohn: Rachael Counce, our DP, did a tremendous job. We funded the filming of the movie ourselves entirely, so we had to make the most with what we had. Early on, she made some really smart decisions. She found a cheap dolly with which to shoot the basketball scenes. This enabled her to get those wonderful rolling/dolly shots you see throughout the movie. Another small but smart move was that she decided to film all the kids' interviews at their homes. This made them more comfortable and gave the film a very casual feel, as if you we just hanging out and talking with them in their rooms. She used minimal lighting and an HVX camera to give it a "real" look as opposed to a more stylized look. In the end, they were the right calls to make.

Eventually, when we got back to NYC, we got Steve Buscemi and Stanley Tucci on oard, and we raised some money on Kickstarter to fund the editing process. We also ended up having a production company come on to invest and partner with us on the film. Beachside Films, who has a great track record including "Little Miss Sunshine," "Safety Not Guaranteed" and others, really gave us the resources to get the film over the top. They were a great company to work with, and the film wouldn't be what it it today without them and our wonderful producer Rachel Dengiz's support.

The movie more or less concentrates on four of the team members. Was it obvious at the start of filming that they would be your focus, or was it something that emerged as time went on?

Cohn: Sometimes you know right away. Robby and Chaz, for instance, I immediately knew they could drive a film because of their personalities. Honestly, all the kids on the team had wonderful stories, but we wanted storylines that related to the overall themes in the film. One player we followed quite closely, Derek, didn't make it into the film; but his story was just as compelling as any other. As we learned more about Dylan's and Rusty's stories, we knew they were going to be a focus of the film, so it was a process. Many of the secondary characters revealed themselves in the editing room.

What's your takeaway impression after making this documentary? Any thoughts about any of the young men and what their future holds? Or about the consolidation of schools in Indiana? The future of Medora, as a team and a town?

Cohn: We keep in touch with all the kids, and that's really the most rewarding part of this. They're such great kids, and getting to know them and their families has been such a joy. I hope the school will stay open, as I think there is a value to small towns like Medora.

I'm not sure what the future holds, though, and there are no easy answers. In some ways, the film is a glimpse at a way of life that seems to be disappearing. It's similar to that last moment you're with a grandparent before they pass away. They may be sick and old, but for a moment they look at you and you remember them as they once were — beautiful, strong and happy.

You probably get asked this a lot, but obviously one of the greatest documentary films in modern memory is "Hoop Dreams." Did that movie influence or inform you at all before, during or after production?

Cohn: "Hoop Dreams" is probably our favorite documentary of all time. We were influenced by a number of films: "Murderball," "Gummo," Marshall Curry's films and so many others. Ultimately, no two docs are alike, and we had to find out what the story of Medora was on our own. We just feel fortunate to have had such a great crew, the support of a wonderful production company and producers and the willingness and courage of these kids to trust us to tell their stories. It's a process I will never forget.