"He's a guy who loves his son and his wife but who has made dumb decisions, stupid choices", Green explains of his character Joe Holmes. Holmes is a package delivery guy who "moonlights" as a drug dealer in order to provide for his son, Caleb, his wife, JoAnn (Erica Eynon; Welcome to Willits), and his and Erica's addiction. When he crosses the wrong people though that addiction turns disastrous and Caleb has a split second to react and defend himself.
For Green, working with Gimenez was a highlight of the filmmaking stating, "He was really in the moment and completely with you. He wasn't tainted by acting coaches and is a very talented kid". That talent is evident as Gimenez commands the screen in every scene and exudes a naturalness that makes the audience invest in him.
As for working with Egypt, Green explained, "Ryan was open to letting people act… breathe life into the characters". He also commended Egypt for "making a movie not just cutting together some scenes". He praised the whole crew and credits them for making a short film that is winning awards at film festivals all over the world.
Green also explained the title with the idea that everyone is "trying to figure out who they are" and "chasing different titles" in their lives, which is reflected in the characters' journeys. Joe is trying to be a good father and husband while making bad choices, JoAnn is trying to figure out who she is in the midst of motherhood, spouse and addiction and Caleb is a preteen simply trying to navigate middle school and messed up parents.
While raw, real and gritty, Chasing Titles Vol. 1 has some softer moments that make the audience pause and reevaluate these characters and their choices as well as the viewer's own life choices. While short, the movie packs a mighty punch, which is why it is being so well received and praised. It captivates us from the beginning and continues the feeling all the way through the film culminating with a yearning for wanting to know more. I guess we will just have to wait until Vol. 2 is made to see how Caleb turns out.
