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Indie Focus: Lynn Shelton relates 'Your Sister's Sister'

The director's latest chronicle of modern relationships expands on the techniques she's been exploring for years: figuring it out on paper first and then improvising.

September 04, 2011|By Mark Olsen, Special to the Los Angeles Times

"You're in the scene as actors and also as writers and you really don't know what's going to happen," said DeWitt. "There was a script, but Lynn kind of said, 'Here's a script, but don't say any of these words.' And occasionally, Emily and I would read a scene and be like, 'This is actually a good scene, and I think we're just going to do it this way.' And in that way, we started more in our comfort zone and could kind of get loose with it and go way off."

Given Shelton's penchant for improvisation and the way in which it is easier to portray her as more Earth-mother enabler than stern director of singular vision, there is perhaps also a potential to overlook her intuitive skill and graceful confidence, her ability to steer the ship even when her hand is seemingly not on the rudder.

"There were days you definitely felt Lynn was just this quiet conductor of the whole thing, and it felt like a very evolved way of working," said Blunt. "The more high-octane, really emotional stuff, she just really stayed out of the way and let the cameras roll. And I appreciated that she very much knew when to back off and when to come in to give you a helping hand."

"But there would be days I'd go up to her and ask, 'Is this making any sense to you? I'm totally lost, and I don't know who I am or who these people are,'" added DeWitt. "And she's like, "It's all working.'"

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