Meet the 2015 Sundance Filmmakers #61: Bill and Turner Ross Made a Non-Fiction ‘Western’

Two brothers with a shared passion for filmmaking embark on a journey to tell a true-life frontier tale. The result is “Western,” at once a nod to the classic cowboy flicks of the past and a stark look at our modern day.

What’s your film about in 140 characters or less?

A story of changing times along the modern frontier.

Now what’s it REALLY about?

It’s a non-fiction western.

Tell us briefly about yourself.

Two brothers on an epic adventure to see, experience, and create documents of the times we’re living in.

Biggest challenge in completing this film?

Doing justice to a grand tradition while being true to the integrity of realism and shared experience.

Any films inspire you?

A long list. The original backdrop was a slew of b-movie westerns we watched as kids with our dad in a rerun cinema in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Did a whole lot of revisiting during and after production. The Gunfighter, The Ox-Bow Incident, High Noon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Tender Mercies. Richard Slotkin’s writings.

What’s next?

A bizarro concert art film collaboration with David Byrne and friends.

What cameras did you shoot on?

Two of those fabulous and gritty workhouses that are the Panasonic DVX 100b. They were with us for seven wonderful years. We miss them dearly.

Indiewire invited Sundance Film Festival directors to tell us about their films, including what inspired them, the challenges they faced and what they’re doing next. We’ll be publishing their responses leading up to the 2015 festival. For profiles go HERE.