“I Origins” Advanced Screening and Q&A

On Tuesday, July 16, The Los Angeles Film School and Jeff Goldsmith presented an advanced screening of I Origins, the drama written and directed by Mike Cahill (Another Earth).

The film centers around a young scientist obsessed with the biological evolution of eyes, a fixation that leads him to a far-reaching discovery challenging the legitimacy of scientific data and suggesting the potential for a spiritual world, a notion he instinctively refuses.

Starring Michael Pitt, Brit Marling and Astrid Berges-Frisbey, I Origins is beautifully written, and it’s no surprise the Independent science fiction film faired so well at the Sundance Film Festival, a venue where Cahill’s first film, Another Earth, was also well-received.

Cahill spoke with Jeff Goldsmith after the screening about the process of creating the I Origin world. He revealed to the audience that the film is in fact a prequel to another related story, and explained that the script was developed off of extensive background notes.

“I always write a lot of back story when I write a script, it helps me find the story. This time, it ended up becoming its own movie.”

The budget for I Origins, Cahill revealed, was ‘just shy of 1 million,’ which makes the film’s subtle visual effects and stunning lighting that much more impressive.

Cahill expressed a sort of comfort in working within restricted budgets:

“[With less money] You have more control over what you’re doing.”

As far as writing style, Cahill tries not to focus on creating a script as much as he focuses on crafting a story.

“I usually write from first person. I just tell the story. Then afterwards is when I break it down into a screenplay structure in Final Draft. But before that, it’s just me finding the characters.”

I Origins hits select theaters Friday, July 18th, and You can hear the Q&A with Mike Cahill in its entirety on Jeff Goldsmith’s podcast.