How do you shoot a whole movie in one apartment? Director Ira Sachs knows

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I’m a huge Ira Sachs fan, and I recently read that he was up all night wrestling with ideas for his next film. Apparently, the whole thing takes place within the walls of just one apartment – talk about a creative challenge! It got me so excited to see what he’d do with such a limited space, knowing his knack for intimate storytelling.

About four years ago, while preparing to film the movie “Passages,” director Sachs got the idea to make a film using only found footage. He discovered a transcript of a 1974 conversation between photographer Peter Hujar – someone Sachs greatly admired – and writer Linda Rosenkrantz, recorded in Rosenkrantz’s New York City apartment.

After directing the complex and expansive film “Passages” in 2023, director Todd Haynes—known for his intimate, character-driven stories—wanted to return to a more focused project. He considered making a film based on an interview with photographer Peter Hujar, but realized that filming the entire story in a single location would be a risky move.

Sachs, 59, explained in a video call that taking risks is essential for creating something beautiful. He said that Peter’s work reminds him that being an artist always involves risk, but that risk also opens the door to discovering something completely original.

Around fifty years ago, Rosenkrantz started a creative project where she deeply interviewed friends about their previous day. This is the basis for “Peter Hujar’s Day,” a film where the subject, photographer Peter Hujar, recounts a typical day working in New York City. What initially seems like a simple day – rushing to photograph Allen Ginsberg for the New York Times and eating Chinese food – is revealed through Hujar’s conversation with Rosenkrantz, where he casually mentions encounters with notable figures like Susan Sontag, Fran Lebowitz, and William Burroughs.

The conversation between the two truly comes alive when they discuss the challenges of making a living in the city, the struggle to stay occupied, and Hujar’s growing awareness of getting older – he was forty at the time. He remembers being annoyed that a pack of cigarettes had risen to 56 cents that day. Perhaps more significantly, he admits he wasn’t happy with how the photos he took of Ginsberg turned out.

From the start, Sachs planned to film the scene from “Peter Hujar’s Day” in Rosenkrantz’s apartment. However, the original notes didn’t say how long the conversation lasted. Even while gathering the film crew, the exact timing of the discussion was still uncertain. But for cinematographer Alex Ashe, deciding to show the conversation unfolding from morning until sunset was a key moment. He felt it really helped them understand how to approach the film.

Ashe, age 35, understood that to show time passing in the film, they’d need to focus on how the light changed throughout the apartment and use editing techniques to create a sense of gaps in time – a common filmmaking challenge. This would help make a long conversation feel more impactful. They began searching for an apartment that closely resembled the home Rosenkrantz used to live in, now that she lives in Santa Monica. The production designer, Stephen Phelps, specifically wanted large windows to help visually emphasize the passage of time.

According to Phelps, 42, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find New York apartments with original, older features. He explains that when they discover a place with details like old windows or vintage door hardware – things that reflect a specific era – it’s easier to renovate and incorporate their desired style and colors seamlessly.

The filmmakers found their location when Westbeth, an organization supporting artists’ housing, offered space in one of their West Village buildings with views of the Hudson River. After looking at several options, the crew, including Sachs, were captivated by a vacant office with large windows and an interesting layout – it was perfect for filming “Peter Hujar’s Day.”

Before filming began in spring 2024, the team working on “Peter Hujar’s Day” had time to prepare the apartment. Phelps rebuilt the kitchen and repainted the walls, and Ashe and Sachs used this time to plan shots based on the natural light in each room.

You know, the director, Ira, wasn’t big on traditional actor rehearsals. He was much more focused on how everything would look on screen – the blocking, as he calls it. So, we spent a lot of time working through the movements with stand-ins. What was really smart was how he tied that into the lighting plan. He’d figure out the best times of day for the light, and then schedule those blocking rehearsals around it. It meant we could actually see how everything would play out with real people under those specific lighting conditions – a huge advantage, honestly.

As the overall structure of the film took shape and a natural pace began to emerge, things were progressing well. Sachs revisited influential, dialogue-focused films with strong characters – like those directed by Robert Altman in the early 1980s, such as “Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean” and “Secret Honor,” as well as documentaries like “Portrait of Jason” and “My Girlfriend’s Wedding” – to reinforce his vision. However, he still worried about whether “Peter Hujar’s Day” would be limited by its single setting.

Sachs realized he could make a film by stringing together photos he’d collected on his phone. He remembers one night waking up and seeing the potential in his collection of images. ‘That could be a movie,’ he thought, realizing they functioned like a storyboard. Filming then became a process of bringing those still photos to life as moving pictures.

Westbeth allowed the film crew to shoot on location and even provided a room for them to relax, but space was always limited. Equipment often crowded the scenes, appearing just outside the camera’s view. Despite the tight conditions, Sachs appreciated the experience, as it brought the cast and crew closer together.

I’ve never felt so prepared on set before! It was amazing to have everything I needed right there in one place – it really felt like shooting in a classic Hollywood studio. It made everything so much easier – the whole workflow, working with the crew, even just grabbing a bite to eat and relaxing. We actually turned an extra room into a kind of on-set diner, like they used to do back in the golden age of filmmaking.

Sachs fondly remembers the studio commissary, explaining that it represented a vital social connection for filmmakers. He compares it to the close-knit community Peter lived within in 1974, where friends frequently visited and he maintained constant contact with many people. This kind of open exchange and connection, Sachs believes, is essential for fostering creativity.

The set was as spacious as possible given the limitations, but as they started filming, questions about historical accuracy arose. Specifically, during scenes where Hujar and Rosenkrantz smoke on the roof, they found it difficult to find good camera angles. As Ashe explains, even a slight shift in the camera would reveal a modern building in the background.

To truly capture the feel of 1970s New York for “Peter Hujar’s Day,” the filmmakers wanted the energy of the city to be ever-present, like the distant sound of construction drifting in through an open window. They quickly decided to film on 16mm film to achieve a warm, slightly grainy look. As they worked on details like the wallpaper and sound design – aiming for a constant, subtle hum of city life under the interview – the team prioritized creating a strong atmosphere over strict historical accuracy.

The director, Phelps, aimed to recreate the atmosphere of the photos Rosenkrantz had from her previous apartment in Yorkville. He sourced props, even finding a clock that closely matched one she owned in the 1970s. However, he didn’t want a perfect copy; the set for “Peter Hujar’s Day” needed to feel like a real lived-in space for Rosenkrantz.

Phelps aimed for a relaxed, lived-in look reminiscent of the 1970s. He wanted the space to feel collected and personal, rather than perfectly styled like something you’d see in a magazine. He preferred a more eclectic mix of items gathered over time, avoiding an overly curated appearance.

The sound design by Cohn helped create the gritty, immersive atmosphere of 1970s New York, though he wasn’t strictly focused on historical accuracy. He used sounds – mostly from his collection of city recordings, with some new ones added – to emphasize the simple, mesmerizing quality of “Peter Hujar’s Day.”

“Most of us recognize city noises,” explains Cohn, age 41. “I wasn’t trying to recreate sounds from a specific time. I was building an imaginary world with them.”

The sounds of traffic outside Rosenkrantz’s apartment—honks and buzzes—were carefully adjusted to fit the time of day shown in the movie. Sound designer Cohn intentionally made the soundscape quieter, drawing the audience’s attention to the increasingly sad mood of photographer Peter Hujar. While it sounds less noisy, Cohn explains that the total amount of sound wasn’t actually reduced.

The filmmakers’ careful planning – both big and small – is what helped the intimate film “Peter Hujar’s Day” succeed. They initially mapped out about 60% of the scenes, which eased concerns that the film would feel too confined. Ultimately, they found that varying the camera positions and actors’ movements – even within a small space – was enough to keep each scene feeling fresh and distinct.

Sachs admits there were moments of uncertainty during the process, like thinking, ‘Here we go again.’ He also wondered if issues might arise in specific areas. However, he ultimately relied on the detailed plan he’d created beforehand, and that risk proved worthwhile.

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2025-11-06 14:32