A Little Less Ordinary
In her quest for adventure and freedom, Maye, a young runaway with nothing to lose, finds herself in a whirlwind of hard partying, fleeting loves and irreversible choices.
‘Don't sleep too long; never spend the night on the street; shower daily; don’t get attached and stick around; don't beg for money; and never, ever give up.’ By these rules, the homeless Maye strives for a free and adventurous life, free from the expectations of her traditional Chinese parents. She has no home, no friends and hardly any money. Yet she dances through the city of Rotterdam as if the morning does not exist. However, as her only belongings are taken from her, it becomes increasingly difficult to follow her own rules and when she wakes up in a strange bed, she finds out even her rules could not protect her. How long can Maye's free spirit fight back against an increasingly hopeless reality?
a Riverpark Films & Rauwkost Film production
Working on A Little Less Ordinary with director Guido Jeurissen was a profound exploration of Maye’s internal world. We decided early on to assign visual dogmas to her different states of mind. When she felt euphoric and free, we stayed close with ultra-wide lenses, inviting the viewer to step into her whirlwind. As her world began to collapse, we transitioned to a rigid, static aesthetic to reflect her loss of control.
One of the most rewarding challenges was our deep dive into Asian cinema. We looked for ways to weave the vibrant use of color, light, and intuition found in East-Asian films into a Dutch setting. It was a technical and artistic puzzle that made this one of the most fulfilling productions I’ve ever shot.
Starring Jun Jun Liang, Zouhair Mtazi, Melody Klaver, Boyd Grund, Nick Livramento Silva, Jenny Hsia & Wing Poon
Produced by: Herman Slagter
Written & Directed by: Guido F.G. Jeurissen
Director of Photography: Lawrence Lee
Editor: Bram Kuiper
Art Director: Iris Schutgevaar
Original Music: Casper Houtman & Jelke Landman
Sound Design: Henk-Jelle de Groot
Colorgrading: Qianwei Tong
Casting: Jut&Jul Casting
1st AD: Jack Westerlaken
Gaffer: Tjeerd Melchers
Post-Production: Captcha! & Any Colour You Like