Lessons I Learned While Creating Self Driver

      Self Driver, the first feature film from Canadian writer-director Michael Pierro, tells the story of a ride-share driver named D (Nathanael Chadwick) in Toronto who becomes ensnared in a series of troubling ethical predicaments after signing up for a new app. Produced for under $20,000 CAD (less than $15,000 USD), the film has garnered significant attention at festivals and currently boasts a perfect 100 rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Below, Michael Pierro shares some insights he gained during the process.—M.M.

      As a filmmaker, my greatest flaw is impatience. I struggle with waiting for approval, which complicates the process of writing, developing, and securing funding for projects in an industry that often requires a lot of waiting. It's disheartening to think about the many ideas that have gone unrealized because I couldn't commit to a longer timeline.

      Eventually, I realized that in order to make a film — which I genuinely wanted to do — I would need to create it on my own terms. If I continued to wait for someone else’s permission, I might end up waiting forever. Thus, when I set out to create Self Driver, I understood that I had to do it solo or it would never happen.

      I found myself with a five-month gap between editing jobs, a timeframe that seemed just right to write, prepare, and shoot something if we played our cards right. One January night, with only a rough initial draft in hand, I texted my close friend and collaborator Kire Paputts, asking, “Hey man, if I made a no-budget feature this year, would you be up for producing it?”

      He replied within a minute: “I would say yes.”

      My strategy was straightforward: design around an idea that could be executed with the smallest crew possible and assume as many roles as I could to minimize costs. We aimed to operate under the radar, maneuvering lightly without the constraints of a conventional crew, and concentrating on the film's crucial elements—story and performance. The premise of Self Driver, which follows a single character in a secluded setting over one night, was well-suited for this production approach.

      I thought that by embracing our budget constraints and adopting a lo-fi style, we could create a film that, while perhaps not visually stunning, would still be compelling to watch.

      When I presented Kire with the camera I planned to use, the Sony ZV1— a compact point-and-shoot mainly designed for vloggers—I braced for his skepticism. Surprisingly, he didn’t question my choice (though I suspected he might have had reservations). Regardless, he committed, and we aimed to start production in just over three months.

      Creating a film is always challenging, particularly at the beginning when momentum seems to work against you. For projects like Self Driver, which had minimal resources, that uphill struggle can feel particularly daunting. It’s much simpler to attract collaborators when you can offer them appropriate compensation.

      Moreover, given our unconventional plan, many professionals we encountered, from cinematographers to actors and funding agencies, were understandably doubtful that we could succeed. Their skepticism was justified; our set would look nothing like a typical movie set, even among low-budget productions. Despite my optimism, I lacked a history of successes that might inspire confidence. There were good reasons to presuppose the project could derail before it even got underway.

      Nonetheless, for every skeptic we met, there was a true believer who was genuinely excited by our guerrilla filmmaking style. Nathanael Chadwick, who played D, was the first to join. He agreed before I even explained the movie’s premise. Gradually, we assembled a group of incredibly talented, dedicated, and passionate artists I could have hoped for.

      I’m not quite sure how it transpired this way, but due to some peculiar scheduling, our very first scene had us arriving at the pickup zone of the local international airport to film on the arrivals platform. It involved actor Adam Goldhammer (who plays Nic) yelling at someone off-camera before getting into the car.

      I was convinced that even if we completed the take, security would soon be upon us. So when we finished the scene and were cruising down the highway without any flashing lights in pursuit, Adam leaned in and asked, “Should we go again?”

      I thought, why not? Let’s keep going until someone tells us to stop.

      We ended up circling back for four or five takes, each one more audacious than the last, pushing the limits of what we thought we could pull off. By the end of the day, I felt a growing confidence that perhaps we could make this work if we just persevered.

      That’s not to say there weren’t moments of doubt. The morning after one of our late-night shoots, exhausted and unable to sleep, I reviewed the footage. I was filled with dread; it was dark, grainy, and since we often rolled without stopping to slate