Trying to overcome guilt over the devastating loss of their first love in a tragedy is a painful experience for many people, regardless of their backgrounds or current situation. But that journey becomes even more harrowing when it also begins to affect their current partner. The protagonist of the new supernatural thriller, ‘Double Exposure,’ is contending with the heartbreak that he feel responsible for his first love’s death.

The film was written and directed by Howard Goldberg, who also served as a producer with Julia Verdin. The drama stars Alexander Calvert, Caylee Cowan and Kahyun Kim.

In ‘Double Exposure,’ a bride questions how she can compete with a beautiful influencer who comes back from the dead to steal her husband. The past and present mysteriously collide as a man, in a life and death struggle with himself, combats his guilt over what happened to his first love in a #MeToo tragedy.

‘Double Exposure’ is set to have its North American Premiere this Friday, December 6 at 8pm at Regal Union Square as part of Dances With Films: NYC. The premiere will be followed by the movie’s release on VOD, cable and satellite platforms, as well as on DVD, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. In preparation of the thriller’s North American Premiere at Dances With Films: NYC, Goldberg generously took the time last week to talk about scribing, helming and producing the feature during an exclusive interview over Zoom.

Film Factual (FF): You wrote the script for the upcoming supernatural thriller, ‘Double Exposure.’ What was the influence in penning the screenplay for the film?

Howard Goldberg (HG): After I made my previous film, ‘Jake Squared,’ I decided that I wanted to just blast out a screenplay

in two weeks. I would then refine it over a period of just a few weeks, and just write whatever came out of my head.

So nine years and 25 drafts later, I finished that two week project. So it was a very, very long process. I worked on the screenplay for nine years and developed it until it was finally where I wanted it to be.

FF: In addition to scribing the script, you also directed the drama. How did you approach helming the movie after you wrote the screenplay? What was your overall approach to directing the thriller?

HG: Well, one of the greatest quotes I have ever heard in my life was I think from Rob Reiner. He said you make three movies: the one you write, the one you film and the one you edit.

So filming the movie is a very different process than writing the film. When you write it, you have all of these ideas in your head. You imagine what things are going to be like and how people are going to act.

But once you have cast the movie, you bring in a whole new element. People bring their own interpretations, so things can alter dramatically.

A part can be completely different, depending on who plays the role. The interaction between the different actors is going to change the dynamic of the screenplay, as well.

So it’s a wonderful process. I love working with actors, especially the actors in this film. They were all fantastic. They all brought their own personalities to the script, which were not necessarily exactly how I envisioned when I was writing it. But I went, “Oh that’s good. I like that.” Then they evolved, and formed their relationships, with each other. So working on this film was a wonderful and good experience.

FF: Speaking of the cast, ‘Double Exposure’ stars Alexander Calvert, Caylee Cowan and Kahyun Kim. What was the casting process like for the thriller?

HG: Well, casting is a difficult process, especially for this particular film. We got going right at the time that the SAG strike was starting. So we had to apply for a SAG waiver. It took some time for that whole process to play out. So we were on hold for a long period of time from when we thought we were going to start shooting to when we actually did start shooting.

But ultimately, we got the SAG waiver, which was great. Then we began the casting process.

Just to give you an example of how crazy the casting process was, Julia Verdin, my producing partner, also was the casting director on the film. When we finally got the SAG waiver, she put the casting breakdown out. She asked for submissions for the part of Laura, which was ultimately played by Kahyun Kim.

Within one day, she had 1,500 submissions. So that’ll tell you how difficult a process casting is. Somebody has to go through all of those submissions.

You have to give to a certain degree of respect to the actors who put their time into it. Many of them self-taped and sent in those tapes for us to watch for this film.

So it’s an exhaustive process. We had to go through all of the tapes for all of the different parts. But it was a pretty quick process, though. I think we probably cast the whole thing in about three to four weeks. But it was also hard, intensive work.

FF: Once the actors sign on, how did you work with them to build their characters and their overall story? You mentioned rehearsing with them earlier – what was the overall rehearsal process like with the cast?

HG: Well, I had not met Alexander Calvert in person before we shot the movie. We only met as you and I are meeting now on Zoom. He was in Vancouver, up in Canada. Kahyun Kim, meanwhile, was in New York at the time. I’m in Los Angeles, as is Caylee Cowan. So she came to my house and I met her in person before the shoot.

But I met Kahyun and Alexander on Zoom, and we talked and went over the whole screenplay. It was like we had met in person, though – Zoom is a phenomenal thing. We had great face-to-face conversations during a number of different Zoom meetings, in which we talked about the script.

But then once everybody got here to L.A., because Alexander and Kahyun had to fly in, we got together and had a table read. Everybody came in with their script, including the other actors that had been cast at that point. We read through the entire screenplay out in my garden in the backyard, around a big picnic table

That’s when we finally started to see who people are, what they could potentially bring to it and get a feeling for what it would be like to work together.

Then we started working with them as a group and individually. Sometimes they would bring something to it that we never thought of and we’d go, “That’s fantastic.”

Other times they would bring something to it that we never thought of and didn’t want to think about. So we’d say, “You know, I get it and I see what you’re trying to do. But I don’t think that it’s in character for that person. I don’t think that that person would do that.” Then you have to talk it out and find a place that you’re both comfortable with and is true to the character that was written.

The character in the screenplay could have been played by 10 different actors. Each one of them would have brought a different reading to it. So rehearsing is a wonderful process. I love it.

FF: Speaking of having the actors fly out to Los Angeles to shoot the film, how did you approach shooting the feature on location?

HG: Well, one of the main locations was very easy to get. I worked really, really well with the people who own the property because it was my house! (Goldberg laughs.) So I made a good deal with myself.

So we actually used different areas of my house for about four or five different locations in the film. This is how we work in low budget filmmaking.

So it was one location, then served as another location and another location, and that’s fine.

Then we did a lot of the rest of the shooting at a convent school right outside Los Angeles, It served for about four or five different locations.

So the majority of the film, probably 80%, was shot either at that convent school or here at my own house. Then we did a few days in an actual studio to do hospital scenes and things of that nature.

FF: Earlier you mentioned working with your fellow producer, Julia Verdin. How did you really work together to get the drama made as producers?

HG: Well, Julia is a wonderful producer. She has produced over 40 feature films, and she has directed a couple of feature films, too.

She’s a good friend of 30 years, and we’ve always looked for projects to do together. This was the first one that we got off the ground. It was a delight to work together.

It’s really nice to work with your friends. It’s been really nice with her because she’s really good at what she does. She really understands the process of making a film. So she was invaluable to me as the writer and director, as well as a producer, as we shared the responsibilities of producing.

FF: ‘Double Exposure’ is set to have its North American premiere at Dances With Films: NYC (this Friday,) December 6. What has that experience been like of being accepted to, and gearing up for, the festival?

HG: Well, it’s nice. They’re a great festival with a great reputation. the people are really terrific, and they’re very organized. They’re constantly putting together meetings and Zoom meetings and sending out emails.

I’m hoping that it’ll go really well. I’m looking forward to the screening. A lot of people I know in New York will come see it and that’ll be fun. Fingers crossed – I hope people like it.