"8 Days a Week" is an "independent film"-no studio footed the bill. Writer/Director Michael Davis used his own life savings and raised what money he could to produce this movie. Some of the promotional material says that some people were paid for their services in bags of Starbucks Coffee. That said, the quality of the picture doesn't suffer for the small budget.
Davis has good actors in the key roles: Joshua Schaefer as Peter, Keri Russell as Erica, and R.D. Robb as Matt. The supporting cast of adults is solid and includes Patrick T. O'Brien, Mark L. Taylor, and Catherine Hicks. The soundtrack is headed by Oingo Boingo and while it lacks huge names (though a friend of one of this page's creators is the world's hugest Del Amitri fan) the music is good.
The biggest challenge the small budget provided was that 90% of the movie has to take place in one spot-in front of Erica's house. Michael Davis writes: "...that's what thrilled me.... I was out there alone trying to make more with less. I think I've succeeded. Although it takes place in one spot each sequence has its own texture, accomplished through varying light, image, size, angle, mise-en-scene vs cutting, jump cuts, static image mixed with motion, camera moves, comedy mixed with drama, and bringing in and taking out a varied array of characters."
Davis says that the people involved in the shoot had fun, and that they got along well with the people whose street they invaded to make the movie. Californians often have little patience with film crews but this movie's real-life neighbours were forever bringing the cast and crew food and offering to help wherever possible. Oh, and the guys were drooling over Keri Russell. (Big surprise there.)
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