The Global Search for Education: Kevin Keck's Creative Journey with SweaterMan

Posted By C. M. Rubin on Dec 18, 2023

This month, audiences can screen SweaterMan on the Planet Classroom Network. This film is curated for the Planet Classroom Network by Planet Classroom.

SweaterMan, directed by Kevin Keck, is a poignant coming-of-age short film that illuminates the transformative journey of a young man as he leaves the nest for the bustling big city. The story revolves around Casey and his uncle in an evocative exploration of life’s unexpected twists and the warmth of familial bonds. A touching tale that reminds us to cherish the small gestures and face the realities of adulthood.

The Global Search for Education is pleased to welcome Kevin Keck.

Kevin, what inspired you to create SweaterMan, and what message did you hope to convey through the film?

I think the fear of leaving something behind inspired the film. I’d hope that is something fairly universal. I’m writing these answers out in the United terminal of the Denver airport. So leaving things, even temporarily, is pretty familiar territory. But still, I’m tied to things that still need to be taken care of at home. Jason Isbell has a lyric in Flying Over Water that goes “from the sky the highway is straight as it can be, a string pulled tight from home to Tennessee”. I’ve always liked that “string” as an analogy for the thing that keeps you coming back home and also keeps you leaving it. It’s just in our film, that “thing” was the sweater and a realization that he had neglected someone who was looking out for him.

Can you share any memorable moments or challenges you encountered while bringing this coming-of-age story to life on the screen?

This film was written, shot, and edited in seven days as part of a competition with the Knoxville Film Festival. So that is a challenge by itself. But we were also trying a new voice. It’s a voice that I hope sticks in the work I do. Martin Scorsese has this amazing short he did at NYU called, “It’s Not Just You, Murray.” I think you can find it on YouTube. It’s this almost stream of consciousness story about a middle-aged man looking back on his life. Sometimes what he says doesn’t always line up with what you see, and to me, that false memory is a big part of growing up. Our hopes don’t always pan out, and our memory isn’t always trustworthy. But either way, good or bad, you stay in the mind of this character.

SweaterMan explores the journey of leaving home and discovering life’s unexpected twists. What do you believe is the core takeaway for the audience?

As cheesy as it sounds, I hope the takeaway is to press the pause button on life and to feel those moments. I think it’s so easy to find ways to numb the impact of frustrating moments. I felt stalled in my career and stuck in life when this film came out. Is it the best film work I’ve done? No, it was done in 7 days. But the crew and I felt these uncomfortable moments in the story. In that way, it’s had a great impact on how I tell stories.

The film offers a mix of comedy and reflection. How did you balance these elements to create a unique viewing experience?

It comes down to the idea that you can make a point without being entirely miserable. Comedy intertwined with reflection has amazing range and impact. Take this airport I’m in, for example. There’s been this snowstorm and everyone is delayed. I can’t think of a soul who actually wants to be trapped in the Denver airport. Just like the main character in “SweaterMan” doesn’t want to help his uncle hide a body. But there are these moments, like the sleeping baby who was carried through the terminal, head sleepily bobbing along the way. Or, where Casey (Jon Bouvier) watches game shows with his parents. These little light-hearted moments punctuate the not-so-happy ones.

Thank you Kevin!