Filmmakers enhance creativity through remote collaboration in Providence

"Secret Mall Apartment" is a documentary about an artist collective in Rhode Island that found a hidden space in the Providence Place Mall in 2003. This space served as a domestic hideaway away from the consumer culture of the mall. The filmmakers, director Jeremy Workman and editor Paul Murphy, wanted to give the story more depth than just a typical performance piece. To achieve this, they took a unique approach to editing. Workman works from New York, while Murphy is based in Australia. They divided the footage and worked independently on different parts of the film. This method not only helped them cope with the time zone differences but also allowed them to surprise each other and add various styles to the documentary. The film features exciting scenes, including the history of the mall and the stories of the artists involved. Workman aimed for a creative editing style that avoided traditional methods often seen in documentaries. He wanted the film to feel fresh and dynamic. While they did utilize some paper editing for specific scenes, their focus remained on crafting the best individual segments. Their process resembled a continuous editing session, with Workman and Murphy exchanging ideas throughout the day. This back-and-forth created a lively and joyous atmosphere that echoed the original spirit of the artists. The result is a documentary with a style reminiscent of a heist film, engaging viewers while exploring deeper themes about art and community.