An independent feature film
Two neighbors make an irreversible pact before summer ends. What begins as an escape becomes a strange, tender search for a reason to stay.
01 — The Story
A man with every reason to be content—but a darkening desire to give up—meets his neighbor, who proposes a solution.
They make a pact to end things at the close of summer, while her reasons remain unknown. As the date approaches, their agreement begins to reveal the parts of life neither expected to find.
02 — Trailer
Watch the official trailer for How To Live A Happy Life.
03 — Cast
04 — The Filmmakers
Director · Writer · Actor
Cinematographer
Actress
Director’s Statement
Elijah Iwanoff is a director, writer, and actor from New Jersey. His work often features vibrant color palettes inspired by his love of Japanese animation. How To Live A Happy Life is his debut feature film.
“I made this film in hopes of finding some answers through these characters.”
05 — Gallery
Click any image to see more.
06 — Production Diary
Explore the gear, post-production, music, and on-set memories that shaped the film.
07 — Contact
For festival inquiries, screenings, press, collaboration, or general questions, send the team a message.
elijahiwanoff@gmail.com Instagram FacebookWe created the film with a small, focused collection of equipment. Using the same core camera and lens throughout production helped us keep the visual style consistent, while our sound, lighting, and stabilization tools gave us the flexibility to bring each scene to life.
Our main and only camera throughout production. We chose it for the rich, flexible color it gave us and for the way it preserved the warmth and texture of every location.
Our main and only lens for the film. Its anamorphic character gave us the soft light bloom, subtle distortion, and cinematic texture we wanted, with a 1.33x squeeze so the final image produces a natural widescreen aspect ratio you see.
We used the RS3 Pro for nearly every setup, even for shots that appear completely still. It helped us fine-tune the camera angle, control movement, and frame each shot exactly the way we imagined it.
Each actor wore a personal wireless microphone so we could capture clear, intimate dialogue, even when the camera or shotgun microphone needed to remain farther away.
We used the MKE 600 to capture dialogue, room tone, environmental sound, and additional foley. It helped us build a more natural and grounded soundscape around the performances.
We used GVM panel lights primarily for interior scenes. They allowed us to shape and soften the light while keeping each room feeling believable and natural.
We used DaVinci Resolve for the entire post production process from assembling the picture edit to color grading and sound design. Having every part of post-production in one program allowed us to shape the film more consistently and move naturally between image and sound.
During the edit, we focused on the rhythm of the performances and gave the quieter moments enough space to breathe. Every cut was chosen to preserve the intimacy of the story.
The color grading helped us to achieve a vibrant almost anime like color while keeping skin tones and characters grounded and emotionally expressive.
We brought together dialogue, room tone, environmental recordings, and foley to make every space feel lived in. The sound design became an essential part of the film’s atmosphere.
DaVinci Resolve became the best all-in-one option for our production, and we are genuinely happy with how the final image and sound came together.
Music became an important part of the emotional world of the film. Each song brought something different to the story energy, tenderness, reflection, or a feeling that could not be expressed through dialogue alone.
The Pressure Kids
Joan Queralt
Beth Torrance
Making this film was something I will never forget. I was truly privileged to be able to create a story that was on my heart with people who I care deeply for. Every moment on set was filled with collaboration, creativity, and genuine connection. This gallery collects small moments captured while filming.
