Romance and Runways
It takes a whirlwind of emotions to bring New York City Fashion Week to life. That effort’s been experienced more than a dozen times by photographer, writer and director Frank Sun, who’s bringing the high-pressure affair into focus with a new short film.
Sun’s Fabric just premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. It follows a brief and powerful, moment between a photographer and model during the hectic annual event. Will sapphic sparks fly, or is someone running away down the runway?
We spoke to stars Kate Pittard and b, along with the multitalented Sun, about bringing this unique vision from idea to reality.
Frank, this short film draws directly from your experiences as a photographer at New York Fashion Week. Can you share what it was like to live through that and how it felt to bring those moments back to life on film?
Frank Sun: This idea first came to me when I realized we never really get the feeling of what it’s like to be behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week. I wanted to create a vehicle in which people can participate from that perspective and make it feel like a documentary. My cinematographer, Arthur Woo, and I have shot New York Fashion Week for years. We have done that behind-the-scenes work, and he really knows the visual language. This time, we were zoomed in on a very personal story and connection. Building that world felt very natural for me. If I looked at the camera and something felt off, noticing it was second nature to me.
For the actors, how was your experience recreating New York Fashion Week?
b: It was really cool. I had never been to New York Fashion Week, so I had no concept of it at all. I watched some videos and listened to Frank talk about it. I had an idea when I got to set, but before that, not at all. There’s something really exciting about being a photographer, at least in my imagination, because you have to get the shot. You are moving through all these other photographers, but the excitement and buzz are really present. We had actual models on set with Kate, who played one of the models. I had never taken pictures of professional models before, and it made the experience feel very real.
Frank showed me how to hold the camera, how to adjust the light and how the camera works. When you put them in the right place and let them do their thing, your photos just come alive. Most of the photos in the film are ones I took on set of these real models. There was something really thrilling and exciting about it that I had not experienced before.
Kate Pittard: Yeah, similarly, I had never been to New York Fashion Week. I have also barely done any real modeling in my life, so I came in expecting to be very nervous and intimidated by the whole experience. But having b walk around saying, “Vanessa, Vanessa, over here,” and taking photos helped. It’s not in my nature to suddenly lock in like the other models, but I kind of started to do it. We were just pretending that was what we were doing.
The other models were so nice. They were the sweetest, most encouraging people ever. I was so nervous; I didn’t know where to put my hands, arms, legs, everything. They helped me with all the poses, the logistics, and how to position my face. It was so fun and encouraging. I didn’t anticipate feeling so confident. We just had a blast and pretended the whole set was Fashion Week. Even when they were doing my makeup, I was imagining myself on camera.
FS: You looked just like them when you stood next to the other models. We honestly could not tell. It was like, “Oh, she is part of the gang.”
Why was short-form the right way to tell this story?
FS: For me, it is all about character development. If you can communicate what these people feel and who they are to the performers, you can just pan the camera to the characters and their faces will immediately tell a story. You do not even have to say too much. Some of the best actors, like Kate and b, do not need a lot to make it happen. I do not think the script mattered so much. As soon as they understood what we were all trying to go for, it all clicked. Building the world based on their internal state was the focus, and it is what we really captured well. I think that carries a consistency throughout the film.
World-building for me is the consistency of feeling from beginning to end and following the character’s journey through the story. Doing it in such a short film means you cannot waste a single frame being out of that headspace. After watching the film a million times, it helped me really hone in. They say you make the movie three times: when you write it, shoot it and edit it. We really honed in during post-production to make sure we were genuine to these characters, using every frame that speaks to the film and this world.
KP: It is a short film, and it felt like we did so much. We spent so much time specifically in the bathroom scene, just playing around, and nothing ever felt rushed. We shot in two days, and it all felt so efficient. I never felt like I was rushed to figure out who Vanessa was or who Vanessa and Mac are together. It felt very organic.
How was it working with your crew to bring this vision to life?
KP: Frank picked the best crew in the world. The crew was so fun, kind, diverse and encouraging. It is probably one of the best crews I have ever worked with. It means a lot. I love it.
b: I agree. My experience was equally amazing. I have been on sets or in processes where you have lots of time and are following the character over a long span, and it can often feel like a belabored activity. If you cannot tell it in a short amount of time, in a single sentence, maybe there is a lack of clarity. There was so much clarity in the story, in the characters, and in Frank’s mind. Once we spoke with him, and once Kate and I spoke to each other, we had an instant connection, understanding and respect.
It was just about relaxing, having fun and trusting all the work we had already put in. Frank put so much in the script for us to learn from that we could just jump into the world. It happened fast, but I believe you do not need a lot to make something great. You just need to know what you are saying.
Premiering at Tribeca is a huge achievement. How does it feel to be here?
FS: I love Tribeca. I had a short film here last year, and it was an incredible experience that really opened up a lot of doors for me as a filmmaker. I was able to get meetings and talk to producers. It felt very validating. To have another film back here again just feels unreal. I’ve been in New York City for about 15, maybe 16 years now, and I’ve shot New York Fashion Week for about 10 of those. So many of those Fashion Week scenes took place at Spring Studios, because that’s where IMG is, and now we’re premiering literally in the spaces where I used to take photos. For me, that’s crazy. It’s very cool, like a full-circle moment. It’s all coming back around, and I’m just so excited to show the film in that space.
KP: It’s really cool being at this event. I’ve seen so many of my friends’ and pals’ shows at Tribeca, and every time I come, I’m like, “One day I’m gonna have a film at Tribeca. When is it going to be my turn?” This being the film that brought me here is really special to me because I genuinely enjoy the company of everyone involved, and I really believe in everybody here. I’m really excited about it. I feel so proud. I’ve been in New York for about nine years, and I always wanted to make a life here. So this feels like a little milestone or like in a video game, you know, the checkpoint you can return to. I feel like I’m at a checkpoint, like, oh, you got Tribeca.
b: I echo all that, and it’s also my first time at Tribeca, so I’m super excited. You don’t always get to really celebrate your work. Sometimes you make things, and they don’t even see the light of day. We made this a year ago, and now it’s at Tribeca. That’s crazy and exciting to me. We actually get to feel the fruits of our labor and especially Frank’s labor.
The team unity sounds really special. Do you have any advice for aspiring filmmakers or actors looking to share their stories like you?
FS: A lot of people say, “Keep making stuff,” and it’s hard. It’s really hard to keep making things, even though it’s such a simple piece of advice. It’s one of the hardest things to do. As a filmmaker, so much of development is a lonely journey.
My producer, Hannah Myers, and I really bonded over sharing how lonely it is to be working in a black hole, just writing and developing, day after day, agonizing over lines and trying to figure out how to fund these things. When she came on board, it really changed my relationship to the story because suddenly it felt like we had a real partnership and a new life in the film. You just have to keep making stuff. Kate, b, you’ve probably experienced the same. You’ve probably done thousands of auditions, and it feels like you’re just throwing tape onto the internet, not knowing where it’s going to go.
KP: Sometimes, I was asked to do an audition and thought, “I never want to do that again.” So I just stopped. I was like, “That’s not for me.” For all the artists, it’s like you just have to keep doing what you love and keep pushing through until you get there. Also, go to therapy because you really need it. Find your people whose visions relate to yours. I found that, like my favorite artists that I’ve gotten to work with, they have really brought me to so many new places and have really inspired me and made me a better actor.
And then, b, final tips?
b: Instead of advice, I wish that I could tell my younger self to keep focusing on what’s interesting to you and what you want to do. Don’t do what you think you should be doing or what other people like. I started boxing because I liked it. I was boxing more and more, and then this boxing project came up, and now I’m doing this crazy Creed spin-off boxing series. I’m training.
KP: Maybe you want to watch YouTube videos of breakdancers, or whatever you’re into. Ask yourself, “What if you just followed it to the end and saw what’s there?” You just might surprise yourself.
tribecafilm.com/films/fabric-2026
