MARRIAGEFIT was the winner of BEST PERFORMANCES at the January 2021 COMEDY Film Festival.
1. What motivated you to make this film?
I worked closely with Jeffrey Palmer (Co-Director & Co-Producer on MarriageFit) as a principal actor on Jeffrey’s short film he directed, The Nesting Doll, garnering numerous best short film awards. Jeffrey’s heightened fun and collaborative focus on set with The Nesting Doll was palpable! We become close friends and decided to produce something under my newly formed production company, DiNksterDee Productions. I pitched him the MarriageFit concept and script. We brought together our collective cast and crew talent to make MarriageFit come to life on screen, literally.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?
It took two years from script to shoot to post then release.
3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?
LOVE ANIMATED!!
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Animation for the AI mobile app to look and feel real. I ended up having an illustrator draw and animate the voice-over actress’s face and look. I was fortunate to have been referred to an absolutely amazing motion graphics team to collaborate and make the AI app come to life on-screen. It was beyond incredible our back and forth collaboration to solve this challenge in over six months!
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was blown away at the insightfulness and thoughtfulness in capturing what I hoped they would feel and see! Tears…of joy.
Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:
6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?
I love relationship comedy and had a thought of what if a marriage had an expiration date and the couple was losing their basic relationship/human skills and a benevolent artificial intelligence (AI) mobile app coach and therapist is launched to reboot their stale marriage. I thought an AI therapist lacking emotional intelligence being activated to coach humans on their relationship could be a silly and fun way to get a couple back on track.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Matrix
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are your feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?
The platform is dope from project set-up to promotional services, to managing submissions, and the unwavering support of filmmakers!
9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?
My Philosophy — BoogieDown Productions
10. What is next for you? A new film?
I hope to produce and shoot a new short film or an eight-episodic series from our MarriageFit concept. If we can garner investors from our award-winning concept which has been the light of overwhelming gratitude for how our comedy short is being received around the world in these dark and challenging times.
Matthew Toffolo's Summary 