MAGNETIC played to rave reviews at the June 2022 CRIME/MYSTERY Film Festival.
https://www.instagram.com/magneticshortfilm
1. What motivated you to make this film?
I love mystery and magical realism and really wanted to see how well my writing would translate to a real production.<
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Don’t laugh but 5 long years. Wrote in 2018, shot in 2019, edited just before pandemic hit in 2020, then it ground to a halt in post-production for 2 years until 2022!
3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Dreamy vengeance
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Aside from the world’s longest post production, probably my insistence on top shots, which I wanted so that Rachel, the lead character, could appear like a clock face from above. That’s all well and good but it required an 80ft jib for the exteriors, and steadycam for the interiors at full stretch which nearly killed our guy after the umpteenth take and then post prod to remove the jib shadows. Costly and painful!
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I wanted to give them all a big hug. It was honestly brilliant because they touched on virtually every aspect of production – the performances, cinematography, set design, score, sound etc which in turn means that our cast and crew get the recognition they rightly deserve.
Watch the Audience Feedback Video:
6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
After writing tons of shorts that were got stuck in development hell. It was actually the frustration of not seeing scripts get made that prompted me to make this one.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Probably Raiders of the Lost Ark. And who can blame me? Also Die Hard 3 but I tend to keep that one quiet.
8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
I like the follow up of this festival; it’s a real bonus. The main thing is prompt and detail communication. Some festivals – not yours – have been impossible to get to speak to before screenings for example which makes life
hard organizing visits.
9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
Perfectly good. Beats submitting to them all individually. I’d like to see them root out some of the jokers though – you know the same festival that gets given a name of each capital city in the world, that’s run by someone
who’s just doing it to turn a few quid.
10. What is your favorite meal?
Got to be a curry. I’m from Birmingham where it’s pretty much obligatory to love a balti.
11. What is next for you? A new film?
I’m back to writing for a while so looking for directors to collaborate with, but they’ll be a new film in the next few year for sure.
Matthew Toffolo's Summary 