Uncategorized

Interview with Filmmaker Jessica Champneys (STAR WARS: DRESCA)

matthewtoffolo directing a film, feedback film festival, film director, interview, short film, short film festival, toronto film festival, Uncategorized, wildsound film festival , , , ,

STAR WARS: DRESCA was the winner of BEST PERFORMANCES at the September 2018 FAN FICTION Festival in Toronto.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Jessica Champneys: I love Star Wars! But also, the character of Dresca is one that I came up with when I was just 12 years old. Growing up and developing her story, she has became a big part of the Star Wars universe for me. The only difference between her and other Star Wars characters – like Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader – is that she only existed in my head, and I was the only one who knew about her. So having the chance to see her come to life on screen and being able to introduce her to the world is so exciting.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

2 years.

3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?

Fan Film

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

This was my first narrative short. I had never done anything before near this scale and quality, and there were many elements of the production that were firsts for me (i.e. stunts, working with a DP, etc). As a result, I underestimated the amount of time certain things would take. For example, our two day interior shoot should have been a three day shoot, but I didn’t realize that until it was too late. In the end, we filmed for 36 hours within a 48 hour period. Luckily, we had an AMAZING, positive, and hard-working cast and crew that took it all in stride. But lack-of-sleep was definitely a problem. I don’t think I got more than 8 hours of sleep that entire week.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I’ll admit, as I clicked play, I was really nervous. Whether you’re a fan of Star Wars or not, you’ve probably heard of the chaotic state the Star Wars fanbase is in right now. Many fans are riled up against anything that has the title “Star Wars” on it, official or otherwise. This has made it challenging to differentiate between real, valuable criticisms and blind, toxic hatred. So it was a breath of fresh air to watch this audience’s reactions. You always hope that your audience “gets it” – that they’ll understand the messages you’re trying to convey through your work – and it was so nice to see that this audience did. The positive reviews were fun to hear, and the few criticisms given were very insightful.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?

Like I mentioned earlier, I came up with the main character, Dresca, when I was 12 years old. Like any other kid who loves Star Wars, I played with toys and came up with my own adventures in that galaxy far far away. I asked myself who would I be and what would I be doing if I got to live in that universe. Darth Vader has always been my favorite character, so naturally I thought it would be cool to be his apprentice.

But as I thought more about what exactly being Vader’s apprentice would entail, I realized that I would never willingly be placed in that situation. I’ve been raised right. I know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. If I was suddenly sucked into the Star Wars universe, I would join the Rebellion, hands down. That’s just the kind of person I am.

But instead of saying “okay, my character will be a Rebel, then,” I instead asked myself how would I have had to be raised in order to get to that point of being so morally backwards? What would I have had to experience in life to truly believe that Darth Vader was a good guy doing the right thing? This question raised numerous other questions, and launched the creation of a massive story and an independent, three-dimensional character.

When I decided to create a Star Wars fan film, I realized I could take a small scene from that story and convert it into film. I wrote 6 different scripts, each one taking place at a different point in Dresca’s life story, to see what would work best as a short. I found that starting in the middle of her story – at the moment when she has lost everything and everyone she cares for – provided the greatest amount of dramatic tension and character development within a short period of time and worked well visually.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?

FilmFreeway is, I feel, a very intuitive platform – very easy to use. I’ve used other festival submission sites in the past, and FilmFreeway is definitely the best one I’ve used so far.

9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?

Way too many to list all of them here. 🙂 Obviously, I’ve listened to a lot of Star Wars music by John Williams. Other songs that I listened to frequently while writing this short were the soundtrack for the 2013 movie “Carrie” by Marco Beltrami, and “Control” by Halsey. These songs helped me to get inside Dresca’s head.

10. What is next for you? A new film?

I’d love to try my hand at writing a feature length screenplay. There are few original concepts I’m developing now.

star_wars_dresca_4.jpg

Advertisements

Interview with Filmmaker Nora Jaenicke (WHALES)

matthewtoffolo feedback film festival, film director, short film, short film festival, toronto film festival, Uncategorized, wildsound film festival , , ,

WHALES played to rave reviews at the September 2018 Female FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Nora Jaenicke: I wrote the screenplay for the feature version of Whales, the short film, over ten years ago. The idea didn’t let me go, so I decided to make a short film version in order to find the funding for the feature. It is a story that feels very close to me for various reasons. I like films that deal with family issues and psychological thrillers. In writing Whales I wanted to blend these elements into a cohesive story and build a lot of tension into it. I have also always wanted to make a film back home where I grew up in Italy and with Whales it was my goal to develop dimensional characters with interesting inner lives and construct realistic and extremely tense relationships between them. The gorgeous setting of the Italian island stands in great contrast with the dark themes that the story tackles.

Separated by the passing of time and different upbringings, the two sisters unexpectedly find their lives linked back together by the forces of remembrance and forgiveness. How do we forgive and forget, are the main themes that the audience is left with at the end. Is it actually possible to forgive?

Margot and Louise also mark two complementary behaviours, two destinies that start from the sensitive core of family ignorance, while they are censured by the inability to communicate, but also by the somewhat social and religious taboos of the need not to disturb the gruesome and commemorative silence of their mother’s recent death.

The film is a journey into their past, not necessarily a new beginning. Perhaps the realisation that the past can’t be changed and that the most one can do in the present, is to decide, for oneself, whether forgiving or forgetting is even possible.

Each one of the film’s characters has his own version of the truth. The colliding of all these truths is what I find the most fascinating.
The fact that each one of these family members, has a completely different perspective upon what happened.

Although there is (almost) never any visible sex or violence, I wanted the film to feel extreme, as well dressed, well behaved people try to colonize one another with a tenacity that borders on the savage.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

I was able to make this film thanks to my amazing Producer Darren Cole, who helped raise the initial funds and a very small team. Out on the island it was only me, the Director of Photography, a dear friend who helped assist the production, the actors and the Sound Mixer. We spent two weeks at a very generous friend’s house on the gorgeous Island of Elba in Italy and we shot the film in less than a week. The first week we were busy with organising everything, from the location scouting to rehearsing with the actors.

3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?

Forgetting and Forgiving.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

The obstacles were a creative challenge that ended up enriching the experience while allowing me to come up with resourceful ideas. Hunger makes the good cook, is my motto…

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

I found it very refreshing and interesting. Some of the comments I never heard before. All in all it was an honor to hear that my film triggered such an interesting discussion.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?

I wrote the feature version of this short over ten years ago, and I always had a fascination with psychological dramas that border into thrillers. I like character driven films and strong women with interesting inner lives. I have a sister myself so in a way Whales is also a homage to sisterhood.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Volver by Almodovar, Thelma and Louise by Ridley Scott, Lolita by Adrian Lyne.

8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?

I like filmfreeway. Lots of fun festivals out there. The site is very easy to navigate.

9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?

Maybe “Baby Can I hold you” by Tracy Chapman. But this was in pre spotify times, when there wasn’t such a vast amount of music out there and at ones fingertip.

10. What is next for you? A new film?

The feature version of Whales which I am developing with my Producers Kim Muenster and Darren Cole.

whales_5.jpg

Interview with Filmmaker Zena AbdelBaky (ALL THAT REMAINS)

matthewtoffolo directing a film, feedback film festival, film director, film notes, short film, short film festival, toronto film festival, Uncategorized, wildsound film festival , , , ,

ALL THAT REMAINS was the winner of BEST FILM at the September 2018 Female Film Festival in Toronto.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Zena AbdelBaky: The goal of this film was for viewers to think about it after it ends. To be in a conversation and think about the truthful subtitles between all the words being exchanged. It was hard to not make this film, it felt like a pressing matter that needed to be exposed and experienced.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

Less than a month.

3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?

Uncomfortably real.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Getting inexperienced actors, building enough chemistry for the audience to then feel the tension, awkwardness, and self-awareness they have around each other; and to try and get the audience invested in them in such a short amount of time. The biggest obstacle also happens to be the reason i loved making it.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

First off, I’m so grateful that there’s a video to see how the audience reacted to my film, since I couldn’t be there, that was all I wanted to see. Just the fact that people took the time, watched the film, and shared their opinions about it in such an uplifting environment, it gave me goosebumps. I quickly paused the video and ran to get my father to watch it with me, my heart was beating pretty fast, not gonna lie.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?

I was inspired by daily conversations one has with everyone they choose to interact with. The truth is that some people are bad at hiding their initial intentions they try to sugarcoat or change in one way or another, and in this one example, I felt like I could see right through them, read their body language, and understand what is going on between the lines. And from that, I came up with the idea that the subtitles would be what is being said between the lines.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

The films I love the most, I try not to watch them too often. There’s a magic to the scene construction and storytelling that takes one out of their reality. The more one watches a film, the easier it is for their brain to deconstruct it, in turn, taking away the magic. With that being said, the film I probably watched the most simply due to the fact that I got introduced to it at a young age and that it is a brilliant film, is ‘Catch Me If You Can’ by Mr. Steven Spielberg.

8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are you feelings of the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?

I think that it’s absolutely genius, it saves a lot of time and energy to submit to several festivals each having their own requirements, on FilmFreeway, it’s a click of a button. One also avoids being ripped off since the platform is trusted and credited. It also introduces filmmakers to festivals they didn’t know about, giving them larger opportunities to showcase and share their work.

9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?

According to my iTunes most played, it’s ‘The Only Ones Who Know’ by The Arctic Monkeys.

10. What is next for you? A new film?

After the making of ‘All That Remains’ I wrote and directed another film called ‘The Fairest of Them All’ which i’m very proud of as well; and am in the process of writing a mini web series, which I’m very excited for.

All That Remains - Best Film.png

Interview with Filmmaker Audrey Arkins (AMERICAN BOY)

matthewtoffolo directing a film, feedback film festival, film director, short film, short film festival, toronto film festival, Uncategorized, wildsound film festival , , , ,

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Audrey Arkins: I had been filming juvenile offenders in Venice and Culver City as they moved in and out of the criminal justice system. Most of the kids said the same thing about how and when it all went wrong – usually in middle school when they joined a gang. Tragically and unrelated to the kids I was filming, a 12 year old boy was shot dead on the crosswalk outside his school in Santa Ana, a few blocks from where I was having coffee. Think of that. A 12 year old assassinated by a 14 year old from a rival gang on his way to school. Right in front of his younger brother. American Boy was an attempt to put a face to that in context for an audience. We see the statistics, hear the news reports, but generally I wonder if we’re all too distracted to feel and understand the tragedy of what’s going on before our eyes.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this short?

Am I finished? Three months from fund raiser to this edit.

3. How would you describe your short film in two words!?

Overly ambitious.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Me wearing too many hats. A first time director should just direct. I have a new respect for producers and what they go through.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Gob smacked. I thought I had failed. Wasn’t even able to look at the film for a few months I was so disappointed. We’re all our own worst critics I guess. Your audience got every aspect of our little film. That really helped me see the film in a better light.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

6. How did you come up with the idea for this short film?

There’s a moment in some boys’ lives – between the age of 10 and 12 – when society, a friend, a teacher, a parent, a kinder/gentler member of law enforcement – could divert them away from ‘gang’ life. I wanted to capture that ‘missed’ moment for one kid. Help people see in context that these so-called ‘thugs’ are just children like any others, albeit severely traumatized for obvious reasons. There are clearcut solutions that a fair society ought to pursue. We don’t. Instead we incarcerate parents, trap families in poverty, force care givers to leave kids alone while they work multiple jobs because minimum wage couldn’t support a pet rabbit, let alone a family with children. It’s a vicious cycle perpetuated by the American political economy. Does anyone really think it’s a coincidence that black and brown communities are disenfranchised – fed into a criminal justice system – often for petty, unjust, racial profiling and entrapment. I saw it first hand with the kids I was filming in the other documentary – gang squad law enforcement following them everywhere, searching them every time I let them break for lunch. No one was searching me or my own kids who were helping out. Read Matt Taibbi’s ‘The Divide” if you want proof. We have a prison industrial complex that creates wealth from minority misery, sabotages generations who don’t fully fit the white bread all-American profile. These kids could grow up to be great. If we let them. Too many people and systems are profiting though. Or maybe the powers that be feel the rest of society can’t handle a leveled field of competition. This is just a ten minute short, but I wanted to do something that might trigger the conversation.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Apocalypse Now

8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway, what are your feelings about the submission platform from a filmmaker’s perspective?

FilmFreeway is helpful, streamlined. The LA Feedback festival was by far the best we attended though. They very kindly comped us 20 seats. The most we got elsewhere was two comps and if you’re bringing a lot of people that can get expensive. Our cast are very young kids. By separating out R-rated films after an intermission, this festival allowed the kids to finally see themselves on the big screen. The feedback from the audience was so affirming. People we didn’t know, talking intelligently about what we did. That was worth all the hassle.

9. What song have you listened to the most times in your life?

Album more than song – OK Computer.

10. What is next for you? A new film?

Up until now, I’ve made my living as a screenwriter and it’s still my dream job, but I am planning to direct another short soon to get more experience. My long term goal is to direct a feature about a Latina who terminates a pregnancy so she can go to college. She suffers a terrible public humiliation for that choice. Abortion is still taboo in film. I spent years on this script, trying to strike the right balance. It will need a brave sort of producer (if there are any reading this), but I think the landscape is shifting. If the industry is sincere about giving more women filmmakers access, they must realize we’ll show up focused on taboo issues too. Not that I’ve anything against romantic comedies, but women all over the world deserve to see their story told fairly for once. http://nastygirlfilms.com/features/

American Boy - Best Film.png

Interview with Winning Screenwriters Nicholas Downs, Susan Mac Nicol (SIGHT UNSEEN)

matthewtoffolo interview, screenplays, Uncategorized, writing a screenplay , , , , ,

Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Nicholas Downs, Susan Mac Nico: It’s about one man whose changes in circumstances force him to reconsider what his future looks like. And who he wants to be in it. It’s about coming to grips with a major adversity and making something good out of it.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

Sight Unseen is primarily a love story, but it’s also one about relationships that are forced to be re-evaluated when life turns darker. It’s a drama too.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

We believe that the market is ripe in films about LGBT characters living in normal worlds and doing normal things and then being challenged to change things. We believe the time is right for people to see that LGBT films can have happen endings 😊 This one does that and more. It’s ultimately a feel happy movie with a message and those are sometimes the best ones.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Feel.Good.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Susan – this would be Oliver. My dad was a huge Dickens fan and he took me to see every film and stage version he could. My kids grew up on this film too. It has the right mix of angst, drama and the final happy ending.

Nicholas – It’s shifted at different times in my life. I grew up on The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth and The NeverEnding Story. But once I saw Jaws, that rocked my world. I love the film. It’s filled with so many genres, one would question how it could ever work, but it does. Thank goodness the mechanical shark kept breaking down. I think that actually helped make the movie what it is. Then later in life, In America came out. I love that film!

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

The collaboration started early 2016 when we decided to work together to adapt a screenplay already written by Nicholas into a novel. Once the novel was written, we then took that and worked it back into a screenplay again. So it’s been three years in the making with everything in between.

7. How many stories have you written?

Together, only this one.

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

Susan – I’m a real fan of classical music and the piece I listen to most often is Shostakovich’s Jazz Suites. It’s my pacifier when I’m stressed.

Nicholas – Don’t really have one, my taste shifts based off what I’m doing. But to satisfy the question I will pick, Ravel’s Boléro, which I know is not a song, it’s a movement.

(Susan- oh, look at us being all cultural 😊)

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

The fact we are both on opposite sides of the world could have been a hindrance but wasn’t. We worked very well together over Skype and got the chance to catch up in LA face to face in 2017.

Obstacles for both of us were devoting our time to the screenplay, with Nicholas working on other film and script projects, and auditioning, and me writing books and running a magazine, as well as holding down a day job. Negotiation on time was key as we were eight hours apart.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Susan – I’m an advocate for anything regarding the freedom to be yourself and am a board trustee with a London Charity called Being Me. I’m pretty outspoken about people being given the right to be whoever they want to be. I also love to garden at my home in the English countryside if that counts?

Nicholas – Being with family and friends. Fishing. And I too like to garden like Susan.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?

We’ve found it incredibly easy, very supportive and a wonderful platform to get our script out to various festivals and competitions.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

The festival is well recognized and while fairly new, from past submissions it appeared what we had to submit would be well received. The feedback we had was very welcomed and in fact, we had a Skype call and tackled each one of the points raised. The script was then adapted as per those points and we feel now we have an even better version than before.
 

Tragedy brings together a reserved but brilliant sculptor and an outgoing gallery owner, friends whose love was sidetracked—but was always meant to be deeper.

CAST LIST: 

Jon:  Russell Batcher
Narrator: Kat Smiley
Cody: Bryan Kling
Nathan: Jolly Amoako

******

Interview with Winning Screenwriter Dallas Rico (MARRED)

matthewtoffolo interview, screenplays, Uncategorized, writing a screenplay , , ,

Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

Dallas Rico: Marred is a dark comedy in which a depressed black nerd hired a hitwoman to kill him. She will kill him in 30 days. In the meantime, Mar completes a bucket list to live his best life until his self-appointed doomsday.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

My pilot is a dramedy.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

Have you ever seen a show that centers on a black nerd? Have you ever seen a show that deals with the mental health of black men, both gay and straight? Once my show is produced, the answer to both of those questions will be “Yes.”

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

dark, geeky

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

The Devil Wears Prada

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

1 year

7. How many stories have you written?

I’ve written 6 screenplays. (1 feature film and 5 pilots)

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

Argh. This question is so difficult. It depends on my mood. Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby” is one of my favs, though.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Figuring out the tone of this script was tricky. It’s a dramedy about a suicidal man. It could come off as cheesy or insensitive. I think over time I found the right balance.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Video games. My love of nerd culture always bleeds into my scripts, whether I want it to or not.

11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I’m a queer person of colour who loves Toronto. It was a no-brainer.
 

In the midst of a breakup, a gay Nuyorican drug dealer must retrieve his molly, stolen by a self-absorbed pretty boy, in order to help his father make rent.

CAST LIST:

Joy (white 30s)- 5 – Regan Brown
Zelda (30s) black- 11 – Georgia Grant
Narration – Allen Michael Brunet
Mar 20s black- 18 – Hartley O. Gyamfi
Kaleb (30s black) – 18 – Kevin Gabel

Interview with Winning Screenwriter S.W. Andersen (SOMEWHERE BETWEEN LOVE AND JUSTICE)

matthewtoffolo interview, screenplays, Uncategorized, writing a screenplay , , , ,

Matthew Toffolo: What is your screenplay about?

S.W. Andersen: A hardened cowgirl seeks revenge against the gang leader who killed her parents and forced her into his service while she learns to open her heart to the woman she loves.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

western, lesbian romance

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

One of the things people loved about the novel it was adapted from, and it’s sequel, was how the women were unapologetic about their sexuality and their non-conformity to old west ideas of femininity. It’s also a great story about embracing ones inner strength in the face of adversity and having to make the choice between love and revenge- two very powerful, life changing, motivators.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Unwavering conviction

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

“Raiders of The Lost Ark.” “Pretty Woman” is a close second.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

Over a year since I started the adaptation from my novel.

7. How many stories have you written?

I have five published novels in lesbian romance. There’s a few more ideas in the works, including another screenplay or two.

8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

Boy, I don’t know that I really have a favorite. There’s several I’ve heard hundreds of times and still light up when they play…tons of 80’s songs, but I do have a deep fondness for George Michael’s “Freedom 90” and The Black Crows “She Talks to Angels.”

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Converting the story from a first person POV novel. Also, learning to stick to only what can be seen on screen.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

The mountains, travel, health, and my family.

11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?

FilmFreeway has been great. It is easy to use and allows me find many opportunities in one site. Like your festival.

12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

I wanted to dip my toe in the water and see how it would be received. Feedback was a driving source since it’s my first screenplay. The feedback received was excellent and has given me a clue as to what I need to tighten up.

 

Sarah Sawyer has spent the last ten years reliving a nightmare. Stripped of her innocence at the tender age of thirteen, she’s grown into a woman with nothing to lose and one thing on her mind.

Justice.

Project Links

CAST LIST: 

Narration –  Ariel Brooker
Jo –  Georgia Grant
Sarah –  Regan Brown