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Your new movie Drowned - in a few words, wht's it about?
Drowned
is about a struggling single mother trying to balance parenting while
dealing with her mental health, particularly Inattentive ADHD.
What were your sources of inspiration when writing
Drowned, and was any of this based
on personal experiences?
A lot of the inspiration came from watching my mother while I was growing
up and seeing the reality of how people do not always understand the
anxiety that can come with raising children. She was a single mother who
deserved a lot more grace than she was given. While the film is not
exactly one to one, many of the arguments and emotional moments were
inspired by private experiences and conversations we shared.
Do talk about your co-writer Julien Elliot, and what was your
collaboration like?
Julien Elliot is a wonderful director, writer, and actor who I crossed
paths with at the New Bedford Film Festival while watching their short
film Return Policy. I admired their work so much that I wanted to collaborate with them on my
next project. I had already written
Drowned
at that point, and I asked them to help clean up some of the dialogue and
add their personal touch. They contributed several scenes that really
helped complete the film. Without them, this would not have been the same.
What were the issues of bringing
Drowned to the screen
from a producer's point of view?
Budget. Always budget. I am sure I am far from the last person to say
that. Our EP Jimmy Jackson and AD Carley Byers called in a lot of favors
to help make this happen, from discussing rates to making sure everything
stayed on track. Locations were another challenge. We could not find
multiple houses, so we ended up shooting all of the interiors in one
location with an exception of a few locations helped by Alyssa Botelho.
What can you tell us about your directorial approach to your story
at hand? This was my first time working with a crew this large, so it definitely
brought a different kind of pressure. Because of that, I knew I had to
trust my team and lean on them throughout the process. I come from an
acting background, so when it came to the emotional scenes, I focused on
helping the actors get into the right headspace and give performances that
felt true to them. If a line was not landing the way I imagined, I would
ask them how they would naturally say it or approach the moment. My goal
is never to make something feel rigid. I care more about the performance
feeling genuine than sounding perfect on the page.
You've directed Drowned
together with together with Sean Campbell - so in what way did you share
the workload, and what can you tell us about him to begin with?
Sean Campbell had my back for the entire production. He has a very
technical eye and comes from a camera operating and DP background, so he
naturally approached scenes differently than I did. That contrast was one
of the best parts of working together. I came at the material more from an
emotional angle, while he brought a visual and technical strategy that
really balanced things out. Together, that made us stronger as directors.
After seeing his work on Sweet Freedom,
I knew I wanted to collaborate with him and give him space to shine. I
could not have done this without his input, and I hope I made him proud.
You also play one of the leads in
Drowned - so what can
you tell us about your character, what did you draw upon to bring him to
life, and have you written Jake with yourself in mind from the get-go?
All of my short films are connected in some way. In my first short film, After the Beep,
there is a character named Jake. I played him there, and people wanted to
see more of him, so I felt he would be perfect to bring into this story.
In his first appearance, he is dealing with a lot of generational trauma
and trying to reconnect with his father. I wanted that emotional weight to
carry into Drowned, where he is now a father himself and trying to show up for his daughter,
Emma. Do talk about the rest of your cast, and why exactly these people?
Sonya Richards plays our lead, Sarah. I met Sonya years ago, and I really
wanted to write something that highlighted her abilities as an actor.
Dhanya Lott plays Charlie, a character from my third film A Beautiful Day,
and I wanted the chance to bring her back in a role that revealed a
different side of that character. Their chemistry together is one of my
favorite parts of the film.
Julia Little plays Emma, and she is such a talented young creative. I had
a great time playing her dad. I had never worked with kids before, so that
was a new experience for me. Her mother, Kyra, was incredibly supportive
on set and even jumped in to help.
Andrea Borges plays the therapist, Julie. She is a friend of mine who was
in town, and I really wanted the chance to work with her, even if it was
for a smaller role.
Kerry Whelan came in as a last minute replacement for another actress, and
she absolutely killed it. From her mannerisms to her presence, she brought
so much to the role, and I would love to work with her again.
Paul Kandarian plays Jack, the hiring manager who interviews Sarah. Paul
is returning to a character from my second film,
Invisible,
and I loved the idea of showing that his career had progressed. Working
with Paul is always a treat.
A lot of the time, I build characters around actors and then write stories
that allow them to exist in the same universe. It gives them the
opportunity to return, explore something new, or revisit a character in a
deeper way. Showing people their own potential is something I really care
about, and if I can give someone another scene for their reel or a little
extra income, I will always try to.
A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
Like I mentioned before, this was the first time I had worked with a crew
this size, so it was definitely a learning experience. I am very thankful
for Charlie Norton, one of our producers, as well as Carley Byers and her
mother Lynne. They helped hold everything together, financially,
emotionally, and by keeping the environment as positive as possible. So
yes, it was stressful, but it was also fun. I was surrounded by people who
genuinely wanted to make the film the best it could be, and within the
time we had, I think we made something we can all be proud of.
The $64-question of course, where can
Drowned be seen?
Drowned
is currently on the festival circuit. Its next appearance will be at the
New Bedford Film Festival.
Anything you can tell us about audience and critical reception of
Drowned?
For the most part, people have responded well to it. I am not going to
pretend it is some groundbreaking story, because that was never really the
goal. What seems to connect most with audiences are the scenes where the
dialogue feels the most natural and lived in. At the same time, some
viewers wanted more from the short, and I understand that. Writing is my
passion, and with each project I hope I get better at reaching people in a
deeper way. We have received mixed feedback, and honestly, I think there
is value in all of it. I just hope the next one connects even more.
Any future projects you'd like to share?
I am currently working on a short film called I Wish I Could Say It Back,
which deals with grief and the emotional aftermath it leaves behind. Paul
Kandarian will be returning as Jack, and the story will explore his
relationship with his family across different points in time. It is
currently in pre-production, with Jimmy Jackson returning as EP and a few
familiar faces making cameos while also helping set up future projects.
Anything else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten
to ask? This is Sonya’s first time leading a film, and I just want to say how
proud I am of her. I want people to know how talented she is, and I feel
very lucky that our paths crossed years ago. She brought Sarah to life in
a really beautiful way. Like to give a shoutout to my cast and crew and how thankful I am for
them. I also highly recommend every member of this cast and crew.
Claudia Negalha did a GREAT job making us all look distressed and sad for
hair and make up. Particularly Sonya haha.
Mirada Bellio was our 2nd AD and she was constantly keeping the mood
up and I couldn’t stop laughing with her.
Dan Goldsmith made some beautiful visuals on our budget and did a great
job lighting some of the scenes, my favorite is the porch scene between
Jake and Charlie. Ethan DeAguiar our DP worked so well with Sean, when it came to different
angles, I was so happy the chemistry translated through the screen.
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Our sound mixers, Yvonne and Matt, had a lot to deal with and their
patience was probably something I admired the most.
Patrick Barnett wrote an original song for the production
called Drowned, and it is beautiful. You can find it on Spotify and YouTube.
Nick Bernat composed an original score for the film, which was such a
generous gift and helped elevate the entire production.
Our sound design and audio engineering were done remotely by Cam Evans
across the pond. The original cut even had chickens in it, and by the
final version you would never know.
Shahin Prentice did our BTS on the production and I managed to use a lot
of that in marketing and promotional material.
Last but not least, The PAs. Ironically all directors in their own right
and creatives on their own projects who volunteered their time to help me
- Nick Doyle, Lila Woodbridge, Nate Kelly and Adam Marashio.
Thanks for the interview! And thank you for taking the time to talk
with me. |
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