Review: Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Overall, Mockingjay Part 2 is a fitting end to a series that captivated audiences for four years. Like its predecessor, Part 1, suffers from being drawn out to cover the 4+ hours needed to make it into two movies. Unlike Part 1, it finally brings us that resolution that we’ve been craving for so long.

Picking up right after Peeta’s (Josh Hutcherson) attempted attack on Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) in Part 1, Katniss becomes more resolute in finding and killing President Snow. She agrees to go out and help in District 2, the final district keeping them from entering the Capital. But after she gets hurt by a Capital loyalist and is told to stay in District 13, she must find a way to the heart of the Capital on her own.

The series as a whole has remarkably stayed very close to the source material. While people who’ve read the books will certainly appreciate the details, it may have also been the cause of some uneven pacing. Not that noticeable if you are really into it, but there were some scenes that dragged or seemed unnecessary including Peeta and Gale’s (Liam Hemsworth) exchange about who Katniss would pick. (Yes, it’s from the book. No, I don’t think it was necessary).

The glue that holds it all together is Katniss, and Jennifer Lawrence’s acting and emotions are raw and perfect. She lets herself be vulnerable and relatable, a trait that is probably the reason why these movies resonate with so many people. And particularly in this movie, Josh Hutcherson does a wonderful job portraying a broken but healing Peeta. His transformation from Part 1 to the end of Part 2 is gripping. You really do see his internal (and sometimes external) struggle.

Lastly, The Hunger Games is it’s own futuristic story, but there are so many elements of the conflict that resonate with the audience. From subtly commenting on our own society to making you consider those tough moral choices, the story of Katniss’ journey really makes you think about ourselves, our decisions, and even recent world events through a lens that we may not have used before.

Directed by Francis Lawrence. Written by Peter Craig and Danny Strong. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Elizabeth Banks. In movie theaters nationwide. For more information, including showtimes and tickets, click HERE.

Review: Bridge of Spies

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks team up for their fourth collaboration on the Cold War drama, Bridge of Spies; a powerful look into an era driven by fear. Both intimate and broad, the story is able to capture the emotions and actions of a single man asked to do extraordinary things while also relaying major events of the time period. Brilliantly shot and exquisitely acted, the movie is engaging and fun, adding humor in at just the right moments while maintaining the gravity of the situation throughout.

Insurance lawyer James B. Donovan (Hanks) is given the task of defending Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), a man accused of being a spy for the Soviet Union. Determined to give him a fair trial, Donovan makes every effort to use the laws and U.S. constitution to defend his client despite the nation’s bias and hatred toward him, which puts Donovan and his family is danger. When the trial ends and a guilty verdict is reached, Donovan is then recruited by the CIA to negotiate a prisoner exchange in East Berlin: Abel for American pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell). Thrust into an unknown and dangerous situation, Donovan must navigate the politics and secrecy of the Cold War to get Abel and Powers home.

Hanks is superb as Donovan and plays to his strength as an everyman: intelligent, relatable, sympathetic. He is the unlikely hero, standing up for what is right instead of backing off or giving in to fear. There is very little action or violence, but what you do see if enough to send chills down your spine. Still, Hanks is able to imbue a much needed humor into his character that gives the audience something to attach to. This is true of Rylance, too, who actually succeeds in making his Soviet spy character likable.

On top of the excellent acting from everyone involved, the production design and cinematography thrust you into the 1960s and the Cold War. The frigid desolation of East Berlin is striking, a stark contrast to the bustling streets of New York where Donovan starts out. Every detail is crafted and presented beautifully. Spielberg takes his time with the set up but each piece of information is vital to the outcome and the dialogue is so well written that the slow startup can be forgotten rather easily.

Directed by Steven Spielberg. Written by Matt Charman, Ethan Cohen, and Joel Cohen. Starring Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda, and Amy Ryan. In movie theaters nationwide. For more information including showtimes and tickets, click HERE.

Review: Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, the second Maze Runner film based on the books of the same name, is filled with so much non-stop action that it actually becomes a detriment to the story. The acting and the visual effects are what saves this movie but in the end it really is just a big-budget zombie flick.

After escaping the maze in the first movie, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his friends find themselves whisked away by what they assume are the good guys, but after other kids get mysteriously taken away to a “safe place”, Thomas and a kid named Aris (Jacob Lofland) discover that they’re still in the clutches of W.C.K.D. They escape out into the scorch to try to find a hidden resistance group, only to discover the true reason why W.C.K.D. exists.

Let’s be clear. This is an action flick. There is a lot of action, a lot of fighting, a lot of things jumping out at you. And once the group of characters find themselves in the desert-like “scorch”, it becomes an all out zombie thriller. That would be fine, except the film focuses so much on the action and the running from virus-infected humans that the story ends up suffering. There isn’t a whole lot of plot development. Things don’t add up and there are still a lot of unanswered questions that don’t seem to be on the filmmaker’s radar to answer. Perhaps the next movie will finally offer up some information to make sense of it all.

What does work well for this film is the acting and the visual effects. The zombie-like infected humans are quite scary and the main actors reactions to them are very much appropriate. They pull off the action sequences well while staying emotionally involved and playing to the story they are given.  Rosa Salazar who plays Brenda did a particularly great job by creating a three-dimensional, strong female character. And Alan Tudyk was a nice surprise as the drunk and creepy Blondie. While a minor character, he still manages to stand out and give a memorable performance.

Directed by Wes Ball. Written by T.S. Nowlin. Starring Dylan O’Brien, Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Dexter Darden, and Rosa Salazar. In movie theaters nationwide. For more information including showtimes and tickets, click HERE.

Review: The Intern

A sweet look at a female entrepreneur’s struggle to juggle a fast-rising business with a family, The Intern ultimately does not end on as sweet of a note as it began. Dipping into the melodramatic, the chemistry is there but the story isn’t quite up to par with the talent.

At 70 years old, widower Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) is finding retirement less than appealing. When he finds a flier for a new “senior intern” program at an online fashion site, he decides to try for it. After a successful application, he is assigned to work for the owner Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway) who has a lot on her plate. After Jules eventually lets her guard down, she and Ben find that they can learn a lot from one another and even become friends.

The characters of Ben and Jules are refreshing non-stereotypes. Ben is an older gentleman who can learn about new technologies and make friends with his younger counterparts. Jules is a very successful businesswoman who is likable and very smart. De Niro and Hathaway embody these characters nicely and together they have a great chemistry. Their moments together are very sweet and fun to watch.

The problem comes in the second half of the movie once Ben and Jules have gotten to a good place in their friendship and things start to dip into the contrived and melodramatic. Things happen with Jules’ husband that aren’t set up properly in the first half and the resolution to those problems are questionable. But in the end, the friendship between Ben and Jules is what lifts this movie up and makes it enjoyable.

Written and directed by Nancy Meyers. Starring Anne Hathaway, Robert De Niro, Andrew Rannells, Rene Russo, and Anders Holm. In movie theaters nationwide. For more information including showtimes and tickets, click HERE.

Review: Steve Jobs

There are a number of things about ‘Steve Jobs’ that make it an entertaining and insightful movie. From the overall look of the film to the fast paced dialog to the interconnected stories, there are lots of elements to keep you glued to the screen. And when it is all combined, the result is actually rather magical.

The movie follows enigmatic Apple CEO, Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender), during three different product launches in 1984, 1988, and 1998. From the launch of the first ever Mackintosh in 1984 through his firing and subsequent rehiring and finally to the relaunch of the Mac in 1998, the audience is taken backstage to where Jobs shows his brilliance, his eccentricities, and his stubbornness which all have consequences on his personal and professional life.

If you are looking for an in-depth look into the life of Steve Jobs, this is not it. Instead, this movie is a more intimate look into specific pivotal moments that defined Jobs’ storied career. Playing almost like a three-act play, the filmmakers weave together three separate events into one cohesive story, taking its time on each moment and really delving in to the emotion behind it. The only problem with this setup is that in the end there are still loose ends that never get fully resolved (much like in real life). And while it isn’t necessary for all conflicts to be fully resolved, it does make the ending a tad bit less satisfying, leaving the audience with questions that we may never know the answers to.

The script is extremely well-written with a high amount of energy, keeping the audience fully engaged the whole time. While overall the movie is very dialog heavy, the scenes are complimented rather brilliantly with intercuts of past memories and overlayed with gorgeous music. You have to make sure you are paying attention though, otherwise you might get lost in the shuffle of information being thrown at you.

Michael Fassbender plays Jobs extremely well, giving each iteration of Jobs a distinct feel and character. Kate Winslet also does an amazing job transforming into her character, Joanna Hoffman. Together, they are a dynamic duo on screen, navigating the treacherous waters of three product launches. Seth Rogen and Jeff Daniels also embody their characters very well, keeping them three-dimensional and complex. Overall, the performances in this film are of a very high caliber.

The other notable element of this movie is its use of different film looks for each of the three time periods. While subtle, it does give a little extra something to each section, making it feel like you are watching real footage from these events. In fact, each of the three events has a distinct look and feel that is appropriate for the year in which is was held, so kudos to the production design team that was able to create the look and feel of each year with pinpoint accuracy.

Directed by Danny Boyle. Written by Aaron Sorkin. Starring Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, and Jeff Daniels. In select movie theaters now. In movie theaters nationwide on October 23, 2015. For more information, including showtimes and tickets, click HERE.

Review: The Martian

A thrilling tale of space travel and survival, The Martian seamlessly blends together the strong emotions, the edge-of-your-seat action, and the humor of its main character with a robust and relatable story. It is a truly compelling narrative that feels like it could very well happen in our not too distance future.

During a manned mission to Mars, a massive storm hits the base camp of the Ares Three mission and the crew are forced to abort and evacuate the planet. Walking through the storm to the shuttle, botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is hit by debris and is lost. The crew presumes him dead and must leave before the storm tips over their shuttle and traps them on planet. After the storm passes, Mark Watney wakes up, alone on Mars, and must find a way to survive and make contact with NASA back on Earth.

Surprisingly, despite the bleak premise, The Martian ultimately if very uplifting. There is no innate bad guy; no antagonist other than the circumstances. And those circumstances may cause tension at times as to who has the right answer and if the plan is going to work, but ultimately, it brings the world together for a common cause. It shows the strength of the human spirit, from Mark Watney’s situation to the decision the Ares Three crew must make, to the unwavering resolve of NASA and the world to bring home their astronaut.

The story itself is very compelling, drawing you in and keeping you engaged. Unlike last year’s Interstellar, The Martian keeps close to our current reality. It truly feels like something that could happen in the not too distant future, and doesn’t delve too much into the theoretical science that Interstellar relied on.

On top of the story, the movie also boasts an all-star cast whose performances are spot on and cohesive despite it taking place in thee different places: Mars, Earth, and the Ares Three space ship. Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Sean Bean all stand out in their roles, but it really is an ensemble piece and the myriad of big name actors that make up that ensemble is amazing.

Cinematically, director Ridley Scott does a wonderful job making the movie look great. He manages to make a desolate and empty planet of red sand look beautiful. From the landscapes of Mars to the always moving Ares Three space ship, the visuals draw you in and the cinematography makes you feel like you are a part of the story and the action. If something goes wrong, you don’t just see it, you feel it.

If there is one criticism of the film, it would be it’s predictability. With no conventional antagonist to stir the pot, any conflict that arises is quickly turned into a new way to help and move forward to the inevitable outcome. But that doesn’t hurt its likability. It gives it that uplifting factor that is actually rather refreshing and it still manages to pull of enough drama to keep the audience tuned in.

Directed by Ridley Scott. Written by Drew Goddard. Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. In movie theaters nationwide. For more information including showtimes and tickets, click HERE.

Review: Before We Go

Chris Evans‘ directorial debut, Before We Go, is a sensitive and charming story of two strangers in New York City who help each other out in ways they never expected. While some of the circumstances may be conveniently contrived, the emotion and quick witted humor splashed across each scene makes you forget about the somewhat unlikely circumstances.

Playing his trumpet in Grand Central Station late at night, Nick (Chris Evans) happens upon Brooke (Alice Eve) who just missed her train right after having her purse stolen and her phone broken. Brooke reluctantly accepts Nick’s help to find her a way home to Boston before morning. With no money between the two of them, together they journey through Manhattan on an unexpected adventure that forces them to confront fears that have been holding them back for a long time.

Evans pulls off the dual-roles of actor and director very well. As director, he keeps it very intimate and focused on the journey of these two characters. As an actor, he has a perfect mixture of charm and vulnerability. His chemistry with Ms. Eve is lovely to watch and they take great care to keep their newly formed relationship within the realm of realism. Alice Eve’s portrayal of Brooke is also nicely nuanced and includes a lovely set of complex layers that get peeled away as the night wears on. Both actors are just compelling to watch.

In terms of the story, what brings these two characters together is believable enough. What keeps them together throughout the night is a tad bit contrived but easily forgiven as it allows us to keep watching their relationship unfold into something much deeper. Plus, the beautiful cinematography makes New York City at night come alive as a third character. The sweet and subtle nature of their time together makes the ending that much more bitter sweet. It really is a refreshing romantic drama; One that does not give in to the old Hollywood conventions.

Directed by Chris Evans. Written by Ron Bass, Jen Smolka, Chris Shafer, and Paul Vicknair. Starring Chris Evans and Alice Eve. In select movie theaters now. For more information including showtimes and tickets, click HERE.

Review: Ricki and the Flash

A melodramatic family drama, Ricki and the Flash suffers from a few interconnected problems that prevent it from really bringing the audience in to enjoy the journey. While the idea behind the movie is admirable and it is nice to watch actress Mamie Gummer play along side her celebrated mother, the end result ultimately falls a little flat.

Ricki (Meryl Streep) left her husband and kids a long time ago to follow her dream of becoming a rock star. Years later she is broke, working at a supermarket, and playing gigs at a bar with her band, The Flash. Unfortunately for Ricki, that meant not being a part of her childrens’ lives and now that her daughter Julie (Mamie Gummer) is going through a very rough divorce, her attempts to reconcile and be there for her are weakened by her past. Ricki must make amends with not only her daughter but her ex-husband (Kevin Kline) and her sons, and finally open herself up emotionally to let people in.

The story sounds good on paper but lacks the depth needed to keep the audience engaged. Each character has the beginnings of an amazingly complex emotional core, but writer Diablo Cody never delves deep enough for them to really grow and develop. There are a few yelling matches that are meant to be dramatic but ultimately the conflict is contrived and the stakes are never high enough. The uneven writing and bland cinematography make ‘Ricki and the Flash’ a forgettable movie in the end.

Now, it does have one or two things going for it. First is the music which features everything from Lady Gaga to Tom Petty and is arguably the most entertaining part of the film. Plus, Meryl Streep and Rick Springfield sound pretty good together. Second is the acting. Although Streep’s character is actually rather unlikable at times, she embodies Ricki and doesn’t hold back. Gummer is also a force to be reckoned with, proving she can hold her own. The degree of talent in this movie is great and if the other aspects of the film matched the level we know these actors can achieve, then that would be a whole other story.

Directed by Jonathan Demme. Written by Diablo Cody. Starring Meryl Streep, Mamie Gummer, Rick Springfield, Kevin Kline, Audra McDonald, Sebastian Stan, and Nick Westrate. In movie theaters nationwide. For more information including showtimes and tickets, click HERE.

Filmmaker Interview: Kelly Wallace-Barnhill and Lindsey Gentile

Filmmakers: Kelly Wallace-Barnhill and Lindsey Gentile

The two of you have teamed up twice now to create the web series “Kelly and Lindsey Do New York” and “Timber the Series“. What is it about the web series medium that drew you to it?

Lindsey: We started our comedic partnership together performing live. While we feel a different kind of creative fulfillment performing on stage, we wanted to reach a bigger and broader audience. This brings us to the internet.  We love the web series platform because we have total control over it. We write the episodes, edit them, act in them, cast them, and are completely hands on in the filming process.  We’ve learned so much from watching a series evolve from start to finish.  It’s also a way to show who we are and what our TV show would look like if we got picked up by a major network and it’s a much better resume than you would just read on paper.

Kelly: It’s just a whole other form of expression and storytelling that we’ve totally fallen in love with. It’s like a mini TV show. TV for short attention spans and small budgets.

How did the concept of using real Tinder dating stories for a web series come about?

Kelly: Have you ever been on Tinder? The episodes write themselves!

Lindsey: Instead of crying into our Pinot Noir, we decided to take every failed Tinder date that we’ve been on and have some fun with them.

Kelly: Well, not every failed Tinder date.  We’re on a budget, people.

What was the production process like on “Timber”? Did you find any part of it particularly difficult or unexpected?

Kelly: We had many bumps in the road.  Mostly with sound and editing, because I am a bit of a perfectionist.

Lindsey: She would hear these little blips that I’d never hear in a million years.

Kelly: They were driving me crazy!  I had to learn how to let go of a lot of things.  We would also spend hours editing and open the computer the next day and the files would just disappear.  We also learned to be more organized.  We were working with two laptops and three hard drives and nothing was labeled correctly.  It was a bit insane.

Lindsey: But Kelly is amazing, she learned how to edit with Premiere pro, and she, along with our co-producer Natasha, did all the editing.  The actual filming went pretty smoothly because our entire cast and crew were very good friends who were doing this all for free because they loved us and believed in us.  We shot three episodes in two very long days.

What brought you two together in the first place? Has your professional relationship evolved over the years?

Lindsey: We met in a level one UCB class.  When we went around the room and introduced ourselves, Kelly mentioned that she was from South Florida, which is where I’m from. I introduced myself after class, trying to make a new friend and Kelly snubbed me.

Kelly: Yes, she reminds me of this about once a week.  I honestly don’t remember it that way, but apparently I was “cold” to her.  I was probably just tired.  She’s very sensitive.

Lindsey: We met some amazing people in this class and decided to write a mock soap opera called “Juan Life to Live”.

Kelly: It was about a guy named Juan.

Lindsey: I think they got that.

Kelly: That was for anyone illiterate or blind who was having this read aloud to them.

Lindsey: We were a big group producing the project and it was hard to get everyone’s schedules together.  Kelly and I fell in love, in a non-sexual life partner kind of way and continued to write after Juan Life to Live didn’t quite take off.

Kelly: It really was a gem, though.

Lindsey: We wrote our first two woman live show, and then continued to work from there.  We hosted a comedy show together for many years in NYC.  We also wrote a two woman play, a few sketch shows, and then we started producing funny videos.  Our relationship, both professional and personal has definitely evolved since then.  It’s a marriage.  You learn how the other person works, what their strengths are, how far you can push them.  Where I lack, she thrives, and vice versa.

Kelly: It takes time and trust, but I think we have a good thing going.  Right Wifey?

Lindsey: I am Wifey.  

What has your experience been in producing your own work? How do you juggle the multiple hats you have to wear as writer, actor, and producer?

Lindsey: We have learned in past projects that if you don’t have a DP, director and AD that you trust 100% you can’t relax on shoot day and just be the actor. You’re too busy making sure you don’t miss shots, and the continuity is right, etc.

Kelly: One thing we have learned is that no one is going to love or care about your project as much as you do.  And producing with a barely-there budget means you really do have to wear multiple hats.  The trick is to wear the different hats at different times so you can do each job correctly.  And that’s why you’ve hopefully assembled a dream team.  For this project we put the right people in charge and really put the trust in the people around us so we could deliver the best performance on our shoot days.

As women in the entertainment industry, have you run into any road blocks while breaking into the industry?

Kelly: Everyday.  This industry is one giant road block for women but it’s getting better and people are speaking out. I love how much new female driven and female produced content there is nowadays.  It’s very inspiring!

Lindsey: As women in comedy, we had to learn that you can’t make out with comedians.  You just can’t. Unless they are REALLY hot. 

Kelly: That’s definitely one of the roadblocks!  It’s hard to network with people without them thinking you want to make out with them.  And then if you do, they won’t take you seriously.  So we had to stop making out with so many people.  It’s been very challenging.

Do you know what is next for Kelly and Lindsey?

Kelly: We are about to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the next three episodes of Timber.

Lindsey: We also need to get back on stage.  We’re going to go on vacation and remove ourselves from life and just write.  I miss performing and these projects take up so much time in the editing, etc. that it’s hard to do everything.

Kelly: But we will do it all because we have to!  Mama needs to quit her day job.

Do you have one piece of advice you could give someone who is interested in filmmaking but doesn’t know where to start?

Lindsey: Stop worrying about the project and just write.  Make a plan, set a date.  It’ll evolve as it goes and become what you want it to be.  But if you think too much and plan too much in the early stages, you could end up stalling or completely stopping yourself.

Kelly: Yes, one thing I’ve learned from Lindsey is that if you want to make something happen, set a date.  Once the theater is  booked or the production dates are set, the crew is on board and all your friends have taken off work to come to your set and work for free, you have no excuses.  You will make it happen in the time you have because it HAS to get done.  And nothing is ever going to be perfect.  You could rewrite the same script for the rest of your life and never think it’s just right.  Like Nike and my mom always say, “Just Do It.”

Production Still from “Timber the Series”

Behind-the-scenes of “Timber the Series”

Filmmaker Interview: Charlotte Purser

Filmmaker: Charlotte Purser

What is your background and what brought you to filmmaking? Why did you choose it as the medium to tell your stories?

My background is in theatre. That has been, until the last three years, my primary medium for creating art. I began making movies almost by accident. I needed some footage for my acting reel and I started writing. What I found was that I loved the immediacy, intimacy, and slightly subversive nature of making film. You don’t need a massive budget or institutional support- you can really just get a bunch of friends together and create something beautiful where once there was nothing. It’s liberating to know that you have an outlet you never even thought of before.

I was hooked. I couldn’t believe that in my 30’s I had finally figured out what I wanted to do with my life: make movies. It was the most fun, empowering, life changing experience I have ever had as an artist. So, I knew I had to keep going. That’s when I began writing Rockaway Moon.

What kind of stories inspire you? What kind of stories do you want to produce?

The stories that inspire me have a kind of sweeping, mythic quality mixed with classic structures. That is, I love finding magic in storytelling while keeping it simple and straightforward.

As an artist and storyteller, I feel compelled to produce theatre and films about women, for women, and where women’s stories are told in such a way that all people of any gender can relate to them. I want to get deep inside the intricate details of another person’s life and create a sort of universal empathy within that. I think we have a lot to learn about one another and we are not as different as society may suggest.

With my work, I intend to challenge the notion that a woman is defined by her outer characteristics rather than her inner ones. I am doing this by creating stories for real women, with real bodies, and real faces, who may not look like matinee idols but we can all see the light and inherent beauty within.

I want to share the very real, everyday world where a person is defined by her reaction to her experiences and not just by her relationships to others. The relationships matter in the the structure of a story but do not make up the measure of a character’s point of view. I want to get into that person’s point of view and perspective to tell the story.

You recently just wrapped production on the short film “Rockaway Moon”.  What was your experience working on the film from pre-production to post?

It was amazing to see a project through from very earliest script idea to fully shot film in the can! There is a ton of work involved and loads of rewrites- but it’s totally worth it when something you imagined a year ago becomes real.

Were there any challenges that you had to overcome to complete “Rockaway Moon”?

I have just finished the rough cut, but Rockaway Moon is not complete. It won’t be for many months.  There were many challenges that arose when filming Rockaway Moon: money, time, weather, many moving parts all in one. I would say that the biggest challenge was acting and directing at the same time. I knew I would have to be systematic about it, so my direction of the other actors took place over two rehearsals before shooting. I did this so that when we were shooting, all I needed to focus on was my own performance as an actor and the technical work of making sure the shots were set up like I had envisioned. The challenge came when I needed to make a decision about a technical aspect of a shot just before or after an emotional scene. Learning to compartmentalize my brain in that way was definitely a challenge- but one I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience.

As a woman in film, have you found the industry welcoming? Do you think the industry is getting better at including both men and women in production?

I have found the industry both incredibly welcoming and sometimes not. I think it really depends on the people you are working with.

I try to surround myself with people of all types who are open to discussion and creating new ideas- people who want to work hard and create something bigger than themselves and willingly put all of their skills on the table when getting down to work. Those are my kind of people.

Basically, the right attitude makes a huge difference when bringing together the team to make a film. I look for a spirit of volunteerism and in doing so, it seems like I find a willing collaborative partnership of any gender. That being said, I am still quite a fledgling filmmaker. Many of the troubles other women seem to encounter are at a much larger budget point. I will get back to you after my first feature with an update… (wink)

Are there other upcoming projects you are working on? Other stories you want to tell?

I have been working on a play with director and dramaturg, Tamilla Woodard, called The War Letters. It is based on a collection of over 500 love letters written between my grandparents during World War II that were discovered in the attic when my Grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s Disease lead her into a nursing home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The play leaps in and out of the present to the past, salvaging what is left when memory has been lost to time.

Do you have any advice for someone who wants to get into filmmaking but doesn’t know where to start?

My advice is simple: Just start. 

Start writing. Start taking pictures. Start trying to make something. When you do this, the people and mentors you need will somehow show up if you’re open to it. The effort is the most important thing. 

Just get started.  Who knows where you might end up?

behind-the-scenes of “Rockaway Moon”

behind-the-scenes of “Rockaway Moon”

behind-the-scenes of “Rockaway Moon”