Deuce Purgatory is directed by Sydney Adams, who co-wrote it with Shelby Slauer. Slauer also produced the film and appears in the cast alongside Danny Kang, Andrew Hunter and Katerina Eichenberger. Its logline calls it an absurdist comedy about how competitive sports bring out our worst (and best).
Slauer filled in our form. Slauer has played tennis since childhood and wrote the first draft as "a catharsis for my recreational tennis obsession that developed in adulthood." Slauer adds that finishing the film has lined up with a global boom of interest in the sport, calling it "a fun coincidence."
Key Takeaways
- Slauer writes, "In covid and afterward, I placed all of my self-worth into this hobby," and describes that, on reflection, as both very entertaining and psychologically concerning.
- In the edit, the team reworked "a semi-big through line" and the intro scene, and cut jokes that took too long to reach the punchline.
- Slauer names Steve Martin, Airplane and Looney Tunes as the inspiration for the film's tone.
Below, Slauer answers our questions in writing.
Interview
What drew you to make this film, and why this story, why now?
I've played tennis since I was a kid, and I wrote the first draft of this film as a catharsis for my recreational tennis obsession that developed in adulthood. In COVID and afterward, I placed all of my self-worth into this hobby in a way that was, once I stepped outside of myself to examine it, at once very entertaining and also psychologically concerning. Completing this film has happened to align with a global boom of interest in the sport, which has been a fun coincidence.
“Completing this film has happened to align with a global boom of interest in the sport, which has been a fun coincidence.”
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process creatively or logistically, including any moment on set or in post that changed how you saw the story?
We just saw the story evolve particularly from production to post-production—we reworked a semi-big through line in the edit that made the whole story come together.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making the film?
We cut a lot of jokes that took too long to get to the punchline, and we had to rework the intro scene in the edit because it wasn't landing. Shoutout to our fearless editor, Kyle Kenyon, for spending countless hours with us in the cutting room!
“We cut a lot of jokes that took too long to get to the punchline, and we had to rework the intro scene in the edit because it wasn't landing.”
What moment in the film feels most like you, or like something only you could have made?
Blowing up a PT Cruiser (sorry, spoiler).
How does your film fit within, or push the boundaries of, its genre or form?
Deuce Purgatory is certainly on the absurdist end of the comedy spectrum. Inspiration for the tone of this film came from Steve Martin, Airplane! and Looney Tunes (the Holy Trinity). The film continues to one-up itself to see how silly it can go.
What does it mean to have your film selected for HollyShorts London?
I spent my first year at NYU here in London, so it means the world to be able to come back for the first time since then to premiere at HollyShorts UK. London is one of my favorite cities on earth and the place where I met my lifelong best friends. I'm grateful!
Where do you see this film going next?
Los Angeles and beyond!
Slauer wrote: "Make people laugh and feel seen and laugh at how seen they feel!"
Main Cast & Crew
- Sydney Adams: Director, Co-Writer
- Shelby Slauer : Co-Writer, Producer, Cast. Shelby Slauer is a Queens-based actress, writress, Pilates instructor and blonde.
- Danny Kang: Cast
- Andrew Hunter : Cast
- Katerina Eichenberger : Cast
Follow the Film
Filmmaker Opportunities
💛 Fund your next project with fiscal sponsorship
Have a project in the works? As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Cinematography for Actors Institute can accept tax-deductible donations on your film's behalf — a door-opener for grants, foundations, and supporters who want to back your work. We've serviced over 100 projects to date and helped route over $800,000 in funding to filmmakers. Explore fiscal sponsorship →
📬 Grant deadlines and festival opportunities, straight to your inbox
The CFA newsletter rounds up grants, festival calls, and community news for independent filmmakers — the kind of opportunities that are easy to miss and painful to miss. Join the newsletter →
🎬 Focus on the creative — we'll help with the logistics
Production Management, CFA's newest member program, launches this November: production insurance and workers' comp, payroll, film permits, gear rental coordination, SAG-AFTRA compliance, contract drafting, production consulting, and crew recommendations — handled by a team of working filmmakers, à la carte or all in, in partnership with Creative Access Group. It's waitlist-only until launch. Join the waitlist →
League of Filmmakers is published by our parent organization, the Cinematography for Actors Institute — a 501(c)(3) dedicated to education, community, and capital for underrepresented filmmakers and actors. Learn more about CFA →
