Severed begins with a premise that sounds almost civic-minded: a woman tries to do what she is told. Her husband pushes back. Then she finds something that makes the rules harder to live with. Writer Danielle Bauman and director Megan Duffy build that small domestic friction into a dystopian comedy with a mean streak and a real question underneath it — what do we actually owe one another when compliance is easier?
Duffy, known to genre audiences for her supporting role opposite Elijah Wood in the Maniac remake, directed, produced, edited and conceived the story, which came to her in a dream while she was helping care for her father at the end of his life. The film was made for $1,500 with friends, and it arrives at FilmQuest as something of a homecoming: Duffy is a multi-year alumna of the festival, and several of the people who made Severed came into her life through it.
Key Takeaways
- Severed was shot for $1,500 with a crew of friends, two of whom earned their first IMDb credits on the film.
- The story grew out of a dream Duffy had while caring for her father, and out of a question she kept returning to: what responsibility do we have to stand up for one another?
- After years of directing work set to music, this is Duffy's first "talkie" — and the confidence boost that came with it is shaping what she makes next.
Duffy spoke with us about nihilist fathers, a first-time canine performer, and the FilmQuest connections stitched through the credits.
Interview
What drew you to make this film, and why this story, why now?
The story of Severed is based on a dream I had while helping to care for my father at the end of his life. During that time, the question of what responsibility we have to care and stand up for one another was often on my mind. It's a topic that continues to be more and more relevant in our world today. My dad wasn't a sentimental guy, though. Quite frankly, he was a bit of a nihilist. So we made this.
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process, creatively or logistically?
I made this film on a budget of $1,500 with my friends. Two of our crew — Meagan Hughes on costumes and Charlie Wright on production design — got their first IMDb credit on this. Everyone was on the same page and just down to make something fun, so it was a very easy shoot. And I'm grateful everyone's fingers grew back.
What moment in the film feels most like you, or like something only you could have made?
The weirdness and humor, as well as the amazing team who helped make it possible.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making the film?
I added in the character of Zero the Dog at the last minute. I'd never directed a dog before and he'd never done any scripted work, so I was nervous. He only agreed to two takes and thankfully both were useable. Phew.
What tool, technique, resource, collaborator, or mindset shift helped most during production?
Everyone who worked on this project was a friend of mine. I had worked with DP Neal Tyler previously on a short film and I love collaborating with him, and composer Eduardo Daniel Victoria has been my go-to music guy for a couple of years now. He's responsible for the killer score in another short of mine called What It Feels Like For A Girl, which was a 2021 FilmQuest Minerva nominee.
Ben Giroux played a small voiceover role in another short I made called Seeing Green, a FilmQuest 2018 Official Selection, so I was thrilled to have him in front of the camera this time. Both he and Melanie Zanetti are very working voice actors — Melanie is the mom on Bluey and Ben is currently the Monopoly Man — but they're also incredible on screen as well. Kyle Jones I met in acting class years ago, so I knew his capabilities, and that he'd be the perfect fit for the Jared role.
Speaking of some other FilmQuest connections, I met our VFX artist Kevin Scott Barry via the FilmQuest alumni group and he did an amazing job. Also, the hot alien girl bumper I created for the fest a few years ago (IYKYK) was set to a song by LA-based singer/songwriter Sarah Negahdari, and the end credits song in Severed, "Summer Is Over," is from her band Happy Hollows.
What is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into it here?
I love the total creative control you get on an indie project. No notes from executives, lol.
How has this film shaped or shifted the kinds of stories you want to tell next, and what does FilmQuest mean for it?
While I've been a creative producer on several projects, most of my previous directing work has been set to music, meaning Severed is my first "talkie." I definitely feel more confident directing narrative work moving forward. I'm a multi-year alumni of FilmQuest, so it feels like coming home. It'll get an online premiere next, and hopefully a lot of people watch and like it. Mostly, I hope they get a good laugh out of it.
At the core of all her work, Duffy says, is a desire to tell stories — and Severed, a dystopian short with weird things happening in it that she refuses to spoil, makes the case that the smallest budgets and the most trusted collaborators are often the fastest route there.
Main Cast & Crew
- Megan Duffy — Director, Producer, Editor, Story; also appears in the cast. Best known to genre fans for her supporting role opposite Elijah Wood in the Maniac remake
- Neal Tyler — Director of Photography, Producer
- Danielle Bauman — Writer (NBC's This Is Us)
- Melanie Zanetti — Cast (Bluey)
- Ben Giroux — Cast (over 100 guest star episodes of television)
- Kyle Jones — Cast, as Jared
- Eduardo Daniel Victoria — Composer
- Kevin Scott Barry — VFX
- Meagan Hughes — Costumes
- Charlie Wright — Production Design
- Happy Hollows — End credits song, "Summer Is Over" (Sarah Negahdari)
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