Table of Contents
There is a particular species of chaos that lives inside a film festival Q&A β the comment disguised as a question, the audience member who has notes, the moderator holding it all together by a thread. Stay for the Q&A, the new short from Los Angeles writer-director duo hazart, plants itself squarely inside that room and refuses to leave. Following a feature premiere at a prestigious festival, a seemingly ordinary Q&A slowly spirals into the kind of experience anyone who has spent time on a festival stage will recognize in their bones.
hazart, whose debut feature A Hard Problem premiered at Cinequest and was called "elegantly directed, acted, and designed" by The New York Times, built this one as a love letter to the industry that made them β and a gentle warning to everyone who behaves badly under stage lights.
Key Takeaways
- A behind-the-scenes comedy made by and for filmmakers, with a cast of actor-directors who know the festival circuit intimately.
- Every character is named after a Stanley Kubrick character β one of the duo's quiet creative signatures.
- hazart chose story over speed, keeping a longer runtime because some jokes "need more of a breath."
The duo spoke about their inspirations, their Kubrick fingerprints, and why community is the real engine of independent film.
Interview
What drew you to make this film, and why this story, why now?
We love filmmaking to our core. The "behind the scenes" films like Living in Oblivion, Hail, Caesar!, and The Player are all inspirations which pay homage to the absurdities of our industry and craft. We were excited to contribute to the landscape of that genre. And while the film does likely play best in front of an audience that understands the nuances of a Q&A, we've found that more standard moviegoers welcome the insight and laugh alongside.
What surprised you most about the filmmaking process, creatively or logistically?
We were just lucky to get all of the people involved both in front of and behind the camera. This is a film by and for filmmakers. A lot of the cast, including Jim Cummings, Justin Simien, Ben York Jones, Joey Ally, and many others, are not just actors but also very accomplished filmmakers. It was important for us to have a cast and crew that intimately know the film festival experience to help heighten the authenticity and absurdity. We are all a little bit of every character, if we are being honest with ourselves.
What moment in the film feels most like you, or like something only you could have made?
We like contrast and unexpected moments. So maybe it's the intrigue we hope to build from the opening two shots of the film-within-the-film, featuring the shirtless Yani (Brant Daugherty), and through to the fake end credits. You get to see this whole Q&A for a film you will never see, but those two shots are hopefully strange enough to keep you thinking.
We'd also say, as big Stanley Kubrick fans, the fact that all the characters in our short are named after Kubrick characters certainly leaves some of our creative fingerprints for those who know us.
What was the hardest creative decision you made while making the film?
This is an easy one. Length. We are really proud of the film from beginning to end, specifically the "three acts" of the Q&A itself. But there is a lot of pressure to keep shorts short. And for good reason. We know, without a doubt, that the longer runtime limited where it played, but ultimately we knew the whole structure and story was worth keeping β that some jokes need more of a breath, rather than relentless speed.
What do you hope audiences take away from this film?
To behave themselves at Q&A's. It is wild, as people who have spent time on the stage and in the audience of many of these events, the behavior that goes on. Especially, but not only limited to, the audience participation portion. If we can do anything with this film, it's to get everyone involved in a Q&A β whether audience, moderator, or participants β to be on their best behavior.
What is the greatest strength of independent filmmaking, and how did you lean into it here?
Community is the best thing about indie film. The people you meet along the way. From location reps to festival programmers, this whole industry is built on relationships. If we could share anything, it's that you need to be building communities at every level: from the people you make films with, to the ones who help them get out into the world. A lot of people like to think all you need to do is have a good idea and execute it well. Anyone being honest with you about this business and process knows that is not true.
What does it mean to have your film selected for HollyShorts, one of the world's premier short film festivals?
Every festival, big and small, is a chance at exposure to audiences and filmmakers alike. We cherish getting to see great stories which inspire and encourage us to keep going. We get to show our work to an audience who's been given permission by important programming gatekeepers, and best case scenario, we meet people who we will get to make things with in the future.
Main Cast & Crew
- Writer/Director: hazart
- Producers: Elizabeth Collins , Gabe Rodriguez
- Cinematographer: Brandon Alperin
- Co-Producer: Erika Eads
- Composer: Omar Fadel
- Sound: Ethan Beigel
- Cast: Jim Cummings , Justin Simien , Rhian Rees , Brant Daugherty , Marta Piekarz , Nalini Sharma , Ali Gallo , Igby Rigney , Johnny Berchtold
Filmmaker Opportunities
π 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 β 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 β You can also catch our 3rd annual financing panel at HollyShorts.
π¬ Grant deadlines and festival opportunities, straight to your inbox
The CFA newsletter rounds up grants, festival calls, and community news for independent filmmakers β the kind of opportunities that are easy to miss and painful to miss. Join the newsletter β
π¬ Focus on the creative β 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 β handled by a team of working filmmakers, Γ la carte or all in, in partnership with Creative Access Group. It's waitlist-only until launch. Join the waitlist β
League of Filmmakers is published by our parent organization, the Cinematography for Actors Institute β a 501(c)(3) dedicated to education, community, and capital for underrepresented filmmakers and actors. Learn more about CFA β
