Raised to rule the kingdom one day, Eleanora finds her throne suddenly taken from her when her baby brother is born.

Interview with Producer Blair Skinner

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! We are excited to premiere so everyone we know can actually see what we have been gabbing about for the last year and a half.

Amy and I were looking for our next project together. We previously collaborated on a few smaller scale projects and wanted to take the next step and make a short film that let us really stretch our filmmaking legs.

We wanted to make something that we would want to see and we were so sick of filming in our boring LA apartments. We both love villains and the idea of these characters being potentially multi-dimensional. The anti-hero archetype is fascinating to watch, so why not the anti-villian?

The King and Queen raise Eleanora to rule the kingdom after believing she will be their only child.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

You should watch this because it’s an adventure into a new world. If you love when someone takes their life into their own hands and challenges the status quo, then you need to see this. This is about a woman/princess who doesn’t take “no” for an answer. These characters exist is a complicated world where who is right or wrong is rarely clear. Plus, we have magic, musical numbers, beautiful costumes, and a castle!

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

At the core of our film, behind the costumes and the castle and the magic, it is a story about a child born into a particular set of societal rules outside of her control. It takes courage, and sometimes a little madness, to stand up for yourself against family, community, or hundreds of years of precedent. No matter the stakes, this is something everyone can relate to.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?

Well, the first day we sat down to brainstorm, we left with a logline about a warlock who wants to be a witch, so it’s evolved quite a bit. That’s what I love about making movies; from start to finish it’s often a completely different movie.

Practically, we made several changes based on budget constraints including tweaking settings to get the most out of our locations and cutting an elaborate magic well storyline that we would have had to build from scratch.

During principle photography, we knew we were going to need another half a day of shooting at some point for inserts and establishing shots, but we waited until we had a rough first cut and decided to make the most of that additional day by adding a quick Eleanora scene speaking to one of the servants that ended up being one of our favorite scenes.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I showed it to a few trusted people and also several strangers for feedback during the post production process. Through that process we were able to make a great film that people enjoy and, most importantly, they feel for the characters. The musical aspect of it always surprises people. For us, what’s a good fairytale without a little singing, but I don’t think people realized we were going to go there. Musical numbers are a lot of work, but we’re fortunate to have some very talented friends in that department.

The main thing we hear from people is they want to know what happens next, and feedback asking for more of what you’ve created is always the goal.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

When you get notes in post some of them hurt, but really in the end, they just make the film stronger. You always need those fresh eyes on your project because by the end, you have become so immersed in the film that reality may be escaping you. This is the type of story where we welcome the audience to have a different point of view. It’s not black and white. It’s supposed to illicit a response. That being said, ask me this question again after we premiere it to an audience!

As the kingdom gathers for Edwin's wedding where they will welcome his bride as their future Queen, Eleanora realizes that if she wants what was promised to her, she will have to take it back.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

Awareness. Any filmmaker just wants people to know about their film, and I’m no different. The hardest part with indie or short films is that often times people never even hear of them. To be able to share the story that we have spent a year or two making with the largest audience possible is the ultimate goal.

I would also love for it to help bring people to see it at Dances with Kidz! See it on the big screen. It’s a fantasy film with magic and visual effects and ornate locations, so you want to see that on the big screen. We also would love to have potential investors hear and see Eleanora. Making a feature film with these characters and the world that we’ve created is our ultimate goal.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Sales Agents, Distributors, Film Festival Directors (to program it in other festivals), Journalists to write bout it. Funders interested in funding the feature.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

Well, thunderous applause of course, but besides that, I’d love for people to walk away more aware of how we treat each other and why. Empathy is difficult and if a film can for a brief moment help you understand being in someone else’s shoes, it gets a little easier. I want people to challenge the status quo and history even. Lofty yes, but some traditions should change and evolve.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Do you think that Eleanora deserves to be the heir and what should she have done given her situation?

Would you like to add anything else?

No one deserves to be forgotten. Remember us on June 11th at 430pm at the TCL Chinese Theaters in Hollywood, we’d love to see you at the screening! If you can’t make it, follow us on Facebook to check out future screenings. https://www.facebook.com/eleanoratheforgottenprincess/

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Amy K. Green just completed her first novel and is currently shopping it around, hoping for a late 2016 release.

Blair Skinner is co-producing Amazon’s Transparent. She is writing a feature film alongside writing partner Victor Hsu. She is also in pre-production to Line Produce a feature set to film this summer.

Interview: June 2016

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

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Eleanora: The Forgotten Princess

Raised to rule the kingdom one day, Eleanora finds her throne suddenly taken from her when her baby brother is born.

Length: 18min 33 seconds

Director: Blair Skinner

Producer: Amy K. Green, Blair Skinner, Margaret Helmer

Writer: Amy K. Green

About the writer, director and producer:

Amy K. Green is a writer known for the web series "Stand Up Girls" and the mockumentary short "Yuri Kavchek: An American Dreamer." She has just completed her first novel and is hoping for a late 2016 release.

Blair Skinner is currently a Co- Producer on the Amazon Studio Golden Globe/Emmy winning series Transparent. Blair has directed several projects including the web series “Stand Up Girls,” TV pilot “Pleasant Pastures” and short film “Relative Eternity.”

Margaret Helmer specializes in fairy tale entertainment by acting in, consulting on and producing such projects, and additionally owning a children's princess party company.

Key cast: Jessica Howell, Innis Casey, Samuel Whitten

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Sales Agents, Buyers, Distributors, Journalists

Funders: Self Funded. Finishing funds through Kickstarter

Release date: June 11th, 2016

Where can I watch it? You can watch it at the TCL Chinese Theaters on June 11th at 430pm in Block 4 of Dances with Kids at Dances with Films and at HollyShorts.