LA FOCUS - Kiss and Tell
Logline: When a first kiss attempt goes awry, boy and girl must deal with the awkward moment after.
Length: 9:41
Director: Clinton Cornwell
Producer: Clinton Cornwell
Writer: Clinton Cornwell, Elizabeth Hirsch-Tauber, Andrew Jacobsen
About the writer, director and producer: Director Clinton Cornwell was raised in Hawaii and went to film school at Florida State and UNLV. He seeks honesty above all in his work.
Key cast: Elizabeth Hirsch-Tauber, Andrew Jacobsen
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Producers, Journalists, Film Festival Directors
Release date: 2015
Where can I watch it? Screening June 7th at 5pm at Dances With Films in Hollywood,CA
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Why not? It had been too long since I had directed something and I loved the idea of putting Liz and Andrew in something together. This was the first of three improv films I wished to do and we wanted to keep it small and simple.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
We’ve all been on dates and through awkward romantic moments. Relive that beautiful awkwardness through our earnest boy and girl actors figuring it all out.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think a large theme in the film is how we all can misunderstand one another so easily and how if we just really listen it can solve so much. But this is a film that definitely grew more out of character than theme.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
Since all of the dialog was improvised, much of the film didn’t come into true being until we began experimenting on set. We had some rough beats that we were going to travel through, but even those changed. We also ended up scrapping the original ending midway through shooting because it just didn’t feel right.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We’ve had two public screenings so far and the reactions from people have been immensely positive. It’s always great to hear how much audiences relate to one or both of the characters. The Las Vegas Weekly even said Kiss and Tell was the best film at the Las Vegas Film Festival. We’re very lucky.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The positive reception has been surprising. We all felt our little film was a bit too weird and talky for anyone to like it.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We are just happy to be here. It’s an honor to be noticed by wearemovingstories.com.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
At this point in the film’s life cycle, we are just trying to get it out there as much as possible, so festival directors and journalists would be very helpful with that. But we are always looking for new collaborators, so Producers! Find us! We need your insight and skills to keep making better films!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
If people can relate to it, that is enough. Not every film needs to change the world. Sometimes it is enough just to illuminate it.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Asking for a first kiss. Romantic or lame?
Would you like to add anything else?
Enough cannot be said about the contributions of our lead actors, Elizabeth and Andrew, to this project. Their willingness to be honest and put themselves out there for the audience is really the biggest reason this film works at all.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Director Clinton Cornwell, DP Dustin LeBoeuf, and Actor Elizabeth Hirsch-Tauber will actually be premiering their newest short film Hollywood and Sunset at the Las Vegas Film Festival on June 12th. It is a film about a female actor trying to decide if she should quit acting. Check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtDeJt2BMGQ
This same team is now looking forward to doing their first feature film and are recruiting producers to come on board while in development.