Lady Filmmakers Festival 2018 - 43 QUINTILLION
A grieving woman stumbles upon a mysterious artifact of her beloved’s past. Propelled into an unknown world, Jessica must find her way back home – by moving forward.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Kylie Eaton
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! I made this film for the challenge of telling a story in a short amount of time, limiting myself to minimal characters and dialogue. It was a great chance to focus on the work with my actors as well as the visual storytelling through the camera work and production design.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
At 5 minutes, it’s a short watch, and we get to follow our main character, Jessica, during an important moment in her life. There’s also a bit of a fun twist, which always engages me as a viewer.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film is about loss and moving on. These themes are as personal to me as they are to everyone else. Grief can be about death, but it can also crop up when our life changes in drastic ways. This film represents our choice to keep living.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
As all projects do, the script went through a few drafts, until I got it down to a tight five pages. In many of the scenes Jessica appears alone, so we were able to get playful in terms of grabbing locations and letting Sarah, our main actress, really inhabit the space. A lot of my editorial choices were dictated by moments that Sarah discovered on set.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The feedback has been wonderful. I originally conceived of this film as a project for a Directing Workshop I was attending. After getting positive feedback from my instructor and other students, I was encouraged to submit the film to festivals. We’ve had a great run this year, premiering in March at MidWest WeirdFest, winning Best Drama Short at Sioux Empire Film Festival in May, and playing several other festivals along the way.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I love hearing people’s reaction to the film. Everyone I’ve talked about the film with gets the main thread of the story, but everyone has their own interpretation of the events. As a filmmaker, it’s encouraging to present work that connects with people in the ways I’d hoped, and also in ways I’d never imagined.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I’m thrilled to be featured among the other wonderful filmmakers on this site. My constant hope, whether it’s via festivals or online, is that more people will see the film and connect with its themes.
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, word of mouth is the best advertisement. I’m always looking to connect with people via my work to collaborate on future projects.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
If I can transport someone for five minutes, take them out of the everyday and challenge them to think about the deeper threads that run through our lives, then everything else on top of that is a bonus.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
When have you made the choice in your life to move forward?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thanks for featuring me, and for promoting female filmmakers.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m currently in post production on my next short film, DISPEL. At around 15 minutes, it’s a more ambitious project, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
Interview: September 2018
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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
43 QUINTILLION
A grieving woman stumbles upon a mysterious artifact of her beloved’s past. Propelled into an unknown world, Jessica must find her way back home – by moving forward.
Length: 04:58
Cast: Sarah Drescher, Jeffrey Conway
Instagram: @kylie109 // #43Q
Other: www.kylieeatonfilm.com
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? You can catch 43 QUINTILLION in Los Angeles at the Lady Filmmakers Festival, screening 8/27 at 8:15PM. The film will be released online later this fall, so follow me on Instagram to stay up to date!