An actress struggles to control her emotions during an audition for a TV commercial.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Ben Hector

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! I had been working in casting for a couple of years already so I was used to the strangeness of the process and the almost dehumanising way in which castings work, but one day it really struck me just how affecting that system might be for somebody. I actually witnessed a casting where the events of this film more or less took place and decided that this would make interesting subject matter for a film; it struck me as specific and unusual but also universally engaging.

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

Watch this film if you wish to be emotionally engaged by an unusual situation for 7-minutes and if you like thought-provoking films that provide space for you to think as an audience member.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I suppose most of my films have been focused on unspoken frustrations or traumas that the characters may hint at throughout the film. I think it could stem from the very British idea of the 'stiff upper lip', to keep personal issues at bay and repress them for the good of social manners. Of course, this film is a little different as Anna has to remain 'professional' - it is part of the protocol of the audition to not allow personal baggage in. But I find that this is generally true for a lot of situations in British society where we tend to hide our personal problems and not talk about them.

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

The script was very ambiguous initially, and it was through rehearsing and chatting to the actors that we were able to emphasise certain moments for a greater degree of clarity. The 'trauma' is still up for grabs as to what that might be specifically, but through talks about the script and into the edit we tried to narrow the ambiguity down to a few options so that the audience wasn't alienated.

We always had issues with the ending as we didn't want to play too obvious a hand or wrap it up in a neat bow. The truth of the casting process is that you see the person in the room and as soon as they exit that door, they're gone, so it felt dishonest to have a post audition room scene or some greater level of clarification.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The film has definitely struck a chord with the acting community, who can relate directly to this problem which is usually termed 'actor baggage'. I think people have related to the universal idea of keeping personal trauma under wraps for the good of public appearance and politeness. I've found that people generally seem to invest in Emma Keele as an actor - something about her modest mannerisms and expressive face I think help general audiences empathise with her.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I was a little surprised as I can see all the mistakes in the film, so it's hard for me to see it actually working, but I'm so glad that people can see through the low budget to the heart of the idea.

a_2.16.1(compressed).jpg — Emma Keele as 'Anna Matthews'

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

I'm hoping more people will get to be engaged by this quiet 7-minute piece, and I'm hoping it appeals specifically to other filmmakers in that they should always be considerate & respectful of what they are asking actors to go through in an audition room. More broadly, I should hope that people will continue to view others as humans regardless of how 'professional' their working environment might be.

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

I hope that this film is able to find a decent audience at film festivals where most of those attending are likely to be other filmmakers.

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

I hope it encourages them to treat actors respectfully and, more broadly, treat others with empathy and consideration as working in the film world can encourage callousness and a do-or-die mentality to get the 'shot in the can'.

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

In life do you make enough of an effort to consider someone else's point of view?

Would you like to add anything else?

More specifically in the film industry, are you treating the actor or crew member as a human first before all else?

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

At the moment I'm spending my time watching and reading and generally consuming in the hopes that a little way down the line I'll be able to regurgitate some of it into my writing and make another short film. There's still a long way to go in terms of refining my craft so I better get busy!

Interview: July 2020

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

22. Anna Matthews

An actress struggles to control her emotions during an audition for a TV commercial.

Length: 7:48

Director: Ben Hector

Producer: Ben Hector

Writer: Ben Hector

About the writer, director and producer:

Writer/Director BEN HECTOR graduated from the Film course at the University of Westminster in 2016. Since then, he's been working in casting and self-producing independent short films. His film Old Friends won Best Film at This is England Festival 2019 and picked up the Best Writer award at the BFI Future Film Festival 2020.

Key cast: Emma Keele (Anna), Sallyanne Badger (Sallyanne), Billie Gadsdon (Jessica), Benji Alexander (Director)

Looking for: film festival directors

Facebook: Ben Hector

Twitter: @mcbennybob

Instagram: @ben.hector1

Hashtags used: #22AnnaMatthews

Other: Vimeo

Funders: Self-Funded

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? The film is live now on Vimeo.