HollyShorts 2019 – Westfalia
Two Instagramers must fight to post daily after their close competitor’s following doubles overnight.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Actor Haley Finnegan
Watch Westfalia on Vimeo
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
It seems you have to be famous already to make it in this industry. I had gotten really close to booking roles that would have been game-changers on projects that said they didn't want name talent. In the end, they always go for the name. I get it, it's a business. But it seems impossible.
So on a night when I quit acting for a couple of hours, I wrote Westfalia. I wrote about the behind the scenes world that influencers live in. This was what Hollywood wanted from me and I knew there was more behind every Instagram post. The story evolved into a statement on our culture today. Do we really want to start our day looking at the image of someone's perfectly arranged bedroom? My bed currently has blankets kicked off... If that photo is a statement on how things should be then man watch out world, I'm not getting up on the wrong side of the bed, the whole bed is wrong.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Do you have Instagram? Do your kids? Your friends? Do you go to parties and try to talk to people with their heads in their phones? This movie is for you.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Our heroes, if you can call them that, Emelia and Brody desperately want to be insta-famous. They are always one post away from gaining the traction they need to get there. Just one more perfectly centered photo of their soft scrambled eggs and thick-cut bacon away from their dream.
It's not real. We're following two characters whom we have all seen in real life. They have everything they need and want right in front of them. If only they could put their phones away.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It's a beautiful thing to watch. You have one drunken night complaining about your career at a pub and the next thing you know, you're on set with your best friends making it come alive!
I chose to use improvised dialogue in the film. I wrote sample dialogue which was sometimes used. But working with Brian Flynn, my improvisation teammate was the best thing I could have done for the film. He's an incredible writer who until he did the film might have been unaware that he is an incredibly talented actor. He has a natural way of delivering a line that is so refreshing. The writer in him adds things to the character that most people might even miss the first time you watch. A simple flick at a fly while Emelia complains brings so much depth to Brody.
The improvisation made the film come alive. But in the editing room is where most of the work was done. It was with my college buddy and editor, Montana Loran, that this film started to take shape. We spent summer mornings trying to solve problems, lunches arguing different ways to do things, and evenings cracking open bottles of Pinot Grigio celebrating. And in the end, we're both in love with the film and can't wait to do it again.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
As of today, we've been accepted into 17 different film festivals and we haven't heard back from all of those we applied to yet. Tribeca, Galway, Edmonton, HollyShorts to name a few. We won Best Fiction Short Film at Traverse City Film Festival, - a huge honor.
The audience has loved it everywhere we've screened. But it's funny because each audience is so unique. The theatre can change where people laugh. Having a loud laugher/audience leader can change where people laugh. (I have seen my film way too many times now because I am so interested in the different audience behavior!)
The consensus has been that they wanted more. They could watch Emelia and Brody in a feature-length or a series.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
The feature is set to film next June and the cast and crew are solidified. I just would love to put funding in place.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Producers and buyers, I believe.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like to change the way people feel about themselves after using Instagram by opening their eyes. Influencers are not leading perfect lives.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Remember when you used to fast forward commercials on your DVR'd shows? Why are you voluntarily watching advertisements disguised as lifestyle Instagram posts now?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am working on a story about a woman and her grandmother who could not be more different and more alike. A comedy.
Interview: August 2019
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
Westfalia
Two Instagramers must fight to post daily after their close competitor’s following doubles overnight.
Length: 16:00
Director: Haley Finnegan
Producer: Haley Finnegan
Writer: Haley Finnegan
About the writer, director and producer:
HALEY FINNEGAN is an actress and filmmaker. This year, Finnegan’s short film, Westfalia, which she starred in, directed, wrote and produced was a selection at Tribeca, Galway, Traverse City, Nantucket, Hollyshorts, Montclair, Port Townsend, Mammoth, Maui, Edmonton, HollyShorts, Nevada, Hoboken and Kitzbuhel Festivals. Finnegan is known for her work on several Christopher Guest (This is Spinal Tap) projects, and for her roles in Robert Luketic’s Paranoia [Relativity Media] alongside Liam Hemsworth and Amber Heard, and in the podcast turned hit Amazon Series, Lore. Her career began in New York where she booked her first series, Spirits: The Series (Webby Awards - Honorable Mention). Her work on Paragon Algorithm was featured at the Hoboken Film Festival and Manhattan Film Festival. While performing improv at The PIT in New York, the former CEO of Meow Mix scouted her to be the face of his pet news web series, K9 & the City, where she worked on stories featuring Hilary Swank, Martha Stewart, Howard Stern. After moving to Los Angeles for Paranoria, she unknowingly auditioned for Christopher Guest and then worked on several of his improvised projects. She frequents the LA improv stages including UCB, Second City, The Ruby, The Impro Studio (formerly The Nerdist) with her improvisation team titled, Chased By Bear.
Originally from New Jersey, Finnegan now resides in Los Angeles.
Key cast: Haley Finnegan, Brian Flynn, Laura Lawson VIsconti, Nick VIsconti
Looking for: buyers, producers
Facebook: Westfalia Movie
Instagram: @westfaliamovie
Hashtags used: #westfaliamovie
Website: www.westfaliamovie.com
Other: IMDb
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? HollyShorts, Washington West, Port Townsend, Kitzbuhel, Nevada, Buffalo and Edmonton