One night stiff. Three friends gather in a Brooklyn apartment to fix a problem. Afraid to call the police, Billie enlists her two best friends to handle the 'situation' as the previous evening's shenanigans unwind in this dark comedy.

Interview with Producer Keri Uribe and Anya Migdal

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

From Director, Ashlin Halfnight: This is an actor-driven project, borne of a desire to lean into a morning of outlandish crisis and showcase the talent of three wonderful women. With Dead Hairy Hipster, we wanted to build a quick, dynamic, relationship and situation-driven comedy. It is a testament to what can be done in a short time when three gifted and intelligent actors commit fully to a ridiculous scenario, and then bring a generous and playful approach to set.

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

You’ll have a good time. We’re not trying to change the world with this project. Our goal was a fast and funny romp that takes the audience on a complete journey in under ten minutes.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The examination of women’s roles in society and film: challenging a typically male topic and storyline by exploring it from three distinct female points of view. Female empowerment. Action and consequence. The expectation/limits of friendship (both of oneself and others). The film speaks strongly to all of these themes.

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

Ashlin’s script was funny right off the top. The thing that changed the most was the deepening of the relationships between the actors/characters. The deeper the relationships, the higher the stakes, the funnier the film. The addition of music by Gene Pritsker (composer) added a tremendous amount to the final product, and we cannot overstate the importance of editing in shaping the final story – Joshua Hume (editor) was an amazing addition to the team.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Feedback so far has been great. Folks are laughing, so that’s a win.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

The most surprising/gratifying thing has been how much gents really love this film.

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

We are looking forward to connecting with a larger community of storytellers, filmmakers and audience members who appreciate an independent point view, and it would be incredible to communicate with other creatives who could be potential future collaborators.

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

Film festival directors & reviewers – just getting the word out. Distributors interested in short comedic works. Producers who are interested in a more complete exploration of these three amazing characters in a feature length format.

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

We hope to make some folks laugh and embrace the idea of women in this non-traditional scenario.

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

How far would you go to help your friends?

Would you like to add anything else?

We appreciate you viewing ‘Dead Hairy Hipster’ and joining the conversation.

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Ashlin Halfnight (writer/director) is currently a writer on the Emmy Award-winning Netflix show, Bloodline. His feature films Astraea and Diving Normal can be found on VOD, and upcoming projects Maybe There’s A Tree and Northbound are in post-production and development, respectively.

Anya Migdal co-developed and produced “Queen of Glory”, an upcoming feature in the final stages of post production; she is currently translating a collection of short stories, "Aetherial Worlds", by Tatyana Tolstaya, to be published by A. Knopf.

Keri Uribe is currently workshopping The Husk, a new play by Jake Quinn with plans for an off-Broadway run.

Emily Shaffer is working on a couple different writing projects: A feature titled "Pretty Theft" and a one-woman piece. All the while auditioning for television projects.

Interview: November 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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Dead Hair Hipster

Length: 10min 3sec

Director: Ashlin Halfnight

Producer: Anya Migdal & Keri Uribe

Writer: Ashlin Halfnight

About the writer, director and producer:

Ashlin Halfnight (writer/director) is a Fulbright Scholar, a Howard Stein Playwriting Fellow, and was the 2006 artist in residence at the National Theater of Hungary, in Budapest. His plays have been performed across North America.

Anya Migdal (producer) has often guest starred in the L&O franchise as well as appearing in independent films, such as last year’s “Hunter &Game” and the upcoming feature "Queen of Glory”.

Keri Uribe (producer) is a founding company member of OnTheRoad Rep. Favorite NY credits include: The Affair, Ugly Betty and recurring roles on both OLTL and All My Children. Recent films include Changed Names and The Gift.

Key cast:

Emily Shaffer - Billy

Anya Migdal - Regina

Keri Uribe - Donna

Bobby Webster - Cinematographer

Joshua Hume - Editor

Gene Pritsker - Composer

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Producers, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists

Funders: Self-financed

Made in association with: Adelos Media and Portage Creative

Where can I see it in the next month?

As we are still submitting on the film festival circuit, the film is not yet available on-line for public viewing. If interested in viewing for journalistic or distribution purposes, please contact us for a private link.