HollyShorts - Clean
A young man battles his compulsions on his way to school in New York City.
Interview with Writer/Director Gabriel Wilson
Watch Clean here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
It’s a very personal story, loosely based on myself growing up. I did not grow up in the city like the character in my film, but when I moved to New York I could not stop thinking about how hard it would be for a kid with obsessive-compulsive disorder. When I was growing up, my OCD was at its worst and I could not have imagined riding on the New York City Subway.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think the film tells a unique story and gives you a window into someone else’s life in a very naturalistic way. More importantly, I would tell you to watch this film because it portrays mental illness as an everyday occurrence in a child’s life rather than the abrupt and dramatic episodes we are so used to seeing in films.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think it is a very human story about fear and growing up. Most people can remember being a kid and being scared of something. I think it’s relatable even if you have never lived in a city or been affected by mental illness.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
At the start, it was a one-page, completely silent piece. It has grown quite a bit. I think it was more a slice of life than a complete story when I first wrote it. It became more of a coming of age story the more it grew, which was exciting as that plot line came out very naturally. When I was my character’s age, what I wanted most was to kiss a girl. It also happened to be what I was most afraid of.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It has been a real treat to see it at festivals on the big screen. The life of a short is unpredictable, so I am always delighted when I get to watch the audience watch my film. I’m in film school, where we can be pretty harsh on each other. It’s quite nice to hear people laugh in the audience. When you are working on a project for so long, you forget that someone might find it funny.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It has been amazing hear other people’s stories of growing up and being affected by mental illness. I never knew how universal the story was. Everyone’s experience is also so unique, so I love hearing how others would choose to tell the story. It is never explained through dialogue that the character has OCD and I think this might be hard for some viewers who want a definitive answer. I never expected audiences to be so curious about the specifics.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I am really excited to connect with anyone who is excited to tell new, refreshing stories through film, especially producers who really foster the creative side of filmmaking. It’s always great to have a platform to spread the word about your short and find peers to work with on your next project.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
All of the above. It’s a very short short, so I think it could fit in a lot of different media spaces.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
A long festival life and of course the chance to share it with anyone who has been affected by OCD, or is interested in learning more about it.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How might living in a city augment one’s battle with mental illness?
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I have a short in post production now and am shooting another this coming October. Revising two features also. Ben the DP is just wrapping up a first feature that I am pretty excited to see.
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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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Clean
A young man battles his compulsions on his way to school in New York City.
Length: 5:04
Director: Gabriel Wilson
Producer: Brittany Northcross
Writer: Gabriel Wilson
About the writer, director and producer:
Gabriel Wilson - Director
Gabriel Wilson lives in New York City and is currently pursuing his MFA in directing at Columbia University, School of the Arts . He earned a Master's degree in directing from The School of Visual Arts. Gabriel's films have shown at numerous festivalsincluding The Hamptons International Film Festival, The Independent Film Festival Boston, The River Run International Film Festival, The Urbanworld Filmfestival,The Big Apple Film Festival,The Gotham Screen International Film Festival, The Great Lakes International Film Festival, GIAA Film Festival, The Brooklyn Short Film Concert and New Filmmakers New York.
Key cast: Marquise Neal
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
At the moment I'm looking for producers for my feature scripts as well as festival directors for “Clean” and my most recent short film “Twenty Minutes”
Funders: Self -Funded
Release date: It premiered in 2015 at the Urbanworld Film Festival.
Where can I watch it in the next month?
Hollyshorts, Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival.