A twist on the traditional Little Red Riding Hood tale, this film addresses the cliches and expectations forced upon women today.

Interview with Writer/Director Rebecca Murrell

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

This film was a result of my thesis project in my final year at Sheridan College. It's the most anticipated year of study since it allows us students to have complete creative freedom. This puts a lot of pressure on every one --will my peers like it? Will my instructors be impressed? Of course I wanted all those things, but my main focus was to tell a story with a powerful message. Once I knew the story I wanted to tell I didn't care if my peers or instructors didn't agree with it. It was something important to me and with that, I knew I'd put my best work in to it.

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

This film touches upon themes that many people may not have considered an issue. I believe it can get people thinking; I'm always curious to see what their reactions are afterwards.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

When writing the script for "The Trees" we struggled to keep some of the language as universal as possible, carefully considering what might be too obvious. We didn't want to tell a story with one specific event in mind because the issue we are addressing takes many forms. We concluded that playing off the well known children's story of Little Red Riding Hood would be a good place to start.

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

Initially there was no dialogue. We had a very linear story line that followed the story of a girl who walks home alone at night and is attacked by an unknown shadow. Afterwards we would see the struggle of her coping with her life after the traumatizing experience. It wasn't very captivating and the story became predicable.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I was very surprised with all the positive feedback I received from my peers, mentors and even festivals. I was told it was eerie and haunting; which I took as a positive remark. So far it has been accepted to about seven festivals which overwhelms me with joy already.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I was definitely surprised, and it only encourages me to make more short films in the near future.

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

After browsing the site and seeing all the other great films on it, I feel very honored to have my film among them. It would be great to collaborate with other animators out there who want to tell more stories with the same messages.

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

As a first time film maker I used all the help I could get. Currently I have been submitting this film to festivals across the globe and it seems to be slowly making its way around. When I do decide to animate another film in the future then I will definitely be reaching out to more people in the industry for any help I can get.

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

I'd hope for this film to spark a moment of realization for those who have never thought about the subject matter before. Though the film plays off an old tale it still very much holds relevance today.

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

I would begin with asking what their opinion on the film was and if they are aware of the cliches and pressure put on young girls and women in society.

Would you like to add anything else?

Thank you for considering my film and having their platform of exposure. It really helps young filmmakers such as myself.

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Writer/Director/Animator: Rebecca is currently working as a 2D animator on a television show called Dot, to be aired mid October.

Composer: Katharine Petkovski is currently working on her music degree at University of Toronto.

Interview: August 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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The Trees

A twist on the traditional Little Red Riding Hood tale, this film addresses the cliches and expectations forced upon women today.

Length: 1:50

Director: Rebecca Murrell

Producer: N/A

Writer: Rebecca Murrell

Key cast: Narrator: Annick Coulihan

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

Made in association with: Sheridan College

Release date: May 2016

Where can I watch it in the next month? Multiple film festivals, the next one coming up will be the Ottawa International Animation Arts Festival in early September.