In Life Today
Scientists say that change is inevitable; but Erin doesn't have time to wait. Today is the day she is going to change the world.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Lauren Bailey
Main image: Erin Chance played by Lauren Bailey
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I have been acting for over two decades, and increasingly working as a writer and director, but In Life Today is my debut as a filmmaker. After making the decision to focus on creating my own content, I wrote the script for this film when another short film that I had in pre-production frustratingly came to a halt. That energy is very present in a story where the protagonist is passionate about taking control of her life and having an impact on the world she lives in.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This is a warm, quirky, thoughtful, and hope-filled look at the frustration of wanting to achieve something bigger than yourself. It will surprise you. It might make you laugh. It will remind you that we’re not alone. And that we are, after all, just doing the best we can.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
In Life Today investigates our ability to create change at a personal level, in a world that can at times seem overwhelming. There is so much information available now regarding the negative impact that we are having on our environment, both at a personal and political level, and in some ways it can feel like every day there is a new battle to face with no sense of if we are ‘winning’, or even making a difference.
As a storyteller it is important to me to create art that combats this feeling of being overwhelmed, establishes the possibility of hope, and allows the audience to think and feel. There is a potential version of this film which could be very dark, and probably not very good, and I hope that by taking the premise and posing it in the warmest sense possible, that it allows the audience to engage with the idea that life is full of possibility, that we can engender positive change, and that things are worth fighting for.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The idea for the script came to me quite quickly and, after the initial draft, I only did a few small revisions based on feedback I received. I would like to say a massive thank you to my talented DOP, Jaque Fisher, who brought the story to life with all of the warmth and quirkiness that I hoped it might have.
My co-producer, Nichole, cane in board the project mid pre-production and her support, along with the generosity of David Gross and Definition Films, allowed me to realise the full potential of the film.
We were also lucky enough to have musician and sound composer, Anita Quayle, compose the music for the film, and I had the opportunity to learn firsthand how sound affects the overall film, and that the voice of the music is essentially another character in the story being told.
In Life Today - Celia Quill played by Andrea McCannon
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We’re about to have our fifth festival screening and it was very exciting to pick up awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actress at SIPFest for the Gold Coast Film Festival in April. Given that my goal going into this was to make a film I was happy with and to collaborate with some great people, this has definitely surpassed expectation.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
As this is my first film as a filmmaker, outside of my performance in the role of Erin, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I didn’t realise that people would laugh at the film as much as they have. In fact, I wasn’t sure people would find it funny at all!
It has been deeply rewarding to hear audiences respond to the film and discover, that although they may question her sense of judgement, nearly everyone I’ve spoken to relates to the protagonist on some level and really wants her to ‘win’.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We have a distributor for the film, however, outside the festival circuit it hasn’t yet had a lot of visibility. So it would be great to gain attention that leads to further public screenings. Also, although the initial impetus for the film was to further my acting career, it was also a proof of concept for a television series.
I'm currently working on developing full-length pilot and the series, and pitching it to networks. I would love for the film to gain more exposure through We Are Moving Stories, to ideally attract creative talent to collaborate on this development, and production, and to build a fan base and audience for the end product.
Who do you need to come on board to amplify this film’s message?
I'm actively looking for creatives to collaborate with. I would love to have co and exec producers interested in working with me on developing the series, including a writing team and additional directors, and to open up potential opportunities for investors and funding.
I'm not sure how much longer we’ll be in the festival circuit but we welcome interest from film festival directors, and the more press we can get for the film itself and the fantastic creative team, including my wonderful co-stars Andrea McCannon and Nick Cain, the better.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want to tell stories that make people question the world around them. I want to make them laugh and leave them feeling like they can achieve anything if they put their minds to it.
In Life Today asks ‘Can we affect change as individuals?’ and ‘Even if we knew we couldn’t, would it be worth trying anyway?”. I often feel that our intellect/ego/common sense/fear can get in the way and stop us from trying things. I’m also interested in what it takes for us to get past this.
Given the opportunity to develop the In Life Today television series, I would pursue this idea further with a view to empowering the individual and reminding people that we “have far more in common than that which divides us" (Jo Cox).
In Life Today - Benjamin Waltz played by Nick Cain
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What is the bravest/craziest thing that you would do to achieve something that you believe in?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you to all the wonderful people who have helped me on my creative journey so far. I can’t wait to share more stories with you!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Lauren Bailey (Writer, Director, Co-Producer, Actor – Erin Chance) – pre-production on short film Before I Go, with The Act of Storytelling co-founder, Nick Cain (Actor – Benjamin Waltz).
Lauren and Nick also co-host a monthly podcast for The Act of Storytelling (theactofstorytelling.com.au), which challenges the human experience by speaking to people who impact the world through art.
Andrea McCannon (Actor – Celia Quill) – co-creator and actor for feature film The Rip, currently in production.
Interview: October 2017
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
_______________________________________________________________________________
In Life Today
Scientists say that change is inevitable; but Erin doesn't have time to wait. Today is the day she is going to change the world.
Length: 8 mins
Director: Lauren Bailey
Producer: Lauren Bailey and Nichole Walkling
Writer: Lauren Bailey
About the writer, director and producer:
Lauren Bailey
Lauren is an actor, writer, filmmaker, and co-founder/host of The Act of Storytelling podcast. Her work focusses on challenging the human experience and impacting the world through art.
Nichole Walkling
After a decade working in television and film production, including journeying to Nepal with BAFTA Nominated film Sherpa, Nichole’s focus is shifting to producing and developing her own slate of projects.
Key cast:
Lauren Bailey - www.imdb.com/name/nm3450550/
Nicholas Cain - www.imdb.com/name/nm3207132/
Andrea McCannon - www.imdb.com/name/nm3128579/
Looking for: Co-Producers, Executive Producer, Journalists, Investors
Social media handles: #InLifeToday #InLifeTodayFilm
Facebook: @InLifeToday www.facebook.com/InLifeToday/
Twitter: @InLifeTodayFilm
Instagram: www.instagram.com/actstorytelling/
Funders: Self-funded, Pozible
Made in association with: The Act of Storytelling