‘Born of Woman’ Horror/Scifi/Fantasy Shorts Touring Block - Skin
Charlie receives an unusually intimate piece of mail. Holly sent it. They aren’t together anymore.
Interview with Writer/Director Jessica Makinson
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! This is my first short film. I was tired of fighting my own idea of perfectionism and I wanted to make something that was mine. I wanted to feel the strength of vision and the ability to execute it. Also, I missed directing. Why did I make THIS film? I had written the script a few months prior and I just knew. I knew I wanted to make something highly personal and unusual. SKIN was the thing I wanted to make most and it’s intimate enough in scale to get done with the resources I had available.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
This short is for the strange. It’s about people trying to connect in an unusual and perhaps a bit unsettling way. It’s not for the squeamish. SKIN will leave you something to wonder.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film uses a highly personal act between two people to explore a universal theme of a timeless connection. I was particularly drawn to the idea of a subtle form of communication without words, one that could demonstrate the strength of bond so specific to two people that on-lookers wouldn’t comprehend. It’s a romantic tale about loneliness. I enjoy a good anomaly.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?
The edit turned out a bit different from the original script that was shot. The final version still plays with time and leaves the audience room to interpret. A friend and collaborator, Michael Blieden, took a pass at and edit and ended up with an ultra concise version that really worked.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The response to the film has been lovely. It tends to appeal to the less traditional film festivals.
It doesn’t follow a traditional narrative structure, which I love, in the same way I enjoy unusual song structure. There’s nothing worse than watching a film for the first time and having your brain anticipate the rhythm and structure before it plays out.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It’s exciting to have made anything that people can react to. SKIN has some kink to it, a thought that hadn’t occurred to me before we got into Fantasia Film Festival. It took getting some write-ups and reviews from outside sources for me to see that it might be best served by a genre platform. It was a surprise to learn I enjoy writing in that arena.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I’m just thrilled to have made something to talk about. If it encourages other women to become filmmakers just by seeing and reading about other women doing it, then I’ll be psyched. We need your voice, women!
Also, SKIN is currently showing in a few U.S. cities with the ‘Born of Woman’ block of shorts curated by Mitch Davis for the 2016 Fantasia Film Festival. ‘Born of Woman’ is an inspired and unique block of all female directed genre shorts dealing with themes of the body. If you have a theatre venue and you’d like to book ‘Born of Woman’ contact mitch@fantasiafestival.com Let’s get this block seen around the world!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I’d like to get it to the eyes of Festival Directors, Journalists and people looking to program shorts or blocks of shorts in theatres.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
The best reaction is when viewers respond to the characters desire to connect but they’re also surprised by it.
I’d love to have someone react by saying, “What else do you have? Let’s make that.”
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
SKIN is nearly a tone poem. It’s hard to decide for people what it evokes for them. It wasn’t designed to create a debate necessarily.
There is a larger conversation to be had about supporting new voices and filmmakers with a different point of view.
Would you like to add anything else?
A big thank you to We Are Moving Stories for the opportunity to discuss the short. I think it’s a killer platform you’ve created to highlight new voices in film and help them connect to others who can get their message out there. You rule!
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’ve made a new short, OBJECTS, produced with collaborator (and editor of SKIN) Michael Blieden, and SKIN producer Douglas Sarine. OBJECTS might be the pilot of a web series and we’re looking into branded content platforms as well. I’m also shopping a half hour comedy. As always looking for funding for more short films. And excited to direct anything I can get my hands on!
Interview: March 2017
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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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SKIN
Charlie receives an unusually intimate piece of mail. Holly sent it. They aren’t together anymore.
Length: 4 mins 35 sec
Director: Jessica Makinson
Producer: Douglas Sarine
Writer: Jessica Makinson
About the writer, director and producer:
Writer/Director: Jessica Makinson lives in Los Angeles and is an Arizona born Actor, Improviser, Writer and Director with a passion for character work and esoteric storytelling.
Producer: Douglas Sarine is an award-winning collaborative filmmaker who believes in new strategies and technology, time-tested filmmaking expertise, and passionate creativity at every turn.
Key cast: Johnny Sneed, Jessica Makinson and Meredith Bishop
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists):
Buyers, Distributors, Film Festival Directors, Journalists
Funders: Self funded
Where can I see it in the next month?
SKIN @ Final Girls Berlin Film Festival (Feb 23rd, 24th)
SKIN in ‘Born of Woman’ block of shorts in Schenectady, NY 6:30p Wednesday, April 19.