Setting Sun Short Film Festival - AutoCarrot
A short comedy film following the story of an irregular support group. A group full of the most traumatised and damaged people of all: Autocorrect victims.
Interview with Writer/Director Robert P. Fantozzi, Conor A. Woods
Main photo: Mauricio Merino Jr and Seon Williams and Rob Stanfield as George, Jessica and Chris respectively. 3 traumatised victims of autocorrect.
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Robert Fantozzi: Thank you very much. My friend and co-director/writer, Conor Woods and the team are very excited to have the film play at Setting Sun. As for why we made the film, that is a pretty subjective question. This film was a true team effort and every single person in the team had their reasons for believing in it. Rob Stanfield (co-producer and one of the cast of the film) approached me with the idea after I had directed him in a short comedy film called Dr. Weird. But for me, the main reason why I wanted to make the film was because it sounded like the type of thing that I would want to see. You’re only going to have the passion for a project if you believe in it. And you’ll only believe in it if you put on your film fan hat on and think about what you would watch.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Robert Fantozzi: The audience ultimately goes to the movies to escape and see something that will entertain them. Entertainment comes from cathartic emotions. The most cathartic emotion is laughter. When going to a film festival, there is an overwhelming number of dramatic pieces. It’s important to watch a piece that can leave the audience with a goofy, un-ironic smile on their face. Sure, it may be on the darker side of comedy, but comedy nonetheless. This is why you should watch AutoCarrot. When standing amongst a collection of darker stories, AutoCarrot will be the one that makes you smile.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Conor Woods: handling dark comedy is always touch and go, but our themes, both universal and personal, stem from a desire to be relatable. We want people to let go and experience something that, while at times a little abstract or noir, they can feel at home with. Everyone has experienced the frustration of autocorrect, so we honed in on that to the ultimate extreme while adding a humorous twist.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Robert Fantozzi: The intention for this film’s tone was always to treat it dramatically and juxtapose that with the ridiculousness of the central situation. That contrast would in turn provide the humour when you see how seriously these characters are taking their autocorrect fails. The main way the script changed was in its scale. We wanted to go as melodramatic as possible to highlight the humour. In the end, being more subtle in the melodrama was the key to bringing out the humour.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Robert Fantozzi: So far the feedback has been pretty positive. It’s always a scary thing when you unveil your work to people. You just kind of sit in fear waiting for that first laugh to land. Thankfully those laughs did land. while all aspects of the short have been met positively, a noteworthy highlight is the wonderful cast: Rob Stanfield, John McCollough, Ashleigh Stewart, Seon Williams and Mauricio Merino Jr. Their comedic and dramatic range did a great job making the humour work and who have all been praised for their work.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Robert Fantozzi: I wouldn’t say the feedback has changed my point of view per se. I would say that the feedback just confirmed my point of view. That point of view being that no film is made by one person. The camerawork has been met positively, as has the editing, as has the lighting etc. All of which highlights the great work of Cameron Zayec, Aaron Carroll and Branco Grabovac respectively. Point being that the feedback only confirms the creative strength of the entire team. All of whom put in their A game and all of whom has had their moment in the sun. Conor and I had a particular idea of what we wanted this film to be, but that idea means nothing if it was stuck in our heads. I believe that directing is not a one man show. The positive feedback confirms that for me.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Robert Fantozzi: Filmmaking is not easy. Especially in the independent market. Making a film is one thing, thanking everyone for their work at the wrap party is another, but actually getting the film seen and talked about is the greatest reward you can give to the team. Hopefully this will give people that little push to check the film out and see that there are truly creative people out there that you may not have heard of. And if they like what they see, then hopefully that will inspire those people to check out even more independent shorts. Thus giving that little extra support to so many other creatives working so hard to be heard.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Robert Fantozzi: We would be overjoyed to see the film continue to get recognised on the festival circuit. Having the film seen and if met positively, could surely provide opportunities in the future for myself, Conor and the entire team. Whether that be getting into more festivals, or even attracting attention from bigger studios or names. We are putting our work out there, we did the best job we could with the idea we had and that hopefully is enough to get people to notice us. Just getting the attention of buyers, distributors or even more festivals would be the most humbling and a great privilege. We are already thankful that Setting Sun Film Festival and Warrandyte Film Festival for giving us that chance. Hopefully that continues.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Conor Woods: Impact wise our focus has always been personal connection. we hope people experience a freedom and collective joy when we approach subjects that touch so many lives. That’s where the laughter will come from: seeing our characters struggle so hilariously and over dramatically to a relatable issue such as autocorrect.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Conor Woods: Debate-wise, we have always been driven by combining light and dark. We want to invite an analysis of basic concerns within the context of real suffering. Hence why showing people deal with autocorrect fails in the form of a support group seemed like the perfect juxtaposition.
Would you like to add anything else?
Robert Fantozzi: Overall, I think I’m proud of what we have made. That’s not an easy thing to do. So often when you complete a short film, it’s very hard to feel like it’s worked. I guarantee you that every single creative is their biggest critic. But with this one, I think I can allow myself to be proud of it. And I’ve only got the team to thank for that. Conor Woods for being the best partner in crime I could imagine. Rob Stanfield, John McCollough, Ashleigh Stewart, Seon Williams and Mauricio Merino Jr. for their great and funny performances. director of photography Cameron Zayec, Gaffer Branco Grabovac and camera team Alex Zemtsov and Jackson Tipping for their great work.
Aaron Carroll for being a very patient 1st AD and incredible editor. Ben Bates for his on point costuming. Jess Jenkins, Fab Barone and Bec Zahariadris for their flawless makeup work. Omer Rosinger for his great moody score and Brendan Peterson for his sound recording work. Jessica Li and Cecilia Low for their detailed yet subtle art direction. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few people. The point is, there’s a lot of work that was crammed into 7 minutes of film. The only thing I ask is that they allow themselves to be proud of the work they have done too, as it’s been well deserved.
What are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Robert Fantozzi: Conor and I have made a partnership with Angus Ward from BlackWaterFilms. We just started pre-production on a new project which we are very excited about. We aren’t going to reveal too much at this time, but what we will say is that it’s a web series, once again in the dark comedy realm and if you enjoy AutoCarrot, hopefully that means you’ll enjoy this when it gets rolling. We will be revealing more in the coming months.
Interview: April 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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AutoCarrot
A short comedy film following the story of an irregular support group. A group full of the most traumatised and damaged people of all: Autocorrect victims.
Length: 7 minutes 1 second
Director: Robert P. Fantozzi, Conor A. Woods
Producer: Robert P. Fantozzi, Rob Stanfield, Cameron Zayec, Conor Woods, Aaron Carroll
Writer: Robert P. Fantozzi, Conor A. Woods
About the writer, director and producer:
Director and Writers: Fantozzi and Woods met while studying Media and Communication at RMIT. They have collaborated on many small projects together, as Directors, Writers and Assistant Directors.
Key cast: Rob Stanfield, John McCollough, Ashleigh Stewart, Seon Williams and Mauricio Merino Jr
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Film Festivals, Distributors, Journalists, Sales Agents, Buyers
Social media handles:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoCarrot-1500049860008511/?fref=hovercard
Where can I see it in the next month: Setting Sun Film Festival