Woods Hole Film Festival - The Tinwife
Set in a futuristic 1950’s, a woman is imprisoned in an internment facility for unwanted android housewives.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Travis Neufeld
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to explore the sociopolitical implications of an alternate reality where the 1950s never really ended, but extended far into the distant future. I’ve long been fascinated by all of the technological future-predictions that were made in the 50s via magazines like Astounding Science Fiction and Popular Mechanics. If you go back and look at these predictions as a whole, you can kind of get this sense of a “society that never was” even though it was so detailed and ingeniously imagined by an entire generation of artists, illustrators, and science fiction authors.
When you look any images from this era that detail a certain type of future machine or technology, it’s clear that while the device itself is completely absurd, there is a great sense of optimism imbued within them. I’ve always thought that this “future-world” would be an interesting idea to explore, given that post-war optimism and 1950s culture as a whole would be completely untenable in an era of such great technological advancement.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I think that if you’re interested in unique approaches to science fiction, and want to get lost in the messiness of a very different and slightly absurd vision of the future, you should definitely see this film. As well, I think that most short films (or maybe the best ones) are experiments, and so it’s worthwhile for people to check out shorts in general because they can often give you a whole new perspective on what you’re watching elsewhere. As well, I should say that we’ve gone to unspeakable lengths on crafting this experience, so be sure to see it if you can. I’ve heard good things!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I’d like to leave this door open to interpretation as much as I can, as that’s really the best part of watching a film. What I will say is that issues of existence, or questioning one’s role/place in the universe are important to what I’m trying to accomplish as a filmmaker.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script originally started as an experiment to see what was possible within the limitations of a short film. I really wanted to do something unexpected, and so I wrote it with the intention of never actually making it. I sent it out to a few screenplay competitions to get some feedback and I ended up winning a couple of them. From there, it kind of made sense that the next step would be to see if it could be made.
Mostly though, as it is with any film, the real evolution begins once the keys get involved. We had such an incredibly brilliant and talented creative team working on the film, and once you get into that place of creating and sharing ideas everything changes and starts to become even better than you originally imagined.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Our feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive. I have to admit that at our first screening at Cinequest I had no idea what to expect, but once the film ended we had a very electric Q&A with the audience - it was incredible. I think one of the advantages of the film is that it’s on the longer end of the spectrum (27 minutes), and while this might be a difficult length for festivals to program, it allows for a deeper exploration of ideas and concepts. We’ve found that audiences really connect and engage with the ideas in the film and want to spend time with us discussing them.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It’s been very surprising and fantastic.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I am definitely very grateful for the opportunity to talk about the film! I think it’s great that you’re giving this kind of care and attention to independent films out on the circuit. We definitely need many more platforms like this out there in 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?
Anyone and everyone!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I really want audiences to be drawn into the world of The Tinwife and really engage with what the characters are experiencing and the larger ideas that are at play in the film. It would be amazing if audiences walked away from The Tinwife with a question or even a new observation or thought about our own future and relationship with technology.
Would you like to add anything else?
I’d just like to give a shoutout to our amazingly talented and dedicated cast & crew. The film was created mostly by a small crew of artists and other creative types who didn’t have much experience working in film. It’s nothing short of incredible to see what we were able to accomplish and the level of quality that they all brought to the film.
AS WELL, if you like this film or want to know more, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Interview: July 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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The Tinwife
Set in a futuristic 1950’s, a woman is imprisoned in an internment facility for unwanted android housewives.
Length: 27 Minutes
Director: Travis Neufeld
Producer: Travis Neufeld
Writer: Travis Neufeld
About the writer, director and producer: Travis is a director and screenwriter. He is an advocate for all things strange and unusual. He is a bourbon enthusiast. As a storyteller, Travis works towards finding the truth (or even some small part of it) and bringing audiences to new places through cinema. He makes films to explore the issues of the heart and raise questions about the issues of our time.
Travis’ screenplay for The Tinwife won Best Short Screenplay at both the Cinequest Film & VR Festival and The Manhattan Short film festival. The screenplay also placed within the Top 10 in both the Screencraft Short Screenplay Competition and the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards. Travis’ first short film, The Tinwife, premiered at the Cinequest Film & VR Festival in March 2017 and has gone on to play in Amsterdam (Imagine Film Fest), Cape Cod (Woods Hole Film Fest), and Hollywood (HollyShorts Film Fest).
Key cast: Anna Mazurik, Anna Seibel, Michael Neuert
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Yes
Social media handles:
Facebook: @thetinwife
Twitter: @thetinwife
Instagram: @thetinwife
Website: www.thetinwife.com
Funders: Saskatchewan Arts Board, National Film Board of Canada
Where can I see it in the next month: HollyShorts & FilmQuest!