Deborah relies on chance to avoid making any choices in her life, but then faces a decision that can’t be left up to fate.

Interview with writer/director Rick Hamilton

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you. I’m very excited to be included as a part of the Woods Hole Film Festival. “Choices” was made during my studies at The New School University. More than just a final project, it is actually a culmination of my time there—I wrote it in one class and then worked on pre-production, filming and post in others.

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

It’s a fun, quirky film that’s entertaining to watch, but also thought-provoking. It also boasted a all-female on set crew, so you'd be supporting the inclusion of women in all aspects of filmmaking.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I believe that it’s our choices in life that make us who we are. Whether “right” or “wrong,” they have led us to the place we are right now. In the film, Deborah has developed a way to avoid taking responsibility for her decisions and therefore isn’t fully living her life. Audiences have made other, more personal, connections with themes in the film and that was always a goal. I feel that many opinions or thoughts it generates say more about the viewer than the film.

D’Vorah Bailey as Deborah in the short film “Choices,” written and directed by Rick Hamilton

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

I had trouble moving from just a concept to a full story when first developing the film. Early treatments just weren’t going anywhere. It wasn’t until I gender-flipped the character that another world of possibilities opened up and the film started to take shape. That was a great lesson for me. We’re taught to write “what we know” but that shouldn’t keep us from focusing on characters different from ourselves.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

We’ve been very fortunate to have a great reception at the film festivals where we’ve screened. Usually at the top of the list is praise for lead actress D’Vorah Bailey. She gives a wonderful performance that allows viewers to connect emotionally to the story. It recently took home its first award, winning Best Writing at the Burien Film Festival.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

The biggest surprise was winning Best Writing as the film has no dialogue. I made sure to thank the jury for appreciating the amount of writing (and rewriting) that goes into a completely visual film!

Different audiences, of course, respond in different ways. I love when viewers connect with the humor in it. Aspects of the film are intentionally open to various interpretations. It's encouraging when a viewer has a unique response I hadn't even thought about!

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

It's fantastic to see a website devoted to celebrating filmmakers, especially for new voices and short films. The sheer number of shorts is growing exponentially each year and so the opportunity for more exposure is always welcome. I'm a huge proponent of diversity in front of and behind the camera. I want to make sure the world I'm putting onscreen reflects the world I live in, which includes a wide variety of genders, races, ages and abilities. I'm proud to be connected with a group of like-minded filmmakers and look forward to learning from their influences and getting to know, and perhaps work with, some of them.

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

We are always looking for outlets to share the film. We are honored to have almost 20 festival acceptances already and will continue our festival run throughout the year. Certainly, if there are festival directors interested in programming or journalists who would like to talk more about the film, please feel free to reach out! Beyond the festival circuit, there is not a final distribution or sales plan in place yet and would welcome those inquiries as well.

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

My favorite response is when people tell me days later, "I can't stop thinking about your film." The deeper layers in it are subtle and not immediately obvious. It's enjoyable to watch, but invites personal reflection.

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

This certainly makes more sense after seeing the film, but “What was written on the last two slips?”

Would you like to add anything else?

The score for the film was composed by Craig Klonowski. Music is vital to all films, but with a silent piece it's critical. In "Choices," it's almost a surrogate for the dialogue, with different instruments representing various stages of Deborah's process and variations on the musical themes indicating her mindset. There are several times the music seems to have to wait for the her before it can continue, making it an active participant in the story. It’s a complex score for a nine-minute short and I feel lucky to have had that wonderful collaboration.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I am currently editing my next short, "Seeing Glory," which will be making the festival circuit next year. It's a domestic drama about wine, dementia and Virginia Woolf. It will again be scored by Craig Klonowski. My early shorts are now available on Vimeo and YouTube and the psychological thriller, "The Fear Inside" is available for streaming on Amazon. D'Vorah Bailey, in addition to being an actress, is an incredible singer and continues to perform her cabaret act, so be on the lookout for that.

Interview: August 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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Choices

Deborah relies on chance to avoid making any choices in her life, but then faces a decision that can’t be left up to fate.

Length: 8:48

Director: Rick Hamilton

Producer: Hanna Zakouri & Rick Hamilton

Writer: Rick Hamilton

About the writer, director and producer:

Rick Hamilton's short films, including "Matchgirl" and "The Fear Inside." have played at festivals around the world. He directed the Off-Broadway show "Fabulous! The Queen of New Musical Comedies" and the Off-Off Broadway shows "Geeks! The Musical" and "Sophia." He has aided in developing shows and directed staged readings of "Candy Hearts," "Sarah was Mine" and "A Retail Carol."

Key cast: D'Vorah Bailey

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

Social media handles:

Twitter: @HamiltonRick

Instagram: @theRickHamilton

Made in association with: The New School

Where can I see it in the next month? Kew Gardens Film Festival, Chain NYC Film Festival, Jersey Shore Film Festival, Norman Film Festival