A suicidal young woman being held in isolation in a psych ward wakes up in the middle of the night to find a mysterious stranger in her room. As she struggles to unravel the mystery of the man's identity, she discovers he has a dark secret that inexplicably binds them together.

Interview with Director/Producer Nicole Jones-Dion

Watch Scars here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I first met actor-writer Jeff Locker on the set of my feature, STASIS. I’d seen performances of several of Jeff’s plays and was already a big fan of his writing. When he showed me the script for his short play SCARS, I knew right away that I wanted to turn it into a film. It was dark and brutal and honest and raw… and it resonated with me immediately.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Our goal in making SCARS is to present a different side of mental illness that isn’t often portrayed in the media. I think anyone who suffers from mental illness will see a little of themselves in this film. At the end of the day, we hope we’ve done the subject matter justice, and will help people understand and empathize with people who are struggling on a daily basis.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

SCARS is about the relationship we have with ourselves, which for many of us is the ultimate dysfunctional love story. The first step to healing is to learn to love yourself.

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

The final script is very similar to Jeff’s original play. We trimmed it a bit to keep the runtime down for festivals but I wanted to stay as close to Jeff’s original vision as possible.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The film is still in post but the response to the script has been overwhelmingly positive. On set, we actually had crew members break down in tears. It was a very intense and emotional shoot.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

I think it just reinforced the need for these types of stories, where you can tackle tough subjects in an entertaining and cinematic way.

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

Just to let people know that the film exists and hopefully, they’ll want to check it out.

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

Right now, we’re in post-production with a goal of submitting to festivals in February. So we’d love to talk to more festival directors in order to get the film out there and seen by as many people as possible.

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

If nothing else, more exposure for our two key actors — Jeff Locker and Frances Brennand Roper. They both deliver such a moving, powerhouse performance in this piece, I hope it helps to open more doors for them, and for Jeff as a writer, as well.

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

SCARS presents some hard truths that can be difficult for people to openly discuss. Mental illness isn’t just something that easily goes away. We have to learn how to co-exist with our inner demons. What’s the best way to go about this? I don’t have that answer. But maybe by opening that dialogue, some people can find the help they need.

Would you like to add anything else?
This project was a step outside of our comfort zones — both for Jeff as a writer and for myself as a director. We’re tackling some dark, heady subject matter here. Hopefully, we did it justice.

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

Jeff just got hired to help out on a major studio film that will be shooting in Hong Kong next year. I’m slated to direct a YA feature that hits some similar beats to SCARS on the subject of teen suicide and self-harm.

Interview: December 2018

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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

SCARS

Length: TBD

Who is being interviewed for this article? Nicole Jones-Dion

Director: Nicole Jones-Dion

Producer: Nicole Jones-Dion, Suzi Owen Scott, Flannery Maney

Writer: Jeff Locker

About the writer, director and producer: (25 words each)

JEFF LOCKER (writer) - Acclaimed playwright and graduate of Yale University, Jeff was an award-winning actor and TV host in Taiwan and China for many years before recently returning to Hollywood.

NICOLE JONES-DION (director) - Nicole is an LA-based filmmaker who specializes in genre films. Her feature credits include the YA sci-fi film STASIS, from the executive producer of CLOUD ATLAS.

SUZI OWEN SCOTT (producer) - Suzi has 14+ years producing high profile music festivals, concerts, and corporate speaking events. She also worked with adults and teens as a counselor covering a variety of issues including mental health.

FLANNERY MANEY (producer) - Flannery Maney attended Denison University and The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and got her first industry job in casting at Sony TV on such shows as Breaking Bad and Community.

Key cast: Jeff Locker, Frances Brennand Roper, Gregory Shelby, Aleckx Bohdi

Looking for: film festival directors, journalists

Facebook: SCARS short film

Instagram: @scarsthefilm

Funders: Indiegogo

Made in association with: PraxiScope Productions

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? TBD