A millennial horror story about student debt, dating apps, and a threesome gone wrong.

Interview with Writer/Director Jaanelle Yee

Watch Sell Your Body on YouTube

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I made SELL YOUR BODY as my thesis project for the Directing program at SVA. I wanted to tell a socially relevant story about being buried in student debt for the rest your life, sexuality in the dating app age, human trafficking where it is least expected - Some of the most common anxieties I've picked up within the last few years from constantly hanging around 20-something year old women.

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

It’s funny and sexy and fucked up. If you’re a millennial who has dabbled in online dating, you’ll laugh for sure because it hits close to home. If you aren’t, you’ll like a modern urban legend about what it’s like out here for queer singles in the digital age.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Dating app culture is one that requires giving trust and intimacy to someone you’ve only texted a few times, sometimes only for an hour before meeting. I hope there is a relatable fear for everyone in the glimpses at a student exploited by the loan industry, predatory behavior that has become the norm in the dating scene, the need to present bi-curiosity as “sexy” to feel comfortable exploring it, and the ever-looming threat that trusting the wrong person on a night out can be the end of you. It all comes together whimsically sharp, because sometimes I need to just laugh at how terrible our culture can be.

Sell Your Body - Anne (Pauline Sherrow) wants to explore her bisexuality together with her boyfriend (Menuhin Hart)

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

The final script and the completed film are extremely close to the initial idea I had. I had a lot of support and guidance from my professors, Alex Dinelaris and Bob Giraldi, so it is largely thanks to them that the script had a very smooth flow into production. My producer, Eva Minemar, also joined the project when the script was in its early stages, so she was there to think ahead and give me helpful feedback. But changes to the story along the way were fairly minor and mostly had to do with trying out different ways to mend plot holes.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

It has been to a handful of festivals already and being there to hear feedback from the audience has been exciting! I feel so relieved when I’m sitting in on a screening and people in the theater are laughing out loud at the jokes, gasping at the twists, cringing at the gore. One of the most frequent compliments I have received is that SELL YOUR BODY doesn’t look or feel like a student film at all.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

The feedback has been a lifesaver because, as the writer, I’ve re-read every line so many times that I have a warped perspective of my own story. I easily forget that my dialogue is funny and my characters are charming because they aren’t new to me, so it was surprising to hear people delighted by the material.

Sell Your Body - Hannah (Nadira Foster-Williams) on a Tinder date with a couple looking for a third

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

I want to promote upcoming screenings of SELL YOUR BODY at the Third Eye Film Festival in NYC (February 16 - 18), Chicago Feminist Film Festival (March 6 - 9), Cinekink NYC (March 14 - 18), and the Phoenix Film Festival (April 5 - 15).

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

I’m looking for film journalists who are interested in writing pieces about SELL YOUR BODY. I am also in the middle of my first ever film festival run, so being connected to festival curators would be a huge help.

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

SELL YOUR BODY opens up interesting conversations on American sexuality, diversity, exploitation of students, and the online dating age we live in. My goal is to see my film sparking conversations on these issues.

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

Do you sympathize with the main character?

Would you like to add anything else?

One of my favorite tidbits on production is that we had an almost entirely female crew. On our three day shoot, we had four men working on set (one of whom was an actor). For me, it was the first time I had worked with so many women. I had been one of only a handful of girls on all my set experiences before SELL YOUR BODY. There were really awesome vibes across the entire weekend of the shoot!

Hannah (Nadira Foster-Williams) at the end of her Tinder nightmare

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

I’m currently writing my first feature script! It’s a dark fantasy about a lonely young woman who accidentally summons a succubus in her small town.

My producer, Eva Minemar, has a film in post-production called Time Can Break Your Heart. You can keep up with it on Seed&Spark: https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/time-can-break-your-heart#updates

Interview: February 2018

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We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTIAQ+, scifi, 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

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SELL YOUR BODY

A millennial horror story about student debt, dating apps, and a threesome gone wrong.

Length: 11 minutes

Director: Jaanelle Yee

Producer: Eva Minemar & Dolores Diaz

Writer: Jaanelle Yee

About the writer, director and producer:

Jaanelle Yee is a filmmaker from Miami, currently in NYC. Her creative style explores themes of feminism in horror, mythology in modern settings, and absurd plays on words.

Eva Minemar and Dolores Diaz are a dynamic New York duo that can do it all. They are experienced producers, actresses, and badasses.

Key cast: Nadira Foster-Williams, Pauline Sherrow, Menuhin Hart

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

Social media handles:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sellyourbodyfilm

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaanelleYee/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaanelleyee/

Other: https://filmfatale.tumblr.com/ / https://www.jaanelle.com/sellyourbody

Funders: Seed&Spark (https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/sellyourbody#updates)

Made in association with: SVA MPS Directing Program

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

Third Eye Film Festival in NYC (February 16 - 18)