For Film's Sake - Hot Mess
Stuck in the angst of wondering who she is and what she is meant to be doing with her life Loz, a 25 year-old aspiring playwright, finally thinks she's found the answer to all her issues. Its name is Dave.
Interview with Writer/Director Lucy Coleman
Watch Hot Mess on Prime Video and iTunes
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I had graduated from film school and really was questioning how the hell you break into the industry. I had been a massive of the Duplass brothers, Joe Swanberg and Lena Dunham fan, and others in that formative mumblecore movement so I decided to give it a stab. It felt like the best choice as to actually get my hands dirty and make a film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I dug deep in writing this film and put some, how should I put it, completely humiliating moments of my life in there! Haha. It explores touchy subject matter of my life from a couple years back and I really wrote it with the intention to connect with others and make them feel less alone. So come watch this film if you've ever drunk too much, ballsed things up with a guy, feel like a royal goose and are in need of a bloody laugh!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
There's some solid themes of mid-twenties existential crisis in there. But I think a lot of us have hit that point in our twenties where we were faced with the reality of growing-the-f***-up and life isn't just fun and games anymore. It's time to get real about your career, and for some who choose something like "Loz" that's really about "chasing your dreams" it's the reality of realising it's actually bloody hard and gruelling and a total shit fight. And then there's boys and the heartbreak and the hope that some one can save you from the mess you're trying to avoid haha.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Once I got the script to pre-production, structurally it didn't change much at all. But in rehearsals I had a lot of fun with the actors in livening up the dialogue and really letting them take ownership of it for themselves. On the day (shoot) I'd allow for space and improv and again for actors to play. I wanted to keep it alive and fresh on ever take. But we (myself and cast) always knew the scene beats we had to hit.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Really positive which has been very cool. A lot of people have related and not just women. I've even found my Dad (60's) and a lot of his friend have been really digging it! Haha. It's been nice to see the humour story engage a wide demographic.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
At this point it's really only been friends and fam and slight extension of that so it's all been pretty nice TBH.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Engaging with people who are passionate about film and stories! It's always so lovely to reach those who are actively interested in film.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We’ve finally reached the stage where we’d love to share Hot Mess with Australian distributors, and chat with sales agents about international opportunities. We’re also on the lookout for more festivals that might be interested in screening the film, with some exciting news coming up on the horizon already.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
In a personal way I wrote it as a very honest portrayal of a women having a bit of a meltdown and clinging on for dear life to ...cough** a man- lol- to make her life bearable. It’s that horrible paradox of trying to be your most gusty feminist self and then taking a massive stumble in becoming a bit of a, well, stage-5 clinger. I wanted to tell a story about making those mistakes and learning from them in figuring what kind of woman you want to be. I want to share that connection with others who have fumbled so they can have that “OMFG, that is the story of my life!” response.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
It being a film about a women losing her mind over a guy. And I get it, as a feminist there's a so much more we can write about then men. But in my real life this story cut me deep and it was from that place that made me want to share this story and make others feel less alone. Men write films about women, women write films about men, so on and so on. Love is a hugely emotional experience so it's good material. -- I sound so defensive already haha! This is the debate I most fear actually. But I think that's because as a feminist I feel like I should be able to over-ride my emotions in this department, and the unfortunate fact is, is that I can't -- Obviously! I just have to accept it makes me feel like an idiot sometimes haha ;)
Would you like to add anything else?
I made this film in my mid-twenties with mostly an entire cast and crew in their mid-twenties. It was a once in a life time experience. A lot of blood sweet and tears, completely hysterical, we were all going through our own coming-of-ages in the process, so many life long relationships were built and I would go back and change a second of it.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We released a web series ON THE FRINGE at the end of 2017. You can find it at onthefringe.tv
And there's a few other things in the pipeline :)
Interview: April 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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HOT MESS
Stuck in the angst of wondering who she is and what she is meant to be doing with her life Loz, a 25 year-old aspiring playwright, finally thinks she's found the answer to all her issues. Its name is Dave.
Length: 77mins
Director: LUCY COLEMAN
Producer: SHEILA JAYADEV, LYN NORFOR, MARTIN THORNE
Writer: LUCY COLEMAN
About the writer, director and producer: Lucy is a writer/ director from Australia. Her work includes short films, online series (ON THE FRINGE) and a debut feature (HOT MESS). Her stories get stuck into the uncomfortable (and filthy) nitty-gritty of the female coming-of-age experiences.
Key cast: SARAH GAUL, MARSHAL CAMPBELL, JULIA ROBERTSON, KENNY MURPHY
Looking for : sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists
Social media handles: @hotmessmovie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hotmessmovie/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotmessmovie/
@hotmessmovie
Made in association with: EMERALD PRODUCTIONS, VANDAL AND LOOSE AS HELL PRODUCTIONS
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? FFS 14/4/2018