Dances with Films Audience Award 2018 - Stellar Hosts
Margaret and Norm Duncan move from outer space to LA to start the vacation rental business they’ve dreamed of having: Stellar Hosts! Have an out-of-body vacation!
Interview with Writer/Producer Katherine LaVictoire
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I created Stellar Hosts because I love science fiction and I love to laugh. I wanted to create characters with none of my petty anxieties, so the genesis of the characters of Margaret and Norm stem from those insecurities. No one on this planet is totally immune to the uncomfortable feeling of not fitting in. The Duncans decidedly do not fit in, but they are impervious to the bad feelings the rest of us so easily associate with those circumstances. They find joy in all of their interactions on Earth, and they have the galactic perspective to laugh in the face of our fears.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Margaret and Norm's story is one of newcomers succeeding at their dreams. Who doesn't love tagging along with that experience? The arc over the course of the first season for these characters shows them finding ways to fit into our world that do not compromise who they are and what they stand for. At the same time, Stellar Hosts just wants to make you smile, laugh, and forget for a few moments that life is hard. We aren't above a good spit-take, as long as it's done with heart!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Early on in the writing process, it was pointed out to me that, like it or not, I was telling an immigrant's tale at a time in the United States when the compassionate telling of such a story could be a source of controversy. I hope that people can see those themes here: they are literally illegal aliens coming to our home to start a business. There is cultural friction. As the audience, we don't always immediately understand their motivations, but I wanted to make sure that at the end of the day I showed that the impact these folks have on the world around them is positive.
They influence their surroundings in a beneficial way, and they relish being a part of it. I have a secret hope that someone whose opinions vary from mine with respect to immigration might watch this, fall in love with the characters without realizing this hidden B story until they are forced to reconcile their very human empathy for these aliens with the literal interpretation of their story.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
In addition to making choices to support the hidden immigrant's tale, we had the advantage of being able to shoot a few episodes before needing to make a decision about what directions to explore for the larger season arc. It became clear that even though the set up for the episodes had endless potential for Margaret and Norm to meet new characters and interact with them through the guise of finding new hosts, checking up on old hosts, interacting with the humans who were involved with their old hosts' lives, a series where the lead characters remain unaffected by their experiences is not compelling.
Norm is much more invested in this venture as a way to visit and vacation on earth, but Margaret has totally fallen in love with this planet and its people. It was fun to explore how this ended up influencing their actions, and it wasn't something I set out to explore when I began work on the season.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I think my favorite soundbite so far was "I think it's kind of giggly and charming...and a little bit creepy." That's our sweet spot! There is a little bit of an uncanny valley flavor about the way that the Duncans interact with our world, but it comes from a place of earnestness. It has also been great to see people respond directly to that sincere enthusiasm. I get it! Cynicism is cool. Even my years in New York didn't break me of the sheer delight I take in getting to watch people be unabashedly enthusiastic about things they love. It's addictive to watch, and as the actor, it's really a joy to portray.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I understand that this type of comedy is not for everyone. I really believe that no comedy out there is! And I'm fine with that. I had a close family friend, a very conservative guy in his mid sixties living in the Midwest, send an email blast with the first episode out to his whole contact list and invite them to give me feedback. What a landslide! It was really well-meaning, though the people on this list were in no way my target demographic. I expected the emails I received that were along the lines of "I don't understand. Is it supposed to be funny?"
What surprised me was how many people from this off-target list wrote me to tell me that they may not have understood what a mockumentary or even a web series was, but they laughed out loud and appreciated what they had seen and wanted to see more. I guess I was surprised that this project turned out to have a wider appeal than I'd anticipated!
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
My production team, Full Boat Films, and all of our associates had a blast putting this series together. A lot of very talented people came together and donated time and talent to create it, and we're really proud of what we were able to accomplish. We're all still just starting out in filmmaking, so for us any platform that can help amplify our voice and help us reach audiences we don't currently have access to is a boon.
I think we've carved out a fun and fruitful little corner that we're excited to continue our exploration of, and the idea that a second season might have a larger audience who already knows that they're hungry for what we're creating is very exciting to us.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We just started our festival submission process, so certainly film festival directors and journalists would be welcome shipmates! Distribution would be a feather in our hat, but we're aware that can be tricky with web series, where the content has already been shared with fans.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope that other people respond to the themes of acceptance and self-discovery in the series. We love these characters and we want to dive deeper for a next season!
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
This is hard to attempt without spoilers! I suppose you could ask if they have a right to be here. They're a force for good in our world, but they're not here through any legal process. One of the other small moments up for debate might be how binding it should be to be able to sign away rights with contracts that are just objectively too long to read: every host that Margaret and Norm take for their business has, as far as they are aware, read and understood a contract of several hundred pages, and chosen to sign away the use of their bodies.
Would you like to add anything else?
Just thank you! We were only able to screen the first three episodes of the series at Dances with Films because of the time restrictions, and we selected the first three. There are eight total episodes, all complete and available to view on Facebook or Youtube, and we hope that people will enjoy digging in!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Full Boat Films, the production company responsible for Stellar Hosts, is currently in pre-production on a music video for Dave Cavalier, with a few other projects in developmental stages.
Interview: June 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
Stellar Hosts
Margaret and Norm Duncan move from outer space to LA to start the vacation rental business they’ve dreamed of having: Stellar Hosts! Have an out-of-body vacation!
Length: 45:53 (full season)
Director: Keith Schneider
Producer: Myko Olivier, Vince Tanzilli, Keith Schneider and Katherine LaVictoire
Writer: Katherine LaVictoire
About the writer, director and producer:
KEITH SCHNEIDER is an Alumnus of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Keith has worn many hats, but his primary goal is the creation of something worthwhile.
With a BFA in Drama from NYU, KATHERINE LAVICTOIRE just wants to tell you a story and she never figured out how to rest on her laurels.
MYKO OLIVIER is a professional actor who is still up and coming, however with Full Boat Films he is looking to create.
VINCE TANZILLI is a cinematographer who is as versatile as he is resourceful. A creative problem solver – able to work within limited boundaries, consistently delivering results.
Key cast: Katherine LaVictoire, Daniel Riordan Wood, Myko Olivier, Mayank Bhatter, Tom Plumley, Rae Olivier
Looking for: Film Festival Directors, Journalists, Distributors
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stellarhosts AND https://www.facebook.com/fullboatfilms
Instagram: @stellarhosts AND @fullboatfilms
Funders: Full Boat Films
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? We just screened at Dances with Films, but the full series is available on Facebook and Youtube!