A down-on-his-luck man has a job interview with an opportunistic entrepreneur that takes him out of his comfort zone.

Interview with Writer/Producer/Actor Ashley Tabatabai

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I have been involved in the digital marketing world for over 10 years now. In that time I've seen the growing impact of the internet on people's lives, both in a positive sense and otherwise. Along with that, there has been a shift in terms of how people view employment, the "job for life" idea is long gone.

That experience sparked the idea for this film. "The Interview" is an exploration of two worlds colliding. A down on his luck man who still resonates with the notion of having a fixed job with an employer comes face to face with a dynamic entrepreneur who is an opportunist at heart.

On a deeper level, we wanted to explore a core theme around belief, the tagline being "Do you believe in you?". With all the external bombardment that modern day media provides us with, it's easier for people to be distracted from their own self-awareness. The question, which is ambiguous, is to what extent can our intuition be negated due to the prism of external factors and pressures?

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

I feel the film is multi-layered. On the macro level, it's a fun and quirky dark comedy which will make the audience laugh. And for those that wish to relate to it on a deeper level, they will hopefully find some thought-provoking ideas around the role of new media and the type of culture it could be creating.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I eluded to it a little earlier, one of the main themes of the piece is that of belief. More specifically around self-belief, and how we can allow external thoughts, ideas and material things to lead us astray. One of the characters in the piece is very grounded and self-aware, however he's potentially living in a morally grey area with some of his actions. The other has no confidence and rather than face his issues, he is looking to the outside world to fulfil him and make him feel better. That's a narrative we can all relate to. Placed on top of that is the question around the digital/social media world we now live in.

I'm of the opinion that these platforms are powerful and of use when channelled in a balanced way. What we're exploring here is whether that may have gone a little too far. And if so, what is the driving force behind it? It some ways it is similar to Lou Bloom in Nightcrawler. He has a clear, respectable vision and pursues his dream; the question mark is his actions in doing so. Is that a reflection on him, the system or both? The Interview invokes similar strands of that notion.

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

The script and film have always been anchored to this meeting in a diner between two very different people. Our themes and character dynamics were clear from the get go. What we found during the evolution of the piece is that there is potential for a much wider narrative here around both men. In particular the Entrepreneur, whose story could easily be explored in a longer format such as a mini-series.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

It's very early stages so far, but the initial feedback is that people find it a fun and entertaining piece. It is certainly different and has a look unto itself. Everyone feels like they've been on a journey in the 7+ minutes and all seem to enjoy the ending.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Not especially. I was perhaps thinking the film was leaning more towards being dark and thought provoking in a Black Mirror type of way. I felt it had moments of comedy in it, so I may not have seen the "fun" element as people have mentioned. However, I think that's natural given how close I am to the piece, I'm likely seeing it through a very different lens!

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

You guys were really great to us during our festival run on Falsified. This is a very different type of short film, so we're glad to get the chance to have some coverage on your site. The main thing is to build up a little awareness to help us in our festival push.

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

For this project specifically, we'd be keen to have film festival directors and journalists who'd be interested in the film. Beyond that, it's always good to touch base with other producers and buyers, as we have a fair few projects on our slate that are being developed.

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

You know, the main thing is for people to have fun watching it. I'm still curious to see how it will be received, especially on the festival circuit. I'd hope for it to get a good run before we then look to release it online next year.

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

To what extent do we look to other people and/or things to help us feel fulfilled and believe in our own abilities?

Would you like to add anything else?

Just to thank you guys again for covering another one of our films. Anyone who wants to find out more can follow me on my personal Twitter or Instagram.

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

I'm developing a feature length version of my short film "Falsified" which is inspired by Spain's Stolen Babies Scandal. The director, Stefan Fairlamb, is in the late stages of post-production on his debut feature film, which is tentatively scheduled for a festival run from 2019. I then have a proof of concept and 3 other short films on the go right now, all in different stages of development. Some will be festival focused films and the others will be more of an immediate online release.

Interview: August 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

The Interview

A down-on-his-luck man has a job interview with an opportunistic entrepreneur that takes him out of his comfort zone.

Length: 7 Minutes 19 Seconds

Director: Stefan Fairlamb

Producer: Ashley Tabatabai

Writer: Ashley Tabatabai

About the writer, director and producer:

ASHLEY TABATABAI is an award-winning International actor and filmmaker. His first short, "Falsified" premiered at the LA International Short Film Festival in 2017.

STEFAN FAIRLAMB is a British filmmaker. His first feature as director is in post. Stefan started as an editor and has worked on award-wining shorts, features and documentaries.

Key cast: Ashley Tabatabai, Scott Michael Wagstaff

Looking for: Film Festival Directors and Journalists.

Twitter: @AshleyTabatabai

Instagram: @ashleytabatabai

Other: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8324784/?ref_=nm_knf_i3

Made by: Taba Productions

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? We've just begun the festival submission process. So, the earliest we expect public screenings is towards the end of 2018.