The story of two young dudes engaging in a conversation about their difference of opinion on how they navigate relationships and dating. It does not go well.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Robert Fantozzi and Writer/Producer Jack McColl

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

ROBERT: Desk Mates has been something of a minor passion project. After completing a project back in 2015, I was having a chat with my good friend and colleague Jack McColl. That chat evolved into a full-on discussion about modern-day relationship politics. The good, the bad and the ugly. We discussed it at such length that it became comical. From there, our goal was clear: why not write a film that captures and critiques this very subject. Thus, the script for Desk Mates was born. The result was a dialogue-heavy comedy script which invoked as much Seinfeld-esque madness we could fit into 15 minutes of film.

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

JACK: It's a bit of fun! The entire idea is really focused around the incredibly inane, pointless and idiotic conversations you have with your friends. It's a pretty relatable topic really, and it's something we had a lot of fun playing around with. Given our own experience of having those sorts of conversations with each other and then eventually looking back on those moments thinking "oh boy".

Mike Loder doing amazing and hilarious work as the neurotic "Bob".

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

ROBERT: As Jack and I were thinking of relatable ideas surrounding a male's understanding of relationship's we obviously started thinking about experiences we have had. Thinking about ways we reacted or things we have done when texting potential dates or maintaining relationships. Even examining people we know in our separate lives and how they handled the same situations. It became clear to us that everyone goes through the same minor stresses when trying to navigate the opposite sex, yet not everyone handles those stresses in the most savoury way. We decided that the key to the films universal appeal would be to take these dating stresses that everyone knows, amplify them by 100% and then have our characters be the kind of people that don't deal with it well. I'd say it worked as the greatest praise we have gotten from the film is groups of men and women saying "Wow, I know guys like that."

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

ROBERT: It was not easy to get people enthused about the script. On the page, it did not seem like a particularly smart sex comedy. Some people said it was offensive. Every time I worked on a project or made a new one of my own, the subject of Desk Mates came up. Every time, there was no interest. I knew that I needed to get people interested, as I knew that the film could be made well and get a good laugh. I worked on a few other projects and spent some time pitching it to friends and colleagues, building up a team of people that saw the humour. Once we got the actors in a room, the humour really leaped off the page and brought the film to life in a way I have not really experience with one of my pieces before.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

JACK: The feedback so far has been really positive. We had someone tell us at a recent festival we showed at that we "had the audience in the palm of our hands". Which is extremely flattering and also the language I thought was generally only used by Mafia bosses.

We're keen to keep showing it as much as possible, both in Australia and overseas, and keep looking to find ways to improve upon our formula for future projects.

Conor Woods, a frequent collaborator of the director, showing fantastic range as the self centred "Joe".

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

ROBERT: This is not the first time I've written or directed comedy, yet this is the first time that the jokes landed in a way that I'd hoped. In previous projects, we'd expect a little laugh but then got a big laugh. Or we'd expect a big laugh and we got a little laugh. It was interesting seeing how the audience engaged with those pieces, and how their engagement worked next to your intentions. Comedy is not easy, so studying the relationship between your intent and the result is paramount. So when it came to Desk Mates, I was expecting more of the same. I was ready with a pad and pen to note down which jokes landed, which ones didn't land and whether that met my intentions. To my surprise, not only did every joke land, but the laughs got bigger and bigger as the film went on. I'd be an egotist if I said I don't need to study how the audience reacts anymore. Of course, I do. There will always be so much you can learn from how your film is perceived. I am just hopeful to see where Desk Mates leads and how it develops the team's skills for future projects.

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

ROBERT: We are moving stories is a wonderful site that allows smaller projects that extra bit of exposure. I know that I certainly have discovered some great pieces by following this page. I would just hope that Desk Mates can be discovered by those who are looking for a fun and funny piece and I hope that it can bring a smile to their face. If they happen to discover the film through wearemovingstories.com, then I would have a smile on my face knowing that Desk Mates is among good company.

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

ROBERT: In the independent film market, it can always be tough to get your film seen. Getting the film into as many festivals as we can is obviously an exciting prospect, so getting in touch with film festival directors would be magical. I would not say no to journalists either as it never hurts anyone to have a bit more word of mouth carry your film. Consequently, if the film is being talked about enough to attract buyers, sales agents or distributors then I and the team at large would be greatly humbled.

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

ROBERT: As shooting commenced, we could already see the response it was getting. I felt a warm fuzzy feeling inside me as I watched the cast and crew try to keep a straight face while the hilarious scenes played out. Only for everyone to burst out laughing every time I yelled ‘Cut’. All the while, my ears were burning. Hearing cast and crew say words like “funny”, “smart” and “relatable”.

Ultimately, that's all I want from this film. I want people to smile. I want people to laugh. A few years ago, a film of mine played at a festival. It was maybe my 3rd or 4th comedy. At the networking drinks after the show, I was asked by a colleague "don't you ever get tired of doing comedy? Do you want to do a film with real emotion?". To that, I said, "Is humour not an emotion?".

If people walk away from Desk Mates feeling little more buzzed and a little more fun-filled then when they came into the theatre, then mission accomplished.

Such a funny and cheeky film can only be possible with the help of a professional and talented crew.

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

JACK: Something we really wanted to get across with this film is how pointless it is debating how other people might be feeling about you, romantically or otherwise. The only way you're going to find out is by being open and honest with people, so maybe there's a question there around the degree to which people do that in their own relationships, and the impact they feel it might have. The film is overwhelmingly focused on masturbation jokes though, so I'd be pleasantly surprised if deeper questions are gleaned from this form of comedy.

Would you like to add anything else?

ROBERT: No that pretty much sums it up.

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

ROBERT: At the moment I am currently working on three projects. Two as a writer and one at a writer/director. Not sure how much I am allowed to talk about these projects just yet as it is still very early days. Needless to say, I am very excited about all three.

Interview: June 2019

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

Desk Mates

The story of two young dudes engaging in a conversation about their difference of opinion on how they navigate relationships and dating. It does not go well.

Length: 14:59

Director: Robert P. Fantozzi

Producer: Robert P. Fantozzi, Jack McColl

Writer: Robert P. Fantozzi, Jack McColl

About the writer, director and producer:

ROBERT P. FANTOZZI was born in Joburg South Africa to an Italian father and an English mother. He has lived in Melbourne since 2003 and enjoys history, music, tennis, reading and of course movies. Robert completed a Bachelor's degree in Media and Communication, and he has been a part of a number of successful projects. Developing his skills as a director, 1st Ad, Producer and writer.

JACK MCCOLL is a writer, producer and content creator currently based in Melbourne. He enjoys fine dining, long walks on the beach, and incorporating cliches into blurbs about himself.

Robert and Jack have been close friends for a few years after meeting through a mutual close friend, Conor Woods. Conor who appeared in the film as the co-leading role "Joe". Despite living on opposite sides of town, these old friends never fail to meet up for a drink, watch a movie or even write one.

Key cast: Mike Loder, Conor Woods, Michaela Celeste

Looking for: sales agents, distributors, journalists, film festival directors, buyers

Facebook: Desk Mates

Other: IMDb

Made in association with: Runabout

Funders: Self-Funded