In order to get his book published, a hopeless romantic must divulge his true feelings to his muse. The only problem is that he’s never actually spoken to her before.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Rebekah Jackson

Watch For the Girl in the Coffee Shop here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Unsurprisingly, the journey to making this film started in a coffee shop.

I was desperate for a film idea and went to one of those hipster LA café with one person at a table tapping away on their laptop, I figured my inspiration was sure to come there! Turns out creatives head to cafés to procrastinate; almost everyone was sitting on Twitter. Nevertheless, it got me thinking about how we imagine the lives of the strangers we see at the gym, on the train and of course, those we see at our local coffee shop.

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

It's a film that catches you off guard. It'll take you on an unexpected journey and has a lot of heart.

Tequila Rathbone (Mia) and Rory O'Keeffe (Will)

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The film explores our perceptions and expectations of others, while also challenging our perceptions and expectations of what a rom-com is.

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

The first person I called when I got back to my Airbnb from that hipster cafe was the film's Producer Elaine Beckett, I really trust her opinion and generally, if she doesn't like an idea, it isn't worth writing. Luckily, she loved it, so I wrote the first draft. Elaine and executive producer Jomon Thomas provide feedback on every draft of the script and quite honestly, they are worth their weight in gold, and the script was better because of them.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The most common feedback I get is that it's very different from what they expect.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

"I have a friend just like that" is probably the most common, closely followed by requests for a sequel. It's wonderful to hear that people were so invested in the characters and their story that they want more of it. I don't know if I'll ever make a sequel but it definitely got me thinking about where Will and Mia's story would go next.

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

Films are made for their audiences, being visible here may lead to more people engaging with this little story, and that's all I could ever hope for.

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

Open to anyone coming on board who connects with the film and wants to share the word.

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

I'd love people to see a little bit of themselves in the characters and really be surprised with where the film leads.

Rebekah Jackson (Director) and Ethan Thomas (1st Assistant Director) on set

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

When convincing a friend to approach a stranger who has caught their eye; this film should be used as encouragement or a warning.

Would you like to add anything else?

Very proud that the cast and crew has a 50-50 gender; with women working in every department.

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

Currently writing a feature film about para-swimmer Ella Jones, and developing a feature film explore similar themes to For the Girl in the Coffee Shop.

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

For the Girl in the Coffee Shop

In order to get his book published, a hopeless romantic must divulge his true feelings to his muse. The only problem is that he’s never actually spoken to her before.

Length: 9:01

Director: Rebekah Jackson

Producer: Rebekah Jackson, Elaine Beckett

Writer: Rebekah Jackson

About the writer, director and producer:

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, REBEKAH JACKSON originally studied acting and has no formal filmmaking education. Instead, she spent two years working as a teaching assistant at a film school, before interning with the Steve Jaggi Company, to learn more about producing. After her time with SJC, she was offered the position of Studio Coordinator, at Trackdown Studios, where she assisted the music teams for Peter Rabbit, The Lego Ninjago Movie, Nekrotronic and Ladies in Black. For the Girl in the Coffee Shop marks Rebekah’s directorial debut.

Key cast: Rory O'Keeffe (Will), Tequila Rathbone (Mia)

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

Facebook: For the Girl in the Coffee Shop

Instagram: @forthegirlinthecoffeeshop

Hashtags used: #forthegirlinthecoffeeshop

Website: www.forthegirlinthecoffeeshop.com