Sherman Oaks Film Festival 2019 – Our Next Caller
A failing legal advice radio program gets a sudden boost in popularity when a mysterious caller offers a violent proposal.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Troy Whitaker
Watch Our Next Caller here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I was given a wonderful opportunity to get to know Eric Roberts when I was a lowly PA on a film set. One day, he talked about how much he respects writers. I mentioned I was an aspiring writer myself, and he said he wanted to read something I wrote. I asked him what kinds of characters he likes most to play, and he said, "I like grey characters. You know, not black, not white, but somewhere right in the middle." I told him I had the perfect script for him. To direct an Oscar-nominated actor at age 23 is the opportunity of a lifetime, and when he expressed interest in making it, I hit the ground running to make this dream a reality.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
What I'd like viewers to gain from this short film is a greater understanding of the reasons why two people in a desperate situation would possibly work with each other to get what they want even if the way they go about it is immoral. I want to provoke viewers and have them walk away asking themselves, "What would I have done?"
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The universal theme in this story is the struggle for power. George, the radio host, has to be on top of the conversation in order to run his world on his terms. But Ben, the foreboding caller, knows he has what George is in need of: attention. They both must toe the line between getting what they want and losing it all, which is a battle a lot of us face in small ways every day.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Initially, the script was a short play that involved only two characters: the host and the caller. When opening up, the necessity for other characters became apparent. I allowed the growing numbers of characters to play, and they added dimensionality to each other, which is hard to do in such a short amount of time. My wonderful producer, Christian Ackerman, and my brilliant editor, Tommy Bernard, both pushed me to focus and tighten the story until the short film converged into one simple idea: power.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Mostly, people are left wanting more to the story. I like to reply, "Buy the feature script version, and you'll find out." Ultimately, time and money are what prevented the story from going any further. Besides, a part of me loves the open-endedness of the story. It seems as if the story ends on a question mark rather than a period, and the audience is left to answer the question.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Feedback almost always surprises and challenges me. But from that comes an exploration into and expansion of my creative process that I always use to mature my voice as a storyteller. The more feedback I get, the more I crave, and every note along the way helps me.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would love to hear back from readers -- anyone who wants to talk about the craft is automatically a friend of mine, and I hope this community-oriented website is a great place to connect with people.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
My goal with this short film is to expand it into a feature-length story, so I would love to build relationships with producers who also want this story to be heard.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
After the initial shocks of the story, I want people to take a moment to think twice about what they just saw. The concept of justice becomes less clear when you're able to empathize with someone who would otherwise be perceived as a villain.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
One thing: double jeopardy. This isn't Ashley Judd running away from Tommy Lee Jones; this is based on a true story. Since my version of this story is grounded in reality, I wanted others to debate whether or not our villain is in the right. Everyone's answer is different, and that excites me.
Would you like to add anything else?
I couldn't have made any of this possible without the support and help of my amazing team. Ferguson Sauvé-Rogan, my DP, is a genius with a camera. Angela Eads is the only costume designer I'll ever want to work with. Drina Durazo is a magnificent artist and production designer whom I look up to every day. My actors were all better than I could hope for. And I'm ever-grateful to Christian and Tommy who brought so much support and experience to the project.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Currently, I'm getting ready to send yet another short film to festivals -- this time it's a rom-com. Whenever I can, I write as much as possible in the hopes of building a writing portfolio to attract those in need of a screenwriter. As soon as I'm able to, I plan on submitting my scripts to as many screenwriting competitions as I can.
Interview: November 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
Our Next Caller
A failing legal advice radio program gets a sudden boost in popularity when a mysterious caller offers a violent proposal.
Length: 11:13
Director: Troy Whitaker
Producer: Troy Whitaker & Christian Ackerman
Writer: Troy Whitaker
About the writer, director and producer:
TROY WHITAKER is a graduate of Cal State, Northridge's CTVA program with a focus on screenwriting. He has written, directed, and produced short plays in theatres around LA since the age of 17. One of them, Our Next Caller, was most recently adapted into a short film starring Eric Roberts.
Key cast: Eric Roberts, Bert Emmett, J. Christopher Sloan, AJ Fleuridas
Looking for: producers
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: Black Vortex Cinema
Funders: Self-funded