Vimeo Short of the Week – Rehearsal
A film crew for an upcoming feature film pushes the boundaries of consent during a courtesy rehearsal for its female lead.
Interview with Writer/Director Courtney Hope Thérond
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I worked as First Assistant Director on a film in which the sex scene was handled poorly but in a way that was difficult to pinpoint exactly what made it uncomfortable. In wanting to understand the situation and how I could have approached it differently, I made Rehearsal to explore that grey area of consent.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Rehearsal gives the audience an observational view into what it's like to be the only woman in the room and asks where the patterns that lead to abusive behavior begin.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
An intimate portrait of a woman who feels pressured into pushing past her boundaries, Rehearsal asks the audience to reflect on their own experiences with consent. The film is a personal story on an unfortunately universal feeling.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The script evolved through the rehearsal process, with each actor bringing a unique backstory to the film to enrich their characters. We also discussed the feature film that the characters are rehearsing in the short film.
The major difference from script to final cut was removing a final scene from the finished film to leave the story more open-ended.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
People have shared many personal stories of their own experiences with consent after seeing the film. It's been wonderful to connect with an audience and to know that the film is sparking conversations on how we can make set - and any environment - a safer place.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope that by reaching a wider audience the film will continue to inspire conversations around the grey areas of consent.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Journalists to further spread the message, and producers for future collaborations.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would love for Rehearsal to change the way people approach consent on set. I hope the film can be used as a tool to create empathy.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How could the rehearsal in Rehearsal have gone differently? How should this scenario have been approached?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I'm developing my first feature and releasing a digital series next year. Looking forward to sharing more work with the community! Thank you!
Interview: December 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
Rehearsal
A film crew for an upcoming feature film pushes the boundaries of consent during a courtesy rehearsal for its female lead.
Length: 8:05
Director: Courtney Hope Thérond
Producer: Nicole Crespo, Jessica Mendez Siqueiros
Writer: Courtney Hope Thérond
About the writer, director and producer:
COURTNEY HOPE THEROND is an award-winning director who has screened short films at several major film festivals, including BFI London, New Orleans, Outfest, Nashville and St Louis. Her film The Dress You Have On won multiple awards including two jury prizes. Courtney’s digital series Comedic Timing played international festivals before being acquired by WhoHaHa and the screenplay for her digital series Between Us Girls was a finalist at Austin Film Festival. Courtney is a graduate of NYU, Tisch School of the Arts and was a Cinereach Film Fellow. She directs narrative and branded content in Los Angeles.
Key cast: Jessica Mendez Siqueiros, Clinton Lowe, Alexander Chard, Alex Portenko
Looking for: journalists, film festival directors, producers
Facebook: Rehearsal
Twitter: @CourtneyTherond
Instagram: @courtneytherond
Hashtags used: #rehearsalshortfilm #rehearsal
Website: courtneytherond.com
Other: Vimeo
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Short of the Week