Lady Filmmakers Festival 2019 – Sold
A gambler in over his head makes a deal he isn't prepared for. When the chips start to fall he's left looking for a way out!
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Editor/Actor Troy Greenwood
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Ainsley Helen, Charles Perry and I all met at the inaugural Covellite International Film Festival four years ago. I had written a script for Charles called “Sudden Developments” (on spec) and so when he ended up bringing his gear to document the festival in 2018 he proposed the idea of shooting something to return the favour. I had been playing around with the concept of a gambler in over his head and looking to his family for support, so I spent time after an after-party one night and knocked out a script. I then reached out to Ainsley, a local in the area to act and help us produce the project in the two days following the festival. It was really just a bunch of filmmakers eager to support each other and make something. That’s just the spirit of that festival and it’s one of the many reasons I continue to go to that festival every year, and why I have taken on a role programming the festival for next year.
https://covellitefilmfest.org/
https://filmfreeway.com/CovelliteInternationalFilmFestival
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Sold is a unique and twisted tale. It starts in a comfortable atmosphere- steady framing, pace, action- but quickly dives into skewed and sinister reality, producing a unique kaleidoscopic roller-coaster of a cinematic treat. Strap in and enjoy the ride.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Well, it’s a little difficult to answer that without giving too much away but the characters are rooted in the very personal realm of family, addiction and betrayal. These are things we can all relate to and so you could call it a “universal story”- BUT on top of that the twist that it takes then transforms that world into another universe in itself.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
The development was incredibly quick. The post was another story entirely. Given we threw it together over several days the script didn’t change much from page to filming. But I can tell you that I don’t think Ainsley and Charles were entirely aware of what I was building. And so the “development” was more the post-production, the addition of visual effects, the style, the pacing, the music that created something that I think really surprised them.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Wow! Cool! Trippy! Mindy Bechtell who played Lucy said she watched a bunch of times in a row. I think that’s definitely something you can do with this. It’s only two and a half minutes so it jumps and turns very quickly, and is very visually engaging and I think you can go through it again and pick out little details and pieces of the editing or framing that enhance the experience and story.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The feedback hasn’t really changed my view. I would say I was pleasantly surprised that people enjoyed it and responded to it. I mean, I sat with it in the edit suite adding elements and chopping things up and it’s easy to get lost in that, both in terms of losing any perspective on if it's working, “is this any good”… but also- we shot it so quickly that there were also moments of “I wish I’d thought of adding this to the script”, or “why didn’t I move that tripod in the background, and should I remove those people having lunch?” (we shot while the restaurant was open). So my response to feedback has been more, “Oh wow, I managed to pull it off!”
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I would just enjoy having more people watch the film. I think it’s pretty cool. But I guess, also in being able to discuss the production aspect of it, I think I would also like to just promote the idea of “just go out and make something.” It’s easy to get caught up trying to get funding and grants to pay for a large project… and you can end up not making anything for a long time. Find people you enjoy collaborating with and just make something, even if it’s short. You can keep building toward that large project… but find a bit of time to experiment or just have fun and remember why you started filmmaking in the first place, every now and again. Plus, you might learn something or make a new friend that makes that larger project a bit more achievable.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I don’t know that I need people to come on board. There isn’t a lot you can do with a short of this length. If anything, my short Faded Image that deals with depression and suicide I would like to people to “come on board” because it has a message that I think can be very helpful to a lot of people.
https://www.facebook.com/fadedimagefilm/
But this short was about a group of filmmakers coming together to support each other and make something for basically nothing. So I guess I would want film festival directors and journalists to be able to spread that message of “find some friends and just make something.” And then do it again… and again. Filmmaking doesn’t need to be about money or competition, it can also be just making stuff together and supporting one another and growing together.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope people enjoy the ride that it is and perhaps marvel at what you can do with no budget and just some friends.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
It’s a film with a twist so I guess, “Can you spot the carefully placed elements and angles I used to try and tell the story?”
Would you like to add anything else?
Let’s grow together.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently developing a thriller web series called Violin Hill, as well as in pre-production on a family short about our inability to share weakness with one another… and writing a feature-length epic Western.
Facebook & Instagram: @greenwoodtroy - www.troygreenwood.com -www.facebook.com/hhsfilms/ - hhsproductions.com
I know Charles has a documentary called Black Cowboys about just that- the history of Black Cowboys.
And Ainsley just posted pictures with her hair dyed blonde for a period piece, but she is also part of a radio show called Copacetic Conversations that, in their words, is “inspired by Mokai Malope’s (a Zulu) quest to understand a fullness of the American experience, and Dark Sevier’s desire to stop calling fellow U.S. citizens derogatory names, Copacetic Conversations explores the feral terrain of a Postpartisan landscape“. They discuss everything from the profound to the political in a post-partisan way. And for some background, there’s actually a documentary called Zulu Summer that chronicles the story of Mokai (a Zulu prince) and the interaction between an African radio station and a Montanan radio station and the journey of cultural exchange that ensued.
Interview: September 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
Sold
A gambler in over his head makes a deal he isn't prepared for. When the chips start to fall he's left looking for a way out!
Length: 2:28
Director: Troy Greenwood
Producer: Troy Greenwood and Ainsley Helen
Writer: Troy Greenwood
About the writer, director and producer:
TROY GREENWOOD's directing and writing credits include the award-winning Faded Image, How to Survive (a Zombie Apocalypse) in Retail, and Diamond Planet 2: Emerald Horizon. His latest short is Sold and he is in pre-production on The Marrow. Troy is also a lead writer on the upcoming web series Violin Hill.
Troy and AINSLEY HELEN have met each year at the Covellite International Film Festival in Butte, MT and collaborated to produce this short film in the days following the 2018 Festival. Troy is based out of Calgary, AB and Ainsley out of Butte, MT.
Key cast: Troy Greenwood (Mark), Ainsley Helen (Morena), Mindy Bechtell (Lucy), Dave Rusk (Jimmy), Davey Ray Brannen (Goon #1), Don Andrews (Goon #2)
Looking for: film festival directors, journalists
Facebook: Troy Greenwood
Twitter: @Troy_Greenwood
Instagram: @greenwoodtroy
Hashtags used: #soldfilm #hhsfilms
Website: www.troygreenwood.com
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: HHS Productions Inc.
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Lady Filmmakers Festival/Los Angeles, CA - September 27th at 6:15pm; Idaho Horror Film Festival/Boise, Idaho - October 17-19th