Flickerfest 2019 – The Craft
A Hollywood acting guru challenges a young actress to confront her demons in order to maximize her potential.
Interview with Writer/Director Armand de Saint-Salvy
Watch The Craft on Film Shortage
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to give audiences an insight into the powerful and dangerous emotional techniques actors use to create a performance. It becomes contentious when an acting mentor begins to delve into an actor’s soul in order to bring out a performance. I have witnessed confronting, gut wrenching acting class situations like the one in my film. I wanted to share that with an audience.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
THE CRAFT is a gripping and intense two hander examining the fragile and complex psychology of actors at work. If you enjoy movies like DOUBT, then hopefully you will enjoy THE CRAFT.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I’m interested in the nuances of humanity that, at first, make us appear different. But on deeper inspection, one realizes that we are more similar than how we might appear. Our specific situations might differ, but our fundamental needs as humans are similar across race, gender and culture.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
There were over 20 drafts of the script. Once the script was locked, it didn’t change too much. The actors related deeply to the script and their characters. They brought their own personal experiences to the roles, creating some incredibly engaging real life performances.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
People find the film gripping, and are never sure which way the film is going to swing from moment to moment. They are often stunned and shocked once the credits role. Audiences have also raved about our two leads performances.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
People will always watch a film through their own lens, and will see things in the story, that I perhaps I hadn’t even seen. And this is what makes film making so exciting. Everyone’s experience of the same story is unique. So the feedback hasn’t surprised me, in that I expected people to have divided opinions on the film.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
It’s a platform to tease the film. People get to view the trailer and hear from me, the film maker, and hopefully this gets them excited to see the film. They can follow the film’s progress, and find out where the film can be seen at various festivals by following us on social media (see the links below).
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Right now, we are in the infant stages of the festival circuit. The film will make its premiere at the Academy Award credited short film festival “FLICKERFEST” in Australia, January of 2019. We’d love for the film to have a successful run across the international circuit and for distributors to come knocking.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I want people to think about THE CRAFT days after seeing it. The type of film that you reflect on, and consider the themes. When making the film, one of the extras was watching our two lead performers, and found their performances so realistic, that she started crying. Being involved in the film triggered certain confronting memories in this extra. The next day, she rang me to say “thank you” and that she was going to make changes in her life as a direct result of participating in the film.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How far can a teacher go to inspire their student to confront their demons?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you for inviting THE CRAFT onto wearemovingstories.com!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
The two leads actress are in-demand actresses in Australia and jump from theatre to TV. For me (writer/director), I have two features in development and I direct TV commercials.
Interview: January 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
The Craft
A Hollywood acting guru challenges a young actress to confront her demons in order to maximize her potential.
Length: 11mins
Director: Armand de Saint-Salvy
Producer: Benjamin O’Donnell
Writer: Armand de Saint-Salvy
About the writer, director, and producer:
ARMAND DE SAINT-SALVY directs TV commercials, short films and is in development on two features. www.armandsalvy.com
BENJAMIN O’DONNELL produces TV commercials and has a web series in development.
Key cast: Zoe Terakes (student) Helen Thompson (teacher)
Facebook: The Craft short film
Made in association with: https://13co.io/
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Flickerfest Australia – Jan 19. For more screening information follow us on Facebook.