Amazon 2020 – The Helping Hand
From the Academy Award-winning team behind Curfew, The Helping Hand explores the ties between technology and a growing family. With a new baby at home, young parents adopt a hi-tech monitoring system. Will it be an answer to their woes or have they invited a monster into their home?
Interview with Writer/Director Brenden Hubbard
Watch The Helping Hand here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to make this film to show the darker side of technology. It's meant to leave the viewer thinking and considering how technology can and will change children's habits. Which can not always be a good thing.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
The film was shot in a single day so it's worth viewing just to appreciate what an indie crew can accomplish in a day. Also, its the debut of our 7-year-old star Sadie Williams!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
For me, the film came from a personal experience where I was questioning my producer’s baby monitor in a foreign location. As far as the world, I know that with the blending of such devices as Alexa into a home has begun to cause small anomalies and other odd interactions with tech.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
For our project, the script came relatively quickly after the concept. The filming itself was stressful as we shot two films that weekend where both my producer Damon Russell and I switched roles as producer/director. So with that, it was tough to handle the filming although I had additional help from my other producers Darcy Trunzo and Sarah Moyer.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The film has been well received and shown at close to 70 film festivals. The general consensus is that it is a creepy and unsettling idea that is rooted in the near future.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The feedback I received thus far seems to mimic what I set out to accomplish. With most things, I wish I had more time for filming and obviously a little more budget but at the end of the day I made a film in a day and it has received the response I wanted and expected.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I'd like to achieve more of a sense of community. I wanted to connect with more filmmakers thinking the way I do and would be willing to work together.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I'd love a little more help with distribution. I do have the option to piggyback the film off our Academy Award-winning short on Amazon but I think the film could be placed in a more interesting place such as Shutter.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I'd like individuals to take a moment to consider the speed at which we are adopting technology. I don't want paranoia but maybe be a little bit of skepticism on what we are inviting in.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Who would you allow into your home to raise your child?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you for reaching out about my project.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Writing a feature script titled Birthmark, which is a thriller about a young woman who decides to become a surrogate.
Interview: May 2020
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 Helping Hand
From the Academy Award-winning team behind Curfew, The Helping Hand explores the ties between technology and a growing family. With a new baby at home, young parents adopt a hi-tech monitoring system. Will it be an answer to their woes or have they invited a monster into their home?
Length: 10:15
Director: Brenden Hubbard
Producer: Damon Russell
Writer: Brenden Hubbard and Brian Barnes
About the writer, director and producer:
BRENDEN HUBBARD, is an award-winning filmmaker, writer and producer. He has managed productions and festival runs for various films since 2012, including Fuzzy Logic's short film, Curfew and the subsequent feature, Before I Disappear (IFC Films). He has since been involved with over 50 productions including the winner of the 2015 Sundance Jury Award, Oh Lucy!, Cul-De-Sac (2016 Toronto International Film Festival), The Vanishing of Sidney Hall (A24, 2017 Sundance Film Festival) and his directing debut The Helping Hand which screened at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Hubbard studied audio engineering at Temple University and has toured internationally with bands including Stellastarr*, Father John Misty and Dr Dog. Brenden is currently in production on Everything in the End which will be shooting in Iceland in 2019.
DAMON RUSSELL is an award-winning director and producer. Most recently, his short film Cul-De-Sac starring Phoebe Tonkin (The Originals) premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, later winning Damon the award for Outstanding Director at the NBCUniversal Short Film Festival. He also produced the Academy Award-winning short film Curfew.
Key cast: Sadie Williams, Ryan Willard, Jennifer Finely and Chris Lee
Looking for: distributors
Facebook: The Helping Hand
Instagram: @thehelpinghandfilm
Hashtags used: #thehelpinghandfilm #bearlytheremedia #fuzzylogicpictures
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: Fuzzy Logic Pictures and Bering Pictures
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Amazon Prime