Sherman Oaks Film Festival 2019 – The Mo Effect
Artist, Disrupter, Inspiration, Queen of Naughtiness Mo. Mo began her art in her 60s. At 65 she went back to college to study computers, to make her foray into the digital art world. Her artworks are refreshing, heartbreaking, controversial and beautiful. Rife with intuition and synchronicity, the power of her art exists well beyond the canvas (or aluminum), reaching people at just the right time. Follow her journey to her 80th birthday and a possible third art show. You can find more of her art at @ArtByMomoMurphy
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Editor Caroline Simone O'Brien
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Not everyone has a Mo, so I made this documentary to share my Mo! She didn't start her art until she was in her 60s. In her 70s she went back to college to master computers so she could enter the world of digital art! Her first Art Show, in her 70s, was the most successful art show to date at Mystic Journey Bookstore, a Venice institution. During the documentary filming period, as she approached 80, Mo decided to exhibit again but got cold feet. Even the mighty Mo gets scared.
The power of her art extends well off the canvas (and aluminium) - rife with intuition and synchronicity I have witnessed and heard so many stories of her pieces finding people at just the right time, that I wanted to document this. She's a creative powerhouse, being around her causes permanent damage to those beliefs that hold you back. It also increases your joy and naughtiness intake.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If you want to be inspired, watch the film. If you never want to believe you are "too old" again, watch the film. If you want more joy, to believe in synchronicity, and take in some beautiful art and get to know an incredible human being, watch the film. If you want to see a husband still in love with his 80-year-old wife, watch the film. If you want to see how one woman can touch so many lives, stirring creativity and belief in so many, watch the film. If you want to know how to do you 80s - watch the film.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
This is about the journey of following your dreams, how scary it can be, how sometimes we know the next step, sometimes we don't. It's about the seasons of our creativity and the power of the tribe.
It's about not believing you have an expiry date. And it's about how a piece of art we create to get through something we are going through can speak to so many people.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I thought it was going to be a short film, but everyone I interviewed had so many beautiful Mo stories, I don't think any interview was under two hours! And more and more people kept coming out of the woodwork wanting to be interviewed. I still have people asking.
At first, it was going to be about Mo's 80th Birthday Art Show, but then she got scared, you'll have to watch the film to see what happens!
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Our Artist's Way team loved the trailer. We lost one of the Artists interviewed in the film, her loss was such a shock, it's so lovely having footage of her. As Mo is a digital collage artist of deep and soulful work, the trailer starts with an audio collage of the things our inner critics say to keep us stuck. It happens across a dark screen because those voices often make us feel like we are alone in the dark.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It makes me want to interview more people.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I want to share my film as much as possible, because the more Mo in the world, the better. Art makes life bearable, joyful, doable. And Mo inspires art everywhere she goes. We need a more artful, soulful world.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
All of the above!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I'd love it to inspire people to start creating, in a way only they can.
I'd love people to discover its never too late (I remember the first time I thought I was too old I was 24!). For people to believe in themselves. I'd love everyone to have a little Mo in their life because she's magical.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What do you want to be like at 80?
What scares you?
What does your inner critic say that holds you back?
What would a world be like without your contribution?
Do you have creative support?
Would you like to add anything else?
I hope this sends out a ripple of love, belief and creativity!
And I hope it makes Mo feel even half of the joy and love she has spread!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Our music is by Composer, Poet and Writer Kristen Baum who has just completed two YA novels!
Mo continues to create!
Caroline Simone O'Brien just finished a run of A Streetcar Named Desire at The Odyssey. Puppet Life just went to Amazon. Additionally, she has three web-series she is writing, producing and performing in right now
- Culcha Club in collaboration with the Connecting Cultures Mobile Museum, which inspires curiosity about cultures around the world
- #THEGOODPEOPLES each episode contains a Puppet meltdown and a heartwarming story about people doing good in the world!
- AWOLPAL following the adventures of Lady Puppet and her roommate in LA (not for kids)
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
The Mo Effect
Artist, Disrupter, Inspiration, Queen of Naughtiness Mo. Mo began her art in her 60s. At 65 she went back to college to study computers, to make her foray into the digital art world. Her artworks are refreshing, heartbreaking, controversial and beautiful. Rife with intuition and synchronicity, the power of her art exists well beyond the canvas (or aluminum), reaching people at just the right time. Follow her journey to her 80th birthday and a possible third art show. You can find more of her art at @ArtByMomoMurphy
Length: 3:45
Director: Caroline Simone O'Brien
Producer: Caroline Simone O'Brien
Writer: Caroline Simone O'Brien
About the writer, director and producer:
CAROLINE SIMONE O’BRIEN has directed short films, theatre and at Drama Schools in Australia, the UK and the USA. She is an accredited acting coach with the Ivana Chubbuck Studio. Primarily an actor and was last seen in A Streetcar Named Desire at The Odyssey in Los Angeles. Before coming out of the "Acting Closet" Caroline worked as a journalist and a spokesperson for the United Nations. Still an international politics junky, she was published in the European Union's tribute to Timor Leste's independence. Her short film Felt Help won the LA Shorts Film Festival and HIMPFF. Caroline writes, produces and hosts three web series Culcha Club inspiring curiosity for other cultures from around the globe, #TheGoodPeoples every episode has a puppet meltdown and a heartwarming story of people doing good in the world, and AWOLPAL following Lady Puppet and her Human Roommates adventures (not for kids). Caroline produced award-winning shorts Puppet Life and Puppet Life 2: Human Dating now available on Amazon. Caroline writes, produces and hosts three web series Culcha Club inspiring curiosity for other cultures from around the globe, #TheGoodPeoples every episode has a puppet meltdown and a heartwarming story of people doing good in the world, and AWOLPAL following Lady Puppet and her Human Roommates adventures (not for kids).
Key cast: Maureen Murphy or Mo (subject), Rachel Drews(Interviewee/Artists Way Tribe), Casey Day (Interviewee/Artists Way Tribe), Anna Yosin (Interviewee/Artists Way Tribe), Kristen Baum (Interviewee/Collector/Felloiw member of Womens Creative Collective), Joseph DeBeasi (Collector, Artists Way Tribe), Susan Fisher(Collector, Artists Way Tribe), Ofunne Gaia (College Teacher/Artist), Heidi Rhodes (Interviewee/ Artists Way Tribe), Karen Hamilton Gregor(Interviewee/ Artists Way Tribe), Chris Hero (Artist/Teacher), Lainie King(Interviewee/ Artists Way Tribe), Leyla Nevab(Interviewee/ Artists Way Tribe), Leo Benegas (Mo's Husband), Kerry Ann Reid(Interviewee/ Collector/Artists Way Tribe), Dympna Ryan (Interviewee/ Collector), Edward Wilkinson (Interviewee/ Collector), Caroline Simone O'Brien (Interviewer/ Collector), Kristen Baum (music by)
Looking for: sales agents, journalists, producers, buyers, film festival directors, distributors
Facebook: Caroline Simone O'Brien
Twitter: @CarolineActor
Instagram: @carolineactor
Hashtags used: #TheMoEffect #ArtbyMomo #Believe #Age #Inspiration #justdoit #cheerleader #Create #TheArtistsWay #SantaMonicaCollege #ChrisHero #Artist #DigitalArt #Documentary
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: Skithouse Productions
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? TBA