Day Jobs
Day Jobs is a half-hour dark comedy TV show about an aspiring LA comedian who secretly falls in love with the mom she nannies for, as she desperately tries to pay rent to her ex-boyfriend-turned-best friend after coming out as gay. Think Feel Good meets Insecure.
Interview with Writer/Actor Stevie Wain
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I've been trying to break into the TV industry for a long time and finally decided to make something to simply prove to myself that I could do it. That I'm not crazy for having this big ambition, and so I gave myself permission to do it. But just to prove to me that it was possible, almost to generate hope for myself in some way.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You should watch this film if you've ever felt stuck in your life or scared of starting over. This is a story about a woman finding her voice and struggling to have boundaries around the things that she wants because deep down she's desperate to be loved but needs to learn how to love herself. She's trying her best and I think that's a feeling most people can relate to.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think there's a universal theme of each character wanting to be loved but not knowing how to make boundaries which in the end harms them. And it's specific to each character. I think deep down we all want to be loved and to feel like we belong somewhere and that's both a very personal journey and yet a very universal experience.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
As a writer/co-director on this project, I was excited to continue rewriting certain scenes up to the filming days. And even on the filming days, we played with certain lines to make it feel more authentic. And then I also edited it, which feels like the true final rewrite of the film and so much of what I thought we needed in dialogue we captured in looks from the actors and so we cut it. It really taught me how fun the writing process is and how being flexible improves the work tremendously. But that's all dialogue stuff. The story beats never changed and that's because those are more of the stakes and goals in the script that allowed it all to work.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We've been received really positively, which has been such a beautiful experience especially because I've poured so much of my own heart and personal story into this TV series. I'm excited to pitch this show and continue to make more episodes once we find the right home for it.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I think it's been overwhelming in a great way where folks who I didn't expect to relate to the main character do and that's honestly been a really cool experience. Again, I think we all have a deep desire to be loved and to find hope and I think that this story is about generating that.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
More visibility to the project is always a thing I'm grateful for! This is an incredibly indie project and we are searching for a wider audience.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We're looking to pitch it to a production company and attach a showrunner as of right now.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I just want it to help people have more empathy for themselves when they come out, or if they love someone who comes out as gay and to see a new healthy way to continue that relationship.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
There's probably a funny awkward conversation about the intimacy shown in the film that involves breastmilk and it's one of my favorite scenes in the movie because it's so honest yet surprising. I think this might start some conversations only because we've depicted more realistically what it would be like to love the body of a woman who is still nursing and people have told me it's their favorite scene in the film.
Would you like to add anything else?
Just grateful to be featured on this site and if you'd like to check out more, my website is www.steviewain.com.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I just workshopped my script, Outcasts, through the 2022 Outfest Screenwriting Lab and that is a half-hour dark comedy about a queer Catholic middle schooler whose sent to conversion therapy where she secretly learns how to be a witch. But it's very grounded and horny and fun... and I've also started another dramedy project. Just continuing to do what I can control: Creating content.
Interview: February 2023
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
Day Jobs
Day Jobs is a half-hour dark comedy TV show about an aspiring LA comedian who secretly falls in love with the mom she nannies for, as she desperately tries to pay rent to her ex-boyfriend-turned-best friend after coming out as gay. Think Feel Good meets Insecure.
Length: 29:35
Director: Stevie Wain and Auri Jackson
Producer: River Branson
Writer: Stevie Wain
About the writer, director and producer:
STEVIE WAIN is a writer/performer/director living in LA who just won the Audience Award for her TV pilot, Day Jobs, at the 29th Austin Film Festival. She also completed the 2022 Outfest Screenwriting Lab as a "Notable Writer" with another original pilot, Outcasts and is looking forward to pitching her TV show and finding the right reps as she builds out her team.
AURI JACKSON is a writer-director and sometimes actress/host who creates stories about the climate crisis and plastic pollution with a comedic approach that leaves you feeling hopeful. She pioneered environmental content at BuzzFeed and carved out a role for herself as the only dedicated sustainability video producer on staff during her seven years there.
Stevie and Auri both met while working at Buzzfeed and continued their friendship by going to open mics in LA together before co-directing Day Jobs.
RIVER BRANSON’s conservative upbringing inspired him to create queer media for trans and queer people like him. After college, he moved to New York where he produced LGBT-focused videos for BuzzFeed News. He’s currently a freelance producer in LA, where you can find him biking on the streets of Frogtown, perfecting the art of fermentation, and completely eating it in his attempts to surf.
Key cast: Stevie Wain (Stevie) Jared Kassebaum (Jason) Becca Buckalew (Scarlett)
Looking for: buyers
Instagram: @dayjobstv
Hashtags used: #dayjobstv
Website: www.steviewain.com/dayjobstv
Other: IMDb
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
DC Independent Film Festival/Washington, DC - March 2023; Florida Film Festival/Orlando, Florida - April 2023