A struggling couple tries to improve their relationship by joining a self-help group.

Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Editor/Actor Gregory Stees

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I'm from the same small town in Upstate NY where the NXVIM cult was headquartered... and no one I knew had a clue about it. It was a weird feeling to discover this whole spiritual movement, with dark undertones, was happening right under my nose. Now living out in Los Angeles, I've benefited from meditation classes and self-help groups but also understand how easily corruptible these kinds of organizations are. So, I wanted to tell a story about one weird, pivotal, day in the life of a new age cult, as a young couple attends an intro talk to help them with their marriage.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

I'd watch this short if you're looking for a laugh that pokes fun at cults and self-serious organized religion.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Personally, I grew up in the church and have always been interested in the intersection of the public polished religious image versus the private flawed human side that comes out behind closed doors.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

I had the idea to play with a suburban cult story for a while and then outlined the beats of this and brought in my talented performer friends to improvise their dialogue as we shot the short in one long take.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

People seem to appreciate the Disneyland dark ride immersive feel to the story.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

The feedback has been really encouraging!

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I'm looking to share this story with people who enjoy humor that blends comedy with drama and celebrates awkward human moments.

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 more film festival directors to see this story and bring it to their audience if they feel it's a good fit.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I'd like this film to remind us that it's okay to break from the pack if the group no longer serves you.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

I think we all end up blindly following something in our lives and I'd be curious what that something is for everybody.

Would you like to add anything else?

Thanks for the opportunity to share this story with the community!

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I have a narrative comedy podcast called Conference Call that I made with Jeff Ward (Hacks) starring Elizabeth Henstridge (Marvel's Agents of SHIELD), Emma Roberts, Jeff Ward and myself that premiered at Tribeca and will start airing on 08/31. The trailer is out now! It's kind of like The Office for podcasts.

Interview: August 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

Innersekt

A struggling couple tries to improve their relationship by joining a self-help group.

Length: 9:19

Director: Gregory Stees

Producer: Gregory Stees

Writer: Gregory Stees

About the writer, director and producer:

GREGORY STEES is a creator who has worked on a variety of projects, including CollegeHumor's action comedy series Fatal Decision and the musical series Yo! Merman Raps for Snapchat. His commercial branded clients include FOX, Funny or Die, Paypal, FX, Activision, and 7-11. Conference Call, the scripted narrative podcast Stees created with Jeff Ward, premiered at Tribeca.

Key cast: Willy Roberts (Sachem Tuolos), Christine Bullen (Melifani), Gregory Stees (Meridian), Leah Henoch (Katie), Chris Prine (Jeremy)

Looking for: film festival directors, producers, journalists

Twitter: @gregstees

Instagram: @gregstees

Hashtags used: #cinequest #indiefilm #shortfilm #filmmaker #diy #independentfilm #cinema #cult #selfhelp #guru #NXIVM #filmfestival #film #comedy #short #sanjose #INNERSEKT #intersect #oner

Website: gregorystees.com

Other: Vimeo

Funders: Self-funded

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

Cinequest / San Jose - 08/20
Cinequest / San Jose - 08/25