VCA Graduate Screenings 2019 - I Am Awake, Always

An A.I. researcher is tasked with investigating the mysterious malfunctioning of QAS - a super-A.I. created to make the decisions that could save humanity from self-destruction.

Interview with Writer/Director Nyssa Mitchell

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I Am Awake, Always was my major film project for the final year of my undergraduate degree at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. Also. I love making films!

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

I'd like to think that the film is both visually compelling and thought-provoking. I wanted to create something that would be a cinematic experience for the audience, but also encourage them to reflect on the world around us, and how we can move forward in the future.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

I care a lot about what the future holds for our world, so this is a story I have wanted to tell for a long time. Growing up in this political and environmental climate, it's easy to find yourself feeling nihilistic about the future so what I really wanted to do was explore the intersection of fear and hope, and how hope - an intrinsically human experience - may ultimately be the one thing we can rely on to get us through uncertain times.

I Am Awake, Always

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

The script went through a huge amount of development over several months. I struggled a lot at first because I had so many things I wanted to say through the film and it took a while to bring it down to one core theme. Thankfully I had the help of VCA Honours Screenwriting student Michael Norris, who was invaluable as an idea bouncing-board and also came with lots of great ideas himself.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I haven't received too much feedback yet, as I'm still waiting to get my grades from the university assessors. But generally, my peers who have had the opportunity to watch it have said they found it really enjoyable, and from what I've heard I think I may have been successful in making it visually powerful and thought-provoking.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

There haven't been many surprises yet, but I suspect some of the assessors may have some things to say that I haven't heard yet

I Am Awake, Always

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

Mostly I would just like a platform to give the film more voice. I think it carries an important, relevant message that relates to a lot of discourse that's happening all over the world at the moment, and I believe that participating in that conversation - whether it is through art, politics, journalism etc - is a responsibility I have as a young adult on this planet.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

I would love the opportunity to network with some journalists or film festival directors.

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

Again, my main goal was to create something thought-provoking that would inspire the audience to ask questions of themselves and our world. If it inspires to make a change in their life, or even spark a conversation with another, then I think I will have accomplished something really wonderful.

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

Can we trust humans to make the right decisions about the future?

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

I'm not too sure about the other crew, but in early 2020 I'll be working on a few proof-of-concept projects, and also a short film written by another VCA alumnus.

I Am Awake, Always poster

Interview: December 2019

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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

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I Am Awake, Always

An A.I. researcher is tasked with investigating the mysterious malfunctioning of QAS - a super-A.I. created to make the decisions that could save humanity from self-destruction.

Length: 12:30

Director: Nyssa Mitchell

Producer: Amy Mai

Writer: Nyssa Mitchell, Michael Norris

About the writer, director and producer:

NYSSA MITCHELL is a freelance cinematographer and director based in Melbourne, Australia. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (BA Film & Television), she has encountered success with a number of her directed works, with her films being screened at festivals such as the London BFI Future Film Festival, Short Cuts Film Festival and UnScene Films.

Key cast: Lin Yin (Eve), Adam Crouch (QAS), Patrick Livesey (Joe)

Looking for: journalists, film festival directors

Facebook: I Am Awake, Always

Funders: Australian Cultural Fund

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? VCA Graduate Screenings, Capitol Theatre, Melbourne. Sunday 15th Dec.

Other Worlds Film Festival 2019 – This Dark Thought

While babysitting her newborn sister, a young astronomer struggles with a dark thought after encountering something eerie in the night sky.

Interview with Writer Nik Theorin, Directors Kris Theorin and Kurtis Theorin and Producer Amy Theorin

Watch This Dark Thought here:

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Many people loved the script and we were looking for a cool project that would be memorable and have an interesting visual style. It was a pretty unique idea with and we were all fans of the psychological horror genre. We also liked the idea of it being unclear whether the events of the film are supernatural or not.

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

Even though it is creepy, there is something cathartic in realizing we are not alone in our dark thoughts, even if we don't ever act on them as much as the girl in this film.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Everyone has ugly impulses and bad thoughts. Our goal was to portray this universal feeling in a unique way that was specific to this character.

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

It was a lot of refining to make the story flow better and finding ways to make the characters' emotions clear to the viewer. For example, the "Hit Her" phrase was originally "Hit her with the telescope" but the logistics of that were iffy.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

Well, we somewhat traumatized our grandmother with the film so... mission accomplished?

This Dark Thought

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Some people dislike the fact that it's ambiguous whether the hole in the sky is causing the character to act the way she is or if it is just her. This was an intentional choice on our part and it's interesting to see the different reactions to it.

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

We want to get our little creepy story out there. The world could use more psychological horror vignettes.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Anyone who could help show our film to more people would be welcome!

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

We want to unnerve people, but at the same time, we want to have people take - for lack of a better word - comfort in the fact that we all have dark impulses and that we don't have to act upon them. It's human nature.

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

Is the sky affecting the girl or the girl affecting the sky?

Would you like to add anything else?

I would like to thank everyone at Something's Awry Productions and Actuality Studios who helped make this film possible. Also would like to thank our live-action reference actress Evangeline Young and Baby Joey (who was a good sport through the whole thing).

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

We are developing/shopping several original/odd animated series so be on the lookout for more from Something's Awry!

This Dark Thought poster

Interview: December 2019

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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

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This Dark Thought

While babysitting her newborn sister, a young astronomer struggles with a dark thought after encountering something eerie in the night sky.

Length: 6:55

Director: Kris and Kurtis Theorin

Producer: Amy Theorin

Writer: Nik Theorin

Looking for: distributors, journalists, film festival directors

Facebook: Something's Awry Productions

Twitter: @omethingsawryp

Instagram: @somethingsawryproductions

Hashtags used: #ThisDarkThought

Website: somethingsawry.com