THE INTERVIEW, 4min., UK
Directed by Bethany Taylor-Goh
Theo, a young man thrust into a surreal job interview, grapples with unsettling questions that peel back layers of his conscience. As the interview progresses, Theo confronts the harrowing truth of his past deeds, leading to a chilling revelation that challenges his perception of reality.

http://www.corryraymond.com/
https://www.instagram.com/coraymon/
https://twitter.com/corayfilm

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
Some of my favourite pieces of work are those which create moral ambiguity, and those which leave you thinking. The aim of this short was to do just that, on the backdrop of the bigger questions about the afterlife, the 'criteria' for redemption, and how we measure remorse. I've always been interested in how human behaviour is influenced by these beliefs. I don't think it's ever a bad time to reflect on your actions, but the socio-political backdrop at the time in which we were making the film definitely influenced these themes.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
Four days! We had the incredible experience of creating a series of short films at Collective Acting Studio in London, where the cast, crew, and I all attend. This film is one of four shorts created during a 'Short Film Project' module, led by our producer, Corry Raymond. After being guided through the process of structuring a short film, we were given a couple of hours to develop and then pitch our ideas. I wrote the script that evening, and re-drafted and cast it the following day. We then spent half a day shooting and one day editing!

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Disquieting, Moralistic

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
We worked with no budget, extremely limited time, and location options restricted to our (beautiful) school building. But, the obstacles are always the path. These informed my design of the narrative to unfold predominately in one space - which itself is a single wall, cheated to look like an entire room. Creative constraints always breed resourcefulness too - for our car crash scene, all we needed was some fake blood and glass, lighting, and the audience's imagination (and of course our actors' willingness to lie on the cold, wet streets of London). Knowing how tight our limits were on this film made the final product that much more satisfying.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was shocked to see how many different interpretations there were of the film! It was incredibly satisfying to see that the open and ambiguous elements had the desired effect, and sparked such a range of reactions.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I think I always knew I did - but it wasn't until this year that I gave myself the licence to. Though I've always had stories, music scores, and scenes playing out in my head, it wasn't until this film that I was able to watch something I'd visualised so clearly in my mind materialise in front of me. It's an indescribable experience, and one I'm going to keep chasing.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Probably Interstellar. Every time I even flick through channels and see it playing, that's me glued to the screen for the next 3 hours.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
It would be amazing to have had a written blog version of the audience reviews!

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
Overall it was a positive experience, especially with how overwhelming it can be with the sheer amount of festivals there are to apply to.

10. What is your favorite meal?
If Dim Sum's involved, I'm there!

11. What is next for you? A new film?
I'm currently producing, co-directing, and acting in a TV Pilot, written and executive produced by Corry Raymond. I'm also in an upcoming performance of the play The Suicide (Suhayla El-Bushra) directed by Daniel Bailey, which will be showing at our Studio in July, and am working on a couple of new short film ideas.