ARMED WITH A DILDO, 5min, USA
Directed by Karuna Tanahashi
When Dani’s boyfriend Leslie breaks up with her, a mass shooter starts attacking the motel they were going to have a romantic night at and suddenly the break up becomes the least of her problems.

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Get to know actor/producer Thea Touchton

1. What motivated you to make this film? We made this film for the Collaborative Film Festival where we had two weeks to come up with the film based on a quote that was revealed at the festival launch. Winnie pitched this idea to me at the launch after just meeting and it stuck and even though I knew it was going to be challenge, I couldn't think of anything else and knew we would figure it out and grow as filmmakers in the process.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? We wrote the script that night and lined up some crew and actors. So two hours for the script first draft, then about four hours to line up crew and cast. Another two hours polishing up the jokes and organizing the location. We shot the whole thing in twelve hours on one day, and then it took like three two to five hour days to do the edit. We'd never done gun shots before or too much action so that was our biggest learning curve. So all in, about two days total but spread over a week because the mental health and sanity of filmmakers is important.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!? Outrageously Raunchy.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? Unfortunately, my business partner at the time quit hours before the shoot. He was lined up to direct but with the time rush on this project- I think it all came to a head for him. We had been friends for six years and running a production company in a pandemic and economic recession and strike is stressful. It's not for everyone. His unprofessionalism did really hurt me so I wish I had been at my best mentally for this project which is essential as a producer but I was very hurt by the manner in which he left- I still am. His quitting sparked more quitting as the woman who was originally suppose to edit this project quit last minute as well so I had to go back to my business partner who did to his credit agree to do the right thing and edit it for me to make the date of the competition in time. So, I lost some friends and had to completely restructure my business due to this short. Ironically, this is the most awarded short my company has made so I guess it evened out. I share this story not to shame anyone but to keep it honest about the realities of filmmaking and to share how important it is to have steadfast professional people on your crew that can communicate their issues. It's important to have tenacity, integrity and follow through on a set. Also to point out how important every member of set is, because if one walks away, it has a huge impact on the whole set. I think in this industry you can be made to feel so small sometimes, but I promise you matter.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? I literally, physically cried. I come from a hard background, I have a strong inner critic that never shuts up about how I am not enough or not as talented, so the praise healed more than just the artist in me. For people to recognize the advocacy through comedy really touched my heart. When I was done with this film, I worried I didn't make the advocacy as big as I could have but I feel so grateful and seen that this audience got it. This changed me in a positive way.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films? I've been making films since I was seventeen, not even realizing they were films, but I got serious about it after the pandemic and I took a course called DRAESIS in 2021 that showed me I had the capability to do it and I've been running an LLC production company ever since. Making films is just something I was doing because I am obsessed with media- I love taking pictures, filming videos, so it just got to the point where it was time to try to monetize and get critical acclaim because I enjoyed filmmaking so much I was doing it 24/7. I have enough material for years but I keep creating. My storage is getting so full and I need an assistant to keep up.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Apparently according to my family, Toy Story, as they can quote the whole movie to this day. But my favorite film is Heathers. How very, I know.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career? Having reviews is really important for filmmakers because it builds credibility. So you're doing that right. I like to meet the people who watched my films and have conversations with them because you learn what resonated and what didn't. It's also nice to watch a film on a screen bigger than your phone or your computer, at least for me. Something I do as a filmmaker is when my film is screening, I get out my phone and tape the audiences reactions and keep it for a rainy day. What I wish more festivals would do is help filmmakers with funding (cash prizes count/ free rentals) and distribution.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site? I love FilmFreeway. It's such a dopamine hit when a film gets into a film festival but also a dopamine despair pit when it gets rejected. All things on the internet give that vibe nowadays, but the feeling I get when I do place or even come close makes the rejections worth it. I also love that they do Afterpay now because that makes submitting so much more affordable.

10. What is your favorite meal? Lobster, green beans, and a blended tiki drink.

11. What is next for you? A new film? Working on so many projects, but my first feature, a mental health documentary is screening at an AMC in Boston on World Mental Health Day 10/10. Here's the trailer to that, as well as the link to the screening if you're local or visiting Boston at that time. I'm leaving our fundraising links that will help get the film into more schools and colleges to have these pivotal mental health conversations and provide resources https://youtu.be/Bbn_zP2qaSI
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bake-it-till-you-make-it-documentary-at-legacy-place-tickets-686270211677?aff=oddtdtcreator
https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/mental-health-documentaries

https://www.bonfire.com/recipe-for-crew-neck-sweatshirt/

On top of that I have an animated series about a demonic house cat starting an apocalypse to spend more time with her mom (called Marci and Milo) and an animated lesbian Disney princess inspired musical musical (Jest, my seconded most awarded project) and two shorts, one a romantic Indian Jones action comedy (Are You Mad At Me), and a dramatic romance (It Should Have Been Us). I'm also working on my next mental health documentary about https://www.letterstostrangers.org/. Even during a strike, I'm a busy bee but that's the power of producing