PRIMETIME FOR MIME CRIME: A CHRISTMAS MOVIE, 5min,. USA
Directed by Christopher Francis
A private detective and crime scene photographer investigate the death of a mime.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
A. The film was originally made for the Hyperfokal Film Challenge, and the film was required to be in black and white and include the line “That’s the last time I listen to you!” So naturally we all thought of film-noir and mimes, and the rest fell into place as we explored genre tropes and committed to being silly.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
A. In total it took about a week to cook everything up and serve it.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
A. Seriously unserious.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
A. Honestly the biggest obstacle was sound. Getting clean sound outside was difficult because we didn’t have wicked powerful microphones, but the solution was pretty easy: Told the actors to talk louder.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
A. It was delightful! It’s nice to hear what’s working and what people enjoy from the art you make, and as an independent filmmaker its sometimes hard to get to festivals and see how an audience reacts to my films. Getting the feedback video is a kind of happy medium in the process, and I’m glad people thought it was funny!

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
A. I remember recreating scenes from The Transformers: The Movie (1986) with my siblings as dinner plays for my family, and from there I always had a kind of interest in films/filmmaking. But I realized I really wanted to make films after watching Interstellar (2014) and going to college for physics; after a semester I realized I just really loved the movie, not so much the science.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
A. It’s a two horse race between No Country for Old Men (2007) and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
A. I’m not really sure? The great addition that most festivals have made is an online component so it’s easier to watch more films/current short films and feel inspired by the great art being made. I suppose if more festivals had that/communicated that aspect more that would be good.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
A. It’s been excellent! There is a level of user-literacy required to use the website to its maximum potential, but in general it’s incredibly helpful for aspiring filmmakers and independent filmmakers to get their work out there.

10. What is your favorite meal?
A. It varies and changes, but of late some form of steak flautas.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
A. Yes, a new film. It’s another seriously-silly type of comedy except we’re foraging out into science-fiction. Ideally it will be done by the end of the year, but the goal is to make something good not something fast.