In order to secure what could be the role of a lifetime, an aspiring actress has to produce a tear.
Director’s Vision for ‘Crying on Command’
Deciding to become an actor initially came from a curiosity for the craft, and along the way the reasons for pursuing it evolved into a deep love and a budding passion for film, theatre and the human condition, and suddenly, an interest in directing naturally emerged. However, during that “starving artist” timeline in my twenties, I experienced heartbreak, rejection, anxiety, panic, love, and depression as a young actor…the usual. But I have learned, over time, that I’m in charge of creating a world where I can feel good about who I am within the work. Nontheless, life has a way of suddenly putting us in a situation where we are forced to question that world.
This film is an exploration of that exact moment. In this story, an actress is put in the position of feeling that she is not good enough, and becomes instantly overwhelmed by desperation and insecurity. It’s in these moments that we are left with the question: Are we enough? Or are we just really good at convincing ourselves that we are?
Through a blend of minimalist sound, white walls, echos, simple, but mysterious framing devices, and a visual literacy that slowly makes you realize the tension in the room, we feel the way our actress is being seen during this audition process. Like a rat in an experiment.
Having a father who is an actor, and a sibling and mother who also have careers in the business, the idea of ‘struggle’ in the industry forever lives on as conversation at the dinner table, and in my head. It’s romantic, confusing, destructive, but always evolving. There are certain sides of it that have been depicted, and I believe this film provides an alternative style and point of view to the subject.
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