5 Questions with Zephyr Sheedy
The mumblecore sci-fi drama, “When You Were Born,” tracks two young friends through an outlandish discovery. We asked director Zephyr Sheedy how the project began, what the biggest challenge was, and what comes next for her…
1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?
I am involved in many forms of art making but especially love filmmaking because of how accessible films can be. I love how so many people watch movies and appreciate them for being mirrors that highlight parts of our lives or transporting us into new spaces. I recently received my BFA in filmmaking from VCUarts in Richmond, Virginia and am grateful how that program allowed me to approach filmmaking as an art form first before getting into the complexities of the film industry. Currently I am living in Minneapolis, Minnesota in a intentional living community and I love how independent filmmaking especially can be about building community in a way that is generative and empowering to all involved in the process, much like my current living situation. I want to keep making things with people that feels like it is for all of us making it.
2) What’s the backstory here - what was the initial idea and how did it evolve from there?
When You Were Born was initially sparked by the deep friendships I am a part of and observed during my time living in Richmond in my creative community. I was interested in how we define relationships and wanted to explore through a somewhat extreme and unsettling scenario, like finding out your best friend is your daughter. From the first draft I knew I didn't want WYWB to be a time travel movie but instead a movie about relationships that used this science fiction mechanism to explore relationships in a way that would be harder to isolate without that mechanism. I initially imagined the characters in this film being a lot older, then I imagined all of it happening during a road trip. I eventually settled on working with actors close to my own age so I could ensure a deep authenticity in the relationships, because I understand those relationships best.
3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And generally what part of the creative process do you enjoy the best, and the least?
One of the biggest challenges but also one of my favorite parts of the creative process was editing. The scenes of dialogue between Vic and Audrey are almost entirely non-scripted, with some direction on how I wanted conversations to go. There were so many moments that didn't make it into the final cut. It felt like I was collaging and figuring out how the jokes or faces the actors made fit with each other, which I loved. Some of the lines were inspired by goofy little things that have happened in my own life, like my phone asking me who my mom is. Those moments inspired by real life stuff especially got me excited to make the movie because I felt they established some realism and a silly tone.
4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?
A couple weeks ago I watched "La Casa Lobo" (The Wolf House) by Joaquín Cociña. Its this creepy fairy tale animated film that all takes place inside this house and the characters are made with paper mache and paint and you can see them being constructed and deconstructed as they move. The story is about this woman who escapes from a German colony in southern Chile and there are these two pigs with her that she has an interesting relationship with. Also right after I watched movie I went and fell asleep in a park and it was cold but sunny but I was wearing a coat so it was warm and I could hear kids screaming and church bells. That nap sort of let the movie sink in more for me, viewing experiences are important!
5) What’s next for you?
Right now I am working on a script inspired by my experience growing up with Quaker influences and exploring deeper spirituality in spaces that wouldn't traditionally be seen as spiritual. It is definitely going to be a little funny too. I am also looking to get back into making films in a more playful way through experimental filmmaking. Since graduating I have started looking for jobs/internships with film festivals or in small theaters helping with programming. My favorite part of movies is sharing them with others, so it would be so cool to do work with that!
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Website: http://zephyrsheedy.com
Instagram: @zephyrshe