A Case Study
Narrative | Dramatic Features
Film Name: For Your Consideration
Genre: Dark Comedy Satire
Date: Around 02/01/2021
Director: Poppy Gordon
Producer: Production Company was Feral and Line Producer was Lysette Urus
Writer: Story by Poppy Gordon and Screenplay by Aldo Arias
Cinematographer: Matthew Schroeder
Production Company: Feral
Budget: Approx. 50K
Financing: Self-financed
Shooting Format: Digital
Screening Format: Digital
World Premiere: Cinequest 2020
Awards: Best Screenplay from South Dakota FF
Website: https://www.fycfilm.com/
The Official Trailer for For Your Consideration written and directed by Poppy Gordon
indieactivity: What is your film about?
Poppy Gordon (PG): For Your Consideration focuses on a group of young women who come together with a mission to make an Oscar-winning film. Determined to party at Sundance, the entitled young women meet up at an LA member’s only club to make a selection-worthy film. In an unholy fusion of wokeness and cluelessness, they build a narrative from atop the high perch of their privilege. And piece-by-piece, they almost, almost, almost give a voice to the voiceless — just without ever having any idea what they’re talking about. But they are perfectly positioned to make it happen.
This short, takes a snapshot of current monetized, performative ‘woke’ pop culture and dares viewers to laugh and cringe at its manufacturing.
For Your Consideration by Poppy Gordon is available on Omeleto and on Vimeo.
Tell us about the festival run, marketing, and sales?
Poppy Gordon (PG): The film had a great festival run even though the film just entered the festival circuit as COVID hit. It played at Cinequest 2020, Rhode Island International, Nashville Film Festival, LA Shorts (Finalist for an Award), Hollyshorts, Odense International Film Festival as well as Arizona Underground Film Festival, Orlando International Film Festival, South Dakota Film Festival (Best Screenplay), Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival, San Diego International, Bushwick Film Festival, Manhattan Film Festival, Chattanooga FF, Boston International, Tallgrass, Red Rock, and Athens International Children’s Festival
Give the full Official Synopsis for your film?
Poppy Gordon (PG): Logline: For Your Consideration is about three entitled young women, who, determined to party at Sundance, meet up at an LA members-only club to make a selection-worthy film. And in an unholy fusion of wokeness and cluelessness, they build a narrative from atop the high perch of their privilege.
There is so much that unheard voices have to contribute to popular culture and, hopefully, Hollywood’s recent empowerment efforts are the start of real change. But why does it feel like we are only being “allowed” a voice? Why does representation feel like “representation?” My film satirically distills the filmmaking process into a single conversation. Over lattes and cappuccinos, the privileged few riff on society’s inequities to decide who gets to be seen and heard.
The film isn’t an easy piece. I tend to describe it as a candy-coated trojan horse of sorts, or a time capsule of the motivations and moral dilemmas at play during our current seismic shift of consciousness. The film does talk about the nepotism of the film industry and other industries, as well as classism. If we want to diversify, we also have to let other voices in, maybe those who have lived the stories being told.
Development & Financing?
Poppy Gordon (PG): I had the idea and pitched it to Aldo who helped turn it into a functioning screenplay that captured the essence of what I had in mind and then some. We edited it together and were lucky enough to workshop it with real actors until it flowed perfectly and was very compact. I saved up for a long time and self-financed this project. I don’t think anyone would have given me their money to make this particular film, so it had to be self-financed to see the light of day.
Festival Preparation & Strategy?
Poppy Gordon (PG): I was very grateful to Cinequest for being the first festival to take the film. When making it, I didn’t know if a single festival would take it on and was pleasantly surprised by all the festivals willing to go out on a limb and invite For Your Consideration into its program. I was thrilled that we got to play at both LA Shorts and Hollyshorts, and I loved that the Danes got the humor via Odense FF as I also love Danish cinema as well…so that was a pleasant surprise.
The Release?
PG: First release at Cinequest 2020
Advice from the Filmmaker?
PG: Some other filmmaker said this…, not me but I always loved it – it may have been Werner Herzog actually – perhaps it was about the making of Fitzcarraldo..he said something to the effect of – If it scares you to make it, then you definitely have to make it…cause only where one puts oneself at risk, can one also discovers something of unique value. Again, I’m not sure if Herzog said it, but whoever said it…I liked it and I internalized its meaning.
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