A Case Study
Narrative | Dramatic Features
Film Name: I Want to Be Like You
Genre: Sci-fi / Thriller
Date: July 2020
Director: Caitlyn Sponheimer
Producer: Caitlyn Sponheimer
Executive Producers: Robert Montcalm and Evren Boisjoli
Writer: Caitlyn Sponheimer
Cinematographer: Roland Cody
Score Composer: Marc Beland
Larocque Production Company: CouKuma Productions
Budget: $4,500.00
Financing: Private funding (executive producers)
Shooting Format: 4K RED (Zeiss Ultra Prime Lenses)
Screening Format: DCP/ProRes, 4K / 16:9
World Premiere: HollyShorts
Awards: None yet
Website: watchdust (“I Want to Be Like You”)
indieactivity: What is your film about?
Caitlyn Sponheimer (CS): “I Want to Be Like You” is a short sci-fi thriller about two women who fall into a cycle of changing their appearance in order to find happiness. The origin of the idea came from the beauty industry’s pervasive marketing and their aim to deteriorate (often women’s) self-confidence, leading to those companies making more money. This idea that we should all strive to look like this one curated image, instead of embracing our own individuality is what I wanted to focus on in the story. This mentality of perfection, I believe, is a dangerous mind game to play with ourselves.
Tell us about the festival run, marketing and sales?
Caitlyn Sponheimer (CS): We just began our festival run with its world premiere at HollyShorts. However, we did get picked up by the sci-fi brand DUST by indie powerhouse Gunpowder & Sky prior to any festivals. We did discuss with DUST if we should continue with our festival run or forego it and release it directly on their site. They were supportive of us wanting to do the run. So we decided to hold off on releasing until after festivals. As for broadcasting, since we are a Canadian film, I am personally applying to the channels/streaming services in Canada, such as CBC Gem and Crave, that take shorts.
We do not have a distributor or PR on board, as we are such a low budget film, so I have been doing all that myself, using all the resources I have to get the film seen. We are really focusing on the two lead actors, Lorna Kidjo and Brittany Drisdelle. With marketing, we took a good amount of time with the trailer and poster and overall look to really create a cohesive package to submit; this is surprisingly way more important than I knew prior, people often judge a book by its cover…we’re human…so spending time with some amazing creatives to get those things right is always good. Sarah Trudelle cut the trailer and was pretty much perfect the first go, and Lou Rigoudy did the poster, which I find so haunting in a great way!
The Official Trailer for “I Want to Be Like You” written and directed by Caitlyn Sponheimer
Our budget was around $4,500.00 for everything other than festival submissions. So as you can imagine, we had many family and friend favours. Talented people lending their time and skills. An incredibly collaborative set, very small crew.
I was lucky to bring my concept to a good friend and collaborator, Robert Montcalm, who was looking to finance high quality, low budget films. Robert and I jived right away on the idea and we got to work! Robert was amazing in giving me all the freedom I needed in terms of creativity and also lending his acting talent as the Surgeon in the film. All this was a pretty ideal situation in the indie world as many know. It was also my first funded film, so I was thrilled. Additionally, my other executive producer and also good friend, Evren Boisjoli, who has been a great supporter of my work even before I began directing, jumped on board with equipment and post services as well as lending help in a myriad of ways from technical stuff to helping move equipment on set too much-needed connections. All this together allowed us to hit the ground running. So our financing was all private, with lots of people jumping on board to support, whether with time, talent, or whatnot….truly indie financing. I feel lucky to have these people in my corner.
Give the full Official Synopsis for your film?
Caitlyn Sponheimer (CS): C-786 (Drisdelle) and C-424 (Kidjo) have each been influenced by the unattainable beauty standards of the twenty-first century. The obsession begins to govern their realities. C-786 looks at C-424 and sees a world of new opportunity. C-424 looks at C-786 and sees joy in her privilege and upbringing. Each woman undergoes a procedure that changes them into a new exterior identity of their choosing…the other woman. In the end, we are left in a cyclical version of changing appearance as the women continue to frequent the clinic. The use of the split-screen replicates the Rorschach Test inkblots through cinematic images created by the talented DP, Cody Roland Larocque. The split-screen allows constant comparison of the women side-by-side, further exploring society’s obsession with appearance and the harm it causes; propagated by the profiting beauty industry.
Development & Financing?
Caitlyn Sponheimer (CS): The idea was pretty simple or at least straightforward, it sort of appeared in my mind one day and I spoke to Brittany (Drisdelle) about it. She loved it, was on board, and I got to writing. Since it was completely original there was no need for options or rights or anything complicated. For this, since there were only two words of dialogue, I made more of an outline that I later transferred into script form for the crew and cast. I made lookbooks and other necessary documents to convey my ideas to others. From there, I took it to Robert and Evren, who both jumped on board each offering support to make the film in different ways, as mentioned above. I began developing the visual language with Cody and started seeking other creatives, mostly from my last production who I loved working with, such as Kayleigh Choiniere (who acted in the film and did wardrobe). The development of the visuals, the production design, costumes, etc really all came together with everyone’s unique talents.
Production?
CS: When we locked our full financing and finished pre-prod, we had a tight two-day shot. One day in Brittany’s family house way out of the city of Montreal, where we shot both the bathroom scenes all in one day. The cast and crew came out the night before and we started early in the morning. Thank you Drisdelle family! This was a very tight schedule, with lots of up and downstairs in the house for the two bathrooms. We’d shoot all the day time stuff for both women in one, then move upstairs, do the same, back downstairs for evening shoots and back upstairs to repeat. This did pose challenges in matching exact shots and the exact timing and sometimes the movement of the characters because of the split-screen we so often use.
We went overtime that day and had to get everyone back to the city along with the equipment. From there, day two started at the doctor’s office in downtown Montreal. This day I felt went really smoothly. We had to fit in Kelly Craig between a theatre show she was doing, change her 10 times in the process. The doctor’s office luckily didn’t require too much prod design so we just kept filming all day, again matching shots and timing for each woman to create the feel we wanted.
Cody and I spoke extensively before on the type of look we wanted, and since we had no lighting this day (and only one the day before) he really used natural light and the lights in the doctor’s office to our advantage. I am super happy with how this turned out and wouldn’t change a thing in terms of lighting. Sometimes restraints breed creativity and problem-solving. This was a fun day, Robert was there to play the Surgeon, Kayleigh to play C-310. As for ADR, we had none as the film is mostly silent.
Editing was done by the amazing Sarah Trudelle and we had advice from the editing veteran Geoff Ashenhurst. I gave Sarah practically no notes and let her do her own cut and we worked from there, she brought amazing new ideas to the film I hadn’t thought of and taught me that letting others interpret work can benefit storytelling. We cut out about three minutes from the first cut to the final, which is a lot for a five-minute film…it’s almost 50%. The composer (Marc Beland) and sound designer (Thibaut Quinchon) really brought that sci-fi creepy feel…couldn’t be happier
Festival Preparation & Strategy?
CS: We prepared for festivals by making sure our package, with our trailer and poster, were strong. Lou Rigoudy really helped with those visuals in designing the title that appears as a reflection. Then we began submitting, focusing on US and Canadian festivals, but also hitting the big ones in Europe and the rest of the world. Once the pandemic hit and festivals were virtual we felt we could submit to more and still turn up virtually. I tried to really look up what other short films festivals had taken in the past and see if we’d fit in. I also personally wrote programmers for festivals when I could make a personal intro.
I was shortlisted for TIFF Filmmakers Lab and Talent Lab and they kindly gave me access to the entire festival this year, so I was able to meet people through TIFF, which was a wonderful experience and allowed me to get the word of the film out/into consideration at certain festivals. Our film did not play at TIFF. HollyShorts was our first festival and really helped put us in touch with the press. This was such an amazing help, as they had connections I wouldn’t have on my own. PR, I have been spearheading where I can because this is the indie world baby.
The Release?
CS: Currently, we are not released, but when we do we will be starting on sci-fi brand DUST, which we are thrilled about! From there, I hope to be on other platforms, however, since we are in the midst of the festival run our release is not completely planned yet.
Advice from the Filmmaker?
CS: I am going to regurgitate advice that Brit Marling said to me once. I was at a screening for her film “Sound of My Voice” years ago. I went and told her that she inspired me to start screenwriting to create roles for myself and other women, but I couldn’t get my films made or didn’t know-how. Her advice was this: “pick a date to start and just do it”…at the time I still thought, but how? Six years later when I actually took that advice – she was right. Find that core group of people who are as excited to create as you are and support your vision and work, then go make it! But also, make sure the script is solid (and I mean SOLID) before you do pick that start date. The script is a blueprint to the house (the film), don’t build a faulty or rushed or replicated house, because when it’s made and then the floorboards break and the ceiling falls in (or its the same as everyone else’s house), you don’t want to be left asking why no one wanted to live in it?
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