Michael Sarrow gives the inside scoop on making Living Room Coffin

Michael Sarrow, a first time director on his first feature film, Living Room Coffin, tell us a story about Iris, a lonely 9-1-1 operator, who receives an empty coffin in the mail and in turn goes on a search mission to find out who the sender is. This dark comedy, presents the suspects as the owner of a haunted house, a funeral parlor worker, and even Iris’ on-and-off boyfriend, Seth. Michael Sarrow is a writer and director who currently resides in Los Angeles.

indieactivity: Give a background of your personal experience with the story, writing, production and marketing of Living Room Coffin?
Michael: I originally wrote the script for Living Room Coffin over five years ago. I wanted to tell a story about a young woman who explores her own mortality. We’re the only animals (that we know of) that are aware of mortality, so it’s a fun part of being human that anyone with crippling existential angst can relate to. Because of the topic, I knew the script would need comedy.

Watch, Rent, or Buy Living Room Coffin on Amazon

I tried to mirror the style of the great absurdist playwrights, like Beckett and Ionesco, to mine the humor in the Coffin situation. A shared love for Beckett brought Producer Ian Michaels on board. After that, we got kicked around a couple agencies in Los Angeles before deciding to finally make the movie ourselves on whatever budget could be raised.

The film premiered at the Bahamas Int’l Film Festival, but the biggest push for marketing comes now that the film is available to the world on platforms like Amazon. As a small film, we have to rely on cast, crew, friends, and family to share the film and spread the word through social media.

Leomark Studios, our distributor, is helping to market the film, and reaching out to publications like yours is a critical part of the success for an under-the-radar, unique film like ours. I’m very grateful.

indieactivity: Did you start writing with a cast (You or any) in mind?
Michael: I don’t generally write with a cast in mind. I did hope that the absurdist humor and the stylized dialogue in the script would interest talented people to come aboard our small indie.

Specifically, the character of Iris is in every scene in the film, so that’s a fun challenge for any actor. I’m thrilled with the funny, touching, and complex performance that Jennifer Prediger created from the character on the page.

indieactivity: How was Living Room Coffin financed?
Michael: We created a detailed business plan with comparable films, ROI projections, and, most importantly, a statement of what the film meant to me personally.

We then sent the plan out to personal connections, people interested in becoming involved in indie film, and people willing to invest in the vision of the film. You just have to be honest that indie film is always a risky proposition.

indieactivity: How long did you take to complete the script? (Do you have a process?)
Michael: From the original concept of the script to the final note, I would guess the script took 4 years. I use a lot of notecards and try to plot out the film before I sit down at the computer.

indieactivity: When did you form your production company – and what was the original motivation for its formation?
Michael: I co-produced Living Room Coffin with Ian Michaels and Sarah Smick. I don’t have a formal production company, and my primary interest is in writing and directing.

Producing is a very difficult job on its own, and the film couldn’t have been made without the work of Ian and Sarah.

indieactivity: What was the first project out of the gate?
Michael: This is the first feature I have produced, but Ian and Sarah have experience producing several other successful indie films.

indieactivity: During production of Living Room Coffin, what scene (that made the cut) was the hardest to shoot?
Michael: The most difficult scene to shoot was the first scene when the two delivery men sit on the lawn and give Iris the coffin. The previous night, a sewage pipe burst on the location. The entire driveway of the house had to be dug up to repair the pipes.

The pipe disaster limited where we could point the camera, and it also created a hazard with all the mud. While the people working on the pipe kindly stopped the jackhammer during shooting, they were still working in between takes.

On top of that, we had originally planned for the coffin to be delivered in a wooden crate. Unfortunately, the crate kept falling apart, and we had to wrap the coffin in green bubble wrap instead. The green worked out nicely for the opening shot though.

indieactivity: What works better in this latest production that mightn’t have worked in the last one you did?
Michael: My previous production was a short film called THIS IS LIPSTICK! It’s difficult to compare the two, but that film prepared me to tackle a full-length feature film.

indieactivity: You produced and directed the film, what measure of input did it take to don these hats?
Michael: The film was written with the idea that I would direct it. From the beginning, I had to keep in mind that I might not raise a lot of financing as a first-time feature director. The script was written with the parameters of low-budget filmmaking in mind.

In addition to my co-producers Ian and Sarah, I also had to sign on as a producer to simply get the film made.

indieactivity: Is there anything about the independent filmmaking business you still struggle with?
Michael: Everyone in independent film will tell you that financing is the biggest struggle, and it is. But besides the obvious, I think people underestimate the difficulty of creating a story that can be told within a limited budget.

Your budget affects your locations, how many extras you can have in your restaurant scene, how many days you have to shoot, if you have enough lights to shoot at night, and more. Even the ostensible “indies” that get recognized often have millions of dollars behind them. Writing an original story with these constraints is a challenge.

indieactivity: Where do you think your strengths line as a filmmaker?
Michael: My biggest strengths are probably in the early stages of writing – coming up with an original allegorical concept and then seeing the twists and turns that story could take. I’d like to believe I have a unique perspective on the world.

I’m also always learning. I try to watch the best filmmakers from around the world, so I can learn different ways to use visuals and sound to craft a powerful story.

indieactivity: Let’s talk finance, How did you finance the film?
Michael: We created a detailed business plan with comparable films, ROI projections, and, most importantly, a statement of what the film meant to me personally.

We then sent the plan out to personal connections, people interested in becoming involved in indie film, and people willing to invest in the vision of the film. You just have to be honest that indie film is always a risky proposition.

indieactivity: How much did you go over budget? How did you manage it?
Michael: We went over a little in post. It was manageable, but I also personally contributed to the film.

indieactivity: How important is marketing? Do you think a project can make any dent without it these days?
Michael: Marketing is essential. If you don’t market, even on social media, then nobody will ever hear of the film. For a small independent, it’s great if the cast and crew will share news and updates. Even if you have a niche art film, you still have to find your audience.

indieactivity: Can you tell us about your marketing activities on the project – and how its gone for you?
Michael: We’re really just beginning, which is why I appreciate this interview!

indieactivity: What do you hope audiences get from your film?
Michael: I hope audiences connect with the character of Iris. We’ve talked a lot about marketing, but the movie is all about her and her story. Jennifer seamlessly shifts between humor and pathos. She’s brilliant.

People that love dark comedy will find a lot of enjoyment in the film. I hope that Iris’s journey also sparks some good after-movie discussion. Personally I love films that are original, enjoyable, and can also make you think.

indieactivity: What else have you got in the works?
Michael: I have another script that I would love to get off the ground as an indie. It’s another character-driven piece with a similarly bizarre premise.