Writer & Producer Clarissa Jacobson unveils spices from Lunch Ladies

indieactivity: Give a background of your personal experience with the story, writing, production and marketing
Clarissa Jacobson: The idea for Lunch Ladies came when I was having dinner with the lead actress Donna Pieroni. We had been in a play together many years ago. Donna told me that she would always go to auditions and be in competition with the same woman – they liked one another but there was always only one role – there just aren’t that many parts for middle-aged women much less leads. She said “I really wish someone would write a movie about Lunch Ladies then there would be two starring roles.” And that’s how it started.

For the film, I put together the team, had interviews for the director – I did not want to direct the short – too much with producing and writing and working a full time job – and found all the incredible people to support and help me with my dream. I had the best people ever!

Clarissa Jacobson’s comedy ‘Lunch Ladies’ wins 20 awards & Best Editing at Rhode Island Film Festival

When it came to marketing I learned how to submit to film festivals all around the world, make a website, write blogs (200 to date!) went aggressively after reviews for the film by emailing one by one everyone I could find that reviewed short film, started a Twitter, Instagram and Facebook page, started a hairnet club for the Lunch Ladies and on and on. It has been a ton of hard work but the rewards have been incredible and the film is doing terrific.

indieactivity: Did you start writing with a cast (You or any) in mind?
Clarissa Jacobson: I wrote the film for Donna Pieroni – I knew no one could play the part by her and it was influenced by her amazing dramatic acting chops. I knew she was the only one who could do it. Mary Manofsky who played opposite Donna had been in a short that the director, JM Logan had done. He suggested Mary and that was it, they played wonderfully together.

LUNCH LADIES – TRAILER from Ouat Media on Vimeo.

indieactivity: How long did you take to complete the script? (Do you have a writing process?)
Clarissa Jacobson: I wrote the feature film first (it took 18 months) then the short (it took another five months) as a proof of concept to get interest in my feature. I worked both those scripts very hard in my amazing writing class – Twin Bridges Writing Salon – run by Joe Bratcher (who is also a producer on Lunch Ladies as well as the choreographer) and Judy Farrell.

Our process is slow – we work from the beginning, no outlines, bring it in to read in class, pieces at a time, 20 pages here, 20 pages there, get notes, take it home, tear it apart, bring it back, tear it apart, bring it back… until it’s right. It’s hard but wonderful, I have been in this class for 13 years and I’ve always come out with a script I loved and was proud of.

indieactivity: When did you form your production company – and what was the original motivation for its formation?
Clarissa Jacobson: I actually didn’t form a production company – but I produced it and refer to it as A Clarissa Jacobson Production as I created the film.

indieactivity: What was the first project out of the gate?
Clarissa Jacobson: Lunch Ladies!

indieactivity: During production, what scene (that made the cut) was the hardest to shoot?
Clarissa Jacobson: The dance sequence – Joe Bratcher- before becoming a writing teacher and my mentor was a tap dancer on Broadway. In the script there is a very rhythmic scene of kids dumping trays. Joe said that he thought it would be fun to do a dance sequence instead and wanted to get Hip Hop, Ballet and Tap Dancers and do a mosh up. I had no idea what he wanted to do but he’s the most talented person I know and I trusted him implicitly and said do whatever you want!

None us of knew how it would look the day of filming and we only had a few hours to get it right in the location. I had no money in the budget to pay for rehearsals. So the dancers came, Joe worked them for an hour, then the actors who played the students came and it had to be all put together with JM directing. I was hiding out in another room because I was so nervous it wouldn’t look right. And guess what, it was amazing, the production coordinator, Estelle Matranga came rushing in to get me and said you have to see it, it’s so awesome!

The other problem was I had no idea how many actors would show up for the scene and I was terrified we wouldn’t have enough people, but I had cast them all and had been talking to them for months so was hopeful. When it came time to film, not only did we have enough actors to play students, but it all meshed together beautifully.

indieactivity: What works better in this latest production that mightn’t have worked so well in the last one you did?
Clarissa Jacobson: This was my first production.

indieactivity: You produced and directed the film, what measure of input did it take to don these hats?
Clarissa Jacobson: I produced and wrote the film it was the hugest most wonderful experience ever and has been even more exhausting after filming with a year of promoting it – but it has all been so joyful, it’s everything I want to do with my life! I found JM Logan to direct and he did a terrific job.

indieactivity: Is there anything about the independent filmmaking business you still struggle with?
Clarissa Jacobson: I struggle with the fact that you can have an amazing short film that does terrific and often producers with money who want to make the feature want to replace everyone. I understand where they are coming from, because it is easier to get financing for a film with names.

But it’s the worst part of the process – when someone has money to finance the film and wants to replace all your people that made the short a success to begin with. It is always better to get a film made so the choice is very difficult and heartbreaking – because they have the money, you don’t. We all understand how this works in the business but it sucks and I’m hopeful that when the feature for Lunch Ladies gets made I get to keep my people.

indieactivity: Where do you think your strengths line as a filmmaker?
Clarissa Jacobson: I’m a hard worker, I work on being fearless (which you have to be because a lot of the process is scary hahaha), and I surround myself with people who can help me and support me. I’m not afraid to take advice or ask for help. I also have learned my craft as a writer, and the screenplay is your map -without a good screenplay – I believe the film will fail. I also am patient, it takes a long time to make a good film and I prepare – nothing is fly by the seat of your pants. I prepared the shoot with the director for Lunch Ladies for six months straight.

indieactivity: Let’s talk finance, How did you finance the film?
Clarissa Jacobson: I saved my money for a long time. I worked a 9-5 job for years, and I saved every penny and got a bonus from my last job, which helped to put me over the edge. Financing it myself was hard but wonderful because I got to have complete creative control – I got to hire who I wanted, write what I wanted and film what I wanted because it was my money.

indieactivity: How much did you go over budget? How did you manage it?
Clarissa Jacobson: I went over budget a few thousand but it was fine, I was able to pay for it and had the money. Everyone knows you go over always so I kind of knew it was going to happen, I shot for a number but was not surprised when it went over.

indieactivity: How important is marketing? Do you think a project can make any dent without it these days?
Clarissa Jacobson: Marketing is incredibly important. I don’t think any project can make a dent without it. It is not fun to market, but if people don’t know about your project, they won’t see it. There’s a ton of great films out there, and the ones that do well are the ones that market. You need both a good film and a marketing plan. You can do without the marketing but you will never be able to take your film as far as you can without it.

indieactivity: Can you tell us about your marketing activities on the project – and how it’s gone for you?
Clarissa Jacobson: It’s gone great, it’s been hard, but I have all the social media including Pinterest and I am consistent on it everyday. I work at least 5-8 hours a day on the film promoting it.

indieactivity: What do you hope audiences get from your film?
Clarissa Jacobson: Laughter and joy. First and foremost I want people to be entertained and to forget their problems at home for that brief time in the cinema while they’re watching Lunch Ladies.

There is a lot of value in laughter – I think some people get caught up in thinking that films that are “important” have to be about serious issues or be dramatic. I think one of the best things in the world that you can do for an audience is make them laugh or feel good because we all need more of that in the world.

indieactivity: What else have you got in the works?
Clarissa Jacobson: I have a coming of age feature film that was optioned by Norman Stephens and Bev Nero Productions called Stella By Starlight that we hope to film in Tulsa. I also have a gothic horror about Elizabeth Bathory, which was optioned by Venezuelan Director Gisberg Bermudez who did the film The Whistler. Lastly I have a thriller feature I just finished called Burnt Well Rest Stop and a comedy I’m currently working on with Shayna Weber who was a producer on Lunch Ladies.

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