With the latest instalment of the Dinnerverse series Midnight Snack now beginning its journey around the festival circuits, I got a chance to ask actress, writer and director Aleksandra Svetlichnaya about what we can expect on the menu from her latest course.
Midnight Snack is the fourth film in the series which has been released ahead of the third film. Why did you decide to release the films out of sequence?
While all the films in the DINNERVERSE are connected, I always intended for the films to be able to be watched in any order or individually. With that in mind, the entire concept of “sequence” becomes irrelevant. We could shoot DINNERMOVIE100 next and it would be just as enjoyable as DINNERMOVIE3 or DINNERMOVIE5.
What can we expect from Midnight Snack?
Expect some of the same things you previously enjoyed in the other films, but also expect to be surprised!
What were your inspirations when writing the film?
To be honest, I don’t think I drew inspirations from anything specific. A camping trip gone wrong is a classic storyline in horror, so I wanted to take that, turn it on its’ head and do a DINNEVERSE version.
The film has a slight change in formula and we are introduced to two new characters. What was the reason for these changes and can we expect to see more of them in the future?
I knew it was a risk to introduce new characters and to make this film different from the others in that sense, but I had always intended to expand the DINNERVERSE. Both Nana and Steven have been mentioned in the previous instalments, which was intentional. While Dylan, Oscar and Hamilton will always be the OTD (Original Team Dinner), you can absolutely expect to see more new faces – the DINNERVERSE is always expanding!
What were some of your favourite moments during filming?
I love my cast and crew, so working with them is always a good time! There’s one particularly funny moment when we were shooting the very last scene on the last day. Most people don’t realize what truly goes into shooting a scene on set and this was definitely one of those “set life/film life” moments. Without spoilers… We were in a very small space and needed to squeeze in two actors, camera, sound and a reader (person reading the lines of characters who are off screen). Long story short, I ended up serving as the reader while hiding in a bathtub, behind a shower curtain, while still in full special effects makeup. I barely had time to pry the special effects contact lenses out of my eyes, so I could actually read the script. Teamwork!
We have come accustom to seeing you utilise your martial arts background with the actions scenes. Why did you decide not to include a fight scene for yourself in Midnight Snack?
Well, there is a fight scene for myself – there just isn’t one for Dylan. I always wanted for each film to have its’ own look and feel, and I don’t want the audience to get too accustomed to a certain formula. With that in mind, I wanted to challenge the characters and, also, the actors.
This is the third film where you have worked with Joshua Kachnycz as Oscar and Ricardo Segarra as Hamilton. Having worked with them on the previous films do you find yourself incorporating more of their own natural personalities when writing the script?
Absolutely! And I was doing that from day one on set! When we shot the original DINNERMOVIE, I had worked with Ricardo Segarra once before and it was my first time working with Joshua Kachnycz, but I could see how great their chemistry was as Hamilton and Oscar. I would have been an idiot not to use that! Sometimes the best thing a director can do is get out of the way and let the actors do their thing.
This is the third film which you have written and directed, and you can see how you have continued to evolve as a director. If given the opportunity are there any other projects which you would like to take on?
Thank you so much! I am definitely focused on the DINNERVERSE at the moment, but if the opportunity presented itself, I would certainly be open to directing other projects. I mean, if Patty Jenkins needed some help with Wonder Woman 2, I wouldn’t want to leave her hanging!
Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on outside of the Dinnerverse?
As an actor, I’m always working on other projects, but I don’t have anything I can share at the moment. I’m still looking forward to more audiences getting to see Death House (2017).
What can we expect in the next course from the Dinnerverse?
Expect more surprises in terms of the “original recipe”! We’ve got some very interesting things in the works in terms of shooting style and also some new faces. I hate to be so cryptic, but that’s all I can give as an appetizer for right now!
If someone is looking to write their own script what advice would you give them?
I hear this question a lot at film festivals and lots of filmmakers talk about books, screenwriting courses and other similar resources that are available to those interested. Which is all valid, but in my opinion, ultimately useless unless the person is truly driven and determined to write. You could read all the books in the world, but if you never sit down and actually write anything, they won’t get you anywhere. So, my advice – just do it! Sit down and write. Anything. Everything. Even start a journal with random ideas to start with. Just start – and the rest will fall into place.
You can keep up to date regarding the Dinner Movie series by following Aleksandra Svetlichnaya and the Dinnerverse on Social Media.
DINNERVERSE Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dinnerverse/
DINNERVERSE Website: https://svetstudios.wixsite.com/dinnerverse
Aleksandra’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AleksandraSvetOfficial/
Aleksandra’s Website: http://aleksandrasvet.wixsite.com/aleksandrasvet
Dinner Movie Short Movie
Dinner Movie 2: Breakfast Movie
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
