In my latest interview I got an opportunity to catch up with the multifaceted filmmaker Aleksandra Svetlichnaya, who talks about her latest entry in the Dinnerverse series- Dinner Movie 5: Hors d’oeuvre.
Creating a voice in the industry with an all-female crew, whilst using only vintage cameras and 16mm film Dinner Movie 5: Hors d’oeuvre is Aleksandras most experimental film in the series so far.
Q. Dinner Movie 5: Hors d’oeuvre is the latest chapter in the Dinnerverse Series. What can we expect from the film?
This film is very much a part of the DINNERVERSE in the sense that it has the same spirit. There’s horror, action and bits of comedy. There’s also a strong dose of Girl Power, as there always is with the series. It’s the way that all of this is accomplished that’s a surprise with this one.
Q. The film has some underlining messages within the story, what were your inspirations when writing the script?
In short, men taking away women’s voices. And women rising up, coming into their power, finding their voices and standing up for themselves. These are the central themes in this installment, and I feel like they speak very strongly to what’s happening with women’s rights in the world right now.
In this spirit, I also had some fun with the casting. The film’s Monster, which is supposed to be male, is portrayed by a female actress (Victoria Stevens). This is also a little twist on the fact that there is an extensive history in theater of men playing female parts because women were not allowed to act in ancient times.
Q. The film is an all-female cast and crew and therefore the first in the series not to include Ricardo Segarra and Joshua Kachnycz. Why did you decide to make an all-female film?
I love Rick and Josh and all the other awesome guys who have been a part of the DINNERVERSE team! But female representation in the film industry is something that I am very passionate about. Most of the time when I’m on the set of a project as an actor, I am primarily surrounded by men. Typically, there are very, very few female members on a film crew. So, it was important for me to assemble a full team of women to show that there are so many amazing women in the film industry, and productions need to make a conscious effort to bring more women onto their teams. Outside of acting, female representation in the film industry is severely lacking and that needs to change.
Q. The film has a different look and feel to the rest of the series, using vintage cameras and 16mm film it plays it is portrayed as homage to the silent era of film. Why did you decide to take such a unique approach with the execution?
My intention is for every installment of the DINNERVERSE to have its’ own look and feel. Its’ own flavor. I’m always looking for outside-the-box filmmaking ideas and how to challenge myself as a filmmaker. And shooting on film was definitely very outside-the-box and a huge creative challenge!
Q. Using the vintage equipment, it is obviously a different process of filmmaking compared to digital. Did this cause you any issues whilst filming or editing of the film?
Absolutely. For one thing, you have no idea what the footage is going to look like because there’s no way to have playback. You also have no idea if the footage you do get is going to develop, or in other words, come out. A good portion of what we shot ended up either too bright or too dark and therefore totally unusable in editing. But we made it all work!
Q. What were you influences for the look and style of the film?
The silent era of film overall was, of course, the most obvious influence for the look of the film. But when it came to the horror element, I was also very inspired by “Hush” the almost entirely silent episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).
Q. Did you experience any other issues during filming?
This is kind of funny now, but definitely wasn’t funny at the time.. After some of the original film footage didn’t come out, we went back to shoot some pick ups. Well, none of those came out either! So, the editor, Haley Monson, and I had to get extra creative in postproduction. But the film ultimately came together according to my original vision so all’s well that ends well.
Q. As a silent movie the score plays a vital part in the film and Ciara Proznik does a brilliant job with the score. Did you work with Ciara to create the score for the film?
Ciara absolutely killed it with the score. I’ll admit that the first time I watched the full cut of the film with the full score I almost cried. The whole film was scored to picture, meaning we sent Ciara scenes as we finished editing them and she composed the music specifically to go along with each moment of each scene. I did speak to Ciara about what mood and feeling I was going for. I also sent her references of some of my favorite scores for inspiration. But after that, Ciara had the freedom to create as she saw fit. Of course, I would give her notes along the process, but I never micromanage my team. I love seeing creative people doing what they do best.
Q. You are already working on the next installment of the Dinnerverse series. Can you tell us little bit about what we can expect?
The audience can expect to see some familiar elements in this story! Something that is connected directly to another film in the series. All the films have “Easter Eggs” planted throughout, but this one has a very strong and clear connection. That’s all I can say without spoilers – we’ll make an official announcement soon, I promise!
Q. Outside of the Dinnerverse series you have worked again with Death House director Harrison Smith on his latest film The Special. Can you tell me a little bit about what we can expect from the film and your character?
It was great working with Harrison again, I am so thankful that he brought me on board for another project. There’s not much that I can say without spoilers. The Special is definitely a unique horror film, very different from Death House (2017) – which I really like, because I believe that there are many different “types” of horror. My character, Nada, doesn’t have a big part in the film, but it is important. And I had a lot of fun playing her.
Q. What attracted you to the role in the film?
I like Harrison’s determination to have strong female characters in all his films. He was very forthcoming with the details of the role, and the film, and made me feel comfortable with what I was signing on for. Just like there are different kinds of horror, there are different kinds of strong women, and I was interested in playing one I haven’t played before.
Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?
Yes! The next installment in the DINNERVERSE is just about finished filming and will then head off into postproduction. And I am also preparing to direct my first short film outside of the DINNERVERSE!
Q. If someone is looking to write their own script what advice would you give them?
I always say this, but I keep repeating it because it’s so true – just do it. Sit down and write something. Anything. Even if the first draft is terrible, it will still be a win for you because then you’ve already done the hardest part – you’ve started.
You can see my review of Dinner Movie 5: Hors d’oeuvre here
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
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!
