Film: Oh Two for You

Director: Phoebe Marie Jones

Writers: Phoebe Marie Jones

Actors: Phoebe Marie Jones, Laura Simm, Jake Wardle

In a new Exclusive interview on Blazing Minds ahead of the Southend Film Festival, I got a chance to ask Writer-Director Phoebe Marie Jones a few questions about her film ‘Oh Two for You’, which has been selected to play at the festival.

Oh Two for You will be playing at the Southend Film Festival on Saturday 7th June at 6.30 pm as part of the Mostly Made In Southend 2.

Q. Your film ‘Oh Two for You’ has been selected to play at the Southend Film Festival. Can you tell us what we can expect from the film?

A. It’s a dark comedy. A very short bit of absurd silliness, with a dark twist at the end.

Q. How did the idea for the film come about and What were your inspirations when writing the script?

A. The idea was born from a movement that I became aware of, around 2013 time. A huge corporation was forcing Indian farmers to use their GMO seeds, that bore fruit with no seeds, rendering the farmers reliant on the corporation, rather than farming with nature, as they had done since the beginning of time. The corporation also forced them to use their chemicals which destroyed the soil quality and charged the farmers royalties for their ‘invention’. It caused a wave of suffering for the farmers and their families.

A wonderful lady, Dr. Shiva Vandana, took the corporation to court, and after a lengthy battle, won. The farmers could return to their nature led ways of farming.

It made me ponder the irresponsibility of certain capitalist structures, the idea that one could ‘patent
nature’ for their own profit, with zero consideration for the people and planet. While we all need capitalism to an extent, to feed our own families, I couldn’t and still can’t get my head this particular
story.

I wanted to comment on this, in a silly way, to highlight, what I think, is a silly and short sighted, concept of some areas of capitalism. Take it to the next ridiculous level. I know, we could cancel photosynthesis and monetise oxygen.

Q. What were some of the influences for the look and style of the film?

A. I was slightly obsessed with Monty Python’s sketch ‘The Argument’ at the same time. The DoP
and I have worked together for years, we met at uni, and so we have our own way of working and fast
paced inclusion of nature, juxtaposed with vistas of concrete jungle. We gathered some of the GVs
over a few years of nature walks.

Q. Where there any elements of the original script which were adapted during filming?

A. Laura, the other actor and I, rehearsed the script over zoom before filming day. We made small changes to some words during that time.

I had written short and long dialogue for the office scene. We filmed both but it became clear when
filming the shorter version would work just as well and in a much punchier time frame.

Q. In addition to writing and directing you also act in the film. DO you find it difficult juggling both acting and directing?

A. It is a wonderful challenge, made easier with the right team. Laura and I rehearsed the scene at length over zoom before we got to filming day. We had limited time to film on the hill and we knew we’d have obstacles there too (wind, clouds, inconsistent light, people and dogs walking past, not much time with Laura on the day). So, the scene itself was ready to go, allowing for a bit of play on the day, if it appeared.

Nick, the DoP and I had talked through the scene and recced the location so many times that we
knew what shots we wanted. Nick could steer me technically, when it was my shot. He’s a wonderful
director himself so we work as a team and try each other’s suggestions. We have a great shorthand,
built over many years so that makes it a lot easier to juggle all the roles with his excellent support, especially when it’s my turn in front of the camera.

It can be super hard, to wear all the different hats, but with meticulous preparation, an excellent team and the right vibe, it’s a hoot. The greatest challenge can be switching from role to role in the moment. I also produced the film, so it was a lot. But I loved it. Preparation is key, with the view that magic may appear on the day when you’re all together, and to be free enough to go with that too.

Q. What were some of your favourite moments whilst making the Film?

A. The absolute gift that it wasn’t that windy on the hill that day. I’d tried before in previous years, and it was too windy. Nature of the hill. The shoot days were all great. They worked! Yay!

Q. Did you experience any issues whilst making the film?

A. Oh yes. I tried in 2019 with a different team. I can’t go into the challenges about it. I opened to collaborate in a different location with a whole different team, some of which I didn’t know. The desire to get it made led me to flex on too many things. It didn’t work. I learnt so much good stuff from failing in this instance, that it was a weird blessing in disguise. And expensive lesson mind. All these learnings enabled to me to go at it again and hold my original script and vision and make it how I always saw it. Having the right team is key along with really good preparation and being brave enough to hold onto your original vision. And fight for it, if need be.

Q. What do you hope people will take away from the film?

A. I hope they will have had a strangely entertaining five-ish minutes, wondering what on earth is going on, and then being slapped in the face with something even stranger and perhaps, not very nice. And then to ponder on that. I’d like everyone to love and respect our planet and our people, a bit, if I could. We are so very precious and finite.

Q. Do you have any other projects which you are working on?

A. I do have a few scripts bubbling away but to be honest, I have been working so hard on trying to pay the bills, in this ever increasingly expensive existence, we find ourselves in, that I’ve not been as proactive as I’d like.

Q. If someone is looking to write and direct their first film, what advice would you give them?

A. Do it. Try to do it the way you originally intended when you first had the tug of the idea inside you. Make sure you have the right people around you and be open to the magic of what happens when the right people collaborate. When it comes to the shoot, prepare so well that you’re not too worried about all the various roles you’ll have to play. Then try being free enough to play. Also, have fun with it all. What’s the point if it’s not fun. It’s not about you; it’s about the story.

The only way we ever get good at anything, is by doing it, so just start. Even if it’s just you and your phone camera.

Oh Two for You will be playing at the Southend Film Festival on Saturday 7th June at 6.30 pm as part of the Mostly Made In Southend 2.

You can find out more about the festival and purchase tickets for Oh Two for You here:

Philip Rogers

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!