My
@svafilmnyc thesis short GEN. SEX starring
@gilmanjared (Moonrise Kingdom) is now available to watch on
@vimeo (link in bio)!
💬📱💬
After screening at
@thatkevinsmith ‘s
@smodcastle.filmfest ,
@ironmulefest , and
@nyshortfilmfest as well as being listed as a semi-finalist to screen at
@flickers.riiff , it felt like it was time to (finally) post this publicly.
When I found out that Jared also went to college in New York, a crazy idea popped into my head: What if I offered him the lead role in my thesis film? As a 22 year old film student, I doubted Jared would even see my email, let alone want to get in his underwear and be in my weird little rom-com about online dating, but he ended up reading the script, loving it, and accepting the role.
Making the short was an absolute blast that resulted in a meaningful friendship full of movie-watching/ discussions. We’ve gotten to know each other’s families and seen various eccentric double features of our own making, including the Oscar-winning Women Talking and the Razzie-winning Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey.
It’s crazy to think that I almost didn’t even send that email offering him the role. I told myself it probably would not happen, so why even try. It felt highly improbable, if not impossible, that Jared would want to go from starring in a sweet, symmetrical Wes Anderson picture to a scrappy, super raunchy, but heartfelt short film with jokes about everything from masturbation to cultural appropriation. But, after being encouraged by my mom and thesis advisor Todd, I decided to give it a shot and, somehow, Jared took a chance on me. I’ll always be grateful to him for that.
This all taught me a valuable lesson that I come back to every single day. Whether you are casting a movie or doing anything in life, if you do not try, the answer will always be no, but if you put yourself out there and take a chance, you never know what can happen.
Hope you all enjoy the film!
PS Happy (belated) Birthday, Jared!
