UPDATE: ALISON has become a Vimeo Staff Pick! Thank you for all your views, comments, shares, likes, and love!
It is with excited and scared and vulnerable hearts that we release our latest film, ALISON, publicly for the first time. It is now in the hands of the internet. I simultaneously want to cry and puke and hug everyone. This project has meant so much to me this year and I cherish every single experience it has brought with it: the crazy overly ambitious one day film shoot with the BEST crew in the world; the hours of editing holed up alone in my bedroom eating nothing but peanut butter; the amazing festival audiences who have embraced the film and laughed at all the right parts; the handshakes and new friendships and faces that are now in my life; audience members who have privately confessed all the deeply personal ways they can relate. Even the rejections and heartbreak and criticisms have taught me so much about myself and my art. I love film. And I love this community. Thank you for letting me make it and share it with you.
It literally takes a village to make a short film happen. I don’t have enough thank yous in the world for: My partner in life and crime and art, David Lester, who read the first draft and loved it and decided we should just make it and didn’t give me time to second-guess anything. He’s also an incredible director (no bias, I swear) who translated my script into something far deeper and funnier than what was just on the page.There are so many moments in this film that I thank your genius for.
Our fairy-godfather, Corey Shurge, who read the script and sent it to Kristopher Turner and basically made it all happen overnight. And he was the best continuity dude in town 😉
Kristopher Turner, who turned out to be the greatest scene partner anyone could ever dream of. I could gush forever but his work speaks for itself.
Robert Brunton, our cinematographer, who pulled off STUNNING WORK in the shortest time span imaginable. And invited us into his bathtub.
Andrei Ionesco, who patiently sat by my side for a week converting files, solving problems, eating candy, and helping me make sense of it all.
All of you, oh I wish we could list all the things you did for us on set and beyond: Hannah Anderson, Jessica giles, Matthew Edison, Jason Kennedy, Kenzie Brooks, Maddie Fordham, Chris Ross, Michael Schoemig, Nick Davey, Sean Lewis, Riley Godin, Zack Mancini, Jeff McNab, Emily Skoggard, Jesse Gillingham, Gray Aletter, Dazmo Camera, The Sweet Potato, The Shmooz, Jeff Brush, Nicole Spinner. None of this was possible without you.
And all the people who gave your invaluable feedback on early cuts, when nothing meant anything anymore: Michelle Alexander, Jen Aitken, Meghan Swaby, Hannah Anderson, Jessica Giles, Chloe Sullivan, Mandy Pipher, Antonio Cayonne, Matthew Edison, Kiran Friesen, Corey Shurge, John Fray, Samara Stern, Josh Vokey, Daniel Gold, Adam Goldhammer, Elana Dunkelman, and Kristopher Turner. I turned to you because you are artists I greatly, deeply, profoundly admire and respect and you all made this film better.
Dear Internet: Please be kind to our film baby. We love it very much and hope that you love it too. And if you don’t, that’s okay! Mostly we just hope you’ll share your honest thoughts with us. If the film does resonate with you, the greatest gift to us would be to SHARE IT any way you can. The more clicks and views we get, the longer this film will live.
Thank you. Now go, ALISON, go!
You can view Alison on the NSI Online Film Festival: http://www.nsi-canada.ca/2017/05/alison/
Or directly on Vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/jessicaroseactor/alison
Follow us at http://www.alisonshortfilm.com
