Writer and director Poppy Gordon has taken the word “woke” to a whole new level in her brand new short For Your Consideration. Written alongside co-writer Aldo Arias, the film takes a look at today’s performative “woke” pop culture and dares viewers to laugh and cringe at its manufacturing. Since its release, the movie has been seen at several Oscar-qualifying festivals, including Rhode Island Film Festival, Odense Film Festival, Cinequest, HollyShorts, Nashville International Film Festival, and LA Shorts. As of June 28th, it is also available for streaming on Vimeo and Omeleto. We had a chance to catch up with Poppy and get the inside scoop on this comically progressive film.
Tell us a little bit about For Your Consideration and what viewers can expect.
For Your Consideration is a dark comedy and satire, and definitely needs to be viewed within this context. The film is about three entitled young women who meet up at an LA member’s only club to make a selection-worthy film, as they are determined to party at festivals like Sundance and Cannes. And in an unholy fusion of wokeness and cluelessness, they build a narrative from atop the high perch of their privilege. And piece-by-piece, they almost, almost, almost give a voice to the voiceless — just without ever having any idea what they’re talking about. But of course, they are perfectly positioned to make it happen.
The plot of this film is definitely something women in filmmaking can all relate to, what inspired you to create this piece?
Though I am a woman and have felt like I had my fair share of glass ceilings that I’ve hit my head against, the reality is that privilege and entitlement trump “wokeness” and good intentions frequently.
With this piece, we take a snapshot of Hollywood today — creating a comedic Trojan Horse daring viewers to laugh and cringe at the ways that popular culture is manufactured. While Hollywood and various other industries desperately try to play catch up, often relying on tokenism to cleanse themselves of “too-white” jury accusations and patting themselves on the back for allowing diverse voices (when profitable), these changes are made through a distorted mirror. One that refuses to reflect the role that privilege plays in choosing who gets to be seen and heard.
I felt surrounded and overwhelmed by such and so did Aldo Arias, my writing half, – and thus this short film kind of bubbled over.
You’ve been writing for a long time now, mostly in the commercial space. How has creating For Your Consideration been different from your other writing experiences?
Aldo Arias and I had a lot of fun with this piece. Also, we worked with actors to workshop it, which was very helpful. Aldo and I actually acted it out to each other along the way too and the whole thing was just very fun.
Tell us about the production process for your film. What were your favorite and least favorite parts?
I really loved every part of the process, except for paying for it. I could have done without that part. Ha!
What advice do you have for women looking to create their own written work?
I’m not sure that I’m in any place yet to give advice, but I would just say – don’t hold back and judge while you write…get it all out on paper and then go over and edit after. It can be very inhibiting to judge oneself while one is in the early phases.
Want to check out For Your Consideration and its creators?
Watch the film: http://m.omeleto.com/255984/
Director – Poppy Gordon
Instagram: @poppyyael
Twitter: @mspoppygordon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poppy.gordon
Production Company – Feral
Instagram: @feralnyc_studio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/feralproduction
For Your Consideration – Film
Instagram: @fycfilm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fycfilm
Twitter: Tag #fycfilm
Producer – Lysette Urus
Instagram: @itslysette
Co-Writer – Aldo Arias
Instagram: playboy_69
