It was a pleasure interviewing filmmaker Lou on “An Eye for An Eye!” The film is about a man and a woman who kidnap her rapist in order to extract a confession from him. They need to get his confession on tape because he has made up an alibi. Locked up in the basement of a remote home, he is unwilling to confess on camera and continues to assert his innocence. With time running out, how far are they willing to go for justice and what if they are wrong? Check out the interview below.
Hi, Lou! Thank you for granting the interview. We’re excited to speak with you “An Eye for An Eye.” What inspired you to make the film?
It was a convergence of different things that happened at the same time. I wanted to make a film with a very limited cast so that I would then get a chance to really work with the actors. At the same time, the actress that plays She, Aniela McGuinness, had a double mastectomy and posted the pictures on Facebook. That got the wheels turning about a rape victim who exacts revenge on her rapist who has disfigured her. (I know, only I can turn breast cancer even darker.) Aniela was supposed to star in “All Girls Weekend” when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I had promised to write a role for her as soon as she was better. So the script was written around her.
What was your process in making the film?
For the first time, I did everything backward. I actually didn’t have the script done before I started pre-production. I got the crew, and attached two of the actors, before scouting locations. Once we found the house, that’s when I wrote the script. I knew that the house would be the fourth major character in the film so I needed to see it before I could write the script. Some of my best ideas came from seeing the house. So the entire production was already set up and the date set for July 6th before I even got around to writing the script. It was kind of crazy, but thankfully it worked out.
Did everything go as scripted, or did you make any changes during production?
That was one of the benefits of waiting until finding the location was locked before writing the script. Other than a few lines here and there, it was shot as written. The only thing that became a problem was the location. Despite a contract that guaranteed us exclusive use of the property for three weeks, when we arrived there were people living there. We had to work around them, and the sounds they inevitably made the entire time. It caused huge delays in production. Then there was the storm that flooded the basement and cut out the power to the entire house. Not to mention, the room where the floor had been taken off so we had to lay plywood and just put furniture on top of it so that everything moved when you walked. The fact that we finished the film is really a miracle.
You work with an amazing cast. Did any of their characters surprise you in an unanticipated way?
They’re amazing not just because they are really talented, but also because they were such troopers. And the script is very dialogue intensive. Some scenes were ten pages long, all dialogue, but they were all super prepared. There’s nothing more rewarding to me than hearing the dialogue you’ve written being acted out. I can’t really say that I was ever surprised by them. They brought to life the characters just I had imagined it when I wrote the script.
What has been your biggest challenge in the industry?
The hardest part about indie filmmaking is getting the money to make the films. Luckily, I had very good friends and colleagues that helped me make my film HazMat. That film has done very well financially, and it came out at a good time when indie films still had a good chance of making good money back. That allowed us to get the money to fund two other films. Unfortunately, sales are down, and things like Netflix and worldwide piracy are killing our industry and destroying indie filmmakers. All I can do is move forward with my next project because at this point, it’s my passion and I have no other real choice.
What’s the ultimate direction of your career?
My plan is to just continue doing my films, trying to grow as a filmmaker and as a person. I’ve also started working on a documentary series titled “Goodwill Ambassador” so that I can use my filmmaking skills to promote animal welfare and responsible tourism in third world countries. Hopefully, make a bit of a positive difference in the world.
How can fans-to-be gain access to you socially?
Our company website is www.whitelotusmovies.com, my Twitter, Facebook, and IG are all @mslousimon
My blog and documentary series are at:
What are your fashion influences and why?
I can’t really say I have any. I wear what I like and fits well. I’m not concerned with things like brand names. I’m sort of a simple gal that way.
When looking back on your career, what resonates with you the most and why?
I don’t know how far I’ll go in filmmaking or how long I’ll keep doing it, but I’ve made some amazing friends and have had a chance to experience a real team bonding experience like I had never experienced before in any other profession. That will be what I will cherish the most about this experience.
In your opinion, how could a filmmaker make an impact on the world?
I always feel weird when people ask me about being an “artist.” Calling what I do “art” is a bit of an insult to real artists that maybe shape the world in ways that my films don’t. I always have some bigger message in my films where I try to highlight some social issue—bullying in HazMat, mental health in Agoraphobia, the environment in All Girls Weekend, and violence against women in 3: An Eye for An Eye. But I’m realistic that one film, especially on an indie level, will not change the world. What I provide is entertainment, and in these hard times, we all need an escape from reality once in a while.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose this career? Would you do anything differently?
I question my sanity on a monthly basis as to why I chose to be a filmmaker, but even if I don’t ever make another film, I would definitely do it all over again. The experiences I’ve had making films nobody can ever take those away from me.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about your career?
They say that when you do something you love, you’ll never work another day again in your life. That’s completely false. Every job or career has its ups and downs. However, when you love what you do, you’ll weather the downs because the ups make it all worth it. So keep chasing your dreams.
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