Bing! Bang! Bi!, the new comedic short aiming to bring more bi-identity representation, is set to screen at the Frameline International LGBTQ+ Film Festival followed by the Inside Out Film Festival this fall. We had the opportunity to speak to the writer and director Jessica Huras about the film and what we can expect.
Hi Jessica, a pleasure to speak to you, and congratulations on making Bing! Bang! Bi! Please tell us more about this comedic short and what we can expect?
Thank you! The film is a bi-visibility, slice of life, comedic short that follows Morgan – a recently single, struggling actor, who is trying to navigate her sexuality and express herself amongst her oldest friends after arriving in her hometown for an unusual gig. You can expect to laugh, and hopefully gain more insight into the Bi experience.
This is your directorial debut, where you explore a very personal subject. Was this, and the representation of LGBTQ communities, the main catalyst for working behind the camera, writing, and directing?
I didn’t consciously set out to make a film with LGBTQ representation in mind, but as a member of that community, it was probably inevitable that the material evolved in that way. I was definitely inspired to write something that I felt represented my experiences and sense of humor, so that was probably more of my starting point. The subject of Bisexuality came about later in my writing process, after a year of exploring and learning how to write a script. I did lots and lots of rewrites, and it was during this process that the themes and subject matter really revealed itself. Then it wasn’t until I started pitching the script to my director friends, that I kept getting the same feedback that I should direct it. Directing had never crossed my mind, so I sat with the idea for quite a while before deciding to do it. The whole thing was a very gradual process. I don’t think I would have arrived where I did if I had approached this all from the outset.
The film was supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and a recipient of Inside Out Film Festival’s Focus Fund. For the benefit of our readers, please explain their respective roles and level of involvement in this production?
I want to start off by saying, it’s really hard to get short films funded! I applied for several grants and got several rejections, so I ended up doing a crowd-funding campaign combined with self-funding, to cover the production costs of shooting the film. Having the film “in the can” helped with further funding. Bing! Bang! Bi! was one of two Canadian projects selected amongst 4 International ones to receive financial support through Inside Out’s RE: Focus Fund – a post-production grant aimed at supporting women, non-binary, and/or trans filmmakers telling LGBTQ stories. I also reapplied to Canada Council for the Arts for a post-production grant which they awarded, after having had an unsuccessful application earlier in the year. A lot of new filmmakers don’t realize that post-production costs are usually the same or higher than your actual production costs, so receiving support from Inside Out and CCA at this later stage, were real blessings. Moral of the story: keep applying!
The film industry is going through a particularly turbulent period. Do you personally think the industry is becoming more inclusive and representative or is there more work to do?
I think the industry is trying to catch up in an area they have always been really behind on. So yes, we’re seeing some progress but I think there is still a lot more work to do and I think it starts with decision-makers at the top, setting the standard and demanding that their producers and casting directors look outside what is familiar to them and what has worked in the past.
Your first feature film ‘The Way Out’ is in development. Can you tell us more about this production?
Yes, I can say a bit! I have co-written the script with fellow Canadian actor/filmmaker, Kathleen Munroe and we are attached to co-direct the project. Babe Nation Films (The Rest of Us, White Lie) have signed on to produce it. It’s a queer-horroresque-period piece about two pioneering women who abandon 1920s New York for the New Mexico desert, seeking space to pursue their art and to explore a burgeoning romance until their quests for legacy and identity unravel as they encounter unexpected forces that call into question the nature of their presence in the southwest.
Where can our readers find out more about you?
I’m on IG @jessicahuras and Twitter @JessicaHuras
Image, courtesy of Project Four
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