As water disappears down the plughole in the trailer for Lea Ihrig and Freya Guice’s Sink, viewers will have more questions than answers to what the ATVA film is about. But this is a carefully considered choice for the directing duo who like to keep their audience guessing.
Ahead of AirTV’s annual awards on May 8, the pair told Brig that their films are meant to be surprises. A rarity in the age of teaser trailers for teaser trailers.
Ihrig said: “I feel like it’s just more exciting to see people’s reactions. If you talk about it beforehand and you give someone the wrong impression of what it might be about, they start having their own opinion about it already. I’d rather just give it to someone and see what they do with it instead of already explaining it.”
When questioned further, the tight-lipped director stood her ground. “We don’t really want to give away too much. The trailer might be a little bit misleading. It’s about young people dealing with the feeling of being left behind.” Ihrig said.
This is Ihrig and Guice’s second film screening at the ATVA’s but they were just as secretive the first time around with The Plant Man. But what has changed is the writing credits. Last year Guice took on the role of head writer, while this time Ihrig is in the driving seat. Guice said that changing the dynamic took some of the pressure off.
“It was definitely different. I feel like when I wrote last year because I’d spent so much time writing, I had an idea for every scene. I knew everything that was going to happen. Whereas with [Sink], I had to reread it so many times to fully grasp what we had to do just because I hadn’t written it.” she said.
“It was nice, though because the stress of writing it wasn’t put on me. I was quite relieved by that. I’ll do that again.”
Both in their third year at university, the duo are heading into their final year and possibly their last ATVA. Ihrig gave some advice to students thinking about getting involved in the future.
“Push yourself but don’t make yourself feel even more awkward about it than you have to because, in the end, it’s like a creative project that you came up with as a very intimate thing. It’s very- what’s the word when you bring something out of you and it’s like really raw?”
“-I get what you mean,” Guice interjected.
“I don’t know the word for it right now. But that fear is not a bad thing. It’s part of it and you just gotta go for it. If you can, work with people that you trust, and include people that you like working with.” Ihrig continued.
This easy back-and-forth between Guice and Ihrig happens throughout our conversation. They have an unspoken understanding between them, almost as if they have radios tuned into what the other is trying to express.
It makes for a good friendship but an even better working relationship. Guice said this is partly why they continue to collaborate as directors.
“I think we’re able to trust each other with the other person’s creative process as well, which I feel like is a hard thing to come by.”
Guice went on to say that even a match made in heaven may experience trouble in paradise. Nothing they can’t handle though.
“It’s definitely been a challenge. But I think we’re both getting better at communicating if we want something done slightly differently. Because obviously, it’s two people on set with two different ideas. Then we’ve got everyone else to make sure they’re okay. It can be a lot sometimes. But we’ve gotten really good at that.” she said.
In an effort to get one more detail about Sink before the end of our conversation, the directors were asked about possible influences on the film. The directors were characteristically guarded but happy to add to the anticipation.
“I think the style of the movie personally reminds me of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It’s nothing like that but some of the shots are a little Eternal Sunshine-esque.” Guice teased.
“One of the last movies that we watched before we made this was Poor Things. I don’t necessarily think it’s anything like Sink. But some of the rawness of the character reminds me a little bit of the main character in Poor Things.” Ihrig continued.
Regardless of what it’s about, Guice assured that Sink was one to watch. She said: “I think it’d be relatable for a lot of people. Relatable to our generation.”
Sink premieres on 8 May at Macrobert Arts Centre. Tickets for the ATVAs are available to buy here. To read more on this year’s ATVA entrants visit Brignews.com
Featured image credit: Ben McQuaid and Lea Ihrig
Film and Tv Editor at Brig Newspaper. Currently studying Journalism and English at the University of Stirling
