All creatives know that dreaded feeling of writer’s block – the blank page or screen staring back at you, the minutes ticking by, and no matter how hard you try, no words will come out. That’s the inspiration behind Summer Holly’s ATVA debut, How to Write a Film.
“It’s about these two writers that are trying to write a script for the ATVAs but are struggling with writer’s block,” Holly told Brig.
“It’s just them going through the process of trying to create something and how they cope with the struggles of trying to write.”
This simple premise will be a common feeling for any student filmmaker, or anyone who has tried to write anything. The relatability element is a part of why Holly picked it for the ATVAs. She explained how she got the idea for the film:
“I’m a first year, so this is my first ATVAs. I really, really wanted to make something.
“Every time I tried to write, I was like ‘this is rubbish’ or I couldn’t think of anything, I was getting really stressed about it.
“Then I thought, this is actually an idea I had a few years ago… I thought it’d be cool to write a story about struggling with writer’s block.
“Often I feel like a lot of people in AirTV, or even anyone who’s written anything, we will write about your own experiences, stuff that you’re anxious about. Writing can often be a big therapy.”
Making the film
Once she’d settled on the idea, Holly’s next task was to make it a reality.
“I will be 100 per cent honest, I wrote the script in the span of an hour or two while pretty sleep deprived,” she admitted. “So I’m surprised that I made it!
“[We] filmed it a couple of days later in just one day, with just two crew members (Rory Wood and James Howard) and two cast members (Oliver O’Hare and Cora Ditta), a few of my friends who all did amazingly.
“The film is mainly set in a single classroom (which pissed off a security guard in Cottrell because I didn’t book the room, whoops) with one outdoors scene.
“The editing process turned into a nightmare because I kept accidently deleting my progress and re-doing everything to fix my mistakes. It kind of felt like I was teaching myself how to make a film as I was doing it.”
Despite some setbacks, Holly said the process was “therapeutic” and allowed her to work through her anxieties. Overall, she is proud of herself for powering through and making her first ATVA: “While you can tell it’s a first attempt at filmmaking, I feel like it’s a good first attempt.
“While it’s a fairly simple film, it’s a good start, and hope to make bigger and more exciting projects for the ATVAs in the future, as making this gave me some more ideas for future films but am proud that this is where I started with it.”
Holly is approaching the ATVA premiere night with a mixture of “excitement and nerves”.
“On one hand, it’s really exciting, the idea of seeing your film be on the big screen, but on the other hand, everyone is seeing something that you made on the big screen,” she laughed.
“I really had to hype myself up to do it because I was so anxious about doing it… if you want to get involved, come along to AirTV, there’s so many ways to get involved.
“Another thing about student filmmaking, it’s just fun – it’s a way to showcase my stupid sense of humour and to make something out of something I was stressed about at that time.”
How to Write a Film premieres on May 8 at the Macrobert Arts Centre. Tickets for the ATVAs are still available to buy here.
Feature Image Credit: Summer Holly
Film, media and journalism student. I like writing about my inability to eat gluten.
