Filmmaker Statement

As filmmakers and artists we’re often told that the best art comes from pain. This has become an ideal for so many actors, and “method acting” is a term that might (for outsiders) be synonymous with serious actors doing outrageous things to get into character. Benny's journey is inspired by Sam's years of living in New York studying acting and trying to book roles in the competitive film and theatre worlds, and the idea for this film came after watching one too many Oscar campaign interviews. We wanted to explore how an actor might process those interviews when they’re at rock bottom. The result is a film that satirizes the mainstream concept of “method acting,” following a desperate dreamer who’s celebrated the more he ruins his own life. We hope the film leaves audiences thinking about what can happen when art does come from pain, and who is affected through the process.