DIRECTOR. ACTOR. WRITER.
HER NAME
A SHORT FILM
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Her Name follows the events that take place the day after a party. Tessa has swapped numbers with a girl from the party but the number has accidentally been ripped from the paper. All she is left with is Reece's name. Tessa spends all day, waiting to see if Reece calls her back. Will she be disappointed or will she get her happily ever after?
The reason for the film is to help people see themselves on screen. In the media, LGBT+ people are deprived from seeing themselves reflected on screen. We are exposed to heteronormative films from a young age but people growing up who identity as LGBT+ never really get the chance to see themselves on screen. I have always said I want to be a director to be able to use my platform to create honest stories that reflect people and their feelings. as someone who can connect to this film, I wanted to be able to share that with people. It is why I have been so flexible with casting. I never said what the actor has to look like as long as the actor is a girl so she can play Tessa. The reason for this is because I want people to watch the film and relate to Tessa and her story without thinking it is an exclusive role that people can't connect to.
Why 'Her Name' is important.
YVONNE HOANG
KAT JACKSON
AN UPDATE
Sometimes, things do not go the way we expected. That's okay. That's part of the learning curve. My theory is that if it doesn't go wrong, then you aren't trying hard enough.
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After months without getting replies from my lead actress, I realised that something was going to go wrong. I had come to expect this so when she told me she couldn't act in it, I realised I had to think fast. Who could I get to fill in as Tessa, the main character? Who knew the character like the back of their hand. Clearly, Saoirse Ronan is busy on her next coming-of-age film so it couldn't possibly be her. The only logical answer I could come up with was...me. Now, I wrote the script, I had pitched the idea and my next stage is to direct the film. Are director! me and actor! me ready to meet on the film set? Probably not. At this point, I am pulling a Jordan Peele on my own film and I am sick of seeing my name written as director and writer. Honestly, I am tempted to change my name.
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So, within half an hour, I had the premise of my new plot. It isn't too different to the old one but it contains more me, which is really great if you like me. The film industry is practically saved.
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My next point of call was to find Reece. I didn't know I wanted Reece to actually be present in the film as I was so se with Tessa being the only character with an onscreen presence. It would look incredibly egotistic if it was literally all about me. It would be like that one woman show in Victorious and my ego would inflate, which would be awful.
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Long story short, I found my Reece in the form of an amazing friend, who needed no persuasion for the role. I am so grateful for this person to play Reece and I am really excited to start shooting this film.