The Taxman Film Spotlight
Today’s film spotlight focuses on the short film The Taxman directed by Ingrid Curtis.
What is the title of your film and what inspired said title?
The title of the film is The Taxman and it was inspired by an event when I was trying to contact the IRS with questions on my tax returns.
Tell us a little bit about the story and origins of your film.
The story is about a young woman, Mia, who soon discovers the mystery behind the IRS. The origins of the film is inspired by genuine curiosity. I think everyone wonders who the IRS really are, they genuinely are terrifying. I wanted to make a story that highlighted that common fear that I think a lot of people have with a very simple idea.
Any films or filmmakers that inspired this film?
Some visuals from Doctor Who and Black Mirror, as well as Poltergeist, when the little girl gets sucked in to another world inspired me. However, I have a stronger connection to Doctor Who – its adventurous storytelling and special effects with alien like creatures. It was fun to reimagine in this piece.
What is the goal of the film for you?
The goal for the film for me really is have an audience watch the film. The story of course is something I felt was so unique that I haven’t seen someone ever create this topic before. I’d also love to hear feedback what people think of the film and curious what imagination it sparked for creatives in the future.
What has the journey been like getting the film into production?
Well honestly, with COVID and all I really had to work around a budget that could suffice a small enough crew and a story that would be interesting enough to shoot in a day. There were definite lessons to be learned after the shoot but that is part of filmmaking. Sacrificing what you need versus what you want. Overall, I was surprised it happened so quick but thanks to a great team it all worked out.
One thing you learned from this project?
I’d say one thing I learned from this project is that I could of gone through more written drafts. If I had more time to write, this movie might of been longer but who knows maybe there’s something there for the future.
How can folks find you and your film online?
You can find The Taxman currently streaming through New York Shorts Indie Awards at https://xerb.tv/channel/
https://www.sugrpinkcarstudios.com/thetaxman People can also follow more of my personal work on IG @obviouslydedicated where I shoot documentaries there as well.
Any last pieces of advice for fellow filmmakers?
Two major pieces of advice I’d share with filmmakers would be it’s never too late and there will always be lessons to learn. A personal story I can share is when I created my first film, it didn’t do as well as I wanted it to. I was distraught, and it took me years to try again. But I did, and I reflected through my experiences what environment I wanted to create this time and I created it. I chose a team and put egos aside and changed my perspective of filmmaking and what lessons I am open to learn from. If you believe in yourself and your work, that’s the first step. Create a team you believe in and treat them well.
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