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6th May 2022
Miss Fortunate
Molly O'Shea asks Molly some questions about Molly

 

Molly, thank you for finding the time to talk to me.

It was really no trouble. You received the list of topics I’m not comfortable discussing?

The washing pile in your bedroom. Your mistrust of the conventionally attractive. The fact that you live in an apartment above a fried chicken shop and if you open the kitchen window the extractor fan fumigates the kitchen with chicken grease. The number of stockings you have with holes in the toes and your love life. Is that right?

Yes that’s it.

Lyndy asked me to interview you about your short film, Miss Fortunate, so its highly unlikely any of those would come up.

I’m so thrilled Lyndy’s putting it up on 1.4, I think it’s such a brilliant resource for inspiration and expertise alike.

Tell me a bit about yourself and what you do.

Significantly, I’m you. I’m a screenwriter and an actor.

How did you get your start in the industry?

I haven’t yet.

Oh, well how did Miss Fortunate come about?

My mum died and I thought it was really sad and funny. Mum always said the mark of a good film was “You laugh, you cry” so I thought I should take her advice and write one. It’s really a proof of concept for a series.

Im sorry to hear about your mum.

That’s ok, she was your mum.

What did you find funny about my mums death then?

It made the world so dark that any tiny flecks of light held my attention. Like the LED light on a TV in a hotel room with blackout curtains. I fixate on those too, I have to cover them with a towel otherwise I can’t sleep.

Talk to me about the director of Miss Fortunate, Ella Jones

She’s a genius. When she came on board I felt like I’d won an award. When people you admire want to work with you there’s no greater feeling.

Youre also in the film. 

Yes. You are too, I’ll point out.

I dont know why you keep bringing that up.

I think it’s important for the journalistic integrity of 1.4 to be open about our relationship.

How would you describe our relationship?

Difficult but only when you’re anxious. Otherwise I think we get on quite well. I like that you’re inquisitive.

Thats kind of you to say. I think youre weird but I can appreciate that some people enjoy it. What are you working on at the moment?

That felt barbed. I’m about to start filming Alice Englert’s debut feature Bad Behavior.

 Youre acting in that?

Both you and I are, yes. I’m also developing a feature called Hello, I’m a Ghost, which I just finished a proof of concept for. Alice Englert directed that too. I did a development sprint with Piki films for a project called Bitch Club late last year and I’m in talks about the series version of Miss Fortunate.

What was the most challenging aspect of filming Miss Fortunate?

You’re not interested in anything I just mentioned?

Not really, Im here to discuss Miss Fortunate.

Charming. It’s a spoiler but I’d say re-staging my mum’s funeral was pretty hard. We also filmed in a morgue that had some… guests?

You mean dead people?

Yes.

Is there a theme or genre that connects your work?

I joke that my genre is WOMEN.

Why is that a joke?

Well because women shouldn’t be a genre but if you say “A thriller about a sentient chapstick” you have to say “with a female lead” otherwise the assumption is the chapstick is male.

It seems thats not a joke but a serious point about the state of filmmaking that youve labeled a joke in order to make palatable. 

Ummm ok.

Is it a coincidence that your work is about women and you are a woman?

No.

Wouldn’t people benefit from stories about a multitude of different people?

Yes but you have to start somewhere.

So you started with yourself?

Are you asking me if I’m self involved?

I dont think theres any need to ask that, youre interviewing yourself.

 

@molly.ohhh

Credits
Director: Ella Jones Writer: Molly O’Shea Executive Producers: Molly O’Shea, David Beazley Producers: Alex Baldwin,  Jacob Thomas Cinematographers: Sara Deane,  Luciano Riso Casting Director: Leila Bertrand Music Supervisor: SixtyFour Music Composer: Roly Witherow Editor: Flaura Atkinson Consulting Editors: Justine Wright, Simon Willcox Assistant Editor: Alys Willcox Sound Designer: Martin Leitner,  WAVE Studios Production Designers: Lucie Red,  Miryam Jacomini Post Production Supervisor: Tomas Ossipof Costume Designer: Lex Wood, Francesca Prizzon Make Up Designer: Laura Miles Make Up Artist: Ruby Lonsdale Script Supervisor: Lefteris Parasyris Art Directors: Teresa 'Terry' Palamara,  Johnny Savage Set Decorator: Ieva Petrav Art Assistant: Mary Anderson Assistant Make Up Artists: Ellie Smith, Rishika Sharda Focus Puller: Emily-Jane Robinson 2nd AC: Max Openshaw Steadicam Operator: Rupert Peddle Gaffer: Salvador Gomez-Lopez, Leon Pyszora Electricians: Charlie Lodge,  Luke Hambly Sound Recordist: Joe Harris, Julia Hardecka, Oscar Perez Stills Photographer: Lily Bertrand-Webb Filmed on Location at East London Mosque The Old Church Stoke Newington   With support from Radical Media Shore Scripts Absolute Wave   Cast in order of Appearance The Queen Ant: Herself Scarlet: Molly O’Shea Joss: Lise-Ann McLaughlin Sadie -T'Nia Miller Margot: Maggie O’Neill The Humourless Man: Ben Whishaw Jack: Alex Lawther Joey the Cat: Himself Mitzi the Cat: Herself Crying Man: Tom Keller Annoyed Woman: Hilary Whelan Mourners Barbs, Anychii Snatch Honey Foxx Tanya Belmount Jacob Bertrand Bellaray Bertrand-Webb Mark Bradshaw Mohd Aslam Ashley Callaghan Caroline Clayton Mike Clowes Michele Del Forno Moya Gibbon Simea Holland Jackie Jillings Mathilde Johnson Ivan Kingsley Jacqueline Lodge Paul Mitchell Karim Nathan Jun Noh Elena Piazza Danielle Sprecher Lyndy Stout Shirley Valentine Joan Van Gerven Alys Willcox Evelyn Willcox Simon Willcox Jessica Wootten