Best Screenplay – Yancy Perez & Jazzy Hawley – “Musical Chairs” (USA)

Title: Musical Chairs
Runtime: 7 min
Country: USA
Director: Yancy Perez
Placement: Award of Excellence + Best Screenplay (Yancy Perez & Jazzy Hawley)
Competition: June, 2022

Synopsis: Six important figures in the 1950’s set out to play a high stakes game of Musical Chairs for a grand prize of $50,000. Things get awry as the game heats up. Who will walk out with the prize? Who is willing to risk it all? How will things come to an end?

FILMMAKER Q&A – Yancy Perez (Director) + Jazzy Hawley (Writer)

OR: What was the inspiration for your film?

YP/JH: We were heavily inspired by the allure of public figures in the 1950s and the night life of Las Vegas.

OR: When did you conceive the idea for your film and how long did it take before it was realized?

YP/JH: We conceived the idea of the film in a coffee shop and wrote the entire script in about two hours. After that it was around a three week process and the film was completed.

OR: What was the most challenging aspect of working in a short film format?

YP/JH: Making sure everything made sense in the condensed time we had and filling every minute to be used the most it can.

OR: What was the most challenging aspect of your production?

YP/JH: Financing it was possibly the trickiest since everything happened so quickly we didn’t have enough time to raise funds.

OR: Do you have any advice for first-time filmmakers?

YP/JH: Whatever it is that you are passionate about just go full out until your idea becomes a reality. Also since it’s your first time remember the world is not expecting anything from you yet so take your time and make it the best film you can put out.