FILMMAKER Q&A – Butterfly – Ariela Rozentul – Writer, Producer, Songwriter, Singer

OR: What was the inspiration for your film?

AR: Butterfly is inspired by true story.  I lost a friend few years ago and since then, I’ve been trying to understand the meaning of life and why some people leave this world when they are still very young.

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

AR: In Summer 2020 I was inspired by my film/TV acting mentor to write my own script.  I wrote it and in September I started looking for a cast and crew.  We film Butterfly in October, I also wrote and recording an original song for this film.  Butterfly was ready on Dec 30 2020.

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

AR: I wanted the audience to feel a wide range of emotions.  We wanted them to smile and cry all within 9 minutes.  I also wanted the audience to feel the magic!

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

AR: The weekend we scheduled to shoot the film happened to be absolutely freezing as well as raining. We had to reschedule many things last minute.  Also, one of our actors had last minute changes to his schedule, so we needed to adjust to that, but we still made it work!

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

AR: Start planning and fundraising way in advance and have a very solid backup plan!