Today we talk with filmmaker Robin Hays, an award-winning filmmaker and commercial director whose lates short film is touring festivals.
Hello Robin. Thanks for taking the time to talk a bit about your new short film. Before we start, could you tell our readers a little but about yourself?
Hi David, nice to meet you. My name is Robin Hays and I’m a female filmmaker based in Vancouver.
Your latest short is a wonderfully charming animated story called Post No Bills. You are the writer, director, and producer. I’m curious about the inspiration. Where did this story begin for you?
Thank you very much, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I actually came up with the concept for Post No Bills about ten years ago when I was in New York. It’s a play on the childhood idea that toys come to life when we’re not looking.
READ MORE: Review of the Short Film Post No Bills
It’s a unique setting loaded with potential as each poster in the story offers terrific opportunities for shifts in tone and art style. Was this something you wanted to explore more, given the short runtime of the film?
Yes very much so. In the original script I think we had at least three more posters although we wanted to keep the runtime under 5 minutes so not all of them made the cut.
The film centers on two adorable characters, Noodle Boy and Miss Fortune. Your co-director Andy Poon also serves as the art director, so I’m wondering how and who developed the style of these two characters and were there a number of changes in how they look?
Andy is a great friend and a big reason the film exists. I shared the idea with him ten years ago and he sketched some initial designs for Noodle Boy. Over the years he kept reminding me about Noodle Boy and saying that we should really make the film. I’m glad I finally listened to him!! Once we got going we went back and forth with both Noodle Boy and Miss Fortune’s designs. Andy is so talented and did an incredible job giving Noodle Boy all the different styles in each poster. We also worked with cinematographer Trent Opaloch to help us create the right look and feel for the film.
How long was the production of the film, and what were the larger challenges in getting it to screen?
The production was about 8 months. Coming from live action I thought one of the biggest challenges for me would be learning about the animation process, although it turns out it’s not that different. I had so much fun working on this film and absolutely love animation. I can’t wait to do more! We were very fortunate to have an incredible team on board from Atomic Cartoons to help bring the film to life. I’m very grateful to Jenn McCarron, Rob Simmons and the whole Atomic crew for taking on the project. We also had an amazing animation producer Daniel Roizman who had a clear understanding of what Andy & I were trying to create. Music is also a huge part of any project I work on so I knew creating the right score was imperative to the film. Our composer, Andrew Harris did an fantastic job.
Post No Bills is earning plenty of acclaim in the festival circuit. You must be thrilled with the response. Any information about when it could be released for wider audiences?
The response has been amazing! It’s all very exciting and makes me so happy to hear that the film makes people smile and feel good. That was the intention and is one of my favourite aspects of filmmaking – to evoke emotion. It should be released sometime this year.
This is your second short film. What draws you to the format?
Short films are a great way to test out a concept, to learn and to collaborate. I’ve been a commercial director for over ten years and I approach every spot as an opportunity to learn and grow as a filmmaker. The same idea applies to short films. It’s exciting to take an idea, no matter how big or small, and turn it into something tangible that can be shared.
You’ve been involved in films for well over a decade now, serving as a producer and more for a number of short films. How has this corner of the industry changed for you in that time?
With the technology available today you can create something and share it instantly. It’s pretty amazing.
Have you any plans or desires to make a move to feature length movies?
Yes! The feature script I wrote for Post No Bills was selected as one of the ten finalists in the American Zoetrope screenplay contest this year. I’m currently writing the next draft and looking for the right partners to bring the feature to life. There are some really fun new characters that I can’t wait to introduce! And of course, more posters! I’m also in post for my first live action feature – Anthem starring Cameron Monaghan, Juliette Lewis and Peyton List.
I know you’re still touring with Post No Bills, but do you have any upcoming projects you’d care to share?
I have two projects in development that I’m really excited about. Too early to share but I’ll keep you posted!
Thanks so much for talking with me. It’s been a great pleasure. Good luck with Post No Bills and I hope our paths cross again.
Thank you and have an awesome day!!