Award-Winning Filmmaker and Advocate for Diversity in Cinema
What inspired you to direct “Beneath the Curtain,”and how did your personal experiences influence the narrative of the short film?
In my lifetime I have seen so many women go through domestic violence or abuse,including mine. I didn’t know how bad it was until I researched it. The interesting thing I learned was that most women think it is only happening to them and so they are afraid and stuck in abusive situations. My short is based on true events according to my research. Bringing light to a social injustice is key to putting an end to it, and that’s my inspiration.
Directing a horror short often comes with unique challenges. Could you share some of the obstacles you faced during production andhow you overcame them?
I was in Film school last year. Part of my finals was to make a short film. I needed to come up with a significant story fast! I wrote the script and had a table reading with my class and 2 teachers. Not only did they trash my script, but forbade me from making the short. I had zero support from my teachers and classmates. I learned that no one can stop you from following your dreams, they can block you but they don’thave the power to stop you! Part of being in Film school is to have access to film equipment, but on the day of my shoot, the Film department canceled my equipment! Ihad everything ready to go, Actors, crew, location, etc. We were also hit with a snowstorm. It was Saturday so pretty much everything was closed. Determined to shoot film, I rushed to the only place in town that I knew had film equipment for rent. The place was closed but for some crazy reason the owner came to the building to get something he had forgotten, after talking with him he let me rent anything I needed!The rest is history. Talk about overcoming obstacles during production!
You cast Bronson Pullen in the film. What qualities did you see in him that made you decide he was the right fit for the role of Officer Greg?
Bronson is an incredible animator with lots of voice over experience. He auditioned forme and he was perfect! Bronson has experience in voice acting when it came to the animation field. He would often voice his own work or audition for a role in a series.His acting for the character was extremely professional and efficient.
Can you walk us through your creative process, from conceptualization to the final cut of “Beneath the Curtain”?
Basically my thinking process while finding my story was that it had to have a message, I wanted drama, I wanted to use a zero budget, one to two actors, and one location, my mind went to picturing a couple and thinking how do you bring drama into a story with a couple in one location? Fights, cheating, crying, violence and all of the sudden it clicked, domestic violence! I turned some music on and I was transported to a different reality! I felt her pain almost as if I was watching the whole story unfold! “Beneath The Curtain ” was born! don’t ask me how but the whole process took me about 10 minutes! I had the story prettymuch done, I got home and started researching women and domestic violence, and I was on fire! Determined to bring light to a social injustice,so I started tweaking my story to reflect more in detail true events. I wrote the script and the rest is history.
With an estimated budget of $500, How did you manage the financial aspects of the production to bring this project to life?
When there is a will there’s a way. I secured the location for free. Bronson was able to bring me actors and volunteers from Motion Picture Studios so I was thrilled! They were also free! as far as the main actress, no one wanted to get in the shower, so i did!The $500dlls was spent on renting film gear etc. As a filmmaker I’ve learned not to be intimidated by the behind the scenes and theaters. The good news is that I like to follow my heart and I don’t let anyone standin my way.
Since its release, how has the audience responded to “Beneath the Curtain,” and what has been the most rewarding feedback you’ve received?
I remembered meeting with a counselor in hopes of getting a scholarship. In order to convince her, I showed her my film so she could see my work.At the very end of my film, she burst into a very emotional reaction ,tears came running down her cheeks, all her memories about abuse came out, she was so embarrassed! I also had 2 more women do the same exact thing, they said that it was too close to home. As you can imagine I was more than ever motivated to move forward with my film. This is the most rewarding feedback I have received!
Having started your own production company, Iron goddess Her Films, what can we expect from you in the future? Are there any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
I have a variety of projects that are still in development.“Pet Girl” A story about child trafficking here in America. A woman named Alice goes to a pet shop only to encounter a teen that is kept in the back of the store. Her cry for help motivates Jen to fight back.“Game Over” The story of a kid who finds an abandoned arcade machine in an old shed. When the machine mysteriously turns on and demands him to play, making him put in more quarters as he does. The boy will realize that this arcade machine is wanting to do more playing harm than your typical time wasting Pacman.“The Tunnel” Find the light at the end of the tunnel! This is an animated project thatI’m developing with “Galactic star Studios”. Get ready for an emotional ride as we delve into the world of homelessness, and finding hope. A journalist uncertain of his future ventures in a journey to attain a first person perspective of a homeless living under a tunnel, he ends up finding light at the end of the tunnel. “You can watch the work in progress teaser here!”
I’m currently making short films, two of which are live action projects. The Tunnel is a beautiful story, a work in progress developmental story that I hope to create in the animation realm. It requires a crew of animators which I’m presently looking for funding. In the near future, I have the aspiration to make our own full length feature film. I am extremely thrilled with the reception and feedback I have gotten from”Beneath the Curtain” and hope that my future work can bring a lasting impression for years to come!
Horror is a genre that often reflects societal fears. In what ways does “Beneath the Curtain” comment on or reflect contemporary issues?
“Beneath the Curtain” reflects on societal issues that depict domestic violence and abuse. Unfortunately as a society there is a level of misunderstanding and denial when it comes to domestic violence. There are psychological and emotional issues that take place in the mind of the abused, and how to cope with it. Jennifer, the main protagonist of “Beneath the Curtain” is an example of trauma, fear, terror and a cry for help, she finds herself alone and in despair, she has no choice but to look within. My hope is to bring light to domestic violence which is a worldwide issue, and inspire abused women to find within themselves the power to believe that strong is within. “You never knowhow strong you are until strong is your only choice” And empowered them to not be afraid, to say “STOP” to domestic violence.
Lastly, what advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers who want to create impactful short films on a tight budget?
There is no right answer, more than anything being creative is key. My plan was tomake a film with “zero budget” but it all changed when the film department thought they could stop me from filming my short and canceling my gear the day of my shooting. I almost made it! I wanted to prove to myself that there are no excuses when it comes to creating and filming something, nothing can stop me from looking outside the box. I wanted to grab the camera, go film, make mistakes, learn, find my why? No BA in Film or Masters in Film is going to teach me how to find my vision, or style. So Idid, I put on my producing/directing hat and went to work and got pretty much everything for free! At the end of the day nothing can stop us from creating impactful stories, not even a tight budget.
About Director
Peggy Kiefer Pullen’s unique journey began with her birth at sea in the Gulf of Tampico, Mexico. Raised by her fashion designer mother, Socorro Barrett Kiefer (Coco), and electric engineer father, Jack Conrad, Peggy spent half of her childhood on a yacht, navigating between Mexican and American waters, and the other half attending school in Mexico. Her early exposure to the arts through her mother’s fashion shows and school chorus performances paved the way for her to open for renowned Latin American artists during her adolescence.