Beneath the Hollywood Sign

1 November 2007

by Graeme Watson

Organisation

Producer Jessica Woodland and Director Patrick Herford are eagerly anticipating the first screening of their new short feature ‘Hollywood Sign Girls’. We caught up with the creative team and quizzed them about the making of the film.

How would you describe your new film ‘Hollywood Sign Girls’?

‘Hollywood Sign Girls’ is a noir drama set in the underbelly of 1930’s LA. It is inspired by the true story of Peg Entwistle, a tragic actress of the time, but follows the story of several women who stay in a boarding house during depression Hollywood.

Who else was involved in making the film?
Key creatives included Daniel Foeldes as DP, Alex Ringis wrote an original score, Wendi Graham did the sound design, Kylie Hazell and Verity Fitzgerald worked on production design and Noah Norton worked
with me editing, Mandy Elmitt was costume designer.

What was the production process like?
Production was intense, but strangly went almost without a hitch, apart from the main set being burgled.

A large portion of production was at the Old Royal George Hotel in Fremantle and we were lucky enough to be able to just inhabit that building for a week and a half, eating, and sleeping there which helped no-end.

How does shooting black and white compare to working in colour?

It was a help on many levels. Wardrobe and Art design could concentrate on era alone, without having to worry about a palette.

Ironically we got into post and found that a low saturated version of the colour footage we shot looked great and we almost went with a small colour presence. However, not every scene fired the way it was meant to. From the outset the heart of the film had been black and white. It was a dangerous option to change that approach on a whim after so long.

What’s next on the cards for your team?

Well we all have our separate projects. I am writing a new film at the moment, but I think that we all just want to get ‘Hollywood Sign Girls’ out there and see how people react.

In fact many of “the team” have not yet seen the film so it is very exciting. From my perspective I would love to work on another feature with the ‘Hollywood Sign Girls’ crew.

What advice would you give to someone about to embark on making their next film?

Don’t listen to the people who tell you that a big idea with little means is a silly prospect. Producing is a creative process and for every obstacle you are confronted with along the journey, there is a creative way to overcome it.

‘Hollywood Sign Girls’ premiered at the LUNA Cinema in Leederville on Thursday November 8th.

To read other interviews with filmmakers, click here

Image: Hollywood Sign Girls