I Hate it Here

In creating I HATE IT HERE, I saw an opportunity to apply a concept I have been struggling with artistically. I found myself reflecting on the differences between theatre ensembles, and film & TV crews, questioning why the empowerment created in rehearsal rooms rarely translated to on-camera work. Film & TV must exist differently than Theatre of course, as part of its success is in the separation of departments to delegate work to whomever is more qualified. But I started thinking a set could truly benefit from the plurality of artists, the abandonment of on-set hierarchy, and the valorisation of a constant back and forth.

​Coming from an acting background, I know actors do their best work when they can work off of each other. This meant selecting talents who either knew each other, had worked together before, or were excellent listeners. More than captivating on-screen chemistry, this allowed us to create a collaborative space where ideas were exchanged, which nourished the actors’ performances, my directing style, and Tom’s composition. Our five-day shoot was a major success. Despite the long hours and overwhelming amount of work, the team never stopped reinventing themselves and our story. We committed to a lot of improvisation work on set, which allowed for more realism from the actors, and majorly contrasted with our complex visual work which highlighted the research of absurdity from the script. Our set was vibrant and high-energy, with a watered-down hierarchy, which allowed us to level with each other to create a story we all resonated with.