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Lovesick: An Interview with Nick Benjamin

Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘Lovesick’. How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?

The projects I worked on before Lovesick range from a variety of multi-genre music videos, short films, and feature length screenplays. I try to focus on compelling and captivating stories, encompassing themes that look "outside the box" with a sense of wonder, while maintaining a thrilling edge. I started when I was in 8th grade shooting short films in my backyard with friends and learned as anyone does if they want to go into film: watch movies and keep making them!


Tell us about ‘Lovesick’. How do you describe it?

I’ll describe it by quoting the mastermind behind the song, Liv Belda: “I wrote the song after going on a walk in the park with my friends. One of them said ‘I think I have a crush’ and to that I immediately said ‘ahh the early symptoms of this disease we call love.’ Don’t know why that was my natural response, but that’s what started the song. It’s about the feelings you get when you first start to love someone. It’s all encompassing and consuming. You’d do anything to keep the feeling alive, although it simultaneously makes you sick to your stomach. Being lovesick is the best and worst thing. If you knew what was best for you you’d run away from it, but we’re humans and we never choose that direction.” As a director, I do my best to find the source that attracts me to the subject matter. We have all been in a situation where we loved someone but just weren’t sure. Both give you that inevitable feeling in the pit of your stomach that you can’t shake. Do you see what happens, or do you run away? Liv and I thought it would be really interesting to capture this visually, going back and forth between reality and a dream world where everything makes sense. In a way, finding that someone feels like a dream at first until the next thing you know, you’re living with them. The reality we’re too afraid to see come to fruition until it does.


Please tell us about your favorite filmmakers.

There are so many filmmakers that inspire me. To name a couple, Steven Spielberg inspires me most out of any director. The very first movie I watched that cemented my love of film was Jurassic Park. The original double VHS bundle came with the original film and the making of the film. I probably watched both more than any other VHS or DVD out there. Jordan Peele is also somebody I admire. He has taken the thriller genre and flipped it on its head. He doesn’t just make something scary, but he creates compelling stories around current social issues. The scary monsters in his stories are always deep-rooted issues that he brings to life in a fun yet educational way. That’s what I admire about his style of storytelling so much.



If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?

That’s the million dollar question! I have two answers for that. I would either spend it on a grounded Sci-Fi film that takes place in the Favelas of Brazil (I’m half Brazilian and have always wanted to shoot something there) or a grounded horror/thriller of my original choosing.


Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?

I think there’s never any shame in rehearsing with your cast and crew as much as humanly possible. Preparation is key, especially when shooting on a shoe string budget. If you have the time to get together with everyone before principle photography and plan out how the upcoming days will likely play out, that will be a sure way to a successful shoot.


What was the hardest part of making ‘Lovesick’.

We only had 12 hours to get absolutely everything, which means we unfortunately had to cut a few shots out that we simply didn’t have time for. That being said, the benefit of working with a talented and determined team is that you find ways around it. So, for example, instead of seven setups, we condensed it into two or three but incorporated ways we could combine specific setups that we might not have had extra time to focus on. Resourcefulness is key in these situations.


If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?

I have a pretty packed slate at the moment, which is fantastic. I’m currently in prep on another music video I plan on directing for a friend of mine, a couple different short films spanning genres like adventure, sci-fi, and horror, two commercial specs I plan to pitch once complete, and I’m in development on two features. So all in all, if I’m lucky enough to continue this wonderful trek of creating and collaborating, I will always know I’m in the right place. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Lovesick, and future projects to come.

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