Rebecca Eskreis on Writing and Directing What Breaks The Ice

Writer, Director, and producer Rebecca Eskreis is a familiar face on the international film festival circuit, screening at SXSW, SIFF, Munich, and Stockholm, among others. Rebecca’s directorial debut, What Breaks the Ice (starring Madelyn Cline, Sofia Hublitz, and Lukas Gage) was selected for the Austin Film Society’s Artist Intensive, hosted by Richard Linklater, and releases in select theaters and on VOD October 1st. 

What you will learn: 

• Rebecca talks about early inspirations for her film What Breaks the Ice and the theme of moral ambiguity that weaves through the film. [0:00-7:25]
• The significance of using the Monica Lewinsky scandal from the late 90s as a story-telling device in What Breaks the Ice, and how the lack of technology in that era allowed the story to unfold in a way that would perhaps not be as effective if the film were set in the present day. [7:25-13:53]
• Why What Breaks the Ice was filmed with a handheld camera for specific scenes and the world that effect created. How Rebecca worked her way up in Hollywood. [13:53-20:24]
• How a meeting with Diablo Cody inspired Rebecca to make What Breaks the Ice, and the work it took to finance and cast the film. Rebecca reveals why her short film Noodling was one of the best investments she made in herself professionally, and talks about the time it took to complete that project. [20:24-30:27]
• What it was like to work on Jonathan Demme’s concert film Justin TImberlake + the Tennessee Kids, why Demme thought of this film (at least in part) as a “comedy", and what she learned throughout that production. [30:27-37:21]
• Rebecca’s plans for future projects, including an exciting show in the works about the Von Trapp family. Advice Rebecca has for folks hoping to make it in the film and television business. [37:21-43:15]

Resources: 

• Rebecca Eskreis’: Website, IMDb, Instagram, LinkedIn
• What Breaks the Ice: Trailer, Apple TV

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