SATURDAY | BLOCK I | 3:30 |
Candice and Peter’s Smokin’ Hot Date (8 min) dir: Michael P Mason and Leanne Melissa Bishop

#1: Can you describe your movie and why somebody should see it in less than 280 characters?

Candice & Peter’s Smokin’ Hot Date is a dinner date gone awry… while trying to cook a romantic dinner at home, Candice and Peter get into a debate over which wine pairs best with their pork chops. As it intensifies, their romantic evening looks like it could go up in smoke!

#2: What do you want the Borrego Springs Film Festival audience to know about your film that isn’t obvious from its title?

Candice & Peter’s Smokin’ Hot Date is a follow up to the multi-award winning short, Reservations For Three? that screened at Borrego Springs two years ago!  After a very successful festival run for Reservations For Three?, it seemed like the story wasn’t over for this quirky couple.  We had a lot of positive reception and questions about “what happens next?” for Candice and Peter, so we decided to drop back in and see how things were going!

#3: What is your movie making background?  Tell us about yourself.

Leanne Melissa Bishop and Michael P. Mason have respectively been making films for the past 20 years.  Candice & Peter’s Smokin’ Hot Date marks their Directorial Debut working together!  Leanne has appeared in feature films, tv series and short films, starring opposite such iconic actors as Nick Mancuso and Kelly Perine.  Michael has produced and edited films and tv series, including the Orion Pictures release The Sound, starring Rose McGowan and Christopher Lloyd.

#4: What was the biggest lesson learned in getting your film made?

The biggest lesson for us with both Reservations For Three? and Candice & Peter’s Smokin’ Hot Date is to not wait for anyone to give you permission to make your films.  There’s always going to be people who try to tell you it’s not possible or put up roadblocks, but in the end you only have yourself to count on so, Just do it!   Oh and, smoke doesn’t always follow direction.

#5: What does the future hold for your film and you?

We are currently pitching a half hour comedy TV series called FOXTON, which is based on the characters Candice and Peter from this film and Reservations For Three?.   It’s always seemed to us like there are more stories to come from these two characters so the most logical way to explore their relationship was through an episodic.  Leanne, Michael and Kelly are now working with BAFTA award winning showrunner Anthony Q. Farrell (The Office, Secret Life of Boys).