QUESTION#1: How do your top 3 favorite films influence your filmmaking?:

3 of my favorite films are The Prestige, The Mummy and The Shining, which are ironically all movies that start with "The" and all movies I watched as a kid. Each of these films represent interesting, layered, complex characters that have stuck with me my whole life and impacted the way I think about storytelling in general. Most recently I was really inspired by the Barbie film and how much thought + intentionality went into Greta's world-building. Margot Robbie's performance is also amazing and I learn a lot every time I watch her act.

QUESTION#2: What do you wish someone would ask you about your film and why?:

Why the tone is the way it is, and why the characters interact with each other the way they do, because those were two of the most important elements to me to nail in the storytelling of Box Boy. It was really important to me to illustrate the characters' contentment and obliviousness to the oddity of the world in which they exist, because until we become aware of our own "boxes," we're perfectly happy in them. I also really wanted Flower Girl to serve as an example to Box Boy of what freedom looks like, but it was so important that her presence be an invitation, not an expectation. She provides Box Boy with the opportunity to make a change, but she never comes on too strong. When we're on the precipice of big changes in our own lives, feeling shoved or pressured into making a decision can be really scary. But when you have a neutral party who serves as a goalpost for what that change can look like, it can be really helpful.

QUESTION#3: What scared you the most about making this film?:

It's a silent film, so I was really nervous about making the characters still feel real and human without dialogue. It's one thing to read it on a page, but it's another thing to make sure it works on-screen! I was also nervous about nailing the dynamic between the two characters and the overall tone, since it's such a tone-centric film. The desert scene was tough to shoot, but we figured it out!

QUESTION#4: You have to choose one to make your next movie: 1) unlimited budget but only a single take of every shot 2) Academy award winning composer, but they're not allowed to watch the film 3) A-list cast, but they're directed using only charades. Which one do you pick and why?:

What a fun question haha. I choose number 3--with a great script, a clear vision and great actors you can accomplish a lot. Being an actor myself I think I could figure out how to convey my vision through charades if I had to :P

QUESTION#5: What's does the future hold for this film and you?:

Box Boy is just starting its festival run, so we plan to be screening at many theaters soon! Beyond that, I plan to make a short film this year that will serve as a proof of concept for a series. It's very different from Box Boy in its story and execution, but has similar themes of growth, change and late-blooming. :)

Social media tags to share with our readers:

@kelseymarieedwards everywhere, except YouTube which is just @KelseyEdwards :)

5Q's w/Kelsey Edwards "Box Boy" Director