My friends Lorrisa & CJ just completed writing, producing, editing and starring in (for Lorrisa) the full length feature film, “The Misadventures of Mistress Maneater”.
Their film is available to rent and buy on Prime Video or Vimeo on Demand. They can also follow our Facebook and Instagram handle, @mistressmaneatermovie,
Loving films and having never known anyone personally who has made a full length feature film, I had lot of questions. What does it take to make a film? Join me on this insider’s view into filmmaking:
Have you always wanted to make a movie? How did you come up with the idea for “Mistress Maneater”. Why did you decide to produce it yourselves?
Lorrisa: I’ve been a professional performer and a published/produced playwright since college. But I never imagined when I majored in screenwriting that I’d also have to become a producer.
Inspired by the success of co-star Shannon Brown and line producer Suzette Brown in producing low-budget Midwest features, in 2014 I set out to write a small-town romantic comedy. (The “low-budget” part has always been my biggest challenge.) The initial concept was “Powerful, confident woman must pursue honorable man who wants nothing to do with her.”
Producing is the hardest job of all, but ultimately empowering. I encourage every aspiring film artist to produce their own work at some point. C.J. and I produced theatre, multimedia, and live events for years, so we knew producing a movie would be an Everest, but we also knew it was the only way to ensure the creative and financial success of the end product.
C.J.: Lorrisa and I have been together for almost 16 years. And for the entire time we’ve been together, I’ve watched her work diligently to advance her career. When the final draft of the script for Mistress Maneater was complete, I saw the entire movie inside my head. As a director, that really means something. If I can see it that clearly, it’s speaking to me in ways most scripts don’t. Also, as Lorrisa’s bestest pal and partner in crime, I want to do everything in my power to see her vision completed.
Talk a little bit about your philosophy regarding films. You wanted to make “Mistress Maneater” different than other films. Why was this important to you?
Lorrisa: C.J. and I and lifelong movie lovers, but we’re often bored by one-dimensional characters and familiar stories lacking intellectual challenge. I wanted to explore the relationship of two complex people I’d never seen cross swords.
Dichotomy is my favorite theme in art and storytelling, whether it it’s expressed in a chiaroscuro painting, absurdist humor, or within a character and relationship. Juxtaposition creates drama and contrast for each element to appear most vividly alongside its opposite. Our favorite theater productions always had those opposing elements and wove in a little levity to make their points.
Ava is a genius, belittled because of her profession. Father Radovan Markovic is a noble idealist and an MMA fighter. They each have inner dichotomies contributing to their emotional arcs, but put both characters together and their opposing natures make sparks fly too!
C.J.: Lorrisa did a lovely job summarizing why we want to make movies like Mistress Maneater. But it’s more than just making different movies. It’s also making movies differently. We want our crew to feel as if they’re appreciated and respected. We want to be a film production company with a capable husband/wife team at the very top, doing everything the right way. Our integrity means everything to us, and we want to reflect that every day on set and behind the scenes.
What was the most difficult part of the process? How was it filming in Northwest Indiana? 
Lorrisa: Production, (the 27 days of actual filming), was like climbing K2 every day! Mostly since we filmed a studio-size movie on a tiny budget with a skeleton crew. We all had to wear multiple hats. But every member of the crew was committed to quality, and passionate about this ambitious story.
Indiana was wonderful to us, particularly the towns of Crown Point and Valparaiso where we filmed. We had so much help and support from Valparaiso University’s staff, most notably Brauer Museum director Gregg Hertzlieb, as well as Joseph Gaal of Sage Restaurant and Battista’s, Pastor Tim Leitzke of Trinity Lutheran Church in Valpo, Cathy Brown of Valpo Velvet, the staff of Memorial Opera House, Valparaiso Events, and Valpo Parks’ Kevin Nuppnau. Our most impressive scene we owe to the help of Chief Dutz and the Valparaiso Fire Department. We couldn’t have made this movie without the volunteer efforts of so many former strangers. We hope to film here again!
Was it difficult finding the talent needed in the Chicago/NW Indiana area? Is it Mickey who plays the priest? People said you would have to go to the coasts to find someone of his talent, but you found him in the Chicago area?
Lorrisa: Mickey O’Sullivan, who’s appeared in The Chi and Chicago PD, is a highly skilled, committed actor who sacrificed for this extremely challenging role. We found no actor his equal or better suited to the role’s many requirements, even with a nationwide casting search. We were fortunate that he was based in Chicago and he and his agent were willing to work on a low budget film.
Co-star Cynda Williams, star of One False Move and Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues, is a longtime friend, colleague, and Chicago native. Likewise, Shannon Brown (Friends, The Crash), Bonnie Morgan (Rings, The Devil Inside, The Sarah Connor Chronicles), and Molly Morgan (Weeds, The Big Bang Theory, Dexter), all LA-based actors and trusted friends of ours, believed in us and the project and made the trek to Chicago.
Did you feel any parts were too controversial or would turn audiences away? For instance, you open with a bondage scene. To me, it actually helps with the “elevator pitch” for the storyline.
Lorrisa: Yes, when you tell someone that it’s a romantic comedy between a dominatrix who hates her job and the one man who can’t stand her, an Episcopal priest who’s also an MMA fighter, you either get stares of shock or guffaws of laughter. The movie is ultimately wholesome and empowering in its message, even with an edgy attitude. We’ve even been endorsed by a pastor and a priest! There are no explicit scenes or nudity. If we had a rating, we’d likely get a PG-13.
C.J: Initially, the script had some more pointed political commentary. But early on, we decided to eliminate the obvious, allowing the viewer to decide on their own what we were talking about. It is said that the best art allows viewers to come to their own conclusions, so that’s the route we took.
What filmmakers or films have inspired you, particularly in regards to this project?
Lorrisa: Frances Marion and auteur Georges Méliès, pioneer silent filmmakers before the studio era, are two of my idols. They both wore multiple creative hats in front of and behind the camera. A major influence for this movie was BBC’s Sherlock, as it too blends genres with wit, humor, mystery, and action. Legally Blonde. Ironman. The charm and idealism of classic films and Robert Zemeckis movies.
C.J.: The filmmakers that I admire most are the ones who have a deep expertise in the filmmaking process. Directors like James Cameron, Ridley Scott, Steven Spielberg, and John Carpenter are the ones I look up to. Perhaps one day I’ll have a much larger budget to create the style of work that they are known for.
This has been your project for several years. How exciting is it to have the final product available? How are you marketing the film? Will you take it to film festivals?
Lorrisa: It has been a long, challenging ultra-marathon. Viewers can rent and buy our movie on Prime Video or Vimeo on Demand. They can also follow our Facebook and Instagram handle, @mistressmaneatermovie, for updates, interviews, behind the scenes videos and photos, and critic reviews. We’ve won laurels at five film festivals, including: The Burbank International Film Festival, The Mile High International Film Festival, The IndieFEST Film Awards, The Cannes International Independent Film Festival, and the Love Wins Film Festival.
C.J.: Initially, we wanted to participate in as many fests as possible, to meet like-minded filmmakers, but the pandemic poured ice water on that! Right now we are engaged in one of the hardest parts of the process – marketing the film. Creating enough buzz to get the public to buy/stream it is one of the hardest aspects of the business.
What advice would you give to kids (and adults) about pursuing and achieving their goals? 
Lorrisa: Find your tribe, lift up others, and know that their success doesn’t negate yours or mean there’s less out there for you! I originally met my co-stars Molly and Bonnie Morgan as co-competitors, and twelve years later we teamed up for this movie.
Trust your gut about people, don’t chase promised pots of gold (that’s how the con-artists get you to ignore your intuition) and don’t burn bridges. The bigger your dream, the more you’ll need the support of your network. Fear, anger, and reactivity are your enemies.
Be your own first investor before you ask anyone else to do the hard work or give you their hard-earned coin.
Don’t make your end goal money or popularity, because you’ll be disappointed, and even if you get those things, they won’t satisfy for long.
We attend school for years and train our physical bodies for hours in the gym, but the greatest power we wield in life arises when we discipline our thoughts, egos, and emotions, as so many martial arts practitioners have discovered. I encourage all artists to explore personal development, philosophy, and self-awareness. That quest has shaped the soul of my work and accelerated my journey as an artist.
There’s a greater power than a strong body, brilliant mind, and stellar résumé, and that’s knowing you are enough, and you are not your looks, not your degree, not your résumé, not your bank account. Then, even a setback can’t keep you down for long, the flatterers can’t deceive you, and the trolls of the world can’t wound you. In grade school, I was made to memorize Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If.” Only as an adult do I truly appreciate those sage words to live by.
C.J.: As always, Lorrisa said things perfectly. But there is one thing I’d like to add. The movie business is a business that is based entirely on relationships. Having good working relationships with your team is essential. Furthermore, your word has to be like four aces on the table. Unimpeachable. Your word is your bond; everything that follows tends to fall into place.