Caymanian actress Wendee Miller has always been driven by ambition and her passion for the arts.
In 2020, she was awarded the Silver Star at the National Arts & Culture Awards for her contributions to the stage and representing the Cayman Islands at events overseas.
Local audiences will recognise Miller from her performances in such shows as ‘Rundown’, ‘Playhouse Family Christmas’, ‘Sistahs’, ‘Footloose’ and ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’. These, combined with her presence at festivals like Gimistory and Cayfest, represent an impressive body of work that has brought her to the next stage of her career: Screenwriter, producer and director.
On Saturday, 6 Nov., Miller will be premiering her short film ‘You Are Enough’ at the Harquail Theatre, created by her own company, V4C Productions. The film was shot in the Cayman Islands using local actors and crew, and focusses on the topic of bullying – an issue in many societies, particularly for children.
The Cayman Compass spoke to Miller about her latest project, why she chose this subject matter, and how she is hoping to promote it in the international market.
What got you interested in filmmaking and how long have you been involved in the craft?
I have been doing filmmaking full-time over the past four years. As an actress for 20+ years, involved with theatre and film, I’ve also been exercising my craft in writing screenplays and skits. Seeing so many talented persons on island, I wanted to create films and messages that could educate and motivate the people of the Cayman Islands and around the world. Now that I have my company, V4C Productions, my intention is to create as many films as I possibly can to make sure I adhere to that vision. I also want to help motivate those who may want to get into the world of filmmaking, but they don’t know exactly what steps to take.
What made you choose the topic of bullying for this short film?
This topic really hit close to home for me, particularly when I see that it hasn’t been addressed 100% within our society. My daughter and I wanted to help in some way by sharing our experiences. We both have seen families take this issue to social media out of frustration, because their own children are not getting the help or support needed. Seeing how victims of bullying are affected pushes some people to take matters into their own hands, which – most of the time – causes more harm to themselves and escalates the situation. So, we decided to take this opportunity to share what we have done and to provide the knowledge that we have been provided. At the screening, we will have professionals giving guidance on the right way to deal with bullying issues, and how to start moving towards the healing process.
How long did it take to shoot?
This film took about three days to shoot overall, but, of course, editing does take some time to complete – making sure we have the correct sound, colour grading and music etc. It is all a collaboration of setting the right mood and ensuring everything is in line to have that masterpiece that was a script, come to life on screen. Overall, I would say that with pre-production, production and post-production, it was a total of two months.
Who wrote the script?
I was the main writer of ‘You Are Enough’, but my oldest daughter had a huge part to play with the input and content. It started out with my daughter, Zie’l Burke, asking to act in a scene with me, as I was pursuing my acting and filmmaking career full-time. She wanted to speak on this topic that she has faced and is still facing. She wanted to help others overcome their challenges of bullying in any way possible and she also wanted to share the words of encouragement I gave her with the world, as she feels they need to be heard.
Are you planning to submit it to international film festivals?
For sure! I have already started submitting it to a film festival platform called ‘FilmFreeway’. We have submitted to over 12 film festivals so far, such as Reel Short Film Festival, FARO International Film Festival and Future Archives Film Festival, and intend on submitting to a whole lot more after the screening of the film. These include the Sundance Film Festival and LA Women’s Film Festival.
Do you plan to show it again locally as the premiere is sold out?
There has been a high demand for another showing, so after this screening, I may do a second live screening. If not a live screening, I may take the route of doing an online screening, so supporting producers, directors and actors of mine who are overseas can have the opportunity to view the film before the final judging at the festivals. The most important thing is that it reaches as wide an audience as possible.
Which local actors are in this and how did you hire them for it?
The lead local actors in the film are me and the talented LeiLani Davis. We also had a lot of young teenagers take part in the film. They were not all experienced actresses, but they have either suffered some level of bullying or they have seen it happen to a family member, so it was a lot easier for them to be directed. They are all super-talented, and played their roles even better than I anticipated. This just shows you how much talent there is in our young people, once they are given the opportunity to shine.
Do you feel that Cayman is a good location for filmmaking?
I absolutely believe that Cayman is a perfect location for filmmaking. There is so much here for the world to see, especially when it comes to our history and heritage. My intention has always been to share and showcase not only the talented actors and artists that we have here, but also to have people witness what the Cayman Islands has to offer. Nothing has made me more proud than to go overseas and represent my country. Even though we are a small group of islands, we do have so many resources – not only for local films, but for international filmmakers, who will want to come here and showcase our facilities, beaches, and historical and cultural venues.
What projects are you working on?
There are so many more projects that I have coming up. I have at least one short film and two feature films that I am wanting to shoot over the next several months. My next production is a feature film, which will be on a larger scale than I have done before, and I fully intend to have 100% Caymanian actors and crew involved in it. Hopefully, we will get all the resources and financial help and support required to pull this one off; we will need all hands on deck. I want to create as many opportunities as possible for our people no matter the age, race or nationality. I always believe that there is a message that needs to be shared and a lesson that has to be learned, and if I have to write, produce, record and share it, then so be it. It can be done, once you believe. You see the vision and take that first step to make it happen.
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