Smosh Mouth - #70 - How To Make A Movie

Episode Date: November 11, 2024

Amanda and Shayne have Olivia on to talk about her experience making her short film, Wei Baba. Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Get Rocket Money today at https://RocketMoney.com/SMOSHMOUTH. Go to https://Zocdoc.com/SMOSHMOUTH to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Olivia's Short film, Wei Baba // https://www.instagram.com/weibabafilm/ 0:00 Intro 4:58 Olivia is making a short film! 18:58 Casting the characters 23:46 Putting it all together 27:04 Trials and tribulations 29:35 Filming in one day 37:27 The pressure that comes with creating 44:20 What Amanda and Shayne want to make 51:01 What Olivia’s learned from creating SUBSCRIBE: https://smo.sh/Sub2SmoshCast WEAR OUR JOKES: https://smosh.com WHO YOU HEAR Shayne Topp // https://www.instagram.com/shaynetopp/ Olivia Sui // https://www.instagram.com/oliviasui/ Amanda Lehan-Canto // https://www.instagram.com/filmingamanda/ WHO YOU DON’T HEAR (usually) Director: Selina Garcia Editor: Rock Coleman Producer: Amanda Lehan-Canto, Shayne Topp, Selina Garcia Production Designer: Cassie Vance Art Director: Erin Kuschner Assistant Art Director: Josie Bellerby Art Coordinator: Alex Aguilar Prop Assistant: Courtney Chapman Audio Mixer: Scott Neff Director of Photography: Brennan Iketani Camera Operator: James Hull Assistant Director: Alexcina Figueroa Executive Vice President of Production: Amanda Barnes Production Manager: Alexcina Figueroa Production Coordinator: Zianne Hoover Operations & Production Coordinator: Oliver Wehlander Production Assistant: Quincy Bell Production Intern: Caroline Smith Post Production Manager: Luke Baker DIT/Lead AE: Matt Duran IT: Tim Baker Director of Design: Brittany Hobbs Graphic Designers: Ness Cardano, Monica Ravitch Senior Manager, Channel & Strategy: Lizzy Jones Channel Operations Coordinator: Audrey Carganilla Director of Social Media: Erica Noboa Social Creative Producer: Peter Ditzler, Tommy Bowe Merchandising Manager: Mallory Myers Social Media Coordinator: Kim Wilborn Social Media Intern: Mailyn Stiffler Talent Coordinator: Selina Garcia Programming Intern: Jianna Venturina Operations PA: Katie Fink CEO: Alessandra Catanese EVP of Programming: Kiana Parker Coordinator Producer of Programming: Marcus Munguia Executive Coordinator: Rachel Collis OTHER SMOSHES: Smosh: https://smo.sh/Sub2Smosh Smosh Pit: https://smo.sh/Sub2SmoshPit Smosh Games: https://smo.sh/Sub2SmoshGames El Smosh (Spanish Dub): https://smo.sh/Sub2ElSmosh FOLLOW US: TikTok: https://smo.sh/TikTok Snapchat: http://smo.sh/OnSnapchat Instagram: https://instagram.com/smosh Facebook: https://facebook.com/smosh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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It is Olivia. Hello, guys. Hi, Olivia. It's been a minute. It's been a minute since you've been on. And you didn't put, like, his last time, your makeup, you really went all out. Yeah. I know. I know. I had you really went all out. Yeah. I know.

I know I had contour all over my face. Yeah. And now it's all blended, baby. Yeah. It's the same makeup from last time. You've kept it on. She hasn't washed her face. You let it naturally blend. Shane, I know you're a guy but I don't think you understand how makeup works.

That's true. Yeah. No, that's, we know that because there's the lost episode from Smosh that never aired where I did your makeup. Wait. Do you remember that? No. I've heard about this. Do you remember this?

There was forever ago where I actually legitimately attempted to do your makeup and I felt really bad because I did a really bad job. And I realized how hard it is. Like when I was trying to apply stuff and I was like, oh, this does not apply how I thought it would apply. I was trying to apply stuff and I was like oh this does not apply how I thought it would apply I will say I think it's very hard to do someone else's makeup when you're on your own it's easier to apply it doing someone else's is like you know when you do your makeup and people like oh my god can you do mine you're like yeah you look worse completely

different than me and then you do it and you're like like I try to do my mom's makeup and I'm like, oh God, mom. Yeah. Yikes. Yeah. I'll try to do your makeup. Okay. People have done my makeup and they do a great job, but. I would love to see that video.

It's gone. What do you mean it's gone? It truly disappeared. It was like lost in the Defy shutdown. What do we have to do to find it? It's gone. No, I think I have pictures of it on my phone. Really?

Yeah. Do? Can we bring it up? It was really bad. I actually was like embarrassed by it. No, I think I have pictures of it on my phone. Really? Yeah. Do you? Can we bring it up? It was really bad. I actually was, like, embarrassed by it. No, but I think, you know, the memory of it will stay forever in my head. Olivia, how are you doing today? I am, like, for real asking me how I'm doing? Yeah.

No, as a joke. Well, ha ha! No, for real. As a joke, I'm doing great. For real. No, I a joke. No, for real. As a joke? I'm doing great. For real? No, I'm kidding. No, for real.

For real, for real. Well, I feel a little bit rushed because I rush myself because I don't give myself enough time to do things. So that is why when I sat down, I was like, oh God, I need like something in my body because my stomach will be making all sorts of crazy sounds. Why don't you give yourself enough time? You know what, Amanda?

I don't fucking know. I kind of agree with you though. Sometimes when you have more time, you like push it to the end and then you're like, I have to get in the car. No, I literally was like, though. Sometimes when you have more time, you, like, push it to the end. And then you're like, I have to get in the car. No, I literally was like, Alexina, I'm so sorry. Give me 30 seconds. I have to pee.

I'm so sorry. I almost peed with the door open, but then I realized we're at work, and that would, like, not be okay. That would be so funny. I was about to, like, take off my pants as I was, like, running through the main through our main lobby. Can I tell you, it's actually crazy you say that. That is an irrational fear of mine that I'll forget that I'm at work.

I shut the door behind me at home, too, when I use the bathroom. I never. I don't care. I just have this fear of what if I forget? And then it's like horrible, you know? But no, I make sure every time I enter the bathroom,

I like- You close the door? I close the door at home. I knew that. I totally close the door at home. I don't. I keep it wide open. I keep it wide open,

like my legs. I mean like when I'm peeing. No, no, no. No, no. I keep it wide open like when I'm peeing, you know? No, that's not what I meant. Uh-huh.

No, that's not what I meant. I couldhuh. No, that's not what I meant. I could mean that, but it's not what I meant. That's okay. Sorry. Wow. You're not the weird one here. Yeah, you close your door. I'm the weird one for closing my door.

Do you lock it? Do you lock it when you're home? I don't know if I always lock it. So you do. Whoa. What's going to happen? I don't think I lock it. I don't know. Whoa!

Look, I did that. You are weird. I will do that if I am home alone. I will still shut the door just because I like to be enclosed. Are you worried someone's going to come in and take over? You peeing? I'm not worried about anything. I just like to be in a little tiny room

there and be like, okay, I'm here. Wow. That's what's going on. I don't like to be in a little tiny room there and be like, okay, I'm here. That's what's going on. I don't like to be in a tiny room. Also, especially if I'm sitting down, my cats will come into the bathroom and they'll be like, can I sit on your lap? I'm like, absolutely not. You don't like that? No. You don't want your cats to see?

I just don't want them to be around in there. Wow. I don't know. We learned so much about shame. Just leave me alone. But they hate it because if I shut the door, I will be sitting there and then all of a sudden a paw will just come

from underneath the door. Oh, cute! And they're like, let me in! It's truly... Signs. It's truly like signs. No, cats are little demons.

I don't have one. It's cute how you live your life. Anyways, we have Olivia here. And Olivia, there's something going on live your life. Anyways, we have Olivia here. And Olivia, there's something going on in your life that is kind of new. You are in the middle of... No, not that.

No, not that. What's going on in my life? You're in the middle of making a short film. Making a short film. You're making a short film. Yes.

And how long have you been working on this? I've been working on it for over a year. We're in post-production. We're in the last, I would say, I can't put it as percentage because this last bit is so important to the entire thing. But we're almost done. We're picture locked. There's just like a few other things that we need to make it all finished. When is it ever going to be finished?

I don't know. Yesterday I was like something unexpected happened yesterday. You know when you asked me how I'm doing today, well, a little bit stressed because of the residual stuff from yesterday. So my short film is picture locked. So everything in the edit is like done, you know, um, but we still have to do the sound mix and music and coloring. But everything else is like, you know, the picture is locked. That's nice. Yeah, the edits are done.

When are you hoping, when is your desire for it to be done fully? Good question. Hopefully in today, what? It's October right now. Hopefully today. Hopefully the end of EOD today. No, I'm just kidding. As soon as possible,

but a lot of things can't be rushed, you know? I don't ever want to rush something as important as music. Totally. And coloring too. It's like gosh i have to give notes right after this how do you feel about giving notes on your short film um there's some like for example when i was doing the color session there's a lot of professional

verbiage that i'm learning as i'm doing it. And there's certain things like, this looks a little too yellow or this is giving like a purple hue. Like I don't know the actual words to describe things. However, I surround myself with really supportive, helpful, knowledgeable people who will be like, oh, this is what she means, you know? So I'm very fortunate that I have that. That's great.

Yeah. So for people listening and watching i guess we should explain like what's the name of this movie and what's it about so the short is called way papa which translates to hi dad um way is how you say hi to someone on the phone in mandarin and only specifically on the phone when you answer. Oh, interesting. So my dad and our relationship is, you know, on the phone all the time because he lives in China and he just calls me every single day nonstop if I don't answer. Every day? Every day. My dad calls me every single day. I don't think I knew this.

Yeah, yeah. Wow. Like I know we're not very close, but my dad checks in on me every, never fails to check on, check in on me. And if I don't answer, he will call over and over again. And until I answer. Oh my God. Why?

Yeah. I've gotten like 20, 30 missed calls from him before. Holy crap. Yeah. I think he's worried. And I think it's like him wanting to know what I'm if I'm okay. Yeah, maybe because he's worried. I guess you are on the other side of the planet.

I am. And what's the time difference? What time is he calling you at? So he calls me when he wakes up. Okay. So around like late afternoon. Okay. Yeah. Alright. That's sweet. I think that's really sweet. Okay, so it's called Wey Baba. It's called That's sweet. I think that's really sweet. Okay. So it's called Weibaba.

It's called Weibaba. And the premise of it is the first time my dad met Sam, my boyfriend Sam. And it was three months into us dating and my dad flew from China to America. We had dinner at a Chinese restaurant. And the thing, he wants me to translate to Sam. By the way, my dad doesn't speak English, so I'm the translator. So the first thing when we sit down, he wants me to translate to Sam is ask him when he's going to marry

you. Oh. Oh my gosh. First question. Also three months in. Three months in. Scary. Is your dad an intimidating guy? Very. Okay. My dad is very intimidating. I don't know why

I can only picture your dad like in a suit. Yeah. He has a dress shirt. He's in a polo and a dress shirt. My dad is a businessman. And he's, you know, he grew up in communist China. So it's like... So a very serious guy.

Yeah, he's very serious. However, when he turns it on, he turns it on. He's the most... My dad is like the most charismatic guy. He's like full of charisma. And like will make... He's very charming, you know, but also very serious. And growing up, I always just heard my dad screaming at people

and yelling at people on the phone or no every on the phone everywhere people yeah like he's he's just he's just a very complicated man. But there's the added layer for Sam that the language barrier makes. Yeah. That would make any dad so intimidating if you cannot speak to them directly.

Especially Sam is such a sweetie. So sweet. Who's like giggly and smiley and like, yeah, and always trying to make jokes. Sam's are just like,

hey, how's it going, man? Yeah. Yeah. And you know, meeting someone's dad for the first time you want to impress them but if you don't speak their language it's really hard so i was the middleman i translated except for all the things that mattered i mistranslated most of the conversation oh whoa

because i did you know you were going to do that before you got there? Did you like expect your dad to say some shit that you were like, I'm not going to be. Yeah. Okay. For sure. So wait, your dad says, ask him when he's going to marry you. Did you translate that question to Sam? Hell no. What did you say?

I just, I just made up some lie. And that made me seem like to my dad, I was asking him him the question but made it seem like I wasn't to Sam. So, yeah, it was really – was it stressful? Complicated. Sort of. Was I lying? Yeah. I felt like I had to. And also, like, I, you know, not to go so deep into it, I think I have a, you know, specific view on marriage because of my parents who are divorced.

So my dad asking me that question was also just like, who are you to ask me that question when you, you know, did all of these things in your marriage that I don't believe was something you know you that was right so um is it traditional you think with your dad that you should get you should always get married yes okay I think I think in a way it's also like passing on the responsibility to another man like you're my daughter now you go marry another man who can take care of you so my work feels like it's done. And I did the thing, you know. My dad is very traditional. He doesn't, I don't, he doesn't. And also, like, in a way, he doesn't care who I marry as long as I get married. Okay, that's what I was going to ask.

So he doesn't care what culture, who you marry as long as you get married. Yeah. At a certain time? Is there a time limit? Yeah, like as soon as possible. I'm sure he wished I was married by like 21. I don't, like. Got it.

I also just, yeah, if you watch the film, you can kind of see how dismissive my dad is to Sam, who also is in the film. So Sam played himself in this. Yeah, Sam played himself in this. Now, how much of a one-to-one recreation of this conversation is the film? It's pretty accurate, but there are little improvised lines that were added. It's not, you know, foundationally, yes, very similar. I mean, it's a short, whereas the actual dinner lasted an hour and a half,

whereas the short is seven minutes. What was that like? An hour and a half. You were basically like a tennis ball. You were like going back and forth. Yeah, totally. Yeah. That is so awful to think about

because I feel like everyone's parents say or ask embarrassing questions, right? Like, especially meeting a significant other. So to have to say their words yourself to your partner, that's a nightmare. Well, it sounds like you did it. I don't think I would either. I think I would be like, um.

I think it's better this way. You do? Yeah, because I'm in total control of what I want. See, I would hate that. I would hate to be. I kind of love that. So does your dad think, he thinks that the dinner went the way he wanted it to go? I mean, he's still asking me the question.

And, you know, that was years ago. So wait. Years ago. Your dad says, and maybe if you remember, because this was years ago, but your dad says, when is he going to marry you? You ask Sam, like, what do you think of the food? Sam goes, oh, it's great. And then you go back to your dad.

Do you tell your dad that he said yes? Yeah. Oh, yeah, of course. Like, I'm amazing. He should want to marry me. And you're going back to the question of how one-on-one, how similar was it?

Well, we actually shot at the restaurant they met. That's crazy. No way. Shout out Bistro Nas in Temple City. That's incredible. Wait a second. So you're not in this short film. I am.

You are? Yes. Are you playing yourself? Yeah. So you and Sam are reliving this. Yes. Was it weird for Sam to go back? When did you tell Sam that you lied to him?

I think when he read the script. Years later? He's like, hey, Olivia, what's the deal here? Yeah, yeah. And now again when he listens and watches this podcast. So he probably walked away that day thinking, oh, Olivia's dad is awesome. We get along great. And then he learns later like, oh, I...

He literally said, he's like, dude, your dad is like really nice. And he loves you. And he's just like, he's not, you know, what you said he was going to be like. I'm like, of course. Oh, my God. I shielded you. Oh, my God. That's crazy. So, my God. I shielded you. Oh, my God. That's crazy.

So, okay, that happened years ago. At what point did you decide, oh, I'm going to make a movie out of that, that memory, that conversation? I was itching to make something. And I was really trying to find, you know, what I wanted to make. And I think something was in my brain saying, you should just, like, make something from your experience. And so I was like, all right, what's a funny experience that I had? And that can reflect, you know, who I am as a person.

And I think, I was like, okay, like, I think it's this, you know, story. And I think, even though my dad is not physically present in my day to day life, he has such a deep impact on me and like, who I am. And I just wanted to preserve this experience, this event that happened to me. It's almost like this is like made for me and my dad in a way and like showcasing our flawed relationship. And yeah, and it's like quite vulnerable. I think in the beginning when I was writing and I was like, this is funny. I'll add jokes in here. But then I'm like realizing, wait, like this is, my dad is getting older, you know, like I'm getting older. And like, I'm really glad I made this because even if no one sees it, it's just like the whole experience of it all. That's that

just worth it. It's like the most fulfilling thing i've ever done no this sounds this sounds so vulnerable like it's one of those projects and i think this is how you kind of know something's going to be good is when you watch it and you go oh my god i can't believe they made wait i never said it was good i just want to put that on the record that i never said that it was good but okay i actually think it might be really bad in comparison to because i haven't seen your film because it's not done yet but when i see when i see other projects where people make really vulnerable things based on their life and their family and i go i can't believe they made this like what's their conversation with their family member gonna be those are usually the best

because it is vulnerable so it's real and it's raw and i don't know i'm scared explaining explaining the premise of it, I'm excited, whereas I will be completely honest. I've been in this industry a long time. Usually when people tell me about a short film they're doing and they tell me about the premise, I go, ah, cool. Like a girl meets a guy, hear me out, on a date,

and they're like, whoa, I've seen you before, and then they go home together. And basically this girl is not like anyone he's ever met. She turns into a tree. That actually sounds awesome. You made it interesting again. That sounds cool. Is that more interesting than what I just made? No, definitely not. I'm doubting myself. Guys, this is scary.

Talking about my shit is scary. That is also, it's gotta suck that you're watching it so many times over that by this point you're exhausted by it. So you wrote and directed this and starred in it so you are so close to this i am so then did you decide the casting for the short yes so you had to cast your own dad i did and it was the most difficult thing there were moments where i was like i'm not going to be able to make this i truly was like there's no way I'm going to make this because the net is so small.

I needed someone in their late 60s, early 70s, Chinese who can speak Mandarin fluently, who sort of looked like my dad. Right. Oh, my God. And has the same demeanor and is going to bring the same energy. Yes, exactly. And it was so hard because I was watching every single Asian American TV show movie to find a dad. And it's not like I was using a casting director. I reached out to casting directors and people that I knew who made Asian American short films and be like,

do you guys know anyone that fits this description? And I would get people back. And a lot of times, like they didn't, they looked so far off from my dad, so far off from me. People who didn't speak Mandarin, people only speak Cantonese, people who were too young. It was people didn't even live in LA and like, I would have to fly them. Someone who lived in Taiwan who I really liked I was like and they're like no my dad can't get his visa a lot of a lot of things that um you know were like roadblocks and then then I met Jim Lau and my friend worked with him on you know I think it was a short and then I watched it and I was like wait he doesn't really fit the vibe but then I zoomed with him and he was so prepared and he literally transformed into my dad like he was he's an incredible actor his name is Jim Lau he's been doing this for like

50 years he's incredible and even when my when he was on set the day of my mom met him and watched him act and he was and she my mom who was married to my dad for 17 years was like holy shit this guy is literally a mirror of your dad whoa that's gonna be so trippy so he's got chills yeah mom was like, is that my ex-husband? Yeah. So your mom has read the script. She's seen everything up until this point. What does she think of it all?

I think she's just proud of me that I made it. And she hasn't really like, we haven't really discussed, you know. Yeah. The content of it. The content of it. You know, her voice is in it too. Oh. Yeah. It's not just like, as you know, like sometimes in divorce situations, at least with me, my mom will call me to ask about how my dad is doing.

Of course. Of course. You know, it's like trying to like see what what's good what's going on in their life how do they look how's their new wife like all of those little things so i added that into interesting the film why do they do they always do that they always call you to be like how's your what's going on with your dad yeah it's never like how are they yeah it's like what's yeah yeah what's what's he doing what is he doing now is he did he give you money to come back yeah home like what is he doing and you're like okay i am not like the middleman here

yeah that's but i'm really lucky that i casted someone who is like resembles my dad that's amazing yeah and then there's like another waiter character, Tim, who is an actual person at the restaurant that works there. He's the manager. What? And his name is Tim. And I begged the real Tim to be in it. And the real Tim was like, no, no, I can't. I can't.

I can't. And I was like, please. And he's like, I really can't. I'm like, I'm really having so much trouble casting this character. Please. And he was like, no. So then I met with someone on zoom who lived in the bay area who works in tech and just loves to act and he was like you know what like I'm gonna fly myself

down put myself up and wow it was just like so nice like I I found a lot of fun great kind people who were willing to just like help me out and do favors for me that's amazing i mean i get it's such a good opportunity yeah to to get in any project right now to work with sam learner that's right that's a that's the highest honor that's agreed i really do think like sam learner being like sam learner he's so funny you know and like people are yeah he want to do a scene with him. You know Sam. Yeah, I believe I've worked with Sam before. Goldbergs. That was great. So casting was a huge push.

You did that. Once you had casting, you had already written the script. You started on casting. I was simultaneously also budgeting. That's a huge factor. I can't fathom that part of it. Do you feel like you should budget before you even reach out to people about this? I budgeted, yeah.

Yeah, so you budgeted to see how much you could even spend. Yeah. Did you crowdfund it all, or was it just budget from your own self? Partially myself, and I'm really lucky that I had friends who were willing to donate money that's kind of what you need and I was like that's so nice there's no money for short films there's no money for short films luckily

my friend Dorothy Wang she's amazing we met she donated and then I told my other really good friend Lily about it and she goes can I have an opportunity is there an opportunity for me to donate money and and I was like yeah I'm like but you guys realize this is all just for vanity there's I mean there's there's a real investment there because like look if it if it does well and there's there's more opportunities that come from it like to have

invested in it right it's like I don't know I don't know. I don't know. Yeah. I'm not really good at selling myself, you know. It's hard. It's really hard because what if this thing sucks? No, it's good. But it's your,

regardless, it's your story that you're putting together. So like as an objective eye, yes, you can look at all the little details that you're like,

oh, that's not good. But overall, it's a story that really happened to you that meant something to you that you're putting together yeah for you and your family I think the biggest learning thing I mean I learned so much but one of the main ones was budgeting because I can't budget at all um my personal life and having to like look line by line at things luckily I also had you know my friend Hannah who's also a filmmaker

helped me like proof she's like okay we went through line by line what was needed and like what could be trimmed down and it was like really scary because you don't want it to be over budget where it's like you can't pay for it so then line by line we had to figure out what we were willing to lose and you say that you mean getting rid of lines is also lessening the money oh no i meant like line by line on the on like the excel sheet like ah like every little thing yeah like i was like okay um costume well let's take that out like and a production designer I was like oh I mean the place I don't know do I really need one or can people who have really great taste like Patrick and Angela come and help me out and they both came they did and

they did yeah they did Angela wrapped at Smosh at like 5 30 rushed over to my house to get all the stuff that she needed to decorate and do everything and then got up at like 430 the next day and like if people don't know this about Angela she's incredible at doing that she does art she she did it for I live in your house she did all the art deck all the design of it she's unbelievable yeah she's incredible and pat was there too it was like it was like a lot but um yeah so like insurance you know because you need to insure your short film you got to insure like a lot of things um and and you know because on the last, maybe your production van gets crashed. Did your production van get crashed? Yeah, our PA drove it to a wall, like backed it up.

Well, that happens. Oh, no. And then the person who sold us the insurance happened to be a girl that I used to dance with and she DM'd me and she was like hey like I saw your name you know in this like insurance thing like I run this insurance company and um let me know if you need any help I was like wait wait wait wait I'm like you could have you could have helped me cut costs and she's like yeah next time you're making something just like let me know I'm like wait and I went to school with you. Like, this is so crazy.

So I was like, I'm so sorry. Like, we crashed a van. Oh, no. Like, can you help me out? But anyways, yeah, like a lot of funny things like that. And then like my hard drive, both my hard drives crashing. That was. As it goes.

And that was like the scariest thing. That was the scariest thing. Like a week later, we give it to the editor and the editor is like, oh, my God, I don't know what happened. No, actually, even before that, he plugs it in. He's like the hard drive crashed. And I was like, oh, my God. And I was telling my DP, I was like, don't delete anything. Because we had like a main hard drive and then we were pulling telling my DP, I was like, don't delete anything. Because we had, like, a main hard drive.

And then we were pulling everything from the main one. But then the secondary one crashed. And I was like, okay, let's just order another hard drive. We order another hard drive. Editor works on it for a few hours. We do edits on it. It crashes again. No.

And I was like, oh, God. And then so I was, like, trying to find hard drive recovery places and found a really great one they recovered it realized that it was a faulty that manufacturer just makes really shitty hard drives or like that batch was just bad i don't know it's like a trusted company but some reason these hard drives that we ordered were just all faulty wow um and then we got another one that worked and then just like all these things that were always on the verge of like everything collapsing and you know and yesterday's situation was something very similar where i was like oh what is it gonna be i feel like this the process of making a movie i've never heard of one not having multiple catastrophic moments.

Yeah. It feels like that's part of making a movie. Right. But then the actual filming of it, yes, we only have. Discover the exciting action of BetMGM Casino. Check out a wide variety of table games with a live dealer or enjoy over 3,000 games to choose from like Cash Eruption. UFC Gold Blitz. Make instant deposits or same-day withdrawals. Download the BetMGM Ontario app today. Did you know that many products for pregnant women do not have their own clinical trials for safety or efficacy? That's because pregnant women are often excluded from clinical studies.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. I had a day in this tiny room. We shot in a private room at Bistro Nas. So you shot for one day? Yeah. Okay. We had pickups for half a day, but we shot for one day. Because the thing is the location, they couldn't, like they're a functioning, busy restaurant. Yeah, of course. You have to rent out their location, they couldn't, like, they're a functioning, busy restaurant. Yeah, of course. You have to rent out their location. I think they have, like, a Michelin star, too.

So it's, like, a really popular restaurant, and they have to, like, make money. Oh, and this is another crazy thing. Sorry, I'm just, like, saying how hard it is to make a thing, but. No. Kind of the point. We, so no one's ever shot at this restaurant, ever. Okay. we so no one's ever shot at this restaurant ever and they really made that clear that they didn't let Vogue come

they're like Vogue reached out they wanted to shoot here we said no so why did they say yes to you? because I wrote them I don't know I wrote them this email and I basically felt like I poured everything out

there. I can see why they said yes. I mean, this is a true story that happened at their restaurant. There's kind of a more genuine aspect to it. and, um, and I,

I've been going there a lot, you know, like I go there and it's like, I know Tim, the manager and like, um, I've, I don't know.

It feels like we are kind of friends. And, but then I didn't even know they had like a social media team at this restaurant. So, you know, I met them and, you know, the marketing people were like really intimidating, really, really intimidating. And they quoted me this rate that was like there was also $300,000. There was like no way I could have afforded that. Like it was, and, and, and at first we wanted to do a night shoot because we didn't want like paid, like customers to be, it was going to be really loud. Yeah.

You know, so we're like, let's make this a night shoot. And they were like, impossible. You can't shoot here at night. They only gave us certain dates that we could shoot um so there was just a lot of restrictions and I was just like there's no way like first of all it's so out of my budget and then the times that they can shoot we're like can we shoot for 12 hours and they're like what and you want and you want the entire back side of the restaurant I'm like yeah and they're like we need to make money I know and of the restaurant? I'm like, yeah. And they're like, we need to make money. I know.

And you're not paying us. Location is so hard, especially if you want to do it in a working location. 12 hours is like very modest to ask for for a shoot. I know. And it's like, and they're like, well, we have lunch and dinner. And, you know, like, are you going gonna disrupt our cusp like all these people moving around and and then so that was one of those situations where I was like there's there's no way I can pull this off like I have to figure it out and then we just kept going back and forth

and I was just like I really I was like what if I make content for you guys. I was like, I made, I went on PicMonkey. What's PicMonkey? It's like you can make decks and posters and stuff. Okay. So I made a deck of like myself and basically like, these are all the things I've done. This is how many followers, this is all the brands I've worked with. And then like, I basically had to pitch myself to them and be like, I will make reels, TikToks, stories.

I will do whatever. Oh, my God. I will literally work here. So you became their spokesperson. But this restaurant is so good. And I recommend it to literally anyone visiting L.A here like Bistro Naz one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in LA wow it's incredible um anyway you're still doing it I know I am so you are doing it now my contract lasts for the next lifetime okay so you sold your soul

but I'm I'm so happy too because this place is incredible and the people the like everyone that works there they're just so genuinely nice so i was just really lucky and so finally going back and forth i was like i'll do this i'll do that and then they were like all right they agreed to like a rate that i was able to afford whoa that's amazing yeah that's awesome or else there was no and then we didn't do the overnight shoot we actually just shot but with people we had to take a long break in between like lunch service so 12 hours actually was not 12 hours because we had no it's 20 hours it was it was like less like oh you had to do it in less time yeah and then three days before the shoot i was like you know what like i need another camera because there was no way that i could

also like the there's like the dp that i first was working with, he got a bigger gig. So he had to go work on that, obviously. Then I was, like, scrambling trying to find another DP that I could trust and work closely who understood what I wanted to make. And then I found my friend Lizzie introduced me to this DP that was shooting her movie in the summer. And his name is Stephen Brecken. And he's, like, now we're such close close friends and like it was such a beautiful fun collaborative thing that we did together like I can't see myself I can't see anyone else shooting this besides Stephen oh he's just the best and I love him so much and like because it's like I'm a first time filmmaker I didn't go to film school

I love movies but I don't know anything about it and it's really intimidating because I'm like okay these are these cameras these are these lenses these are you know so many things that I truly did not understand and I'd be like googling like and I'd just be asking questions

what do I do? I'm like what is this? What does this mean? And like Yeah because there's so many different lenses for so many different shots. Yeah it's like anamorphic or like I'm just like I don't know. And lighting in itself is such a complicated

thing that you don't really realize until you're making something. Yeah. So you had to hire, so you did the the casting you did the budget you did the location and you also were hiring your crew yeah and like steven i'm like steven's repped at a huge like agency and i'm like i'm talking to your agent i'm like no but i also had a really great producer tyler mercer who was the liaison between a lot of these things because like i never wanted to blur the lines between you know budget and the creative process with my dp you know because like him and i like we want to preserve that relationship and then all the numbers and like money because people

need to get paid you know um was dealt with with my producer who was like you know amazing throughout this thing but yeah there was like a lot of these little things that you know we had to figure out and it was like talking about money just always stresses me out because i want to always like pay everyone a really like i just right because you know it's like i want people to feel happy and content. But sometimes when you're doing a short film, people are also there because they know it's a passion project. And there's a lot of things that just... I still think that if you are creatively excited about something,

you will work for a little amount of money. Whenever I did a short film, money was never even really a reason to do them. You do them because you're just like, I need to get out there. I need to be a part of something. Yeah. Or they believe in your story that you were putting together. Yeah. I'm just like so grateful for literally every single person involved. So for the past year, like every day,

how many hours of every day from your past year is dedicated to this short film, do you think? If you had to put an estimate, because I just feel like has this taken over your life? Yeah, sort of.

I would wake up in the middle of the night. Just sweating. No, like weeks prior, months prior to it, and then even afterwards, I would literally wake up and be like, oh, my God, wait. Let's remember that. We need to add that in here.

And I would wake up and be like, was that okay? Like little things would – big things would also wake me up. And even now I wake up in the middle of the night like having really bad self-talk to myself. This is me being so vulnerable. Like, you know, it's like when you've been working on something, even a small thing or big thing, whatever it is, like you're so consumed by it. And then like I wake up, I'm like, oh, my God, what am I it's like it's like finding a healthy balance yet I'm still trying to find that I feel like that's always I feel like that happens when you are in the middle of creating something whether it is like a short film or a sketch or a wedding or something that you're planning that means something to you and a lot of people that you care about that you have a high opinion of are gonna watch it oh it's so scary so overwhelming and it constantly

wakes you up and the bad self-talk it's there because it's your fear trying to protect you yes right it's trying to protect you and like the more you do it the more you can be like thank you so much for protecting me i'm going to move through this now. Yeah. Because I have to. And I also think that like being gentle with criticism with anything in the creative arts, it's just so helpful. Anyone showing you anything that they've written or made or you're watching anything. And even if you, I just feel like you just have to be gentle with the people you know who made it because it's fucking hard well i think it's illuminating for like this process and hearing about it even any piece of art that you see is never really one person yeah

and it's a bunch of circumstances and events that culminate in a thing so something if something isn't quote unquote good, there's a million reasons for why that could have happened. And it may not be like, oh, well, the person who made it didn't know what they were doing. It's like, you have no idea what occurred. There's a bunch of parts of it. But it does fall on like the people who have their name

and their like face that's like yeah on it which is so much responsibility and um but yeah but no that's it's given you a lot of perspective it's so much perspective and truly the most exhilarating i have more great things to say about it than all these are just like funny i like when these things happen i'm just like i'll tell you guys what happened yesterday the catastrophic thing that happened yesterday was that i was showing my friend the screener link and then i clicked on the link and it was somebody else's short film what and this is like after submitting to festivals and I was like, wait, this is not mine. Because a couple days ago when I clicked it, it was still mine. So between the couple days, something must have glitched.

Something must have happened. Oh, my God. We submitted Cars 2. That's someone's short film. The short film Cars 2. That's someone's short film. The short film Cars 2 is great. I was like, I literally just,

I blacked out. I was like, oh my god. I saw you yesterday. You seemed fine. Did it happen before or after? Oh my gosh. It happened like a few hours after. And I was like, oh my god, oh my god. What did you do? Well, I fixed it and we made sure that it was the right link and we emailed programmers we did all of that

and literally they just got back to me that they have the right link thank god that's terrifying though yeah it was terrifying so you're already submitting it to things? Yeah. Yeah, tell us your plan for... Distribution. Yeah. I don't know. I think it'll be like youtube.smosh.com. No.

Okay. I'm giving it to you guys. Have it, please. Stop. Post it on Wednesday. Great. Post it on Wednesday. Put a thumbnail for that.

Post it on Wednesday, please. I don't know, guys. Where are you sending it to? Honestly, you Wednesday please I don't know guys Where are you sending it to Honestly you guys I don't know I'm trying to figure that out still Do you have any hopes Do I have any hopes To Sundance

To Caness I don't think I'm so in it and I also like don't have any expectations for it. Like truly I have zero expectations and I've just sort of done the inner work of thinking that like the whole journey was worth it, was just the best thing ever. Yeah. And you're just, you're also trying to just get it done yeah and i want to just make things you know and this was like the first thing and i'm excited to make other things yeah and do you do you plan on making another short film or a feature or yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah. Wow, that is so amazing when you're like a creative person,

when you go through all this stuff that kept you up all night for a year that you're like, yeah, I want to do it again. I want to make a really fun music video. What? That's cool. Yeah, that seems fun. I don't know.

That seems fun. You want to direct one? Yeah, yeah, I do. I think that's sick as hell. Yeah, I think that know. That seems fun. You want to direct one? Yeah. Yeah, I do. I think that's sick as hell. Yeah, I think that's going to be fun. And I also like, this is so weird. I keep joking with my DP. I was like, what if we got to shoot a Skittles commercial?

Olivia, I will be completely honest. I think if there's anyone out there who's destined to direct a Skittles commercial, I think it's you. It's you. You have the ability. You could make the next, I'm thinking of Starburst. I was going to say Starburst. Berries and Cream. You would have made that commercial.

I love candy. Do you? Well, I take little bites of it, but I still love it. You used to. I remember you used to leave a half-eaten Skittle on the ground. Yeah. I'm just like, what? On the ground? That's some Olivia lore right there. Are there any fun moments in your guys' lives that you would want to make into a short film?

Or do you guys have any ideas of like writing something and then like making it? I have so many. I have them all written down. I have so many. But it's just. In my dark, twisted mind. In my dark, twisted journals of my house. I have a lot.

I have a lot. Well, I am here. Like, use me. I will like literally help you like do anything you want I would drive around I will go to places Olivia will kill a man I yeah I've gotten very close I've written stuff

I've gotten very close to like organizing a team but I don't know there's life just keeps kind of derailing specific things for me a lot of them are centered around my mom. My mom does crazy shit and I love her, but she does really try to teach us really life lessons

and they always turn out so chaotic, so funny. And when you tell people this story, they're like, what? And I have so many of those different stories and I guess I just haven't chosen one. And also like the thought of kind of organizing my year to focus on it. I'm like, I don't know when I'm going to do that. So that that's where I'm at. But yeah, I have a lot of a lot of those. chain so so are most of yours based on real life most of mine are based on real life interesting and and with like certain ideas like i i've always wanted to it's funny that you brought up tree in your short film because i wrote a whole short film about a girl talking to trees and like her connection with the trees that it's connected to like her grandfather because that's like a true thing that happened in my life and i've i remember we were going to like get it going and start shooting it

years ago and i i think i got cold feet because i was like this is crazy and because it's very um it's very imaginative it's very like young childlike stuff but but it has deeper meanings. So I don't know. You're really inspiring me right now. The thought of really going through all of that right now, I'm like, okay, I'd have to think about it.

You might not go through this. I don't think you're going to go through the hard drives. You're not going to go through the van. I don't think you're going to go through those things. You're going to go through other things, but I don't know if it's going to be

those things. It's going to be really exciting. You're really inspiring me. other things, but I don't know if it's going to be those things. It's going to be really exciting. You're really inspiring me. I really like the idea of a true story and things that you did as a kid and kind of making it into its own thing. Not all of it can be true. You can make up different parts of it.

So, yeah. That's great. See, that's interesting to hear because I think like all of us creative people, I think of story ideas all the time, but they're almost never based on my real life. I feel like I look back on my personal life and I feel like my life is too boring to have story ideas from. Really? Like my childhood, my family life, I'm like, ah, it's just boring. That's not true.

There's no story there. You've told me stories and I'm like, what? Yeah. Like what? I mean, you drown. You die. I don't remember that. Right, but your mom... My life was interesting before I was conscious. Maybe it could be from the POV of your mom. That would be terrifying.

I mean, that's... I guess I could turn that into a comedy. No, I'm just kidding. Olivia's gonna... Yeah. Olivia's gonna work with every single cast member. We're all gonna have a short film in a year I don't know anything about it but but I just really appreciated my peers stepping in and being so supportive and like helping me yeah no it's that's always like the most fulfilling thing is working with a team I I did feel that so the closest I ever felt and I felt like I didn't do anything with this but you know we did the uh the live sitcom earlier this year and i kind of it was like my pitch and to bring on sid and olivia

to like kind of create like make this pitch of mine into a real thing it was really cool um and every step of the way like to just see everyone make this thing of mine into a real thing. It was really cool. And every step of the way, like to just see everyone make this thing come to life was really awesome. And I think that's really tough for me as I, you know, I don't take ownership of things and I just don't, I don't have the confidence and my perfectionism prevents me from like starting things

or believing I'm capable of doing things on my own or even with a team. But going back, I think something that I've thought about for a long time that I think would be really fun to do is I really like horror short films. Like when they're done really well. Yes. Very subtle ones. Not like kind of horror, but more like, there's that one short film, it's like The Face of God or something. It's a really well done short film.

Super subtle, and it's just got a really solid ending to it. There's a bunch that I love. There's that one, I forget the name of it, where this, it's literally like the entire short film is this lady,

she's like, in this cement, like, it's kind like the entire short film is this lady she's like on in the cement like like it's kind of this slanted cement uh thing near a pit and it's like six minutes of her just like what stuck there like trying not to fall in and i'm like that's kind of incredible that they made this into a story made this into a gripping tale and it's so subtle. Yeah, it's a horror, but, you know, there's just really creative ways of that. And I'm not someone in a day-to-day that loves like horror, but something about it is just been always interesting to me.

I feel like what would be cool is if you, if there was like a pitch session with your closest friends and you were pitching those ideas, because I feel like that's how, in my my opinion shorts get made or like become to life when people like yeah no i see exactly how that shot and you're like yeah really i feel like that's how it happens so i'm i'm at my most creative when i'm with other people too uh or i have my initial ideas but i do so well bouncing off of other people so i guess it's maybe it's embracing that a little bit more. But for my personal life, I can't think of anything that I'd be like, that's a short film.

That's okay. That's also really great. Yeah. You know, you have, I wish I had other ideas that were not my personal experiences. It's like literally putting your entire life on display. Yeah. I was going to say, personal stuff, it makes it even more challenging. Yeah, it's really challenging for me to be having my life being perceived. When do you think your short will be done?

Sorry, daunting question. No, it's okay because someone asked already. But you were saying you weren't sure. Yeah, I think hopefully in the next like month or two. Okay. Maybe even shorter. You know, I don't know, but I don't want to rush it. Do you think next, because next year you'll probably inevitably be showing it to rooms full of people.

Maybe. I don't think so. Okay. I'm going to burn it. Maybe a Smosh Christmas party. No, I'm just kidding. I don't know. I don't know.

I definitely think it'll be done like before next year. When you imagine yourself, you imagine this thing is done, are you going to be able to sit in a room full of people and watch it? I'm not sure. Because I, even thinking of if I were to be doing this, I would have such a hard time. Unless it's never done. So I never have to put myself in.

Wait, there is a thing though. There is a thing when you are doing a project, when you are making a project, like when I made my one woman show, you kind of don't want the making of it to end. Yeah, I don't really want to. Because you're in a comfortable place. You're almost in this torturous, comfortable place.

Yes, yes. Making it, and you don't want it to end because when that ends, you go, what's next? What else? It's also never really done. You're probably going to always... I mean, it will be done if it's...

But I mean, in the process of making it, there's always going to be something you feel you could do. Yeah, I think it was also the day after we wrapped, I was like, meh. I was like, no one's making me sign documents.

My producer isn't calling me to sign things. And I'm not constantly on the phone with my DPp i'm like what's it's sad yeah i was like family but then i realized i didn't expect the rush of other things that were gonna happen oh yeah post is usually the worst part jesus i'm like god this is so hard the best part is the best part is making it obviously yeah making it and then making it again and then making it again but i think it's so cool because you know you could have just not done this but I think it's cool that you you are doing this that you you chose to do this and it's daunting but

it's a risk and it's it's a project and it's oftentimes the scariest like most daunting things are the most fulfilling yeah it's definitely changed my perspective on like how I want to, you know, live my life and what types of things I want to do and what I want to put my energy towards. And like, yeah, this was the best experience ever. And now I'm just like, I just want to do more things like that you know when you do it again what is the thing you're going to remember from this experience when you do it again you're like oh I learned that I got to make sure that I do that everything

because I'll tell you a really challenging thing that I was always looking at, which was, like, figuring out the shot list with my DP. But I also, oh, you know what? Time. Time is one of those things I'm like, I didn't have time to watch playback because that would just take so much time out of the 12 10 12 hour day I had and I think

having enough time to see all the a longer shoot day a longer shoot day not as rushed I mean I learned literally so much and I'm going to continue to learn because there's going to be new things and I'm going to want to make new things that are going to be different. So it's just like an ever forever learning thing, I guess. I don't.

Wow. Before we end this, for so many of our listeners, I feel like there's probably definitely a few people who want to make a short film. Now, say they're not in California. Say they're, I don't know, in some other state or some other place. What would be your best advice for if they wanted to get this going? I think having a clear idea of what you want to make, but also being collaborative. Yeah. And being nice to people. That's probably the best advice, actually. That's huge.

Yeah. Being nice to people. Being nice to people. And I guess it's like, I would, it's so funny. I would never think this, but now I'm like, wait, you have to budget things out. Yeah. You know, like how much things cost, how much it'll, how much the camera it's gonna cost and all these little things but um but i think you'll figure all of that out if you believe in yourself have a clear vision and be nice to people yeah that's legit that's that's probably the best advice you can give um no i mean it's

a creative experience i guess you have to be creative with what you're capable of too. Like on a budget level, like you're going to have to change things up. Yeah. And things cost money. That's the biggest lesson that we've learned today is that things cost money.

Things are expensive and being nice to people goes a very, very long way. Being nice to people goes a long way. I'm going to start doing that. Being nice to people? I'm so glad. I think I'm going to start being nice to people? I'm so glad.

I think I'm going to start being nice to people. I'm so happy. I know. This whole thing was meant for you. It was all just for me. This is actually an intervention. All right. You guys heard it.

I'm going to start being nice to people. So get ready to start seeing that in our content and on this podcast. But Liv, I am so unbelievably proud of you. You guys. Thank you for coming on the pod and sharing all your vulnerable experiences. Well, thanks for having me share these vulnerable experiences. Yeah. You're welcome.

Scary as heck. And I'm sure people will get updates as this moves along. Yes, it will be finished. Oh, you guys, wait, wait. This is actually really important okay okay if you're listening and you want to be updated on all of this stuff i have an instagram oh for this film okay okay called way baba film i think no yeah it is i'm gonna put on my instagram too we'll link it to in the description yeah okay right now there's no photo and it looks like a bot,

but it's not. And it's mine. And I'm going to be posting updates and fun things. And you guys can see like BTS little, you know, like all the cool. This is perfect. Yeah.

Yeah. Okay, great. Hey, so guys follow her on Instagram. Follow way, Baba film, way,

Baba film, but we're going to put it in the description. Yeah. Follow along. I will be following. All right. Well, thank you, Olivia. Thank you, guys.

Thank you, Olivia. Thank you, Amanda and Shane. Thank you, guys. You're so welcome. Thank you guys for listening and watching. Guys, go be nice. Yeah, be nice and set a budget. All right, goodbye.

Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye. Did you know that many products for pregnant women do not have their own clinical trials for safety or efficacy? That's because pregnant women are often excluded from clinical studies. Ritual is aiming to set a new standard with their Essential Prenatal Multivitamin. It's the number one best-selling prenatal and the only leading prenatal backed by its own human clinical trial. Essential Prenatal is proven to deliver key

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