Interview: 5 minutes with...Mollie Hill, production runner.
The Indiegogo campaign is up and running. Pre-production is running smoothly. After the popularity of my chat with Jules Brown, now seems as good a time as any to continue with our ‘5 minutes with…' interviews as we get closer to the shooting dates of Not Waving and Lawnmower.
Mollie Hill, Production Runner & Assistant to DOP on Not Waving & Lawnmower
Today, I’ve managed to track down Mollie Hill…on the phone from her student abode in Oxford.
I first met Mollie when I was the lead in one of her student films last year. She so impressed me with her imaginative and sensitive script, her professionalism and work ethic, that I wanted to nab her as soon as she left Uni. And it must be fate because she finishes university just as we start filming! She’s currently in the middle of writing up her dissertation…so I’d better not take too long!
Kate Sawyer: Hi Mollie, Thanks for taking the time out of writing your dissertation, I’m guessing you’re hard at it with only a few weeks to go! So we’d better crack on! Tell us a bit about yourself…
Mollie Hill: My name is Mollie Hill, I'm currently a final year film degree student at SAE Institute Oxford. I will be working as a Runner on both Lawnmower and Not Waving, lending a helping hand in all areas and making sure all the lovely people involved are happy and comfortable as they work hard.
KS: So Mollie what are you up to right now?
MH: I'm currently sitting in my living room, with housemates, enjoying the cooler weather today has brought us.
KS: You are going to be working on both films but let’s start with talking about Lawnmower, we can always chat about Not Waving at a later date…if you have time! Lawnmower is, at face value, about a woman who needs a lawnmower to mow her overgrown garden. Do you have a garden? And who looks after it?
MH: We do have a fairly large garden. Our house is quite lucky to have our landlords wife and son come over every now and then to mow and tidy.
KS: As you know one of the main themes of Lawnmower is neighbours and those relationships. How is your relationship with your next-door neighbours?
MH: We have never met our neighbours, however have put in quite a few noise complaints about them to our council! Ooop! But they deserved it, they like loud music...constantly!
KS: So it’s safe to say you’re not really in a ‘borrow a cup of sugar’ type of relationship?
MH: I don't think I ever have borrowed anything from a neighbour, even in childhood!
KS: In Lawnmower, the main character, Jackie overthinks asking a simple favour by imagining awful outcomes. Do you ask for help? Or do you tend to struggle on your own?
MH: Ha ha ha ha ha! Erm, yes, I'm very much the type of person who will struggle alone until I'm far too frustrated. Then, maybe, I will probably ask my awesome parents to give me a hand.
KS: It sounds as though you have recent experience of this behaviour causing you an issue…
MH: Yes, well, I currently work in a watch repair company and there have been a few incidences in which I felt I could do the repair alone. It ends in tears usually. Smashed glasses, lost screws and very angry customers. I think I've that asking first isn't always the worst thing you can do!
KS: What are you most looking forward to about working on Lawnmower?
MH: I'm very much looking forward to working alongside you again and meeting and working new members of the industry! I feel incredibly lucky to have been asked to be apart of this project and cannot wait to get started!
KS: Ooo we’re nearly at five minutes..let’s finish up with a little quick fire round!
MH: Okay!
KS: Allotment or Garden?
MH: Garden!
KS: Lawn or Paving?
MH: Most definitely lawn.
KS: Thanks Mollie! Looking forward to seeing you on set very soon!
Lawnmower is due to be filmed in Colchester in August with a 2018 release date post festival season. Follow Mollie on Twitter to find out what she's up to!
