Like Trying To Capture A Full Moon On Your iPhone: Jahmil Eady On Her Short Film "Heartland"
Director Jahmil Eady worked as an associate producer on documentary projects for Oprah Winfrey Network, Viceland, and Discovery Network. Since transitioning into narrative screenwriting and directing, she has continued to create socially-minded character-driven stories. She’s committed to telling stories that not only entertain but also inspire, inform, and heal. Her latest short film, Heartland, focuses on a woman trying to immortalize her dying grandfather.
A woman attempts to immortalize her dying grandfather using virtual reality technology, but her obsession with documenting drives a wedge between them.
This excellent film received its World premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and was AudPop's Women's Film Challenge 1st Place Winner. We had the pleasure of chatting with Jahmil about her film, its origins, finding the right cast, grandparents, and much much more!
How did the concept for Heartland originate?
Heartland is about a woman and her dying grandfather, who disagree about the best way to spend his final days. She wants to immortalize him with Virtual Reality technology. He just wants them to live in the moment. It’s inspired by me and my granddad.
I took my camera with me every time I visited family in Charleston, South Carolina. I’d interview them about family history and record archival footage. My granddad didn’t speak much. He would grunt and, if he was in a really good mood, offer one-word answers. When I found out he had cancer, I got even more obsessive about curating and recording moments. One day he snapped at me to “put that damn machine away!”
I was in his hospice room watching him fade away when I suddenly remembered that moment. My granddad was a grouch with a heart of gold. That memory made me laugh and sparked the idea. I pretty much lived in his hospice room in the days leading up to his death. I wrote the first draft during that time.
I love that! It seems like the two of you have very different philosophies about emerging technologies. As much as these technological advances allow us to preserve things, they also gets in the way of us living — and connecting. Where do you see the balance between living life versus the illusion of it through the lens of technology?
Exactly! Life isn’t meant to be recorded, it’s meant to be lived. It’s like trying to capture a full moon on your iPhone. It never compares to the real thing. The smell of your mother’s perfume or the way it feels when someone hugs you: no camera can capture that. Yet recording devices are undeniably amazing tools — little time machines that can transport you back to a moment in time.
One way isn’t better than the other. I think we should just be mindful about finding balance.
Here’s the million-dollar question: If you could have your consciousness put into a robot or cyborg would you? Why (or why not)?
Hahaha! What do you mean?! My consciousness IS already inside of a bot. This one’s just built out of organic materials.
Touché! You got me there hahaha! A lot of the film hinges on its two leads who both deliver strong performances and showcase palpable chemistry with one another. What was your casting process like, and how did you eventually find your two primary actors?
Thank you for saying that! Actually, Maxine [Goynes] and Haskell [V. Anderson III] only met a couple of days before we began filming! The actress who was originally going to play Jackie couldn’t film, so there was a mad dash to find someone. Haskell was a delight! He came in for chemistry readings with Maxine and a couple of other women. Not only did Maxine and Haskell have natural chemistry but I also connected with her because she had recently lost her father. On set, we did exercises to build even more connection, vulnerability, and trust. I’m so glad it comes across on screen.
How did you and cinematographer Jacqueline Chan arrive at the film’s aesthetics?
We played with the relationship between time and light a lot. In the Black community our obituaries always label the date of birth “sunrise” and the date of death, “sunset.” I went in knowing that this would be a visual motif. It’s reflected in everything from costume, to location choices, lighting, and cinematography.
We knew we wanted clean cinematography with minimal camera movement to keep the focus on the story. Being on sticks also made VFX a lot easier. I didn’t have the budget to do anything too fancy haha!
What drew you to the visual arts? How did you get into directing?
I have always loved storytelling. I’m also passionate about social justice and issues of representation. I went into documentary and unscripted TV for awhile, but I never felt complete. I wanted to write and create my own worlds. Narrative screenwriting and directing allow me to bring all of these elements together
I’m currently completing my MFA in Directing at UCLA.
What films or filmmakers have inspired you, your style, or your approach to telling a story?
At this point in my career, I’m still trying to find my voice and style, so I’m inspired by Black filmmakers who have found theirs.
I appreciate Barry Jenkins’ screenwriting because he finds a nice balance between beautiful prose and description. He is also great at adapting different kinds of material while maintaining his unique style. I’m also inspired by Garrett Bradley’s documentaries. They’re stunning visual poems that feel vulnerable and humanistic while also interrogating systemic issues.
What do you hope audiences take away from the film?
Honor the time that you have with your loved ones … and call your grandparents more often!
Do you have any future projects in the works that you can share with us?
My next film is called The Bond. It follows an incarcerated pregnant woman as she gives birth and fights to stay connected to her baby. Through this film, I hope to bring more attention to reproductive justice issues that women face behind bars. We’re almost done with post-production and I can’t wait to share it!
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!