Sophie DeWorken – The Vision Behind Bound (Best Short Fiction Film at DMOFF)

What inspired you to create Bound?
Sophie DeWorken: -The Vision Behind Bound (Best Short Fiction Film at DMOFF): What inspired me for Bound, was a desire to create something action focused for the first time. Action brings a lot of new challenges in production, as well as different techniques in
post. I have dabbled in amateur fight choreography as a hobby for the past four years, and wanted to see how these skills could be applied in directing.

How did you approach the storytelling in a short fiction format?
Sophie DeWorken: – When working in a short film format, it can sometimes be hard to flesh out a story in such a compact time frame, especially in a story with limited dialogue. I tried to tell as much story as I with the dialogue, but had to infuse story elements into the combat sequences, and work with different visual cues to keep the viewer engaged, and ensure the story keeps moving.

What challenges did you face during production?
Sophie DeWorken: – As is the case with most student films, my budget was non-existent. I had no crew, one of my actors dropped out the day of, and there was no time to rehearse the combat, meaning my wonderful actors had to learn the action day-of. What you don’t hear, is me calling out the steps to them from behind the camera during every fight scene.

How did you feel winning Best Short Fiction Film?
Sophie DeWorken: – I feel amazing to have won Best Short Fiction Film! Bound was my first ever festival entry, and truly the first time I had put my work out to a wider audience. While I know that my work needs much improvement, I am honored my work was even considered, and ecstatic that
Bound received this award.

What themes did you want to explore in Bound?
Sophie DeWorken: – In some sense, the title says it all. Though this takes place in an almost fantasy storyline, even in the real world people are always bound to something. So much conflict stems from
people being too set in their ways to find compromise, and too blinded by their perspectives to realize they might have more in common with their opponent than they think. In Bound we see
two characters who are eerily similar in their paths, but opposing each other in their motives. The mercenary and the bounty hunter are both after the same person, almost for the same reason, but are set in their own perspectives of self, refusing to see the similarities between them, or find a compromise.

How did you work with your cast and crew to bring your vision to life?
Sophie DeWorken: – My main goal on any set is to have fun. I want to make sure that the cast and (often limited) crew are enjoying themselves, and the work they’re doing. I think when watching a
movie, it is evident when the people producing it actually enjoyed and valued the work they did,
and it sets the end product a step above. This is often easy for me to do, as my cast and crew primarily consist of family and friends who want to help and see my work succeed.

What message do you hope the audience takes away from the film?
Sophie DeWorken: – I hope that even though the context of the film is a little different from day-to-day life, people are able to relate it to our real world environment. The world today is incredibly polarizing, and if we looked closer we might realize that people aren’t so different. We all have our reasons, we all have our methods, and while we might not agree, often times compromise can be found if we just tried.

How did your experience on this project shape your filmmaking style?
Sophie DeWorken: – This was a new camera set-up for me, working with different lenses, and being able to play around with focus in a new way. I really enjoyed trying to come up with interesting perspectives and dynamic shots. This has been one of my favorite films I’ve worked on as far as visuals, and I look forward to applying these skills elsewhere.

What’s next for you after Bound?
Sophie DeWorken: – I am currently studying film at Hollins University, and am starting my senior year. Using the things i’ve learned from Bound, and all previous work, I have started pre-production on my honors thesis film. While I’m only in the early stages of this new production, I am extremely
excited, and looking forward to sharing this work in 2025!

How do you approach character development in short films?
Sophie DeWorken: – Being incredibly upfront with your characters is crucial in a short film when working on a shorter timeline. Oftentimes people waste too much time simply introducing audiences to theircharacters, that you run out of time for a significant development. With Bound and other films, I really tried to establish the character, their motives, and their flaws as soon as possible. After
that, you can take more time with their development, and focus more on telling your story.