I recently got a chance to talk to Amberlee Colson and Laura Campbell about their short film ‘PLAY DATE’ and how they approached such a sensitive story. Additionally, they opened up about how they focused on the theme of gun violence without even showing what actually happened.

Aayush Sharma: Congratulations on the short film ‘PLAY DATE,’ but before we talk about the movie, I would love to know how your journeys have been in the entertainment industry.

Amberlee Colson:  Yeah, I started as an actor, obviously, as a theater dork at heart, I love acting in any way that it happens. But in the industry, to be honest, I sort of started writing as a frustrated actor, and then it became so inspiring. When I first moved to LA, I was surrounded by a lot of independent filmmakers who were doing their work and being very proactive. I had a lot of teachers around me who were like, “If you have an idea, write it, do it, film it, figure out a way.” So, in hindsight, I’m really grateful that I had so many opportunities. I did my first feature with a woman named Mariana Palka. She’s a Scottish filmmaker, and she’s always working. Watching her do her first film was incredibly inspiring—seeing this woman write her own film, direct it, star in it, produce it, and then have it go to Sundance. It really paved the way for a vision I didn’t know was possible in a weird way. So, I sort of did a feature film that I wrote, produced, and starred in, which led to other collaborations. I just want to say that Laura Campbell is such a fierce female director; she champions you from the get-go. This script only came to my lap because Laura was already attached, and it was very much in progress in a full-blown way.

Laura Campbell: I feel the same way, so it’s lovely to work with people who champion each other. Amberlee made this happen. I had been sitting there trying to make it (PLAY DATE) happen, and it was just a magical collaboration between the two of us. She sparked that initiation. It was great. It’s been wonderful. As for my journey, I studied theater, did theater in college, and then went to grad school for theater, where I got my MFA in theater. I stayed in New York City at Columbia University for 13 years, doing a lot of theater, including off-Broadway and regional theater. Then my agent got me into TV and film acting, which I didn’t know much about. It was a very new experience. When I moved out to LA, I started becoming more proactive about producing my projects. Like Amberlee, there was a frustration of waiting for the phone to ring, waiting for someone to let you tell their stories. A lot of the time, the stories don’t line up with who you are or what you want to tell in the world. It’s a real privilege to be able to say, “These are stories that I think are important. These are stories I want to tell,” and to tell them with people I love to work with. So, I got to LA, produced a couple of plays and a couple of shorts, and then this was our first directing role. We co-directed and co-starred in it, making it a community effort with the people around us who love and support us and the project. I think collaboration is key to my success and enjoyment of it all.

Aayush: The film centers around a tragedy and the reconnection of two mothers. How did you approach balancing the emotional weight of grief with the lighter moment of joy over a grilled cheese sandwich?

Amberlee: So Gavin Broady wrote this amazing story, and I felt it when Laura gave me the script because she was already attached and trying to make it happen. The connection these women have, their relationship, really imprinted on me, and I resonated with it. It sounds weird to say, but I resonated with the guilt. In some way, I did. I connected with that heartbreak. Laura and Gavin had done so much research and sent me a slew of articles, documentaries, music, and everything that had been inspiring them for the past couple of years while they were trying to get this off the ground. So, I just leaned into their heavy research and watched so much of these tragedies, letting whatever happens… I don’t know how to explain it. Whatever that is when you start dancing with it, opening yourself up to that imaginary world. It’s hard to talk about because it’s devastating that it’s a real thing. Laura and I are very sensitive to this story, and it’s unfortunately common now. I don’t know how I approached it other than to say I did feel a connection to a story about mothers and this divide between them. I’m hoping Laura will answer this question better. But all I know is I researched it, had conversations with Laura, and we both put these hats on for a lot of months while workshopping the story. By the time we were filming, I felt very connected to her and trusted her with everything. It was really about allowing all our homework to show up and being available to all the things that can happen on set. I don’t know if I answered your question, but yeah, it’s a hard one because it’s so real. It’s a real pain that’s happening right now. So I’m just glad it resonated with you as a viewer and that it felt real.

Aayush: Laura, the scene where you drink the milk in one go. I really want to know how did you do it? Because it can be really difficult when there are cameras and people are looking at you while you are drinking the milk.

Laura: Amberlee and our DP, Audrey Biche, who was fantastic and such an amazing part of this project, were talking about this milk scene for a long time, deciding on what we would use—like something that looked like milk or milk itself. We tested a few different things to see how they would look on camera. But to me, everything that wasn’t actual milk bumped into my mind as “That’s not real milk.” And if I’m going to chug three glasses of milk for three different takes, I’m going to… if anyone in that theater goes, “That’s not really milk,” I’m going to be very unhappy. So I was like, it has to be milk. I have to chug it, and it has to be in one go, and we have to do it in one take. You know, the way you get into it with the cameras and everything else is through character. I mean, the character at that moment is starting to step into this space where, you know, the last time she was there, her daughter was there, and she’s thinking about the time when she left but her daughter stayed for this playdate, this time with her friend and her friend’s daughter. She’s thinking about what they did, and so she starts to say, “Maybe she drank milk. Maybe I can find my daughter if I drink this milk and if I focus on it and ingest it. I can feel what she felt, and I can experience what she experienced while she was drinking it.” Of course, she’s going a bit beyond how a kid would drink a glass of milk, but I think she’s desperately trying to find her daughter, find the memory of her daughter doing what she did on that day. So when you’re in it like that, you kind of don’t really think about the cameras and everything else.

Laura Campbell in a still from ‘PLAY DATE’

Aayush: What role does silence play in the film, especially in the context of the “painfully awkward exchanges”? How did you use dialogue to enhance or contrast with these moments?

Amberlee: I definitely want Laura to speak to this too, because we worked so well together in crafting this from what Gavin had gifted us. I think I already mentioned that we workshopped it and everything. So, I think the marriage between us, with both of us having a strong actor’s hat already, was key. We found organic things just by workshopping them as actors first. Then, we brought it to the set, and we both played in the space for a while, trying to find the tension between these women and the dance. It was really important to us when we were shot listing, to find the story in these frames and make sure that we were… I’m just so happy you picked up on the distance because that was such a big conversation for many weeks between Laura and me, about when these women are close and when they’re not, and crafting that in our shot list. Finding things organically from an actor’s standpoint helped. Then, when the director’s hat was on and we were working together like that, making sure the integrity of the truth was there. We just had to make sure it was in the lens.

Laura: I think a lot of the silent moments came from us workshopping this when we were diving into the idea that these two had been best friends. So how do you build a history with somebody without giving a lot of exposition, without walking in and saying, “Hello, best friend? Haven’t seen you in a while, best friend.” I think a lot of it comes from when you’ve gone through something very intense and then reunite with somebody after it, and people don’t know what to say or do. I think it built in some history between them and some knowledge that the audience doesn’t have—and that’s okay, that they don’t have it. I think it makes them lean in, wondering, “What is going on with these two?” And I’m really happy that we found it through all this stuff that Amberlee was just talking about. Yeah, amazing.

Aayush: The grilled cheese sandwich becomes a pivotal moment of connection. What inspired the use of this seemingly simple element, and what does it symbolize within the broader narrative?

Laura: That was Gavin’s original idea, and, yeah, it’s an extremely pivotal moment. It ties into the idea of the playdate, the reenactment of the playdate. Right. Going through, touching where she was, being where she was, hearing the sound of Moana playing on the floor, and wanting more and more. The more that April’s character wants more of these moments, the more Kristen’s character leans in, to the point where she says, “Okay, I’ll make you this. I will make you this thing to put inside your body, to feel and taste and be with.” I think it’s a massively important part of it. I’m glad that it came across as such a pivotal point, and we talked a lot about it. Maybe Amberlee would have something to say about this, but we talked a lot about the idea of what it would be like in life if we all didn’t shy away from these very difficult things because people are so alone in them. We’ve read so much, listened to so many interviews, and watched so many documentaries where, especially the parents of the survivors, after these kinds of events, feel like they’re radioactive. They feel like when they walk down the street, people cross it, and turn the other way in the grocery store. They don’t want to get close to them because they’re uncomfortable and don’t know what to say. Like, what can you say? But also because there’s some sort of thing that’s like, “Well, you’re a little contagious. I don’t want that in my space, my energy space, because what if it happens to me?” And I can’t fathom the idea of that being a real thing that happens to people. So we talked a lot about the difference—how on this day, Kristen leans in. Kristen says, “Okay, I will go on this journey with you.” And it enables April to drop the mask that she usually wears to try and make people comfortable. Even though it’s not working, she tries hard to make them comfortable, and Kristen gives her that gift of being like, “I’m going to be here with you and do the thing with you that people might think is strange,” which unlocks her ability to grieve and to connect with this woman again and to find her daughter at that moment, you know? So I think it’s a pretty profound way of going about it around a grilled cheese. I think it’s pretty special. Gavin’s a special one.

Aayush: When you started writing the film, did you see yourselves playing the role? Or you decided after the writing process that this is something that you guys wanted to portray on the screen.

Laura: I received the script from Gavin, who sent it to me and suggested that I should play this role. Originally, I was just set to play the character of April. I had been trying to get it going with Gavin for many years, but it wasn’t moving forward. However, I knew in the back of my mind that I had to make it happen. Then I met the wonderful Amberlee. We had coffee and talked about various things, and she asked if I had any projects going on. I had already been thinking about this project, and I was so glad that she organically allowed me to mention it. I told her, “Actually, I do have something, and you would be beyond perfect for the other role.” So, at the start, it felt like the roles chose us more than we chose them. Gavin saw me in this role, and I saw Amberlee in the other role. We began with the idea of being the actors only, focusing solely on those roles. As we workshopped it and immersed ourselves fully in it, we realized that we were the ones who should tell this story ourselves. We decided that we should direct it, produce it, and be the ones to make it happen because it felt right.

Amberlee: Yeah, I was going to say exactly what Laura mentioned. That’s precisely what happened. It was a fun ride, though. We were both very open, and that’s why Laura is so great. We remained receptive to all ideas, but the project kept guiding us toward what was right. We were always on the same page with that, so it was a real joy.

Amberlee Colson in a still from ‘PLAY DATE’

Aayush: Apart from that, the film also deals with the massive problem of mass shootings. Even though we get to know about it in just one sentence, it shows how it manages to ruin lives. Did you ever talk about including a scene or a flashback scene of what happened with their daughter?

Amberlee: I do want to say that a short answer would be no in the sense that Gavin’s script never had that. I think that’s what made it so special. He really went about telling this story of grief in these two different ways. These women are grieving in a way that I think like Laura said, I mean, it’s a special, unique, really original way to be invited into that conversation. However, I also, and correct me if I’m wrong, Laura, we did talk about it, once we had the director’s hat on, and we were just looking at the cinematic approach about, whether is it powerful to do we need to see anything or hear anything? And we obviously chose not to. And I’m really glad we did that. It was something we had talked about in the early stages, for sure. Just what would be more impactful, as far as hearing the child, her fictional name was Beth. What is the most impactful way to hear that? And we chose not to do it.

Laura: Yeah, we talked through many options, and the flashback idea did come up, or flashes. We always knew we would never show what happened inside that school. We were very conscious of that; it’s not something we were going to show. But we did consider flashbacks to maybe that day, and, you know, maybe shots of a school, but nothing of anything happening—just a school. You know, things like that to build that idea. But throughout workshopping it, we really found that it wanted to be simple, and focused on these two characters. You want people to go on that ride, not get ahead of it so that they infuse themselves into those characters and relate in a way that isn’t distant for them. That’s the whole deal with this. As you said, these occurrences are unfathomably frequent—gun violence is the number one killer of children under the age of eleven in the United States. It is absurd that this is the case. This is the reality, and we wanted to tell a story that people could relate to in a way that says, “That could be me.” By setting it in a house, at a birthday party with two friends a year after the event, we show the ripple effects of it, but also that grief is grief. I have grief, and you have grief, and it unites us all. How do we relate to that kind of grief so that we remember it enough to be effective in changing it at the end of the day?

Aayush: The movie explores how people can decided to have little moments of joy in the cruellest times. Given the current global challenges, how do you guys find the motivation to carry on when the world seems to be facing such difficult times?

Amberlee: That’s a great question. I think it’s tough, especially right now. Mental health, for me, is a lot about how you manage your mind and the stories you choose to keep in it. So, I immerse myself in being sensitive to what I absorb and don’t absorb, and where I put my focus and energy. Right now, I feel like I need to keep a tight leash on who I surround myself with. This may sound very self-help-y, but it’s real for me. Just, again, circling back to Laura and who you surround yourself with and where you tune in, and what you choose to listen to—all of that can really make a huge difference. Joy is important, and I do believe in finding what’s good, even if it’s something small, like, “God, that glass of water this morning was so good.” Just finding ways to stay ahead and find some momentum for yourself, because a lot of times right now, it’s not outside of you. It’s so important right now.

Laura: I think I find it very easy to fall into despair and hopelessness when I see the pain and suffering around the world that feels beyond my control. It’s really easy for me to think, “What’s the point? Why does it matter? People are awful.” But then I remember how lucky I am. It’s all… You know, I can’t be in despair because I don’t really have the right to. When I see the pain and suffering, I think about those who are enduring it. Everyone has their internal version of that, for sure. People in my position have their internal reasons for it, too. But at the same time, we must move forward with hope and try to change things for those who are going through it. If we all just give up and say, “It’s pointless because the world is so horrible,” then nothing will ever change. I look at my nieces and think, “What about them? What about the future for them?” And what about the future for all the people who come out on the other side of hard things and try to make changes? There are very inspirational people around the world doing incredible work to make things better, and I’m inspired by them. I hope that in my little corner of the world, I can make some sort of difference where people feel seen and heard, and that keeps hope alive. I think the main joy I get out of life is a collaboration between artists working together. Amberlee brings me a lot of joy, and I’m very grateful for that. But, yeah, collaboration is amazing.

Aayush: How did you pitch this film to the likes of Kenneth Lonergan and J. Smith-Cameron? And when they got on board, did they give you any advice on what should remain and how to approach this narrative?

Laura: I met J. Smith-Cameron and Kenneth Lonergan many, many years ago. I did a play in New York with Smith-Cameron and became really good friends with her, and then I became friends with Kenny and their daughter and their community. At the time, I was a very young actor, and they took me under their wing. They were extraordinarily supportive, helpful, and wonderful. So when I approached them and said I was directing for the first time, they were extremely excited for us. It couldn’t have been more of a “yes, we’re here to support” moment. I’ve received a lot of advice from them over the years. One thing Smith-Cameron told me that I remember very clearly was, “Start thinking now about roles you want to do in ten years. Start thinking about stories you want to tell in ten years and keep them in your mind because they will start to bubble up and come to the surface. You’ll see them and find them and they’ll come to you.” I started doing that, and I feel like this was one of those projects that aligned with the sense of characters and stories I wanted to explore. Watching Kenny go through his process of creating, writing, and editing a film, and using his community for feedback, I saw how he surrounded himself with people he deeply trusted and listened to them when they gave feedback. No one in his life was considered not good enough to give feedback; he took input from everyone. He wanted to tell genuine, real human stories and truly wanted to know if they resonated. That’s something we did on this set—we collaborated and took ideas from anyone who wanted to contribute in a way that felt like it was moving the project forward.

‘PLAY DATE’ had its premiere at this year’s HollyShorts Film Festival