Meet Victoria DeMartin, writer/director from White Plains, New York, now based in New York City! Read below to learn about her early influences, her proudest moment as an artist and follow the campaign for her feature film, The Cutting Room Floor!
What project are you currently working on? What is your role in the project?
I am currently working on my first feature film, The Cutting Room Floor, which I wrote and am directing. The film tells the story of Kate, an aspiring young film editor who finally catches her big break editing a “Notebook” level feature film. With her job, relationship and sanity on the line, can she pull it off under the deadline or will she lose it all?
Do you have a favorite hat under the “creator” umbrella?
I primarily consider myself as a writer/director so that combo hat is my favorite.
What were your earliest inspirations? How did you get started as a creator?
My earliest inspirations were my parents- they are both artists and very visual, creative people. My dad is a painter and my mom was an art teacher but because I was an only child, she was always planning interesting excurisions and encouraging a lot of creative play. So much of my storytelling and world-building started when I was a little kid. I got started as a filmmaker as I think a lot of 90’s kids did, filming their friends on camcorders and putting together skits. When I was in high school I started to take these “movies” a lot more seriously and I think I stressed some of my friends out. I remember once bringing a costume to school so I could film a pick-up shot of my friend in the parking lot. Also this was a 1940’s period piece so it involved a fedora and trench coat. My friend was probably mortified.
Whose work do you admire? Who are your dream collaborators?
There are many filmmakers I admire- Claire Denis and Eric Rohmer come to mind because of how bold they are with pacing and how much information they reveal to the audience. I think the work of writer/directors such as Nora Ephron and Penny Marshall were most influential to me growing up. Recently, I very much admire Greta Gerwig’s work. She has a directorial sensibility that I relate to and a love for comraderie which comes across in her work. There are so many artists whom I would love to collaborate with!
What’s your proudest moment as an artist so far?
My proudest moment as an artist so far is the moment when I won Ghetto Film School and Lee Daniel’s pitch contest at IFP Week. They announced the winner at the closing night party for IFP week, which was this huge party held outside underneath the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO. I have never stood in front of a crowd that large before in my life, let alone as a contest winner. I remember just before they announced the winner, my friend (and now one of the co-producers on my film) said to me “Let me hold your drink” because he somehow knew they were about to call my named and that I would have to go up to the microphone to say thank you.
What’s your must-read/must-watch book/show or movie?
Must watch movie is “Ballet 422”. The ballet dancer in me is answering this question. It just gives the best, most fullsome look into the creative process of creating a ballet and doesn’t have any tacked-on drama. No one is competitve, no one is harming themselves, it’s just an honest look at being a ballet dancer. Plus there’s a long take of the conductor conducting the orchestra and it brightens my day every time I watch it.
My feature film is “The Cutting Room Floor”. You can learn more about it here: www.cuttingroomfloorfilm.com