We’ve had the pleasure of featuring the diverse and exploratory work of Erin Murray here on DN since 2016 and her latest piece I Don’t Need To Know – written, directed and starring the filmmaker – sees the prolific multi-hyphenate artist explore an alternative facet of her creative endeavours with delightful results. An apparently innocuous day out for one couple suddenly turns sour as Murray’s character, leaning inspirationally on personal conversations about sex, decides to cajole her partner into discussing a hidden facet of their relationship with an outwardly innocent question about sexual fantasies. I Don’t Need To Know combines quick-witted back-and-forth dialogue, brilliantly delivered by Murray alongside Al Warren, with well planned out camera angles which come together to form a wholly absorbing four minute comedy short. It was a pleasure to catch up with Murray again to speak about using all of the possible angels in the car, the visual metaphorical considerations of the hitherto unspoken subjects of desire and how the film’s complementary sonic landscape was built with everyday objects and her own gasps and cries.
Where did the impetus come from for this deliciously awkward four minute delight?
This piece of work felt like a stretch in a different direction for me, since most of my prior work is dance and movement based. The idea was inspired by real life conversations I’ve had and stories I’ve heard from friends. Sex can be a funny topic and talking about sex can be very unsexy. I wanted to make an unsexy film about a couple who couldn’t successfully talk about their sex lives and find the humor in a misunderstanding between two flawed characters. He’s closed off and repressed and she’s a little narcissistic. Al Warren and I had one rehearsal and the shoot took half a day.
I think the image of a car filled to the brim with seemingly innocuous plants inching into the couple’s personal space was a fun visual metaphor for a woman’s unexpressed fantasies.
Conversations about sex can take so many different paths, dare I ask if plant porn is a real thing and why this particular deliciously awkward answer?
I mean, Rule 34, right? Plants as a kink worked for the film in a couple ways. When I think about plants, I think about something that’s healthy, natural, and alive. House plants need tending to. I think the image of a car filled to the brim with seemingly innocuous plants inching into the couple’s personal space was a fun visual metaphor for a woman’s unexpressed fantasies. I imagine their apartment is already filled with plants, blatant signs of what she wishes he intuitively understood. I also love that it’s a kink that needs an explanation. What is plant porn? The audience wants to know, but the Boyfriend definitely doesn’t.
How did the writing evolve from your idea into that back and forth which seems so normal and innocent yet underneath lies a bit of malice?
I wrote this script after rewatching When Harry Met Sally. I miss Nora Ephron, and I was inspired to do my own take on two people talking in a car. I was interested in the idea of ‘the truth’ being used as a weapon in the context of a romantic relationship. If you’ve been in a relationship long enough, any change in the other person can be a threat to the shared image you’ve created together. I wanted to show a dysfunctional negotiation between someone who wants change and someone else who wants things to stay the same.
The angles in the car are amazing, through the plants, from each side of the car and seeing them together. What camera did you use and what guided the choice of setups which give this delightful energy to the confrontational conversation?
We used an Alexa Mini LF with Camtec Falcon Lenses. All natural light. Cinematographer Sean Conaty and I watched I’m Thinking of Ending Things for inspiration which I’m pretty sure uses every possible camera angle in a car. Love that movie btw! We covered both characters in the same angles knowing that in the edit the woman would instigate shifts in the conversation and the camera angles, pulling him to meet her.
The back and forth and building that awkwardness between the couple’s responses is so brilliant. To what extent was that all mapped out ahead of the shoot versus being built in the edit?
The film is true to the script besides a couple moments that happened spontaneously on set. I like to be prepared enough that chaos can’t scare me and everyone can be open to the moment. Al did this incredible gesture that wasn’t scripted, but it influenced me in the edit. He put his hands on the steering wheel as if he was imagining stepping on the gas and speeding away. I ended up using Al’s gesture in place of some of our lines because I found it so expressive and fun to watch. I love it when stuff like that happens. I’m always looking to be surprised in my work, even as the director.
I like to be prepared enough that chaos can’t scare me and everyone can be open to the moment.
I love the bright, natural lighting on the girlfriend as she is portrayed as the more open and perhaps innocent player in the conversation. How did you work to get all of the lighting right which gives us that comedic yet tense tone?
It’s been really fun hearing the audience’s reactions to this short. Some people see the woman as the obvious victim and others the man. Cinematographer Sean Conaty and I spent most of our time talking about character rather than lighting. I wanted to allow the performances to speak for themselves, and I knew that Sean would be able to light this in a way that felt naturalistic and beautiful. I also want to shout out Kaitlyn Battistelli whose color grade brought the look over the finish line.
Cinematographer Sean Conaty and I spent most of our time talking about character rather than lighting. I wanted to allow the performances to speak for themselves.
You’re both so natural in the roles. How did you come to be working with Al Warren and know the chemistry would be right?
I’ve been a big fan of Al Warren since seeing him in other short films and hearing his legendary prank calls on Instagram. Al is hilarious and never has a false moment. I got to meet Al doing movement direction for a short film for director Robbie Barnett. We had one rehearsal together where we pretended to throw up like cats and wriggled and riled on the ground like ancient decaying creatures. I knew that I liked Al after this rehearsal.
Your sonic landscape dings, pings and scratches all of the right beats of their conversation. How did you put that together?
I edited the film to a temp track which gave everything a strong musicality. I wanted the music to sound physical, percussive, annoying and slowly boil with the conflict. Once the edit was locked I sat down with the composer Dave Vieira. We spent an hour or so experimenting with different sounds which was a very fun and silly process. We used all kinds of household objects. I even gasped and cried into a microphone a little bit. Then I left and Dave did his magic making all those sounds into music.
I wanted the music to sound physical, percussive, annoying and slowly boil with the conflict.
As a diverse director, choreographer and actor what are you putting your talents to next?
I’m currently in post production on two projects that I wrote and directed – a music video and another narrative short. Besides that, I’m open to whatever the universe presents. Whether through directing, choreographing, or acting, I want to keep making stuff that excites me.
