What really happens after we die is a question that has plagued mankind for probably most of our existence. With the rise in technology there are all sort of new options being explored. Here writer Addison Heimann creates a story told by director Ursula Ellis of what some of that might be like.
Ava in the End was screened at the 2019 FilmQuest film festival (website). It was nominated for Best Sci-Fi Short, Best Director (Ursula Ellis), Best Actress (Elisa Gay).
There is some rough language in this short film, finding out you're dead can create some stress. But there is some fun presentation in this comedy/sci-fi.
Synopsis: After tripping over her dog and dying, a young woman wakes up in a virtual purgatory and waits for her mind to be downloaded into a new body.
Both Ursula Ellis and Addison Heimann share their inspiration for creating Ava in the End. They also talk about other work they are doing and what inspired them to become filmmakers. They have more about themselves like wanting to make a DnD movie.
What was the inspiration for Ava in the End?
AH: I'm completely terrified of death. If there was an option for me to live forever in the cloud, I totally would do it. Absolutely, hands down, no question. So, when the atomic scientists moved the clock to two-and-a-half minutes to midnight, I dreamt up a world in which, you know, it was possible to live forever. And then I got dark with it because I'm not into writing things with happy endings.
UE: In visualizing the world of the film, we were inspired of course by Black Mirror, but I also drew from films that vary tonally and stylistically like Ex Machina, Upstream Color, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The Signal. Mayer\Leyva's short #PostModern was a huge influence on how much I realized we could evolve our tone/world as well—I saw it as part of the Eyeslicer shorts at Cucalorus in 2017 and became immediately obsessed.
What project(s) do you have coming up you're excited about?
AH: My web-series Kappa Force, about five sorority crime-fighters trying to destroy evil frat scum, will be released on the streaming platform REVRY October 27th. So look out for that!
UE: I recently released a couple of shorts online via NoBudge (This is Not a Love Song) and Seed&Spark (Crick in the Holler), both of which can be viewed on a device near you! But in terms of upcoming projects, I'm developing a few different shorts, features, and TV pilots, so we'll see which happens first!
What was your early inspiration for pursuing a career in film?
AH: Like every gay kid growing up in the early 2000s, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
UE: I grew up an only child and moved a lot due to my dad's military career, so I spent a lot of time making up stories to keep myself company. When my dad deployed to Iraq, film and television in particular became my constant companions, and I saw how they could be used to help people process difficulties in their own lives.
But in terms of specifically genre films, my dad took me to see Dungeons & Dragons(the movie) when I was 10 or so, and I was totally in awe of this whole other world that the filmmakers created, seemingly from nothing (but really from a whole storied lore… I didn't know all that then, though). This first translated into playing a lot of Baldur's Gate alone in my room, but I think it also paved the way for my interest in creating characters and worlds of my own.
What would be your dream project?
AH: It's my dream to be a TV showrunner, so if I could write some kind of long running sci-fi/action-fantasy/horror and have all my collaborators work on it—it would be the dream.
UE: Honestly, now that I think about it, I would love to make a Dungeons & Dragons film—my 10-year-old self would be thrilled, and I know Larian Studios is making Baldur's Gate 3 right now, so there's definitely some franchise potential… But more broadly, I'm interested equally in writing and directing for both film and TV, across genres and tones.
What are some of your favorite pastimes when not working on a movie?
AH: There are other pastimes?
UE: My background prior to filmmaking is in music, and I still play guitar, sing, and write the occasional song to stay sane, as well as reading and getting out into nature as much as I can.
What is one of your favorite movies and why?
AH: Spirited Awayis my absolute all-time favorite movie. The music, the characters, the whimsy! Oh the whimsy! It's the movie I watch when I'm having an absolutely terrible day and I need a pick-me-up. 10/10 would recommend.
UE: I have way too many favorite movies, but in the vein of Ava in the End, I absolutely loved the 2nd season of The OA (which is basically one super long movie). The character development is so strong, the twists and turns of the narrative feel consistently original and unexpected, and the sincerity and compassion at the show's core is a bit of a revelation in our increasingly sardonic world. I really hope they pull a Twin Peaks and at least make a feature film to continue exploring that story.
Here is our trailer/social media/website info as well, and I've attached a few stills!
You can find out more about Ava in the End on
- IMDb (link)
- Addison Heimann's webpage (link)
- Ursula Ellis's webpage (link)
You can also watch the trailer on Vimeo (link).
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