Have you ever dreamed of being an actor, writer, director, or producer? Well my guests today did all of this in their movie, Unpacking.

My guests are Michal Sinnott and Alexandra Clayton, two passionate filmmakers who are taking the indie film scene by storm. From their early experiences in acting and the performing arts, to the pivotal moment that led them to create their own work, this dynamic duo shares their journey of embracing storytelling in its various forms.

Discover how their chance meeting in a female filmmaking collective sparked the idea for their latest project, a mesmerizing movie set against the enchanting backdrop of Bali.

Hear how they turned a micro-budget dream into a reality, crafting a unique film experience that celebrates authenticity and vulnerability. Michal and Alexandra open up about the challenges they faced, both creatively and personally, and how these obstacles ultimately fueled their growth and dedication to their craft.

With humor, honesty, and unwavering determination, these two filmmakers delve into the lessons they've learned, the gratitude they've gained, and the vibrant community they've built along the way. They reveal their intentions for the future, hoping that their work will find its way to a wider audience and continue to touch hearts and minds.

So, tune in, get inspired, and let Michal and Alexandra take you on a journey into the world of independent filmmaking and artistic exploration.

Highlights from this episode:

Their excitement about their movie and their journey as filmmakers.
Their story on how they met and how they decided to work on a project together.
Michal and Alexandra’s insights about the challenges and lessons they’ve learned during the production of their movie in Bali.
The importance of collaboration and finding gratitude in the process.
Michal’s personal experience and how it influenced the film.
Their dedication to creating authentic, meaningful, and relatable films.

Know more about Unpacking:

Website: https://unpackingmovie.com/

Follow their Instagram for more updates: https://www.instagram.com/unpackingmovie/

Follow their Facebook for more updates: https://www.facebook.com/unpackingmovie

Follow their Twitter for more updates: https://twitter.com/unpackingmovie

Watch the trailer on youtube: https://youtu.be/HSqR4og8zEU

Rate and leave a review about the movie on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15040694/

Connect with Alexandra:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xanclayton/

Connect with Michal:

Website: https://www.michalsinnott.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michalsinnott/

A little bit about Alexandra:

Alexandra is a writer/director whose work leans into the earnest and awkward experience of being human. Her first narrative feature, 'Unpacking’ as a co/writer-director-producer is currently picking up awards on the 2023 festival circuit and garnering praise for its excellent ensemble acting.

Filmed in Bali over 13 days on a micro-budget, 'Unpacking' explores the hypocrisies of wellness tourism and the power of vulnerability. She’s directed, written, and produced narrative shorts, web series, branded, and documentary content for the last 10 years and has three short films ready to shoot on her 2023 docket.

Outside of helming her own projects, she enjoys the layers of creative producing for early career directors. Her work in this realm includes the narrative feature ‘No More Time,’ an environmental horror set in the mountains of Colorado, and the short films 'The Box,' 'Forevertown' and 'Please in Spanish' for which she was a 2022 producing fellow for Women In Film and Google’s inaugural Shorts Lab.

Films she's acted in have screened at over 30 festivals including Karlovy Vary, NYC’s Rooftop Films, and SF’s Cinema by the Bay, and streamed on Amazon and Kinoscope. A grounded optimist who thrives in the creation of original work, Alexandra believes the stories we tell create the culture we live in. She lives in Los Angeles with her dog Roo.

A little bit about Michal:

Michal Sinnott is an award-winning, classically trained actor/writer/director & storyteller whose work in film, television, theatre, audio spaces, & games traverses mediums, genres, & locales. Her first narrative feature, 'Unpacking,’ as a co/writer-director-producer is currently on the 2022/23 festival circuit and winning awards at nearly all of them.

‘Unpacking’ was recently accepted into Cinequest VR & Film Festival for their Bay Area premiere. She’s appeared in dozens of plays and over fifty principal/starring roles for radio, television, and film, including companies/institutions as diverse as ABC, Sundance, and The Whitney Museum of American Art.

She’s best known as the voice, likeness, and performance capture artist for Tracey De Santa, one of the main characters in the billion-dollar phenomena Grand Theft Auto V. Her stage plays have received staged readings and awards in Virginia (Theater Virginia) and Los Angeles (The Blank Theatre).

She's in development on a variety of projects as a writer-director, including 'Anxiety Monster & Man Child Make Amends,' a meta-scripted comedy series about the worst period of her life & a narrative feature, 'The Universe(s) of Us,' a magical realist multiverse love story.

She raised the first funding for 'The Universe(s) of Us' and traveled to Tanzania to shoot the opening of the film with a skeleton crew. ‘The Universe(s) of Us’ was a Sundance Screenwriting Lab second rounder, top 15% for the Academy Nicholl Fellowship, and was a recipient of Big Vision Empty Wallet’s Kickstart Diversity Program.

A former flight attendant and two-time cancer survivor, she’s traveled to thirty+ countries on six continents. She lives in NYC with her husband (and frequent writing collaborator) Joseph. Michalsinnott.com

Did you like the episode?

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts and subscribe to my channel to be updated on my latest upload. Enjoy listening to any of your podcast platforms!

Enjoy the episode! Have a question/comment? DM me on Instagram @ardeliankuzma