Writer/Actor/Producer Cora Vander Broek's THE MODEL Explores The Roles Women Choose and The Ones Chosen For Them

In today's world, women are expected to juggle multiple roles in both their personal and professional lives. From being a mother to a CEO, the pressure to excel in every sphere is immense.  Writer/Actor/Producer Cora Vander Broek's and director Stephanie Owens' latest film, THE MODEL, delves into the complexities of a figure model's identity crisis. This female driven project (over half the cast and crew identify as female) is about an aging figure model, pushed to a crisis of identity by her relentless art instructor and ambitious lover. In the course of a sitting, she must decide if she will remain a still life to please others or risk evolving to please herself. As she wrestles against her constraints, what ripple effects could her evolution cause within her and the women around her?

We chatted with Cora and Stephanie recently to learn more about how they approached making this short film which will be making the festival rounds this year. 

What compelled you to make this film? What was the impetus?

Cora Vander Broek: I'd been thinking of the roles we women play in our personal and professional lives: devoted partner, vacuous muse, ambitious artist, pedantic professor, sexy submissive and so on. Some of these roles we choose but, more often, these roles are chosen for us by society’s expectations. I’ve worked for almost two decades as a professional actor. In my early years I took great pride in being established as one thing . . . excelling at one thing. There was comfort in being tucked safely in a box. I was secure and accepted within its boundaries.

As I’ve grown older, however, this box has begun to cripple me literally and figuratively. Consequently, I've begun to push against the walls . . . my spirit longing to explore the undefined. Women are accustomed to being labeled and controlled. And it seems we have so internalized this reality that we are often complicit in our own oppression and the oppression of other women. It is this phenomenon, our tendency to limit ourselves and, consequently, the women around us, that we’re exploring in this film.

What was your process in making this film? 

Stephanie Owens: During the pandemic, Cora, Lissa Sherman, and I would gather outside in parking lots or the steps of the South Pasadena public library to have coffee and talk about our creative aspirations. They helped me as I finished my short documentary Downstage, and then we switched our attention to Cora's wonderful script. We spent months discussing it as she wrote revisions, and then encouraged her to make it. I wasn't angling to direct (I promise) but was thrilled when she asked me. I had only worked in nonfiction so I was excited for the opportunity to work on a scripted story, and with brilliant friends.

Immediately we decided we wanted to be as collaborative and generous as possible, even if it meant doing things differently and taking more time where we could. While most of us had extensive experience in some element of production we also each found ourselves doing something new. For example, this was Cora's first time producing, and my first time directing actors and working with a script. Thankfully we built a supportive team where we could all ask questions and learn from one another. Carina Chavda joined as a producer and worked closely with Cora, while Lissa and I dug into the story and vision of the film. I saw the short Honeymoon, directed by Amy Aniobi, and was impressed by the cinematography of that film, which encouraged me to reach out to Kalilah Robinson to DP. She signed on and has contributed so much insight and expertise, I couldn't imagine the film without her. Similarly, we couldn't have crafted the sense of growing unsettledness without the skill and creativity of our sound designer Kari Rae Seekins. At each turn, everyone contributed their unique mark to the film.

From L to R - Carina Chavda (Producer), Stephanie Owens (Director), Cora Vander Broek (Writer), Kalilah Robinson (DP).

We also tried to build in extra time for creative processing throughout the production. For example, we made sure to have rehearsal time with Helen Sadler and Cora, and our intimacy coordinator before even getting to set so that everyone felt comfortable. We allowed months for editing so our editor Clare Cooney and I could have time to sit with each cut, which was invaluable to striking the right tone and pace for the film.

CVB: I had had a version of the script sitting on my computer for years.  Like many creatives, when the pandemic hit I found myself with time on my hands. I was in a “pandemic pod” with two good friends and creators (Stephanie Owens and Lissa Sherman) and we began talking about our creative work and I brought up the script. And from there I was inspired to revisit it.  Stephanie agreed to direct the film and Lissa to story producer.  They were invaluable.  The film wouldn’t be what it is without them.  We decided that it was vital that the film’s crew and cast be predominantly female and we achieved that!  The incredible Carina Chavda, based in Boston, soon signed on as producer.  COVID was still rampant so pre-production was mostly done virtually but, despite all that, we put together a talented team through word of mouth and recommendations.  I really appreciated my independent film community here in LA.  Everyone we reached out to was so generous and willing to share their thoughts, experience and connections. We were lucky to get Kalilah Robinson as our DP and she brought with her an exceptional camera department made up of mostly women.  David White was our production coordinator and kept everything organized and moving smoothly.  I, along with my husband Matt Brumlow and dear friend and writer Kimberlee Soo (Kimberlee had originally encouraged me to write the script years ago), executive produced and financed the film together.  We decided not to go the crowd funding route mainly because it was the height of the pandemic and we knew our community was already pushed to the brink.  Our principal cast was Helen Sadler, Elaine Rivkin and myself.  We shot the film in LA over four days the first week of Feb 2022.  We had two major locations… an art studio and the home of one of the main characters.  We found the lovely The Art Studio Pasadena and a house through Peerspace.  The owner of the art studio, Mosig Dermovsesian, and his daughter contributed the paintings used in the film.  They were so generous and lovely.  When we shot in early February it was during a COVID surge so that was pretty stressful.  We ended up having to replace our sound mixer last minute because of COVID  but other than that we got through it without any major disasters.  After the shoot we decided to take our time with post-production just to ensure the quality of the final product.  Clare Cooney edited the film and Kari Rae Seekins did the sound design.  They were both a dream to work with.  We've just begun the festival submission process and are excited to see how the film will be received.

CVB: More women in all aspects of the industry.  More female driven stories.  

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