Directed by Simon Ryninks | Written by Omar Khan | Produced by Tibo Travers
After a night of passion Emily tells Jay that she’d like to use a strap-on. Scared of losing a girl he has a connection with, Jay reluctantly agrees.
The Plunge won Best Comedy Short, Best Sponsored Short & Best Ensemble Cast (Comedy) at The People’s Film Festival 2020.
READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH THE FILMMAKERS
TELL US A BIT ABOUT SWEETDOH FILMS:
Tibo Travers (Producer): Sweetdoh Films is a creative media company that focuses on the production of fiction, documentary and commercial films, and in the organisation of screenings, professional tutorials and workshops. We've had projects funded by the BFI, Film London and Ffilm Cymru Wales, and made films that aired on Canal+, Vice TV and RTÉ, and were distributed by NiTV, Premium Films and Shorts International.
As a company we aim to:
- Change the environmental impact of the arts industry for the better, by implementing positive measures throughout all our projects and actively reducing our carbon footprint.
- Focus on training and education within the creative industries, by mentoring students and training interns.
- Associate our projects with disability and mental health organisations, offering training and employment opportunities to vulnerable or disabled individuals.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE PLUNGE CAME FROM A REAL LIFE INCIDENT. HOW MUCH CAN YOU TELL US?:
Omar Khan (Writer/Actor): The idea behind THE PLUNGE was inspired by my own misfired sexual encounter, when the idea of pegging (sex act in which a woman uses strap-on dildo on their partner) was suggested to me. I politely declined, but then wondered what would have happened had I agreed. One horrific “what if” thought after another lead to THE PLUNGE as a screenplay.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BRING THIS FILM TO LIFE AND WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU OVERCOME ALONG THE WAY?:
Tibo Travers (Producer): The experience of making The Plunge was really enjoyable, because we made it as a team of friends, and all in all there was little stress involved. The fact that we could make it with our own money, and therefore on our own terms, means that we had a minimum amount of pressure - and I'm persuaded this is the most favourable conditions for any creative work.
Like any independent production, the main challenge was to cater for our needs with this limited budget. This means we could only shoot for 2 days, and had to pull a lot of resources (and spend a lot of time) trying to create small miracles! But like any good filmmaking team, we made it work by being proactive, imaginative, and above all by having a positive approach to problem solving.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS?:
Tibo Travers (Producer): My favourite part of filmmaking is being on set and witnessing this creative synergy that is filmmaking. Seeing written words being transformed into performance and moving images will always feel a bit like magic to me, and I don't think I'll ever grow tired of being a part of it.
CONGRATS ON DEVELOPING YOUR FEATURE FILM "OUT THERE" WITH THE BFI. HOW IMPORTANT HAS SHORT FILM BEEN IN SPRING-BOARDING YOU INTO FEATURE FILMMAKING?:
Simon Ryninks (Director): Really important! I've been making short films for ten years and that's allowed me to explore, take risks and learn from my mistakes in a way that I couldn't have done if I'd miraculously gone straight into making features. If I had it would've been terrible. Shorts have helped me find my voice, my confidence and my filmmaking community. All of which I'm hugely grateful for.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SHORT FILMMAKERS TRYING TO MAKE THE JUMP TO FEATURES?
Simon Ryninks (Director): I'm still making that jump, but I've learned that patience is a virtue. It takes a long time to get a feature off the ground - I've been working on Out There for nearly 3 years now and am really still the start of the process. Make sure you embark on telling a story that you really want to tell, and that means something to you, otherwise it may not be worth the wait.
ANY FILM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN WATCH TO KEEP US BUSY WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING:
Simon Ryninks (Director): Recent films I've really enjoyed are Ete'85, Another Round and Never Rarely Sometimes Always. Thank goodness for streaming!
Tibo Travers (Producer): Cuba and the cameraman, Fahrenheit 11/9, Dick Johnson is dead, Les Misérables
Interested in getting your work selected as Short of the Week?