Never Odd or Even

Made to be a part of the 2009 Broad Humor Film Festival Invitational Shorts, Never Odd or Even is a comedy about bullying. The rules from the Broad Humor Film Festival were simple: Shorts must be under 5 minutes, story must include a bully, preferably female, props must include an aerosol (or pump) spray bottle, and dialogue must include a palindrome phrase. When I read the rules, I immediately started thinking about all the bullies I had encountered in my life.

Let me tell you there were many. But the ones that truly stuck with me were the supervisors and office co-workers. We were grown up but still being backstabbed, repressed and made fun of. The only thing that changed was geography, and maybe the stakes. Nobody goes bankrupt when they make fun of you on the playground (Or maybe they do if you take in consideration the therapist bills).
Never Odd or Even screen shot 1

This was a fun movie to make and my third experience directing a short film. After spending several years writing feature screenplays, it was so rewarding and challenging to be back directing something. I couldn't have done it without my amazing cast and crew.

Reviewed by FilmSnobbery.com on December 10th, 2009. http://filmsnobbery.com/2009/12/10/never-odd-or-even/ neveroddoreven-201x300 “Never Odd or Even” is a short comedy about the topic of bullying. It was made specifically for that purpose as well. Originally made as an entry into the 2009 Broad Humor Film Festival Invitational Shorts (quite a mouthful), it had to follow several simple rules to fit the eligibility for their entry. Even given the constraints of the production, director Julia Camara made a bite-sized comedy that would feel right at home in any environment. Given how short this film is, there isn’t much time for character development, but little bits and pieces of all the characters make their way into the script. The editing is smooth and keeps the film moving at a good pace (every frame counts when you only have 5 minutes of runtime!). The cinematography is bright, well lit and well framed. The acting is excellent (although I caught the kids looking directly at the camera a couple times, but c’mon, they’re kids!). While I feel the performances were a little over-the-top, I think that was somewhat intentional given the subject matter. I think the director was trying to portray both the children AND the adults all as kids in this movie. Even though we get older, do we ever really grow up? Featuring a cast of people you may have spotted before on television, “Never Odd or Even” is a fun little quite gem to watch if you have the opportunity. It delights while whetting the whistle for Julia Camara's next directorial adventure.