“Enactment” Unveils Dark Realities Behind the Spotlight
I love interviewing filmmakers that are just starting their journey as storytellers. As a recent graduate from the University of Utah, Bridger Roberts was able to utilize the resources of the university to convey his personal experience of theater and the arts through cinema.
In the compelling narrative of “Enactment,” the demise of the lead actress in a collegiate play thrusts her ambitious understudy, Lilith, into a world of psychological turmoil, orchestrated by the stringent theater director, Jameson. In a bid to fulfill her potential, Lilith faces the challenges of psychological abuse and power dynamics, determined to step into the spotlight at any cost.
The film, directed and written by Bridger Roberts, brings to light the unseen struggles within the performing arts community. Roberts, drawing from personal experiences as a theater actor, sheds light on the manipulation and unhealthy power dynamics prevalent behind the scenes.
“I was a theatre actor for a long time,” said Roberts “and I’ve experienced first hand a lot of the manipulation, psychological terror, and unhealthy power dynamics that can come from figures of authority in the performing arts.”
“I thought my experience was fairly uncommon, but once I started getting involved in the film community here and started meeting other performers and artists who share a very similar experiences, I felt compelled to represent our stories in a way that entertains and shocks the audience, gives insight to some of what goes on behind the scenes, and serves as sort of a cautionary tale to those in and around the performing arts.”
Casting played a pivotal role in bringing the intense characters to life. Serena Collins, the casting director, took charge of the selection process, auditioning over 50 performers for the key roles of Lilith, Jameson, and Vivian.
The final decision hinged on the actors’ ability to take direction and infuse intensity into their performances, ensuring the multidimensional nature of the characters.
“With so many melodramatic encounters, we needed them to have layers to their performance, keep everything 3 dimensional so those moments don’t fall flat. There were countless really talented performers that auditioned for each role, but we really feel like we nailed down the perfect cast. “
“Enactment” was crafted during Roberts’ time as a student at the University of Utah, presenting a unique set of challenges and support. While there was a balance of encouragement and resistance from faculty members, the focus remained on the film’s potential in the festival circuit. The narrative explores how Roberts navigated through advice, maintaining the film’s essence while staying true to his vision.
“There was never any backlash to making this type of film or anything, the professors at the U just really want their filmmakers to succeed, so there was a lot of focus on how these projects would play in a festival setting, or how we can get festivals more interested in our film, with as low of a budget as possible. It was very festival circuit focused. So, obviously, there were elements of Enactment that felt like they weren’t worth the effort / budget, and that wouldn’t work as well. I didn’t want to get too hung up on what I “should” do, I wanted to focused on what I wanted to do. I took as much of their advice as I could, while still keeping the film almost exactly the way I envisioned, with all the craziness and excitement still in tact, and with the hope that as long as I loved what I was making, others out there with similar taste might love it too.”
Short films, often regarded as learning experiences, significantly influenced Roberts’ approach to filmmaking. “Enactment” stands out as a project that pushed him beyond his comfort zone, inspiring him to embrace more challenging endeavors.
“There was a lot of self doubt throughout the whole process. It was my first real attempt to make something that wasn’t completely comedic. But seeing the end product, and how proud the entire production team is with that product, motivates me to keep going and keep trying new things.”
Amid the various aspects of filmmaking, Roberts highlights the art direction as a standout element. Collaborating with Art Director and SFX/MUA Reilly Rogers, months were spent meticulously developing the film’s aesthetic, including costumes and set pieces.
Despite its success, “Enactment” faced its share of difficulties, with time constraints posing a significant challenge. The production team, however, exhibited resilience, overcoming obstacles and delivering a stellar performance.
“Not only did we have to write, cast, shoot, and edit these films by a class deadline, we also had to work our productions schedules around every other Capstone project being shot that season, since we all had a lot of crew overlap. We were really limited with our days, and the time we had in each of those days. On top of that, the shoot schedule for Enactment just was so daunting to begin with, we had multiple days where we had to reorganize shot lists and cut a lot of things we had planned out in order to keep things rolling. But, the cast and crew just took it in stride and absolutely killed it. They barreled through those high intensity shoot days like it was nothing. The team on this project seriously was a group of superstars.”
Looking ahead, audiences can stay updated on Roberts’ future projects by following him on Instagram @brobertsfilm, where he shares insights into his creative journey and ongoing ventures. “Enactment” remains a testament to the dedication of its cast and crew, unraveling the hidden struggles within the performing arts and leaving an indelible mark on Roberts’ evolving filmmaking career.
About Bridger Roberts
Bridger Roberts is a film graduate from the University of Utah. Roberts aspires to make films that are fun and entertaining, but that deal with themes that are heavy and important. Roberts current project, “Enactment”, pulls from his experience as a theatre actor, and the struggles with the power dynamics of directors of his past. Roberts came to find his experience to be fairly universal among actors and theatre students, and feels incredibly fortunate to be able to share that experience with the world in a tension filled horror-thriller such as this.
About Warren Workman:
Warren Workman is the founder of the Utah International Film Festival. Workman’s passion is to share the stories of the filmmakers behind the movies and to encourage the next generation of filmmakers. Workman provides these services through ReelVibe PR.
