Paul Cartwright – It Is Clean

We had the opportunity to interview Paul Cartwright about his film It Is Clean. It Is Clean is an official selection at the Utah Film Festival for the 12th annual season. 

What was the inspiration to make It Is Clean? 

The inspiration for IT IS CLEAN came from a desire to A) Make my first film and B) Create something that could fit in the horror/thriller genre without having any content that would need parental guidance. We wanted to write something totally clean. Hence the double entendre. 

From idea to completion, how did this production change?  

When we shot the first day of the film I had an existential crisis in the editing room. I felt like nothing looked right, I had ruined everything, and the film wasn’t going to work. I then decided it was necessary to add another shooting day and change the story to create a more seamless transition in the edit. Thankfully it worked.

What was the biggest challenge in getting It Is Clean made? 

Being a first-time filmmaker meant EVERYTHING was the biggest challenge. I think, in the end, not understanding how important storytelling AWAY from the dialogue is was something I would have loved to include more of.

What do you think is the most important takeaway from your film?

My most important takeaway is that filmmaking is supposed to be fun. You are supposed to enjoy the process and enjoy creating.

If you could have a do over with It Is Clean is there anything that you 

would do differently? If so, what would that be?

I wouldn’t change a thing. I learned so much from this experience that has carried me directly into my next project. I LOVE all the mistakes and learning opportunities from this film.

What do you have next in the works?

My next film CARRIE’S CONVERSATION is picture locked and hits the film festivals Jan 2023 and the Utah Film Awards Feb 2023

How can we learn more about you and your projects?

All my projects will be shared via my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts @PaulTCartwright