“Ellen Needs Insurance” by Dru Johnston
Ellen needs to book one more union job by the end of the year or she'll lose her health insurance. So she sets out to do everything in her power to secure it... begging her agent, booking background roles, and taking on extra commercial auditions. But after navigating the impossible worlds of the entertainment industry and the for-profit health insurance industry, she resigns to her fate, until her hand is forced to take matters into her own hands and make her own opportunity.
FROM THE DIRECTOR:
“As a working artist living in America sometimes you get to make your dream project. Other times you're forced to make something just to survive. And sometimes you get to make both. When Ellen and I set out to make this film we did so out of necessity: we had just found out we were going to have a baby, and we knew our health insurance was going to run out a month before the due date. We wanted to highlight the stress we felt in that moment, but also the stress that working artists face on a daily, weekly, and yearly basis. We also knew we weren't alone, and we wanted to cast as many actors as we possibly could who found themselves in the same situation... needing that one last job to help secure their own insurance. So we reached out to our friends and networks looking for reccs, and they delivered. I'm exceptionally proud of this film and the people involved. As the strikes have shown it's harder and harder to be a working artist these days. But the one thing the studios can't take away is our desire to look out for one another.”
- Dru Johnston
CREDITS:
CAST
Ellen// Ellen Haun
Lauren// Marisa Baram/ @marisabaram
Casting Director// Kim Cooper/ @kimcoopie
Nicki// Liz Jenkins/ @lizjenkins_maebybaby
Joey// Ron Kellum
Press Secretary// Carolina Hoyos/ @agirliknow
Screaming Woman// Valerie Rose Lohman/ @valerieroselohman
Detective// Stephen Sherman/ @shermtheactor
Megaphone Director// Alise Morales/ @pandalise
Bar Patron #1// Rochelle Maria Muzquiz/ @cleverlyric
Bar Patron #2// Armi Arabe Abiera/ @armiof6
Waitress// Arianna Ratner/ @ariannaratner
Receptionist// Phoebe Holston/ @phoebeholston
COBRA Spokeswoman// M.J. Kang/ @mkangj
Doctor// Camden Singer/ @camden_singer
Matt// Danny Jolles/ @dannyjolles
Cooper// Doug Olear/ @dougolear
Director// Dru Johnston/ @drujohnston
Writers// Ellen Haun/ @ellenhaun & Dru Johnston
Producers// Savvas Yiannoulou/ @micheldelving, Ellen Haun & Dru Johnston
Executive Producer// Darren Miller/ @darrendmiller
DP// Cooper James/ @cooper_james
Editor// Matt Porter/ @mrmattporter
Original Score// Seth Phipott/ @sethphilpott
Production Designer// Grace Haun/ @g_haun
Associate Producers// Rebecca Koslover, Parv Cheena, Alan C. Ruesicky
CREW
Sound Editorial and Mix// Jay Culliton
Assistant Director// Avid Eghbali/ @avid.eghbali
1st AC// Santiago Bahti/ @santiagobahti
Gaffer// Hao Yu
Gaffer// Paul Kim
Key Grip// Eric Wann
Sound Mixer// Patrick ‘Paddy’ Baigrie
Sound Mixer// Diego Romero
Production Assistant// Aaron Warner
Assistant Editor// Joshua Zee Kilcoyne
VFX// Michael Antonucci
Color// Mary Perrino
Covid Compliance Officer// Irina Gorovaia
SONG
“Nothing Wrong”
Written and performed by Seth Philpott
Produced by Andy Hunt
Courtesy of Vamanos Clay Music
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