Meet The Minds Behind Mia Eats
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri / Sedalia, Missouri
Username(s): @baconclicks / @keirakinner / @littlejohnbrothers / @niklittlejohn / @natelittlejohnjr
How has the reception been for Mia Eats? Has there been any notes that have changed how you view the film?
Nick: Reception for Mia Eats has been amazing. The biggest takeaway I've heard is that it's great seeing black people in this style of thriller/horror genre film. Which is great to hear because we made it for that exact reason. A note that made me view the film from a different perspective was that they never seen a greek mythological horror set in modern day until MiaEats. For me that is awesome to hear because when we created this story it started from me and Keira's love for Horror and Greek Mythology. Made me realize we're creating unique storylines.
Keira: The reception has been great. Talking with cast and crew slightly changed my perception of the film because outside looking in, it is just a greek mythological horror, but when you take a step back it is so much more. Unintentionally, we managed to touch on the sacrificies our ancestors made for us to be here. The chains that bound them and the fires that set them free & gave them strength.
Nate: The reception has been great! It’s really been a fulfilling experience hearing all the positive feedback toward the film.
How did your earlier work influence your work today? How has this experience influence how you choose your freelance jobs?
Keira: Honestly, I’m just now breaking out into the creative scene and film industry. I’ve always written horror and I stand by that being one of the best genres. You can do so much with it! This experience taught me that it takes community and sacrifices to create something beautiful, it made me more open to doing freelance projects if the vision is there.
Nick: I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for my past work. My brother Nate and I have been directing visuals for over 10+ years. That amount of time gave us the confidence we needed to create something like Mia Eats. I also helped create a production house called MIDDLEOFNOWHERE with Nate, Chris SWAP, and Tad-Michael. We directed short films, commercials and skits about being an artist in our hometown Kansas City, where resources were slim to none. I feel like we took the influences of being able to create freely with homies and community and brought it to Mia Eats.
Nate: With all the music videos me & Nick have filmed we focus a lot on shot composition which leads everything you see on screen to having a purpose behind it. Everything to how screen talent is positioned in the frame, to how the lighting in a scene is motivated by how characters or feeling, or simply establishing perspective for the audience with the camera angle we choose in a scene. When I choose a job I always like to put myself in a position to learn something new or put in practice a new skill I’ve learned. From the experience of filming MiaEats I want to continue to learn the craft of storytelling through film and hopefully tell stories people can connect with.
How did you get into film, at the Mia Eats panel you mentioned your mom showed you a lot of films growing up… what were some of your favorites and how do they inspire your writing today?
Keira: Off the top of my head, House of Wax (2005) was one of my favorites. My mom and my aunt used to always put it on for me. I’ve probably seen it over a dozen times. That scene where she is sticking her finger through a vent is engraved in my mind. Another memorable one was The Exorcism of Emily Rose, can’t say it was a favorite, but it scared the hell out of me. My mom was so scared we had to go sleep at my grandma’s house.
One thing for me that stood out to me about the film was the colors, was this something detailed in the initial script?
Nick: Yes from the very beginning we knew we wanted the color to have depth and give rich saturation. A lot of films today (especially on streaming services) look dull and washed out and that's sad to see. I loved when films were shot on actual film cameras. It gave movies a warm tone and character. The color would tell a story. Even though Mia Eats was shot on digital, we knew to aim for that film look in post production with the program Davinci Resolve.
Nate: We mainly had conversations about the colors in the film. Red is a color you see through out the film to signify the danger Cameron finds himself in. We also used practical lighting with lamps and candles to make scenes feel more natural. We’ve found with lightning sometimes less is more, especially when filming horror.
Is there a specific line or thing in the original script that DIDN’T make the final version of the film?
Keira: Originally, it was supposed to be a family of cannibals which we obviously redirected the whole plot to be something bigger than that.
Are there any overlaps between ‘The Fair’ and ‘Mia Eats’?
Keira: Not necessarily, I do think both stories have more meaning than what meets the eye or whatever the saying is. You have to look deeper than the surface to really understand both films.
Nick (Adding) : I wouldn't be against them sharing the same world. A world where every creature/monster in existence lived amongst each other would be cool.
Going forward will you all be revisiting this world that you’ve built? Since Greek mythology has such a rich history do you think you’ll adapt new stories?
Kiera: Personally, I’m not sure yet. I do like the idea of creating more films that are in this world we’ve created, but I can’t say I have anything planned out currently.
Nate: If it makes since, I’m open to it. I would love to adapt more stories based in Greek mythology, I feel like you don’t see many movies or shows based around it anymore.
Nick: I definitely could see us revisiting this world of greek mythology. I remember reading the Percy Jackson books playing out each chapter in my head thinking how good the stories would be on film. So there's definitely a chance in the future.
Let’s talk about influence. Who or what’s been inspiring you lately—visually, emotionally, spiritually?
Nate: Family & friends are my biggest inspiration, the love and support we share is unmatched, they inspire me to be the best version of myself. Sinners and Weapons are my favorite movies I’ve seen this year, both movies did some unique character building you don’t typically see in horror films. Ghost of Yotei is my game of the year from what I’ve played, the graphics and gameplay is a 10 out of 10, I get side tracked a lot with taking pics in the photo mode they have in the game.
Keira: The creatives in Kansas City have been inspiring me. I think KC is truly a hidden gem when it comes to independent artists. We are all just waiting for the world to see us. I love the community I have been slowly building up and I’m just excited to see how far this city will go. Also, David Lynch. I’ve never seen anybody with the ability to pull you into a new world the way he does. Cinematically, he is probably my biggest inspiration.
Nick: My family and friends. My family has been recovering from sickness these past few years, so seeing them getting healthier inspires me everyday. Hanging out with friends is always great for me. I love to step away from work sometimes and chill with the homies and laugh. I've also started making playlist for myself and others to listen to. Its been a pretty cool process because I love music. Listening to a good album, makes me think of new ideas to life.
What kinds of stories or feelings are you trying to get across in your writings right now?
Nate: Any way I can gain more perspective on the human condition we all are living and share it through storytelling in a way that connects with people is the ultimate goal.
Nick: Right now I'd say I'm focusing on stories/feelings that I used to love as a kid. Films back then were unique and full of lore so much so that it felt like a world you could step into and be apart of. I want to create that same kind of feeling and effort into my projects and stories.
Keira: In all honestly, I just want to make something that people remember. Something that sticks in people’s heads like a dream you never really forget. Also, I really just want black people to relate to what they’re seeing on the screen. I’m tired of the whitewashed film industry.
What was the origin story of Mia Eats — what inspired the concept and how did it evolve?
Keira: It was actually apart of an anthology series I had been working on, a collection of one page horror stories. Whenever I showed Nick, that was the one he liked the most. I’m not sure how he came to the idea of it being greek mythology, but he added an element that gave the story depth and meaning outside of it just being horror.
Nick (Adding) : I loved the twist at the end of the story and had the idea of changing the man-eaters into harpies. After that we just kept adding more and more greek lore into the story. That way the audience could better understand the creatures.
Nate: ——- The project came together organically from that point on.
Who is your intended audience, and how has audience feedback shaped your plans for Mia Eats?
Nate: Anyone who loves horror movies or greek mythology or who is interested in a unique story with fresh ideas is the intended audience. Audience feedback has been reassuring that we’ve made something special, after we do a festival run I can’t wait to make it available for more people to see it.
Nick: Anyone who loves art and appreciates unique perspectives. And black people. Audience feedback has made me wanting to do more showings of the film.
Keira: Black people. The audience feedback has been really great. I was not expecting both screenings to sell out so quickly, but it’s got me excited for film festivals. A lot of people want to see the film and I love that. We have even discussed doing another screening at Stray Cat due to the demand.
What advice would you give to other emerging filmmakers who want to create a short film but might be intimidated by cost, experience, or access?
Keira: Just do it and you can perfect it later. I had no experience whatsoever in the film industry prior to ‘The Fair’. I researched and researched, but nothing beats getting out there in the field. You need to surround yourself with people who believe in your vision, no matter the cost or work it takes to make it & block out anybody who doubts it. Community is the most important thing to independent artists.
Nick: MAKE THAT FILM! Do it anyway. Use what you have and start with that. Make something that's unique to you and that is within your means of creating. Then once you make that film, use what you learned from it and make another one. Take that first step and the experience will come. Then you'll have a portfolio to show off so you can get funding for your projects. When I first started making films with Nate we just had a small camera and a dream. Made some friends and created cool projects. Start small, the bigger budgets, experience, and access will follow.
Nate: Cost, experience and access. Those are real barriers that artist fight everyday. In my experience just simply working with what you have is enough to get the ball rolling. I think surrounding yourself with peers who are like minded and have the same goals of making a film is key. Community is important when it comes to filmmaking. Me & Nick first started out filming music videos with a Canon DSLR for our friends and local artist here in KC. Project after project we kept honing our skills and knowledge around a camera and developing friendships and meeting and filming with other creatives that are on the same journey as us which has thankfully lead to us making MiaEats. The knowledge that we gained and relationships we built filming with other creatives all led to us having the opportunity to make this short film. Any idea you have big or small, you just have to go for it. Once you put that energy out into the universe that you’re trying to create something you care about, you’ll be surprised at those that share the same sentiment. Treat the work you do with care and be good to people.
SBR: Do you see film as a temporary phase, or is it something you plan to build into the foundation of your practice?
Keira: I plan to keep building. Screenwriting has always been my safety net, but I definitely want to get into my Director bag next year, I think stepping out of my comfort zone will do me good.
Nick: Movies will forever be apart of my life. Since Nate and I were little our grandpa and dad would take us to the movies to see what was new that week. When we got to middle school and high school Nate and I realized we could take classes and learn how to create them ourselves and haven't looked back since.
Nate: Being a filmmaker has always been a dream of mine. Being a filmmaker is something I want to continue to get better at. I want to make more short films and then lead into directing a feature length film, that would be amazing.
What does your creative process look like right now? Are you planning things out in advance or moving more intuitively?
Nick: I'd say both. We have projects mostly visual that we plan out in advance since they take time to make. But my intuitive work is more so for when I'm painting. I love to airbrush 1/1 pieces on different mediums. Each piece is dictated by a random idea I have, how I'm feeling that day, or something I see while I'm outside.
Keira: I am a mess when it comes to my creative endeavors, so I just do what feels right in the moment. One minute, I’m screenwriting - the next im doing photography. That’s what is so great about being a creative. I want to do it all and I will do it all in time.
Nate: I like to move intuitively and keep an open mind when brainstorming for projects and once I land on an idea is when I like to lock in on planning things out on how to take action with that idea. There’s lots of mood boards and storyboards me and Nick will put together for projects so that we both are on the same page with the overall vision of the film, music video, or project that we film.