We had the good fortune of connecting with Nora Fiffer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nora, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My creative and professional life changed a great deal when I became a mother. When my newborn napped in our tiny apartment, I perfected the art of the Silent Run. There were a million things I had to do — very quietly — and I had no idea how much time I’d have to do them. Delirious, I glided through the house until I heard cries. I felt far from old friends but didn’t identify with other new moms. Like many women, I probably had mild postpartum depression and just thought what I was going through was normal. I found myself in a liminal space. I was shocked by the challenges of motherhood: hormonal shifts, sleep deprivation, new identity, the shedding of a former one. How was I so unprepared? How can an experience so common be so under- and mis-represented in cinema? Exploring this intense darkness and lightness became my starting point.
And it’s this intimate period I capture in my debut feature film, “Another Happy Day,” which will be distributed by Gravitas Ventures October 1. The film is a tender and tense comedy about a new mother who can’t connect to motherhood. “Another Happy Day” stars comedian Lauren Lapkus and features Marilyn Dodds Frank, Jean Elie, and Carrie Coon, and is produced by Jessie Holder Tourtellotte. I’m so proud that we made this beautiful film — and I’m especially proud of how we made it. We provided childcare to cast and crew and committed to 8-hour shoot days, provisions which are unheard of in the film industry.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a director who loves actors: I work deeply with my actors — individually and in relationship with their scene partners. Because I’ve been a theatre and film actor for many years, I treasure my cast and understand how to communicate with actors. This plays out in how I schedule, how I communicate, how I write character breakdowns, how I move from take to take. I love rehearsal, discovery, play, and preparation, and my personal aim is to stretch actors to places they haven’t gone before. I craft a sensorial launchpad for actors (I call them my Actor Care Packages), so we can kick things off on the same page and get our imaginations flowing. We shot 8 hour days for Another Happy Day, and I believe we were able to pull it off because of my intense preparation. I mapped out every beat of the film — which was the foundation for how I figured out how we would shoot and edit the film. Essentially, I started with story and asking myself “why,” and this led to the storyboard, reference images, shot list, and eventually, the edit. This was an exercise for myself to make sure I could really see the movie in my head: I developed the tone during this process, I challenged myself to understand the why of every moment from the director and character point of view, and I developed my visual language. I didn’t look at this document once on set. It lived inside me and allowed me to be nimble during the shoot. The act of preparation and discipline to create a visual vocabulary anchored and lifted me every day on set. If my blocking idea had to be thrown out because of a location change, I knew the scene well enough to adapt quickly. It was a joyous and unhurried shoot. We gave ourselves a time limit because we believe in work-life balance and health and safety on set. And what came of it was a high morale, energized, and well-rested collaborative set. And what came of that experience was a finished film we are deeply proud of.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love walking in Los Angeles. Because I’m from Chicago and lived in New York City, I’m a walker. But my favorite spot is Botanica Restaurant in Silver Lake. My cousin Emily Fiffer is the co-owner, so I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying the growth and deliciousness of Botanica for years.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to send a big shout out to my mom, Sharon Fiffer. My parents have always championed my theatre and film projects. They are both writers, and we’ve logged many hours brainstorming ideas around the kitchen table. They read my earliest drafts, they share their enthusiasm about my work with their community, they even open their home to film production! Throughout the ups and downs of living a creative life, my mom has quietly held my hand or given me much-needed pep talks. When I became a mother, I began to appreciate her even more. My mom balanced her creative life and childrearing with patience, strength, and honesty. Knowing now how difficult it is to give my attention and heart to both my work and my family, I’m all the more grateful and aware of how she managed to do both — and how challenging it may have been.

Website: https://www.anotherhappydayfilm.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anotherhappydayfilm

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nora-fiffer-b215a9220

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nora.fiffer

Other: www.firelighttheatreworkshop.com (an award-winning, immersive, innovative theatre company I co-founded in New Hampshire)

Image Credits
Photo credits: Zac Osgood

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