SHORT BIO
Audrey Rose Arnold is an actor, writer and producer based in New York. She was awarded the NYC Artist Corps Grant for her work as a producer. She and Albert Rudnitsky are the co-founders of Motherfather Productions, a fiercely independent theater and film company based in New York that focuses on niche eccentric storytelling. She also teaches acting at the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School.
FILMOGRAPHY
She executive produced and starred in “DRUNKS” – a pilot based on Ivan Vyrapaev’s award-winning play, co-produced “Mama,” a short film that recently had its debut at the Budapest International Short Film Festival, and recently wrapped a successful theater production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play ‘Crimes of the Heart’ in downtown New York. She is in pre-production on another pilot featuring some heavy hitting talent in the New York indie film scene.
A producer is a leader or a boss?
Both. The best boss is a leader. And the best leaders know how to empower others and let them lead.
What qualities or attributes do you look for in people you are looking to employ or work with?
Team players. You have to speak the same language and have a real appetite for the project. If you love what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with, you can get through difficulties with a lot less drama.
What do you look for in a script?
A story that drags you in and doesn’t let you go.
How do you select a director?
Right now I work mainly with my partner Albert as the director. He’s extremely passionate and in love with what he’s doing. He’s also a perfectionist, and won’t settle for anything less with the people he works with. That’s a very inspiring thing in a director. He knows what he wants.
Would you recommend writers think like a producer when writing their script? Or, just write with reckless abandon and then worry about the cost, or whatever, after they’ve grabbed a producer’s attention.
Definitely write with abandon first. I think then you can get creative and work with constraints like location, budget etc. But for some people starting with constraints might be helpful too. Just don’t limit yourself with them. They should set you free.
How involved in the writing of a project do you get? Are you more involved in the initial development?
Depends on the project. For ‘A Clown Story’ I co-wrote it, so it was very hands on. With DRUNKS, I only helped with some minor adaptation. My next project I’m totally not involved with the writing. Just facilitating the best environment for the cast and crew, and maybe acting in a weird character role. I’m sure I’ll make some suggestions on dialogue when it gets closer to shooting.
How much influence as a producer do you have with the choices made by the director and/or DP?
A lot if there’s trust. But the DP communicates with the director, not me. That line of communication seems really sacred to me, and not really my business.
What is the most important thing you have learned during your career?
I have a lot more to learn, but so far, a kickass story and a team who aren’t afraid to push the boundaries are essential.
If you had an unlimited budget at your disposal, what would be your dream production project?
Oh boy. It would be some extremely absurd story in a huge corporation headquarters. Severance-style. There would also be some sequences on a cruise liner like in Triangle of Sadness. Maybe a company retreat. White Lotus also inspired me a lot in terms of a great social drama in insanely beautiful locations. I love beautiful places. It would also all be shot on film, of course.
What does the future of film look like?
Instagram movies probably. Probably a new hybrid between what we call cinema and content creation.
