Interview (Part 6): Samantha Buck and Marie Schlingmann

An in-depth conversation with the co-writers and co-directors of the movie Sister Aimee which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

The very first movie I saw at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was Sister Aimee. It was a 9:30AM screening on a Monday morning. I am not a morning person, so the fact I was so taken by this film should tell you something about how entertaining it is.

In watching the post-screening Q&A with the film’s co-writers and co-directors Samantha Buck and Marie Schlingmann, I was so struck by the story behind the story of how this project came to be, I decided I needed to interview the pair. I got in touch with their manager Lee Stobby which led to a 45-minute conversation which I am happy to share over the course of this week.

Today in Part 6, the duo share advice they give to aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers.

Scott: You got another movie project in the works called “The Big D.” Can you tell us something about that?

Marie: Yes, we are working with our same producer, Bettina Barrow, and her producing partner, Lily Rabe, who’s a wonderful actress. She’s attached to one of the parts. It’s another period piece, but this time, it’s set in 1980 Dallas, Texas during the presidential election. It was also a massive heat wave in that city.

It’s the story of three women who…We’re staying true to our passion for themes. They’re all going through an identity crisis and are all bound together by this strangely cinematic time and place.

Scott: Lily Rabe was in the movie by someone I know very well, Julia Hart. She wrote and directed this movie with Stevens?

Samantha: Yes. She’s wonderful in it.

Scott: Yeah, it was great. Excellent. Good to hear. One last question for you. I was to ask the filmmakers this because people will read this on my blog. Most of them are trying to break into the business. What advice can you offer to aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers about learning the craft and breaking into the business?

Marie: Patience.

[laughter]

Samantha: I think it’s two different things. In terms of screenwriting, it’s cliche that people say, “You just keep writing. Keep doing it every day.” That’s very true. You have to keep that muscle going. Then that muscle will expand and get better. Your voice will develop and be bold.

We watch tons of movies. We break down tons of scripts by other people. Then we try to find our own voice within it. We’re still developing that. Just keep writing, and going with your gut, and learning. In terms of the business…

Marie: I just want to add one thing. It’s stealing from one of our professors and a good friend, Tom Kalin. He always specifically about your first bigger project, your first feature that, “Flawed, it can be. Bold, it must be.” That is a really good thing to live and work by.

Samantha: I agree. In terms of the business ‑‑ I say this particularly to women a lot of the times ‑‑ Anna Margaret is always like, “Don’t be too precious, and put yourself out there. Put your work out there.”

A very early draft of our Dallas scripts that we’re hoping to make next, that’s the first thing we collaborated on. We had a super early draft. We put it in the Nicholl Fellowship. That’s how we found Lee. That’s how we found our manager.

There was part of us that went to this place of, “It’s not ready. I don’t know. Should somebody…?” You have to just get rid of that a little bit and be willing to put yourself out there. Know that there’s a lot of doors that will slam and a lot of people that will say no, but be confident. Don’t be too precious.

Scott: That’s funny you say that. I met a mentor and a workshop leader for every single Black List Feature Writers Lab. They’ve had 12 of them, including one they did in conjunction with the women in film.

I was with six women writers. We had a special session with Aline Brosh McKenna. She said exactly the same thing. She said, “Women, oftentimes, they think they have to find permission to do things.” She said that, “I think we should be more like guys.”

She spread her legs and slap her legs, imitating a guy like, “OK, I got it right here,” that braggadocio, that bravado, that sense of entitlement. It was a very enlightening moment for me as a guy with my own sort of blinders. I think that message is an important one. Don’t be so precious with it, right?

Marie: Yeah, for sure.

Samantha: Yeah, just put it out there.

Scott: Put it out there.

Marie: Nobody’s going to read it if you don’t put it out there. That’s very simple.

For Part 1 of my interview with Marie and Samantha, go here.

Part 2, here.

Part 3, here.

Part 4, here.

Part 5, here.

For more exclusive Go Into The Story interviews with screenwriters and filmmakers, go here.