In 2020, NoVA native Olivia Haller (she grew up in Oakton and Great Falls) was a Boston University graduate immersed in the DC theater scene. Then the pandemic hit, and theatre jobs dried up. She pivoted to film and TV, and enrolled remotely in UCLA’s Professional Program in Writing for Television. In January 2021, she made the move to Los Angeles. Now, a film she helped produce, Chasers, makes its world premiere on January 28 at the Sundance Film Festival.
We spoke with Haller about the film, her creative life, and how LA compares to DC.
How did you get involved with Chasers?
My friend, Erin Brown Thomas, was in a writing group with me, and we got lunch and she was like, “I haven’t made a film since COVID. I’m looking to produce a new project. Have you written anything? I really like your work.” We ended up making a short film together called [Subtext] that I wrote and produced and acted in, and she directed. And then she started doing a new project … that she wrote and directed, which ended up being Chasers. And she asked me to help her produce it.
What is the film about?
It is a 30-minute film. We call it a 30-minute oner because it appears as if it’s one take. It takes place at a house party at night, so it’s technically 11 artfully spliced-together long takes. It follows a young, aspiring musician as she follows her crush through this house party. And we find out that they haven’t been dating for a long time, but she wants to define the relationship, and her friends are like, “Why are you so after this guy?” And all these other people at the party are young twentysomethings chasing something or another — going after a job or their crush or a dream role. The twist at the end reveals that this girl’s fantasy of what she wants is very far from the reality. And the theme of the film is: What do we accept as normal? What boundaries do we cross in pursuit of our dream? And is it worth it?
Are there any particular themes or storytelling styles that you’re drawn to?
My personal style is that I write, or I like to create, heartfelt, earnest, emotional stories with a surreal or supernatural angle. And Erin and I have a lot of crossover, because she also loves, she calls them traumedies, which are things that seem funny and seem tongue-in-cheek until there’s this emotional gut punch. And we both really gravitate towards surreal things. I guess to some extent all art is revealing truth. But there’s an element of surreal storytelling — or things that are not based on realism — that I think can explode the inner life of characters and really put emotions on screen visually in a way that I think is very exciting.
There’s a lot of talk about how difficult it is to make a living in film and television these days. Do you think it’s changed?
I think it’s always been hard. But today, the way that systems are set up, the success of the art does not always directly translate to financial success. And they’re separate things, so it totally depends on the type of project you’re working on (with) how lucrative it is. Because of streaming art, the money-making structures are changing, and I don’t think it’s going away. I just think it’s in flux. And over the next few years it’s going to balance out in a new way. I don’t know if you can be a writer on Frasier and be set (financially) for life anymore. But I also think it’s a really exciting time for indie creators, because you can sell directly to platforms. … There’s a lot that creators can do for themselves, because we can have cameras, we can have editing software. And streaming platforms could theoretically direct buy fully made things and then produce Season 2 down the line. It’s simultaneously scary and exciting, and hopeful at the same time.
What do you like and dislike about living in LA versus the DC area?
I love not having to ice off my car ever in Los Angeles. When it’s not on fire, the weather is lovely. The creative community in LA I found very life-giving and helpful. Because I think to some extent everyone is a little bit entrepreneurial and is down to collaborate on projects. And the hustle is very legitimized in LA in a way that it is not in many other cities, not just DC. I do miss DC sometimes. I feel like actually there’s a few parallels, because I think LA and DC are both very diverse and have a lot of culture. And I think that’s something that I always loved about DC, but not enough people know about or appreciate.
What theaters in the NoVA/DC area do you recommend?
Woolly Mammoth for sure. They’re near and dear to my heart. There are really strong emotions and opinions that their plays evoke. I love it. My friend Harrison Bryan wrote a musical (A HANUKKAH CAROL
or GELT TRIP! The Musical that was just performed) at Round House in Bethesda. And Signature does a lot of really cool new plays as well.
Where can we learn more about your film?
You can follow us on Instagram at @chasers_film and linktr.ee/chasersfilm.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Feature image courtesy Olivia Haller
