Mary Elizabeth Boylan is a Los Angeles actress, screenwriter and producer who recently showed her film short “Getting Lemons” at the Film Festival of Columbus (FFOCOL). While she was in Columbus for the festival, Boylan took the time to sit down with Now It’s Dark magazine to talk about her most recent work.
Now It’s Dark: “Getting Lemons” is your baby. You wrote the screenplay, produced and starred in the film. Can you tell us briefly what “Getting Lemons” is all about?
Mary Elizabeth Boylan: Our protagonist, Lizzy Boyd, reluctantly wakes up to find her alarm clock has actually turned into fruit. A lemon, to be exact. A theme that begins to literally and figuratively hit her over the head. We follow Lizzy on a surreal journey full of interesting characters to a place she’s never wanted to go, but is now forced to embrace.
NID: Was this your first time writing a film? And producing? What was the process like for you?
MEB: It was my first time at both, but I didn’t do it alone. The film’s director, Lisa Stadnykova, was incredible with the screenplay, as well as organizing the shoot itself. My producer Cyrus Wilcox was also amazing. He never stopped believing in the film from the first moment he read it. My VFX supervisor and dear friend Roy Cullen was there every step of the way as well. The film look came out so beautifully because I was lucky to enough work with DP Sandra Valde again. Honestly, I had such an amazing cast and crew, every single one of them, not to mention the support of my wonderful friends and family. I feel like it was a collaborative effort on so many levels. It was a life-changing experience to be at the helm of all of that, and I can’t wait for the next one!
NID: What was your inspiration behind the film?
MEB: My mom passed away from cancer a few years ago. I moved home to Cleveland from Los Angeles to care for her. She raised me and was my everything. As you can imagine, it was profoundly tragic to lose her. Also, I lost four other family members right after that. There was some other family and personal drama. So basically the year from hell. Somebody had to write about it.
NID: What advice would you give someone who is grieving or dealing with loss right now?
MEB: It will get better. Don’t feel like you have to forget and move on. Only people who haven’t lost someone say those things. It never goes away, but it’s something you can learn to live with while living your own life. And you shouldn’t feel guilty for living. That’s a way you can honor your loved one’s past.
NID: Being an Ohio native and an Ohio State alum, what is it like being back in Columbus and showing your film at FFOCOL?
MEB: I am beyond honored and thrilled to be bringing my film to my home state, which is where the inspiration came from to begin with! And of course to be able to celebrate with my family and friends in Ohio is really wonderful.
NID: Any new projects we should know about? What is next for you?
MEB: I’m co-writing a feature with director/writer Kim Rocco Shields of Genius Pictures. There’s also a pilot version of my film in development. It has been a whirlwind. I’m so grateful!
Mary Elizabeth Boylan on Screenwriting, Life And “Getting Lemons” Mary Elizabeth Boylan is a Los Angeles actress, screenwriter and producer who recently showed her film short "Getting Lemons" at the Film Festival of Columbus (FFOCOL).
