Experiencing Interruptions?

A Cell Phone Movie

A meta comedy for the (coming of) ages! Shot entirely on a cell phone, the film follows a fictional version of writer/director/star Will Sterling, a similarly out of work, struggling actor trying to impress the world by making a movie on a cell phone about an out of work, struggling actor trying to impress the world by making a movie on his cell phone.

  • Will Sterling
    Director
    Sonder: LA, Hystera
  • Will Sterling
    Writer
    Sonder: LA, Hystera
  • Will Sterling
    Producer
    Sonder: LA, Hystera
  • Will Sterling
    Key Cast
    "Will"
    Criminal Minds, American Crime Story, Blackish, Everything's Gonna Be Okay, Casual, Hand of God, This is Us
  • Tessa Glanville
    Key Cast
    "Tessa"
    Sonder: LA
  • Alan Peterson
    Key Cast
    "Alan"
  • Katie McCuen
    Key Cast
    "Katie"
  • Edward Hong
    Key Cast
    "Eddie"
    Starfield, Ready or Not, Perry Mason, Sonder: LA
  • JJ Obee
    Key Cast
    "JJ"
    How to Avoid a Sappy Goodbye, Sonder: LA
  • Aisha Renee Holden
    Key Cast
    "Aisha"
    How to Hack Birth Control, The Female Gaze, Sonder: LA
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 USD
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    iPhone 15
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Will Sterling

Will Sterling is a queer writer/director/producer/actor whose background in both comedy and tragedy help guide the hand of dealing with hurt through humor. He has recently published his debut novel, "Fame by Misadventure," a dark satire criticizing the dangers of celebrity worship and the overconsumption of Reality TV, as well as co-writing and co-directing the upcoming feature "That Friend," starring Billie Lourd, Harvey Guillen, and Josh Brener. "A Cell Phone Movie" is his feature directorial debut.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

To put it plainly, "A Cell Phone Movie" was born of my being tired of waiting for the permission of others. Artist's identities are often wrapped up in whether or not the outside world accepts and allows them, not whether they accept and allow themselves. Rejection is a necessary part of any creative's journey but it doesn't change the fact that its continual build up weighs on the heart. I have found that the healthiest releasing of this tension is done through both creativity and productivity that are not dependent on others. Seek to make art that others need not approve of, nor can they take away. When telling a story from the soul like this, I find that it becomes a truer expression of the human experience than seeking to write for a demo or market. Making ACPM, a meta comedy about itself...about itself, allowed me to express my failures and frustrations through the funny of schadenfreude. Everyone can relate to the heartache that comes along with missing the mark, but so too can they be reinsured to pick up the difficulty of never giving up when they see a character, much like themselves, doing the same. I set out to make this project to test myself and see how much I'm capable of accomplishing. As it turns out, it's a lot. More valuable than anyone's permission is that I taught myself this lesson. I claim inner victory, no matter the outer outcome.