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Betty & Mary: The Actors Prepare

Betty, a middle-aged actress, prepares for yet another low-stakes one-liner when she's suddenly crippled by excruciating pain. Enter Mary, her young rival, eager to “help.” Betty, convinced she’s experiencing the world’s most tragic miscarriage, spirals into her neuroses about aging, irrelevance and survival in a cutthroat industry.

Their exchanges bounce between sarcasm and vulnerability, with fleeting moments of connection that highlight shattered dreams and the struggles of women in a youth-obsessed world. "Betty & Mary" is a humorous, quirky exploration of ambition, aging and female friendship, set against the backdrop of a trivial audition that becomes a metaphor for their deeper struggles.

  • America Young
    Director
    The Concessionaires Must Die!! (EP Stan Lee), Back to Lyla, episodics for Warner Bros, CBS, Apple, Netflix and others
  • Dana Lyn Baron
    Writer
  • Dana Lyn Baron
    Producer
    Ultraviolet, Night Crew, Riley's Fan
  • Lauren Selman
    Producer
    Farewelling, Shimmer, The Ringmaster, Greenlit
  • Dana Lyn Baron
    Key Cast
    "Betty"
    Hacks, S.W.A.T., Being the Ricardos (Aaron Sorkin), Mank (David Fincher); Interior Chinatown (Hulu), Bosch (Amazon), This is Us (NBC), Shameless (Showtime) and others
  • Tally McCormack
    Key Cast
    "Mary"
  • Justin Ivan Hong
    Director of Photography
    Agent of Death, Bottomless Brunch at Colman's, Mark Hamill's Pop Culture Quest
  • Elisa Daniels
    Editor
    The Boys F**kin’ Reunited, Killing It, The Big Door Prize
  • Gabriel Freeman
    Sound Design
    5.7 Seconds, Farewelling, Everywhere You Go
  • Antoni Mairata
    Composer
    Lunch Ladies, Bite Size Halloween, Pretty Bonnets
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Drama, Hybrid
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 41 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 10, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - America Young

America Young was awarded the 2020 Humanitarian award by UCSD for her work promoting women in the film industry with her non-profit The Chimaera Project. www.chimaeraproject.org

America Young is currently working in Film, TV, Animation and Video Games. She has directed for Network TV, two features, a season of an animated show, video game and four digital series.

Having stunt coordinated for years, America transitioned to directing. While having a foundation in action, she is also known for her ability to bring out the best performances in actors, both drama and comedy, while translating subtle and rich story points visually on screen.

Her first feature, “The Concessionaires Must Die!!” executive produced by Stan Lee, is available on VOD platforms. “Protectress”, fantasy, winner of Best Action, Best Director and Best Fantasy on the festival circuit. She has several features in development. She also directed the cinematics for Resident Evil: Shadows of Rose, named #8 video game of the year by Time Magazine.

America was pivotal in the rebranding of Barbie with the Barbie Vlog in 2015 and directed the critically acclaimed season of the Barbie motion capture animated series for Mattel which was featured on VICE, Vogue, Glamour and Newsweek among other publications. It has been viewed on youtube over 150 million times and went from 500k subscribers to nearly 11.6 million in the time she has been working on the Brand.

Her second feature, “Back to Lyla” which is Alice in Wonderland meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind inspired, was released June 2022. Upon completion of the Warner Bros directing program, she successfully entered the TV world. She has directed 17 episodes of TV since for Netflix, Amazon, Blumhouse, Warner Bros, CBS, BET+ and she directed the pilot of Surfside Girls for Apple TV which got a full season order and released in 2022.

When America’s not kicking the crap out of Super-Heroes that support the Superhuman Registration Act, jumping off buildings, teaching actors how to fight or setting herself on fire, she enjoys telling stories, sipping herbal tea and sharpening her pair of Sai.

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Dana Lyn Baron (Writer, Producer, “Betty”) is a multifaceted artist whose career spans film, television, theatre, and voice-over. Known for her dynamic on-screen presence and versatile voice work, Dana has contributed to award-winning projects in both mediums. On film, she has appeared in high-profile features such as Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos” alongside Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, and J.K. Simmons, as well as David Fincher’s “Mank” with Gary Oldman. Her television credits include acclaimed series like NBC’s “This Is Us,” Showtime’s “Shameless,” and FX's “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” which earned Emmy and Golden Globe wins.

In the world of voice acting, Dana has brought iconic characters to life, including Sonya Blade in the award-winning “Mortal Kombat” series and Lady Liadrin in “World of Warcraft.” Her ability to seamlessly transition between live-action and voiceover roles has made her a sought-after talent across multiple platforms.

Dana proudly returns to producing, bringing a wealth of industry experience from her tenure at Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and her work with Miramax and Scott Rudin Productions. Her previous short film as a producer, Paul Budnitz’s “Ultraviolet,” screened at major festivals such as the Berlin International Film Festival, WorldFest Houston, and Maui Film Festival.

Now, Dana makes her screenwriting debut with “Betty & Mary: The Actors Prepare,” an exciting new chapter in her creative journey, where her passion for storytelling continues to shine.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Betty & Mary: The Actors Prepare is a story about ambition, aging, and survival, told through the lens of two women at very different points in their careers and lives. What drew me to this project is how our writer, Dana Lyn Baron, uses humor and absurdity to explore deeper themes of insecurity, relevance, and identity in a youth-obsessed culture. Betty’s spiraling neuroses and Mary’s clueless optimism create a comedic, yet poignant, dynamic that reflects the tensions women face in an industry that often values youth over experience.

This film is not just about the entertainment industry—it’s about anyone grappling with the fear of being left behind in a world that moves too fast. Along with the producers, Lauren Selman and Dana Lyn Baron, we wanted to bring to life the humor that can emerge even in moments of vulnerability, and how our deepest insecurities sometimes manifest in the most ridiculous ways. Betty’s exaggerated sense of tragedy and Mary’s blissful ignorance are mirrors to how we deal with our own fears—either with wit or by pretending they don’t exist.

Visually, the film embraces an intimate style, allowing the small gestures and expressions to speak volumes. We wanted the audience to feel close to these characters, to experience the awkwardness and tension in their interactions, while also being swept up in the absurdity of the situation.

At its core, *Betty & Mary* is a reflection on aging, ambition, and the complexities of female friendship. It’s about the ways we protect ourselves, how we perform our roles in life, and how, sometimes, in the midst of all that, real connection can emerge in the most unexpected places. Through humor and vulnerability, this story is both a celebration and critique of the industry—and the world—that pits women against each other.