Doubts, Drama, and the Big Day: Behind the Scenes of Eve
CenterFrame Cuarated ▶ From Shoe-String Budgets to Oscar-Qualifying Festivals.
The short film Eve, directed and produced by Joe Solomon, is a poignant comedy drama that explores the high stakes of coming out on the very day of one's wedding. The story follows a young woman who, after tying the knot with her long term boyfriend, finally acknowledges her repressed feelings for women after a transformative kiss with the groom’s sister. Joe Solomon recently joined Nathan at CenterFrame to discuss the film's production, its successful festival run, and the practical challenges of making an ambitious independent short on a shoe-string budget
Navigating Production on a Shoe-String
One of the most striking aspects of Eve is its visual scale, which Joe achieved despite working with very limited resources. Filmed on the hottest day in London history at a Victorian villa in North London, the production faced immediate environmental hurdles. The heat was so intense that the cast and crew were frequently on the verge of exhaustion, with lead actress Sophie Delora Jones navigating the shoot in a heavy wedding dress.
Interview with Joe Solomon, Director of Eve
Technical challenges were equally prevalent. Because the location was situated near a busy road in Finchley, the team had to battle constant traffic noise, requiring immense patience from the actors. Joe noted that they avoided wide shots of the reception not just as a stylistic choice to heighten the sense of claustrophobia, but because they simply did not have the budget for a room full of extras and lavish decorations. Instead, they relied on clever production design and tight framing to maintain the illusion of a grand wedding.
"It was shot on the hottest day in London... Sophie having to wear that huge bloody wedding dress and everyone all dressed up and they’re absolutely frying." - Joe Solomon
Sophie Delora Jones as Eve, in Eve
A Unique Approach to Casting and Chemistry
Joe’s casting process for Eve was unconventional. Rather than relying solely on traditional auditions, he turned to his network of actor friends for recommendations, asking each auditioning performer who they rated in the industry. This "referral" system ensured a high level of talent and professionalism on set.
To ensure the central relationships felt authentic, Joe conducted "chemistry sessions" with two separate groups of actors—Cast A and Cast B. He filmed key scenes with both sets to see which pairing resonated most before making his final selection. This rigorous development phase lasted about a year, including six months of script refinement with writer Laurence Tratalos to ensure the dialogue felt real, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community.
Lessons from the Festival Circuit
Eve enjoyed an extensive festival run, being selected for over 55 festivals and winning nine awards. Notable selections included the Oscar-qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival and the BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival. However, because the festival run coincided with the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe was unable to attend many of the US-based screenings in person.
Reflecting on this, Joe emphasised the importance of networking at these events. While the film was even screened on Swedish television, the lack of face-to-face interaction was a significant miss for building future collaborations. His advice for emerging filmmakers is to always budget for festival submissions, as the costs can be surprisingly high, especially for US festivals. He also recommends attending every possible screening to meet programmers and fellow creators, as those relationships are often as valuable as the awards themselves.
Check out Joe Solomon’s CenterFrame profile here.
Watch Eve by Joe Solomon
NATHAN HAINES
Co-Founder & Filmmaker | CenterFrame Team
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