As though being front and center in a film from beginning to end isn’t challenging enough, “Loves Her Gun” star Trieste Kelly Dunn filmed every single scene of the SXSW selection with nothing more than a story outline.
Her character Allie lives in Brooklyn, but after a vicious mugging, she makes the split second decision to relocate to Austin, Texas. Her lifestyle is unstable at first, sleeping on couches and mooching off new friends, but even once she secures a job and starts building serious relationships, Allie still can’t shake the memory of the attack. When alcohol and pills don’t help her sleep through the night, she decides the only way to get peace of mind is by protecting herself with a gun.
While director Geoff Marslett did offer Dunn a great deal of guidance, when that camera rolled it was up to Dunn to wholly become her character, listening and engaging in unscripted conversation, something that required her to truly become Allie. Check out what Dunn had to say about the unique shooting format, the pressure of essentially carrying a film, the challenge of exploring a timely and touchy topic, and much more in the video interview below.