How did you come up with the idea for the film?
I was working at William Morris Agency when I read Katherine Bing’s book in 2008. I found it absolutely hilarious and I decided that one day I would make a movie of the story. I loved it.
What was it about the book that appealed to you?
It’s the first romantic comedy I have read that deals with women being completely open about what their needs are and what they think. It’s funny, irreverent, relevant, insightful and commercial. Women who have seen the film have told me that it could be the story of their life. Also, it has a great, catchy 5tle with audience appeal.
Why did you opt for an American/South African co-production?
I have previous experience producing movies in South Africa. In fact, I shot my first movie here in 2013. It’s a film-friendly country and I’ve been impressed by the levels of excellence across the board. The crews are knowledgeable and great to work with. In general, people are friendly, and I enjoy working here. I also found fantas5c local partners and investors here. Nomafrika Tjatji, who is a producer on ‘Singleholic’ was one of the first people I met when I visited South Africa in December 2012, for the first 5me. She has a technology and sales background and is an integrous per-son with whom it has been an absolute pleasure to work.
Why did you choose to set the film in Mauri’us?
The book is set in London, and the first writer who adapted it for the screen set it in LA. When we secured money for the film from Mauri5us, it made sense to shoot there as it offered us a stunning loca5on and the ideal scenery for the film. On top of that, the government offered us a great tax rebate. Much like South Africa, it’s a coopera5ve and film-friend-ly environment. We found it easy to obtain permits and to get things approved wherever we went. The cast had an enormous amount of fun shoo5ng there.
What was it like to shoot the film there? Any highlights you can men’on?
I was in Mauritius during both pre-produc5on and produc5on. The heads of departments were South African, and the support crew were all Mauri5an. Everyone was friendly, hard-working and professional, and I learnt a lot form them. Aside from how easy it was to work with the people and the government, the highlight for me is how beau5fully the country is reflected in the film.
Tell us about the style of the movie.
It’s crisp and fresh and gorgeous. Our director Bryan Barber has a background in hip-hop videos, so we took the decision to go for a glossy, stylised look and feel. We were fortunate to have a great cinematographer and we worked together to ensure those Mauri5an colours were captured in all their glory, the blues of sea and sky especially.
Give us a brief description of the main players and how each drives the story.
Sarah: She is the lead protagonist. She decided to get her PhD after a painful break up with her boyfriend. Sarah is awkward, loveable, and honest.
Gigi: One of Sarah’s best friends, she’s married with kids and has become slightly unhappy in her marriage, which seems perfect from the outside.
Manuel: Sarah’s trainer and good friend, Manuel is a playboy, but he has insightful and some5mes humorous philosophies on da5ng. Michael: Sarah’s rich romantic love interest, he is seemingly perfect in every way…un5l he dumps her. Sam: Sarah’s other roman5c love interest, Sam is a struggling ar5st who is studying towards his master’s degree at the same university where Sarah is comple5ng her PhD. Charlie: Sarah’s friend and Jackie’s love interest. Jackie: Sarah’s friend, Jackie is an honest, straightforward, go-getter who knows what she wants and is unapologe5c about it.
What were some of the challenges of making the film?
We were working on only the second interna5onal produc5on to be shot in Mauri5us, so they were learning as we were. As a producer, you want everything to run smoothly. That means naviga5ng personali5es and egos in order to get the best performances from your actors, directors and crew. It was a most worthwhile journey for me, and I learnt two important things: one — never give up; two — it is always darkest before dawn.
Who is the target market for the film?
It’s for anyone who loves roman5c comedies and a having a good laugh.
What are you most proud of having achieved with this film?
I am most proud of coming under budget and comple5ng a beau5ful film that everyone en-joys watching. In addi5on, I had never done grading or sound design before, and I got to learn a lot about that on this film. I realised that I am really good at some of the technical stuff. It is amazing how hues can influence the mood of an audience. We played around a lot with colours to make it all comes together. I am also really happy with the soundtrack. Our composer was able to create music to match specific scenes in a way that advances the story so well. I am deeply grateful to the Indigenous Film Distribu5on team for their belief in the film, and all the support they have provided.
I also want to stress how important my strong faith in God has been throughout this process, and how grateful I am to Him.
