Tensions grow between two friends as their attempt to make an independent film together goes absurdly wrong.

Bianca Poletti‘s “Ultra Low” offers a comedic romp through the tumultuous world of independent filmmaking, where tensions between friends reach absurd heights amidst the chaos of production. In this uproarious short film, viewers are treated to a hilarious exploration of the trials and tribulations filmmakers face as they strive to bring their creative visions to life.

Building on her previous successes with films like “Radical Honesty,” “I am Whole,” and “How’s The World Treating You?,” Poletti demonstrates her knack for blending humor with insightful storytelling. “Ultra Low” promises to deliver a fresh and entertaining take on the challenges of collaboration and creativity, offering audiences a glimpse into the chaotic yet rewarding journey of filmmaking.

In “Ultra Low,” tensions escalate between friends during the making of an independent film. How did the concept for this comedic narrative come about, and what inspired you to explore the challenges of filmmaking through humor?

Allison and I were talking about joint stories of car wreck productions, and honestly how difficult it is to make even the shortest of films. Out of those stresses and errors though, stems really strong comedy. There’s nothing like being on a set, where everything is going wrong, and watching it all fall apart, and knowing that when you step outside of it, it’s actually hilarious, but at the moment it seems like THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE UNIVERSE. So, we decided to create something within that world, and that’s how ‘Ultra Low’ was born.

Your previous works, such as “I Am Whole” and “Radical Honesty,” showcase a diverse range of themes. How does “Ultra Low” fit into your broader approach to storytelling, and what draws you to explore different genres and tones in your films?

Thank you! I’m really just interested in humans and the exploration of life. I’m drawn to comedies that are grounded within the human experience, and stem from true, real life moments. I’m also very drawn to very visual worlds, and coming of age stories. At the core of it, whether it’s a drama or comedy, the connecting theme is coming of age stories with a visual element. I don’t believe comedies need to exist in this very bright, poppy world, I think it’s a fun challenge to play with those themes in a more cinematic and visual way. Character wise, I’m really drawn to charmingly messy characters. Colorful people, with a pulse, who stumble their way through life, but who are actually living in a bold way. Radical Honesty had a very blunt honesty to it, I am whole was the more whimsical coming of age stories I’m drawn to, and Ultra low, lived in a similar cinematic comedy as Radical Honesty.

Comedy often relies on timing and delivery. How did you work with the cast to ensure that the humor landed effectively, and were there any improvisational moments that added unexpected comedic value to the film?

The entire cast are all really talented actors, with improv background, which of course helped! When directing comedies, I will always shoot the script, but also sprinkle in a good amount of improv throughout. I really think some of the best moments can come out of actors playing within the world that’s been created and doing their thing freely. As far as comedic timing goes, it’s something I play with and figure out as the shoot is happening, almost always. I don’t want to over plan too much, I really like to feel it out during the shoot, and switch things up when needed. For example with ULTRA LOW, we did quite a lot of improv in the moment. The scene with the girls and Rick, when they go to pick up the boom, when they have their chat between the three of them, and Rick says I went to film school etc… all of that was improvised between Rick, Kate and Allison. In the car when Allison and Kate are headed to the park, and Kate dumps water on Allison to cool off, that was something I added in the moment, Kate taking a photo of Allison after she dumps water on her, was also something I added in the moment. I was just thinking about how we could escalade and push Allison’s character over the edge a bit.

You’ve mentioned shorts like “Like the ones I used to know” and “Maddie” in previous interviews, have you seen any in the last year that you would like to add to that list?

YES, my new favorite of the year is Invincible (Watch on FS). ABSOLUTELY stunning, strong concept, loved the casting and the story.