Only Fun
Short Film

Project Type: Short Film
Project Status: Development
Writer/Director/Lead Actor: Jenna Macari, Logan Russell
Producer: Lola Noh
Cinematographer: Inda Reid

LOGLINE

A young college dropout hides her double life as a sex worker while on family vacation, until one relative discovers her secret and nearly blows everything up.

SYNOPSIS

Beautiful college dropout Autumn is no stranger to feeling like the black sheep of her family. Her mother, Leah, is the founder of a successful furniture design company. Her mama, Kalyani, is a speech therapist. Her Uncle Stephen is a top dog in a huge financial firm. And her perfect older cousin, Tish, perpetually has her shit together. But ever since Autumn dropped out of college, much to Leah’s frustration, she’s had to figure out a way to make it on her own. So she did what any rational twenty-something would do – started a successful Only Fans account. When she’s thrown into family vacation with her moms, cousins Carson and Tish, Uncle Stephen, and Aunt Hillary, hiding her secret becomes infinitely harder. After all, requests for videos don’t take a vacation.

While recording her latest video, Autumn’s rudely interrupted by Leah hollering at her to set the table “NOW!” The empowered seductress is quickly reduced to her kid-self in the pecking order. She’s immediately thrown into the fray of a typical American family - chaotic, loving, and full of secrets. The one thing they all have in common? They’re struggling to find and understand what true intimacy means in an internet-driven world that’s determined to make real human connection obsolete.

After learning that her moms have occasionally dipped their toes in the porn-watching waters and her little cousin, Carson, has fallen prey to the Tinder swiping game, Autumn’s confronted with a reality-check question from the ever-perceptive Tish. Does making porn really equate to owning your power and sexuality as a woman, or is it simply another way to bow down to the patriarchy?

Through all of this, Autumn is prodded by a persistent customer asking her to sacrifice her comfort zone and do a live call with him for an obscene amount of money. At first, Autumn stands firm in her boundaries. But after overhearing Leah confess to Aunt Hillary that whatever Autumn’s doing for money “won’t last” and Leah will be left to clean up her mess, Autumn’s more determined than ever to use her sexual power to establish her financial standing. Once on the live video, her customer continues to push her boundaries, asking to see her face. It’s not until she’s fully exposed and agrees to show her face (for an additional wad of cash) that she discovers her customer is none other than Uncle Stephen. In the midst of a torrid virtual encounter he’s equally horrified to find his niece on the other end of the call, and the two of them slam their “OFF” buttons as quick as lightning.

Only Fun is a feminist dialogue on a question so few seem to be asking: even though we’ve moved away from the traditionally sleazy porn industry, where men controlled the sets and the women, to a more creator-driven system that theoretically puts women in control… is it true control if we are still playing to the patriarchy and the male gaze? It’s up to the viewer to find their own answer.

MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Anora meets The Big Chill in this modern family drama. Only Fun is an intimate film that uses quick cuts, moody lighting, and close-up shots to portray the objectifying realities of modern sex work. With comparatively longer, wider, brighter shots in moments of real life, this film is designed to take a usually anonymous, behind-the-screen porn actress and show her true humanity – and what’s more human than fighting and having fun with your family?

Through blunt, grounded, non-preachy speech and highly juxtaposed shooting styles - objectifying and close shots giving us the illusion of sexual intimacy versus connected, inclusive, warm shots of emotional intimacy - the audience will both feel like the voyeur and the subject as they’re forced to examine their own relationship to family, sexuality, and intimacy. We are truly taking a ride through the lens of a porn creator, instead of merely observing her for our own pleasure.

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Meet The Filmmakers

Jenna Macari and Logan Russell

Writer/Director/Lead Actors
The synergistic, dynamic creative duo Jenna Macari and Logan Russell write with fresh takes and an intergenerational perspective across multiple genres. Evident in their writing is a distinct flavor of humor infusing even the darkest moments, and an unflinching gaze upon the raw realities of the human experience.
Their debut screenplay Dating for Married People (fka Catch & Release) garnered the Page Awards Gold Prize for Comedy, and is described as a 'high concept rom com with a totally fresh premise.' Switch Track, a dramatic feature and official selection of The Women's List, won Best Feature Screenplay at the 16th Annual Lady Filmmakers Festival. The project's proof-of-concept, The List, (which they wrote, produced, and starred in) premiered at LA Shorts International Film Festival and continues to travel the festival circuit. Workaround, an hour-long dramedy set in the high stakes world of Los Angeles real estate, won Best TV Pilot at the Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival NYC.
A graduate of the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts and the College of Santa Fe (BFA in Acting), Jenna Macari works in theatre, TV, film, commercials, and VO. A long-time student of Judith Weston's Actor/Director Lab, Jenna also studied at Improv Olympic Chicago, UCB LA, and with acting coach Saxon Trainor. She served as a writer and co-producer on the wine/travel/comedy episodic Wine Uncorked on Spirits Network, with host Patrick Ney and Cedric the Entertainer. Selected acting credits include award winning comedy feature Babysplitters with Danny Pudi, Birthmother's Betrayal on Lifetime, and TV Land’s Lopez with George Lopez.
Logan Russell is a seasoned professional fiction writer, copywriter, and marketing strategist. With a passion for spinning tales and lifting up a diverse range of voices, she has worked extensively as a ghostwriter. Logan has studied at The Groundlings, with Robert Colt, and with Saxon Trainor, among others. She has appeared in several theatrical productions, commercials, and short films.
Lola Noh

Producer
Lola Noh is an actor/filmmaker and the co-founder of production company Abstract Origin. Her time as a teacher allowed her to connect with the young stars of two of her most notable projects as producer: the Emmy nominated web series CTRL ALT DELETE starring Ed Begley Jr., and the feature 2 LIVES IN PITTSBURGH (streaming on Amazon & Apple TV).
She has produced over 20 projects over the last 7 years. Some of her other producing credits include: award-winning short film Made Public starring Jeanine Mason (Roswell, New Mexico) and Josh Zuckerman (90210), as well as the features Love and Baseball (streaming on HBO Max) and Banging Lanie (available on Apple TV).
Inda Reid

Cinematographer
Inda Reid is a filmmaker, director, producer, and educator known for her technical expertise and creative versatility. Dubbed the “Swiss Army knife of talents,” she has directed, produced, and edited feature films and documentaries, developed branding content for corporations and individuals, and helped non-profits raise significant funds for meaningful causes.
With an M.F.A. in Theatre Arts (Acting & Directing) from the University of Arizona and a B.S. in History from Georgia College & State University, Inda has also trained extensively in classical theater, voice, and movement in London, New York, and Los Angeles. As the founder of Predator Productions and owner of Images By Inda, she blends storytelling with technical precision to create impactful visual content.