High Stakes Independent Filmmaking With PHILOPHOBIA: OR THE FEAR OF FALLING IN LOVE

The world of filmmaking seems simple enough from the view of an audience, while Twitter stans are crying out for Ryan Gosling to make a film, who knows if he already has? But maybe, that film isn’t quite ready to be released to the world yet, maybe he’s shot three or four films, stacked up and ready for release come 2021. The truth is, the film industry works mostly in secrecy, simply because making a film is so long and difficult, that for about 90% of its childhood, it spends its time moping in the dark, unbeknown to audiences.

With all that in mind, breaking into the industry and making a film on an independent budget can be one wild ride, it can strip everything away from you, your house, your job, and your life. Then before you know it, you’re sleeping on your friend’s couch and the film you’ve slaved on is only just now ready for an audience to see. This is exactly the story of Tyler Nilson, director of this year’s indie hit, The Peanut Butter Falcon, starring Zack Gottsagen and Shia Labeouf, the Sundance flick racked up almost $20 million at the box office this year and, the it’s very similar to the story of Philophobia: or the Fear of Falling in Love director, Tyler Cole.

After three years of crowdfunding, selling all his belongings and getting an ARRI tattoo, Philophobia: or the Fear of Falling in Love was finished and picked up by Gravitas Ventures. Only after all that did Tyler Cole email me a screener for his first feature film.

Philophobia: or the Fear of Falling in Love

The story follows mildly successful podcaster, Damien Booster, digging his bachelor lifestyle until a frequent hookup confesses her love for him while delivering an ultimatum. It’s by no means perfect, entangled with its own specific issues that pertained to its choice of genre mixing. Nevertheless, I had a good time watching this film, it genuinely made me laugh, it engaged me at times and some characters were a joy to watch on screen.

I still find myself thinking about it’s hilarious and heartwarming performances from the supporting characters. Specifically, David Lengel as Alan, Carly Reeves as Nancy and Darren Keefe Reiher as Travis. Each chew up the screen, especially, Lengel as Damien’s best friend on a trip to LA, who’s lovable, charming and consistently convincing. The film’s strong points are arguably the most important aspects of any good film. Its screenplay, editing and its cast, which makes any scene with characters sitting and talking to each other more entertaining than it should be – especially when it decides to take its time.

The flaws lay simply in the film’s tricky balance of comedy and horror, the script sometimes blends a naturalistic tone and seduces you until it’s tripped up by having to bring in further elements of horror, it’s a fickle process trying to portray it on screen. Especially when the chemistry makes the comedy and drama, fluid and natural, tense moments appear too often or fail to be precise enough, eventually aiding a flaw that brings down most independent horrors. While the lighting begins slightly too harsh and powerful, it slowly gives way to natural elements that help balance the aesthetic across the film’s timeline. The theme is here, when we get into it and everything flows more naturally, Philophobia has aspects of top-notch indie filmmaking, unfortunately, it falls into traps set by itself by deciding to lean heavily into genre at times. Occasionally, it’s executed well but still feels like a mushy mashy tone for its run time.

I’d be interested in seeing what this team does next, but I’d like it to be more reserved and lean into itself. Sitting on the back of its tone instead of chosen genres. Essentially, Philophobia: or the Fear of Falling in Love, is strong work, a piece that’s genuinely fun to watch with some special character moments sprinkled in between, when it slopes toward horror cliche, the momentum stalls and falls a couple of paces behind something that could be have been unique and special dramatic comedy.

In conversation with director/editor Tyler Cole and writer/actor Aaron Burt

Levi Aluede for Film Inquiry: Where did the initial idea of the screenplay come from? Moreover, when did the idea to blend horror into comedy step in?

Aaron Burt: I think the script came to mind around 2012 or 2013 when I was in a period where I questioned my own emotional well being. I felt like something was broken in me. I felt I didn’t have blood pumping to my romantic center at this stage of my life. Turns out I just had a protective block and in that period, I stumbled upon the term Philophobia. I thought, how interesting is it that as a society, we have a fear for everything and what an interesting idea to take that legit fear and make it very literal but in an “obvious fear” way. I.e. more tangible to an audience than an emotional breakdown.

As far as the comedic aspect, I in no way intended to make it seem like I’m being insensitive to a possibly crushing emotional debilitation. But coming from the filmmaking point of view, I thought the only way to make this vulnerable as an outreach to an audience is by making it humorous. Because if I took my initial concept and committed solely to making it only scary, I don’t think it would translate well.