Here’s a fun black comedy short film for you to watch Body of Work. The story takes place ten years after they murdered their uncle and follows twin siblings Teddy and Izzy, who are caught in a web of lies and murder when a detective knocks on their door.

The short film is written and directed by Andrea and Sophie Téllez and FilmQuest Film Festival where we aim to showcase some radical independent genre films and shorts created by filmmakers.

I’ve also included an interview with the producers below. Enjoy the short movie!

What was the inspiration for your film? How did this idea come about?

The idea is based on a concept Andrea had about 10 years ago. During this time, it evolved into its current form, which is essentially a bloody comedy of errors.

Tell us about yourself. What is your background? How long have you been a filmmaker?

We are brothers from Utah who are just starting our journey as directors. We have both spent time on small sets in a variety of roles over the last 7 years and Body of Work is our directorial debut.

What inspires you to work within genre cinema and tell these types of stories?

We love mixing genres and the idea of ​​complex relationships emerging in over-the-top environments.

What was your favorite part of the filmmaking process of this project?

Being on set and playing with blood. This is followed by sound mixing.

What are you most proud of about this movie?

We are very proud that we were able to successfully realize our original vision, especially since it was our first time.

What is a favorite story or moment from the making of the film that you would like to share?

The last scene of our first day is where Izzy arrives here “on bloody wings”. It was one of our earlier shoot ideas and it was executed so well in one take that we both nearly burst into tears.

What was the most challenging moment or experience while making your film?

We didn’t have a lot of guidance on production and how to talk to our actors. Many were very instinctive and had a baptism of fire. In the end, we are very pleased with how everything turned out and the relationships we were able to build.

If so, how did your film change or differ from its original concept during pre-production, production and/or post-production? Ultimately, how has this changed your approach to future projects?

The overall telenovela feel wasn’t something we planned or thought about until we started working on the music. When the composer suggested the sound of mariachis, we recorded the telenovela opening (voiced by our parents) and then dived deeper into the aesthetic with the title design.

For our next project, we’re taking more care to consider every aspect of the film, so we can better implement from the beginning how we want them to come out in the final product.

Who were your collaborators and actors in the film? How did you start working with each other?

One of us met Beth May (the detective) briefly on set. D&D is a huge fan favorite in the real game podcast space. We had both been fans for a while and pitched him the idea for the role when the opportunity arose.

He loved it and is now ready to work with us again on our next project. We also enjoyed working with Jess Parks as our sound designer. We contacted him through our postmaster and got in touch immediately.

He has done incredible work in the new Jumaji movies, Spider-Man No Way Home and many more. We will also be collaborating with him again on sound design and bringing him on as a producer.

What is the best advice you have ever received as a filmmaker and what would you like to tell new filmmakers?

During our first meeting with our Director of Photography, we apologized profusely for not being knowledgeable on exactly how to communicate and plan with him. The best thing he told us was that he knew we would make good directors because we had a very clear vision and we communicated that directly to him. So the best advice we can give right now is to trust your gut and your vision and do whatever it takes to get exactly what you want.

What are your plans for your career and what do you hope this film will do for that? What kind of stories would you like to tell in the future?

Our ultimate goal, like everyone else, is to make feature films and thus survive. We want to continue telling stories that bring together different people and backgrounds and explore complex relationships across as many types as possible.

What is your next project and when can we expect to see it?

Our next project is a short bureaucratic thriller set in a 90s call center. We should be shooting in early to mid-2025 and hope to be ready later that year.

Where can we find more of your work and where can interested parties contact you? Do you have a website or YouTube/Vimeo channel? Does social media manage it?

Our YouTube channel and official Instagram is @Puchicaproduction. You can find Sophie on Instagram @sooo_sophie and Andrea @andretortelleze.

Bonus Question #1: What is your favorite movie of all time?

Sophie’s is Dan in Real Life and Andrea’s is Moonstruck. But if we had to pick one together, it would be Mad Max: Fury Road.

Bonus Question #2: What movie most inspired you to become a filmmaker and/or most influenced your work?

Sophie wanted to make a movie after watching The Iron Giant. Andrea’s was Inglorious Bastards.