Only Fun
Short Film

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

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

College dropout Autumn is the black sheep of her educated, successful white collar family. When she left school, her parents cut the purse strings. So she did what many alluring, enterprising twenty-somethings do - started a secret Only Fans account. And it’s more than paying the bills.

In the midst of the annual family golf resort vacation, Autumn must secretly keep her “clients” satisfied. While recording her latest video, she’s yanked back into reality when her mom yells out, “Autumn? Come set the table!” The empowered seductress, instantly reduced to her kid-self, is thrown into the fray of a typical American family, full of love, chaos, and more than a few secrets.

Her younger cousin Carson has fallen prey to the Tinder swiping game. After a healthy teasing from his big sister Tish, the subject of porn comes up. The adults have varied, and surprising, responses.The debate continues after dinner when the cousins share a joint, and Autumn’s confronted with a question from the ever-perceptive Tish. Does making porn really equate to owning your power and sexuality, or is it simply another way to bow down to the patriarchy?

Throughout, Autumn is prodded by a hungry customer offering mad cash to bend her rules and do a “live” call. After overhearing Leah confess to Aunt Hillary that whatever Autumn’s doing for money “won’t last,” Autumn’s more determined than ever to use her sexuality to establish her financial independence. It’s not until she’s fully exposed, face and all, 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. The “harmless” fantasy world of online sex work comes crashing down around them.

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.

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.

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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).
Alexa Ihrt

Cinematographer
Alexa Ihrt's journey began in the rich tapestry of visual storytelling, influenced by her upbringing as the child of a photojournalist. Determined to master the technical aspects of filmmaking, she immersed herself in the intricacies of the craft at the ARRI headquarters in Munich, Germany.

Her commitment and talent earned her a scholarship to the prestigious American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles. Skillfully navigating various lighting techniques and camera movements, she carefully crafts visuals that mirror the emotional journey of the main protagonist, showcasing her exceptional ability to merge technical prowess with a deep
understanding of storytelling.