#About the Script

 

Katie Found is the director, screenwriter, and producer for My First Summer (2020); the film is a love letter to her younger self and about youth navigating their sexuality and identity. " I felt like when I was navigating my sexuality, I didn't see a film that's joyful and end with a tragedy. So that was the jumping-off point for me," said Director Katie Found. 

 

#About the Music

 

"I was listening to the bands Wild Ones and Typhoon while I was writing the script. Wild Ones' style is happy and pop, which goes well with the character Grace. Typhoon is sombre, which inspired Claudia. So both actually balance each other really well. I also ended up with the leader singer (Kyle Morton) from Typhoon to compose the entire film. So it's amazing the songs I listened to while writing the script made it into the film." 

 

"I was tempted to put in more pop music into it, but the music from Wild Ones and Typhoon just seems more real and really emotionally evocative. Their music helps with the character development, so it just makes sense not to go full pop (for the music). But one day I would like to do that like the film Booksmart (2019)." said Director Katie Found.

 

#About the Film and Cinematograpy

 

Speaking about the film's cinematography, "I really wanted to capture the summertime in Australia," said the director. "It is so bright, especially in the bushes, in the countryside…The yellow is really golden." When asked about the symbolism in the film, the director referred to the flowers--representing the blooming as the young feminine energy. 

 

"Matthew Chuang, our cinematographer, is such master of natural light. It was all handheld for the entire film except one day with a steady cam. And we didn't have any spotlight either. So it was just him with the camera working with natural light, mind-blowing. He recently shot another film Blue Bayou (2021, directed by Justin Chon), which was selected for Cannes Un Certain Regard," said Director Katie Found.