How Sick Are Ya?

My name is Nirash Perera, and as far as I’m concerned I’ve been a filmmaker all my life. Every sort of job or side hustle and even degree that I had taken, felt as though I’d be developing skills and perspective that all would benefit me in the conception and fabrication of a film. Having the opportunity to write and direct a film shifted my perspective as I can never not be writing and making films for people to enjoy and hopefully be excited by. I want to do this for the rest of my life.

What inspired you and your work?

I went away with my group of friends on a camp, and each night like a prayer we would gather around the campfire and just tell stories. One particular night we all decided to start recounting shaggy dog stories we had come to know, and I mustered up the courage to tell mine. Thankfully, it landed. Everyone laughed and moved on accordingly, but I kept thinking to myself ""What if the joke didn't land?"". This thought then inspired my short ""How Sick Are Ya?"" as I consistently asked myself, ""What would be the absolute worst conditions for this joke to be told in?"" and I couldn't stop laughing to myself as I wrote what I imagined.

To learn how to direct and write I listened to countless hours of Paul Thomas Anderson speaking about directing and writing. His work ""Magnolia"" and ""Boogie Nights"" also deeply inspired my work, as I read both the screenplays religiously and stole some of his camera work to convey my ideas. Specifically the opening montage in ""Magnolia"" and the scene where Dirk Diggler wins multiple awards for his acting in ""Boogie Nights"" inspired my short.