Danielle Solzman
Love Spreads is an exploration of the creative process when the pressure is mounting on band members to put together another album.
Following the end of their first tour, the members of Glass Heart head to Rockfield Studios to record their sophomore album. The trio–and their band manager–are couped up there in an effort to create some music. Like any sophomore effort, the pressure is on and for singer-songwriter Kelly (Alia Shawkat), it starts to become too much. Band manager Mark (Nick Helm) is frustrated with the lack of results.
While Kelly struggles to create, another band member has come up with several song ideas. However, there are really about 6-7 of those songs that could realistically work for the second album. Then there’s Alice, who has come up with some chord ideas. Meanwhile, Jess helps Kelly with writing some beats. Altogether, the songwriting process is a team effort. But at the end of the day, will it be enough to put together songs for the always-pressured second album?
This is a a film that I’m sure many creatives can resonate with at the moment. It’s mid-April and many of us have been couped up in quarantine for a month with no end in sight. I’ve looked at a blank page on a screen only to struggle when it comes to typing words. So yes, I can completely resonate with Kelly and I know I’m not alone in this regard.
I like what writer-director Jamie Adams is doing with the film. Writer’s block can be a serious problem. Now more than ever, there’s so much anxiety that it can become very problematic in overcoming. In exploring the creative process by way of a band, Adams looks at how the friendships can break down during the recording process.
DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER: Jamie Adams
CAST: Alia Shawkat, Eliza Gonzalez, Chanel Cresswell, Nick Helm, Dolly Wells, Tara Lee
