Sarah Chaney and Heather Olt first met over a couple of decades ago while starring in a production of The Will Rogers Follies. “We immediately clicked,” they say in our joint email interview below. They were in New York, navigating their way through the musical theatre scene. It wasn’t until they, at different points in their lives and careers, both found themselves in LA that they “truly reconnected.”
Both Chaney and Olt have seen successful careers that span across the stage, film, and television. However, their arguably biggest career move was joining forces to form their production company 6 With Heels Productions (whose tongue-in-cheek name is derived from the fact that both actresses, who already stand five-foot-ten, would be over six feet tall in heels). Their mission is to level the playing field by creating opportunities for women in front and behind the camera, while championing women-focused stories.
One such story is their HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF) entry Last Chance Moms, which showcases an untraditional road to parenthood set against the backdrop of the universally felt biological clock. “We wanted to tell this story to remind women, of all ages, that they can have it all.” Indeed, the film boasts sharply comedic and perfectly vulnerable performances by both Chaney and Olt, whose characters find themselves in unforeseeable (but all too relatable) situations.
Before we get into Last Chance Moms, I’d like to ask about your individual and collective journeys to this production. I understand that you met a long time ago on the NYC musical theatre scene. Do you remember what that first meeting was like? Did you click instantly, and how, along the way, did you know you wanted to collaborate together as producers?
We met doing a production of Will Rogers Follies and we would have to say that yes, we immediately clicked. We share similar energies and became fast friends! Following the show, we both continued our own respective acting careers and stayed somewhat in touch. It wasn’t until Sarah moved to LA, however, that we truly reconnected. Heather had already moved from NYC to LA years prior, so Sarah got in touch with her as soon as she made the move. Heather helped to orient her to the overwhelming world of TV and Film and even put her in the web series she was producing and starring in at the time. From that point on, we continually met up for hikes, drinks, etc on a regular basis. We collectively mused that we wish we had more control of our acting careers. We were both working as assistants for other people and had focused our energies on making other people’s “dreams and goals come true.” After identifying our ultimate goal of creating our own content, we collectively agreed that we could work together to obtain it. It was in that conversation that we decided to start our own production company. Since we share similar values, taste, and basically a brain, we were confident that this collaboration would be a match made in heaven. And we weren’t wrong. As mentioned above, we are both actors and we loved the idea of being able to create content for ourselves- to cast ourselves in roles that Hollywood wouldn’t necessarily consider. We also wanted to create content that we were interested in seeing and to make sure we were working towards balancing the gender parity that currently exists in our industry. We’re of the thought that telling stories from a more diverse perspective allows for the audience to view the world in a different way and has a great ability to provoke thought and change. We want to be part of that change and, while doing so, be advocates for making sure women’s voices are heard in front of and behind the camera.
What I loved most about your film was how it presented a very unique approach to becoming a parent and, by extension, how it underscores the idea that women can and do forge their own paths. Where did the idea of the story come from? How important was it for you to get it made and onscreen?
We have been facing this issue since our late 30s. We are both career driven, independent women who have been in and out of relationships but never really found “the one”…and starting a family in the “traditional sense” hadn’t happened. Ideally, we hoped to start our own families when the time was right. However, as a woman, there is one looming problem…the BIOLOGICAL CLOCK. We looked around at our peer group and realized that so many women were in the same boat. “Maybe we can’t have it all. We certainly can’t if we don’t time our life choices just right…that’s for sure.” Thinking about it, this isn’t necessarily a topic that anyone we knew discussed…nor a conversation that we heard. After all, we were all focusing on our careers, friends, adventures, dating, and just plain living. It felt unfair that our destinies were being controlled by a biological clock, so as creators, the next logical step was to turn it into a story from a new perspective. Simultaneously, while we were creating this story, Heather began her own fertility journey. She had always wanted to have kids but the clock was ticking and she was still single. She could no longer face the panicked face of men on a first date with her. “You’re how old? And you want kids?” They immediately assumed that she’d want to fast track any relationship straight to babyhood (which was so not the case), so she decided to take matters into her own hands and set out on her path to become a single mom by choice. And, miraculously, she was successful and now has an amazing 2 year old daughter. Sarah was a huge part of Heather’s fertility journey, attended birthing classes with her and was at the birth of her daughter. She is an integral part of her daughter’s life.
We wanted to tell this story to remind women, of all ages, that they can have it all. If they want kids, there are many routes- biological, adoption, being an auntie, sperm donors, surrogacy, etc… The key point is that you can make it happen…and you get to decide what “it” is. We want to spark a conversation about remaining conscious and honest about it so that it’s your choice rather than your biological clock’s choice. Many women our age, like us, pursued their careers only to find that….bam…they’re 40, and they never got around to having a baby. We want to let them know, they’re not alone, and that it’s ok. If you want one, you can have one. If you don’t, that’s ok too! Additionally, we wanted to highlight the importance of friendship. Female friendships are powerful and can be just as significant as romantic ones. Nowadays, more and more women are becoming single mothers by choice and really leaning into the old adage, “it takes a village to raise a baby.” (cue Heather shouting “THAT’S FOR SURE!”)
Speaking of forging your own path, I understand that producing the short was a whole-hearted collaboration with very limited resources–and yet, you got it done! What was the production process like? As writers, actors, and producers, you’re wearing many hats throughout it all, so what was it like to juggle everything?
We both have been accustomed to wearing multiple hats- actors, directors, writers, producers, pa’s, location managers, etc…you name it, we’ve done it. So, we aren’t intimidated by much. Creating this story was important to us and we wanted to get it shot while Heather was still actually pregnant. Unfortunately that time frame didn’t work out, but we ended up shooting it right after she gave birth! We have incredible friends and colleagues that offered to jump in while also wearing multiple hats and make this project happen. We pulled all of our favors, amassed an incredibly talented team, and shot this labor of love in 2 days. We managed to pull this off by tapping into our organization skills with some serious pre-production planning. Once we began principal photography, we had everything set so, as actors, we could focus on telling the story rather than worrying about whether catering for the cast and crew would show up on time.
The comedy was absolute gold, but what was incredibly poignant were the moments of fear, hesitation, and vulnerability before your characters jump in and agree to co-parent. Stretching this idea and applying to your roles as founders of 6 With Heels, were there initial moments of fear and hesitation when it came to forming a production company? How did you get through it?
Absolutely! We both had been producing separately from one another for many years prior to forming 6 With Heels. In each prior experience, we definitely accumulated a large list of things that we never wanted to do again, so we had a great foundation of “what not to do.” This allowed us to be very candid with one another about how we wanted this collaboration to work. Since we knew each other very well as friends, we knew that we’d be able to work through any issues that came up in a healthy and productive manner. Communication is the key! We don’t take things personally, we don’t hide things, and we trust each other implicitly.
6 With Heels Productions has such an important mission in terms of levelling the playing field when it comes to the lack of opportunity for women in front and behind the camera. What does the future of filmmaking look like for you? And what advice would you give to newer women filmmakers who are similarly looking to make their mark and inspire change?
Thank you! It may seem like an easy task, however, it requires proactiveness and mindfulness while writing, choosing projects, hiring crew, and casting. With more diversity amongst those in positions of power, we will see, and are starting to see, more inclusive hiring. This allows for different stories from various points of view to be told under an authentic gaze. Our advice would be to keep doing your best. Tell stories you want to tell. Hire people that inspire you. Hire people that challenge you. Hire people with a different perspective from you so that you can be pushed to present something greater than you ever imagined. Keep fighting to create the work environment you want. You’ll get a lot of no’s, you’ll face a lot of obstacles, but keep reminding yourself why you set out to be a filmmaker in the first place!
HollyShorts is an incredible platform for indie filmmakers. What does it mean for you to have Last Chance Moms play here, and how will you be celebrating?
We are thrilled to participate in HollyShorts! The festival has been a launchpad for many amazing filmmakers and we are honored to be among such an incredible group. The pandemic has prevented us from celebrating the completion of this film and we are going to be sure to celebrate by inviting our LA based cast, crew, family, and friends to see this film that they know has been so near and dear to our hearts. HollyShorts is our official premiere…so it’s the first time that the film will be screened in public. Champagne will be consumed for sure!
What’s next for you? And where can viewers follow you and your work?
We are currently in post-production for our first feature film, Jess Plus None (directed and written by Last Chance Mom’s director, Mandy Fabian). Along with our respective acting careers, we also have a limited series and a horror feature in development. Furthermore, we are working towards developing Last Chance Moms into a television series! Please follow us on our socials!
Find out more about Last Chance Moms at their website, Instagram, and Facebook.
Find out more about 6 With Heels at their website, Instagram, and Twitter.
Find Sarah on Instagram and Twitter, along with at her website.
Find Heather on Instagram and Twitter, along with at her website.
