by Abhi Parasher

Biosphere is a hard film to talk about.

“We’re trying to keep everything under wraps, so that everyone can have an authentic experience and go through this journey that has so many twists and turns without any spoilers,” director Mel Eslyn tells us.

At its most stripped-down level, one that avoids any potential spoilers, Biosphere is about the last two men on Earth, who must adapt and evolve to save humanity.

“Originally, my co-writer Mark (Duplass) came to me with a very simple idea of the last two men on earth who live in a biodome and are obsessed with Super Mario Bros. My first thought was ‘Of course the last two people on Earth are men’,” laughs Eslyn. “I loved the idea and I wanted to put the female spin on that, and really analyse all you could do with the last two men on Earth. We dove deep into male toxicity, gender politics and the science of it all. That stuff really excited me.”

Much of those plot twists that Eslyn talks about come from intricate scientific studies that investigate evolution in different species and how the same principles could impact Billy (Mark Duplass) and Ray (Sterling K. Brown) in their biosphere.

“There was a lot I researched, as far as how to make it plausible that they lived there. Just in terms of the logistics of waste disposal and things like how to recycle air,” says Eslyn. “But then there were things I researched in the animal kingdom, which I can’t go into because they are major plot points, where I worked really hard to find the plausibility. All that stuff created the foundation, so that the story had sound science, and that would allow for an easier suspension of disbelief in the audience, so they could go along for the journey. Ultimately, the story isn’t real, it’s about real themes, sort of like a scientific parable.”

Biosphere is Eslyn’s feature directorial debut, a mammoth task that was made easier with her 15 years of experience as a producer.

“As a producer, the thing a lot of people don’t talk about is that half the time you are a back-seat director. I have produced a lot of first feature films for directors where, in the beginning, I was learning with them and then later on in my career, I was working as a guide for them. I’ve also worked with a lot of actors who directed the films they starred in, so I essentially became their eyes and ears on set. I felt very, very prepared, almost to a level where I was shocked walking out on day one where I felt very little anxiety.”

Mel Eslyn on the set of TV show Room 104, on which she directed three episodes

Having experienced the whole gamut of first-time filmmaker mistakes, Eslyn knew a thing or two about managing the scope of the story.

“I was very kind to myself, and that’s the one thing that I saw a lot of first-time directors not do,” says Eslyn. “I gave myself one location, two actors and heavily prepared dialogue. I also worked with all these collaborators that I have worked with for 10 years. It gave me that safe space where I could take chances and not be so afraid.”

Although her experience as a producer was an overall net positive, the transition from the logistical to the creative side wasn’t all easy.

“I think there will always be the battle within me between the producer and the director,” says Eslyn. “It is a superpower to know the process so intricately, but at the same time, I do have my AD, who I love, constantly telling me to stop ADing. It’s finding that balance between knowing the info, but also knowing that you don’t need to do everything. I have realised that to be a great director you do need to just be in that zone.”

 Biosphere tackles the end of the world in a manner that feels very close to home. Although the exact reason for humanity’s collapse is only hinted at, there is a tense sense of familiarity imbued within every conversation.

Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass in Biosphere

“When we were coming up with this concept, Trump had just been elected, and this idea of ‘everything goes’ for presidents is infused within the story. For me, it is scary, especially in the US, to see how much power the President and the people around them have.”

Despite the feeling of doom that inspired the story, Eslyn made sure that an overwhelming hope was left with every audience member.

“The film is about having and finding hope, even in the darkest times,” shares Eslyn. “Although I don’t know exactly what will happen after the credits roll, I do have hope that they are going to survive, and that humanity can find a way to regenerate. Whether they prosper, I don’t know, because it could all just be cyclical where they end up in the same position that they began in. But the whole point is understanding that humans need to evolve, especially emotionally, to ensure that we prosper.”

Now that Biosphere has completed a very successful festival run, audiences will be able to glean their own meaning from the ending. What remains a challenge, especially in today’s climate, is getting the film out to audiences.

“Currently, in the US, writers and actors are on strike, and those strikes are happening for very good reasons. However, who is getting hurt right now? It is the independent films like Biosphere which rely on their actors to get the word out. The struggle just got really tough for independent films for a moment.”

Due to the strikes, Eslyn cannot announce her next collaboration with Mark Duplass, which is already in the can, but she assures us that the “list of ideas for her next directorial outing is enormous”.

Biosphere is in cinemas September 7, 2023

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