LifeHack is a screenlife heist movie that follows young gamers and a trust fund baby as they try to scam a cryptocurrency billionaire.
Filmed to look like one long screenshare, the movie is unique and entertaining. We sat down with stars Yasmin Finney (Heartstopper, Doctor Who) and Jessica Reynolds (Outlander, Kneecap) to discuss indie films, social media addiction, and puppies!
Acting in a Screenlife Film
“It’s like night and day,” Reynolds said of the difference between acting in a normal film versus acting in a screenlife film. “It’s like the antithesis of working in a normal, formulaic set. It’s a lot of freedom and fun because you’re allowed to have a little bit of messiness because it’s online.”
When probed further, she likened it to other indie films.
Reynolds shared, “I love the way this film was made and the freedom and agency given to the actors. I think film in like the 90s and 2000s was a lot like that, and I think that we can lean back into that and allow our filmmaking to be more like this at times. We could make really interesting, brave, innovative stuff.”
LifeHack is all of those things, and it’s arguably even more when considering the online communities it celebrates. Unlike her male counterparts, Finney was a gamer long before she got the role. She told us about her discussions with director Ronan Corrigan on developing the introverted, camera-shy character.
“It was nice to take a trip down memory lane, and I don’t think I needed any sort of references because I just tapped into [my childhood],” Finney said as she cuddled up with her pooch. She shared that she didn’t have many friends outside of gaming and that this movie validates the friends she did have. “You can really sense the community in the film and the crime.”
The Toll of Social Media
Then we spoke about the toll social media takes on mental health, which the movie also highlights. Finney admitted that the app she spends the most time on is Instagram, but she mostly just doomscrolls. She gives herself some grace, though.
Finney said, “It’s fine to doomscroll, but just realize that it comes with not being able to sleep, having nightmares, and comparing yourself.”
When it comes to unplugging, though, it all comes down to her furry friend, Coco. She spoke about the necessary rituals of putting your phone down and taking your dog for a walk outside.
She’s only 22, but Finney had some sage advice for those struggling to unplug.
Finney shared, “The most important thing this younger generation needs to understand is that you can get lost in it, and you need to understand that presence is everything. No matter if technology evolves and we’re in an artificial world, you need to be present to understand what’s right, what’s wrong, and where you’re going.”
Then my dog, Appa, stole the show!