“This is my first time executive producing,” says Grace. “What have I learned? If you invest in something, make it the best it can be with your resources. We all collaborated to determine how to make this our very best and most incredible project. I feel proud. We are not lingering in a place of ‘what if.’ We aimed for the moon, knowing that the worst we can hear is a ‘no.’ It resonates with both men and women. Grace adds, “For me, it’s the dichotomy of Coral’s character, who has to make choices she does not want to make in service of and for the protection of her child. It’s a prevalent issue in our society for women everywhere. Everything is monetized—does this include your soul? It invites the audience to come and discover for themselves. They can explore the short and continue if it transitions into a feature or a series.”
Since attending nearly three festivals a month since Cannes, Dynner and Grace have found The Soul Trader to be an excellent fit for various types of film festival programming beyond the obvious horror and after-dark categories and genres.
“It’s a range of festivals, including horror, conventions, and major events,” says Dynner. “We aspire to find a suitable partner to create a feature or series. We have been putting in the effort. We are fortunate to have a talented cast and crew and feel lucky to have everyone on board. These are people who don’t typically work on shorts.” She adds, “The audiences have expressed interest in seeing the feature or series. They want more, so we hope to explore it further as it is a very entertaining story.”
Beyond quality directing and cohesive performances from the actors, The Soul Trader is a strong project, and Donna Mills is an incredible addition for those who grew up watching her on television.
“If you have a good story and good characters, you can do it all—short, series, or feature.”
“Our experience from the beginning to now has been wonderful,” says Dynner. “We have elements of horror, supernatural, and sci-fi, but The Soul Trader is more of a thriller and action-packed for the feature, while for the series, it leans more towards mythology and lore. If you have a good story and good characters, you can do it all—short, series, or feature.”
For Grace, she is particular about the genre because she wants dynamics to drive the story forward. “This was a script and a woman with an aesthetic,” she says. “I enjoy creating things that are complex and rich in meaning.”
With writer Mike Underwood, The Soul Trader was developed in several forms, including a series pilot and bible that outlines numerous potential directions for the project. Leaving the short film version as a cliffhanger was intended to position the project for future growth.
“After the pandemic and the strike, returning to work like The Soul Trader has been a great experience and truly enjoyable,” says Dynner. “I enjoy the collaborative environment.”
Dynner and Grace are very busy, working on multiple projects and other interests, but their focus is on The Soul Trader.
“We support each other and everyone who has been part of various points in this journey. We trusted our intuition,” says Grace. “It’s also been wonderful to support other films and filmmakers we have met. It’s very inspiring.”
The Soul Trader will continue to screen at festivals through spring 2025. To learn more, visit thesoultrader.com.
