Go Into The Story interview: Meghann Artes and Anna Hozian

My conversation with the writing-directing-producing team for the short film drama Stronghold.

Meghann Artes and Anna Hozian are two talented filmmakers. They are also my colleagues at the DePaul University School of Cinematic Arts where we all teach. The duo collaborated on a short film project Stronghold which recently completed a successful film festival run.

Since I've intersected with many screenwriters interested in making their own short films, I thought Anna and Meg could provide some insights arising from their experience making Stronghold.

Scott Myers: What was the inspiration for Stronghold?

Anna Hozian: The initial spark for “Stronghold” came from children I encountered while visiting two different mental health facilities. One was a boy whose mother was relinquishing her rights to him, as he was ‘too difficult’, and the other was a boy who was eleven but was in a mental health facility for teens. Seeing this tough kid crumble and plead to go home, but whose mother could or would not allow it, was heart-wrenching. And then seeing the innocence and trust of the eleven-year-old who did not fit in this teen facility stayed with me well long after I left. So, the spark for Leo came from a combination of these two kids. And Fran was inspired by a woman who ran a group home for foster youth for years in Minnesota. In an article, she explained that you can always patch another hole punched into a wall, that those things did not matter. To her, it was the staying power for these kids that was important. Then, of course, once you start writing, elements of your own life come in at every turn — elements from my parents, my hometown, from numerous friends who have foster children whom they have adopted, and from wonderful social workers I interviewed. 

Scott: How did the two of you first connect on the project and decide to work together on it?

 Meghann Artes: Anna and I have collaborated on a few projects over the years, and I've always been a huge fan of her writing. She has an incredible ability to get inside a character's head and create stories that feel deeply authentic and emotionally honest.

 At the time, I knew I wanted to direct a drama and work with a child actor. Anna had written a television pilot called The Ward, with her son, Ashton, which followed a group of children navigating life in a psychiatric ward. It was beautiful, heartbreaking, and one of those scripts that stayed with me long after I finished reading it. I absolutely fell in love with it and wanted to bring it to life, but I also knew it was a very ambitious project. I wanted to tell the full story, not just a small piece of it. But that is proving to be a long road.

 In the meantime, we began talking about creating a short film that could serve as a proof of concept for a larger feature or series. We wanted to tell a story that captured the emotional depth and character-driven storytelling we both love while also exploring themes of grief, family, and resilience.

That's how Stronghold began. It gave us a chance to build something together on a smaller scale while laying the foundation for a much larger story we hope to tell in the future.

Scott: How did you handle the scripting part of the process (i.e., who did what, how many drafts, how long did it take to get to a final draft)? 

Anna: I just looked back at my Stronghold folder on my computer. The brainstorming for the short began in August 2022, and the final draft was July 2023 right before we began principal photography. In the folder, I found a single brainstorming sheet, one treatment, and thirty-two screenplay drafts. I love to sketch as I write, so the multiple screenplays work for my brain. I always want to try something before I throw it out. And Meg and I have found a really great way to work together over the years. For this piece, we talked extensively about the TV pilot, The Ward, first, which she had read, and what elements of it really spoke to her, as well as the parts that I felt were immensely important to me, in terms of why my son and I wrote that piece to begin with. Then, from there, I began to draft this new story. When I felt I had something to show Meg (who is incredibly patient with me as a writer and lets me go off for as long as I need to figure things out), or if I got to a place where I was stuck, I sent her pages. Then, she would read quickly, and she would circle back with what she loved and what questions she had. She would often include Joe Lyons, our producer, to get his thoughts as well. Then she would let me know what she thought was working, and what questions she still had. This questioning helped a great deal. It was never, “I don’t like this…” or “I think you should do this…” It was, “Why would Fran do this?” Or, “What is Angela thinking here?” And then we would brainstorm a thousand ways that might work, and I would go back to the page. Usually, I found something totally different that we hadn’t yet thought of, but without that questioning and brainstorming the “what ifs…” we would never have found the right moments throughout the story. 

Scott: What was production like? How many days? Any anecdotes you can share about the process?

Meghann: This project was so much fun to make. We had four shoot days during one of the hottest weeks of the summer of 2024, and somehow the cast and crew never seemed to let the heat get to them. We were filming into the middle of the night, and I don't think it dipped below 90 degrees even at 2 a.m. You'd never know it from watching the film.

One of the things I loved most was working with Anna. We had been talking about these characters and this story for almost two years before production. For so long, they only existed in our conversations and imaginations, so it was pretty amazing to suddenly see them come to life right in front of us.

I also spent a long time looking for the right Leo. The moment I saw London Wygant's audition, I knew I had found Leo. The only problem was that just a few days before filming began, London broke their arm. We briefly wondered if we'd need to recast the role, but instead we decided to work it into the story. Looking back, it ended up feeling completely natural and is one of those unexpected production challenges that actually made the film better.

Another thing that meant a lot to me was the incredible support from our community. We put out a call for extras for the pub scenes, and people absolutely showed up. The bar ended up packed with wonderful volunteers who helped make the world of the film feel authentic and alive.

Through a mutual friend, we were also introduced to the Chicago band The Handcuffs. Not only are they incredibly talented, but they generously allowed us to use several of their songs in the film. It was such a great discovery, and their music became an important part of the film's personality.

One of the more memorable moments happened on the very first day of filming. We were shooting overnight in an Irish pub in Downers Grove that had generously let us use the space after hours. I picked up Ora Jones in Chicago, and we spent the drive getting to know each other. Just a few miles before our exit, my gas pedal suddenly stopped working. Somehow, we managed to coast off the interstate and into Downers Grove before getting stranded. The mechanic never could figure out what happened, but Ora was a total trooper and didn't let it slow us down one bit.

Honestly, one of my favorite parts of making Stronghold was getting to know Ora. We spent so much time together driving between locations that it quickly felt like I was traveling with an old friend.

When I look back on the production, what I remember most is the people. Everyone brought so much talent, positivity, and heart to the process. It was one of those rare productions where making the film was just as rewarding as the finished film itself.

Scott: The film did the festival run. What was that like?

Meghann: Over the last two years, the film has screened at more than 30 festivals across the U.S. and internationally. We've been lucky to pick up a few awards along the way, but honestly, what has meant the most to Anna and me has been hearing from audiences after the screenings.

People have come up to us and shared how much the story resonated with them. 

Sometimes it's because they saw their own relationship with their mom reflected in the film. Other times it's because they grew up in the foster care system and connected deeply with Leo's journey. We've both had people come up and say, "That's my story," or "I was Leo."

Those conversations have been incredibly special. As filmmakers, you spend years working on something and hope it connects with people, so it's been really moving to see the film spark those kinds of personal conversations.

Scott: Any words of advice for writers who may be thinking about making a short film?

Meghann: Writing can be a lonely pursuit. As writers, we spend a lot of time alone with our ideas, and every script we finish teaches us something about storytelling and our own creative voice. There is some collaboration along the way with trusted readers for notes, but it's mostly a solo affair. 

But if you want to see your work become a film, and even make it yourself, that's when even more collaboration enters the picture. One of the things I love most about filmmaking is seeing how other artists transform and elevate material. As a director, I've learned that some of the most exciting moments happen when actors, cinematographers, editors, and other collaborators bring something unexpected to the story.

My advice is simple: keep writing, keep sharing your work, and don't be afraid to make it yourself. Just be sure to invite other people into the process. Great films rarely happen in isolation. They grow out of a community of creative people working together toward a shared vision.

Anna: Meg's absolutely right about the writing process and the need for feedback. And finding the collaborators you trust is essential. In terms of creating the story, the writer needs to remember that a short film is about a single moment that changes the life of the character/s. Too often, people try to put a feature film into a short, but they're very different art forms. 

Here is the short film Stronghold.

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