Exclusive Interview: Comedian and Filmmaker Molly Clark on Shorts, Film Festivals, and Making People Laugh

At The Movie Buff, we recently had the chance to watch the short, comedy-styled film “Martin the Sea Turtle” by comedian and filmmaker Molly Clark. The film was a joy, utilizing a mockumentary-type feel to relay the struggles of Martin to the camera. What is even more impressive, is we learned that the film was shot off the cuff by Clark after being struck by inspiration, and the dialogue was mostly, if not entirely ad libbed.

Molly is no stranger to filmmaking or comedy, as evidenced by her impressive portfolio. In addition to “Martin the Sea Turtle,” she has completed three other short films, as well as currently working on a TV pilot and a feature film script.

Molly’s comedy speaks for itself. She has been a guest on multiple shows such as “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon, Jax Media, and MTV Viacom. She is also very active on Instagram, having over 3K followers on the platform as well as a solid presence on TikTok. 

We recently had the chance to sit down and talk with Molly about “Martin the Sea Turtle,” her short films, comedy, and the art of making people laugh.

Hi, can you please introduce yourself for our readers? 

Molly Clark in a scene from “Martin the Sea Turtle” (2018).

MC: Molly Clark is a comedy writer and performer based in New York. She has been featured in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The New York Post, Buzzfeed, WOHAHA, NBC4NewYork, ABCNews, and many more. She has shared her talents both in NYC and LA at NBC’s “The Tonight Show” starring Jimmy Fallon, JaxMedia, MTV Viacom, The Producer Guild Conference with IRL Productions. Since graduating from NYU Tisch in 2019, four of Molly’s shorts have been selected to screen at film festivals nationwide. 

Molly has won a ‘REMI’ award at Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival, taken home seven awards for three different shorts in the ‘Best Shorts Competition,’ won “Best Mockumentary” at the Atlanta Comedy Festival and “Best Comedy” at the Hollywood Verge Film Festival, alongside many more official selections and nominations for her self-produced shorts and sketches. In March 2020, Molly went viral on TikTok and currently has 77K followers! 

We recently had the chance to watch and review your short film “Martin the Sea Turtle,” which we loved. Can you tell us about your inspiration for the film? What made you decide to make it? 

MC: “Martin” was actually a completely improvised short. I was on vacation with my parents and went on a bike ride at the beginning of the trip. We were staying at a resort with a large sea turtle nesting ground and I just kept thinking about how funny it would be if one of these turtles worked there. I called my best friend back in NYC and had her overnight the costume. Once it arrived, I sat in the hotel ballroom and improvised Martin’s monologue. Then I went back and got the b-roll needed. 

My time at Fallon and Viacom were internships in college. Those were priceless experiences that gave me an inside look into how writers rooms and the comedy production world operates.”molly clark 

On your website it states you have produced four shorts that were selected for various film festivals. Can you tell us a bit about them? 

MC: Thinking about my festival shorts now, the one common theme is improv becomes semi-scripted comedy. The four films have a distinct main character with a strong point of view. My preproduction is really about getting into that character. I open the voice notes app on my phone let a stream of conscious of that character flow out. 

Molly dressed up as a hotdog when she was 15 to entertain shoppers and patrons while filming.

Aside from “Martin,” the shorts include “The Women of Valley Forge”, “Steps to D*ck,” and “The Stand Off.” The “Women of Valley Forge” is a mocku-series looking into the lives of the women left behind that cold winter 241 years ago. “Steps to D*ick” is a Public Service Announcement which flips the script on consent that Talia Smith and I created while at NYU Tisch. And finally, “The Stand Off” was my sophomore year final film and first to be selected for a festival. “The Stand Off” is about two opposing lemonade stands and an unexpected viewpoint both owners have on their respective sales techniques, and will always be my baby. 

“Martin the Sea Turtle” tells a successful story in under 5 minutes. Do you like shorts as a film medium? What made you pick a short for this particular film? 

MC: I think if I hadn’t gone to film school, these would be considered sketches. When you’re young, cheap, and in college, it’s very hard to crank out high level blockbuster features. But being at NYU I was lucky to have the time and the equipment to make these shorts. Which leaves me wondering if sketches are just shorts with less production value? I’m not sure where the line is with that. But I wanted to crank out good short content and these were my products. 

Have you produced any full-length films? If not, is this a goal of yours someday?

MC: I am currently finishing a feature film script this month and would love to see it made one day. 

Your website states you are a comedian, and have spent time working on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Jimmy Fallon and MTV Viacom. Can you tell us a bit about your comedy? What goes into your humor and where do you look for content? 

MC: My time at Fallon and Viacom were internships in college. Those were priceless experiences that gave me an inside look into how writers rooms and the comedy production world operates. Those experiences gave me a better sense of what was being made, why it was working, and how it was created. 

For the most part I try to keep my comedy away from tropes or slapstick blue humor. The comedians I look up to most such as Tina Fey, Amy Poheler, Racheal Dratch, Chelsea Handler, Elizabeth Banks…the list goes on. All make smart, witty, sarcastic/dry comedy. That is the humor and comedian I strive to be/make. 

Your family is listed on the credits for “Martin the Sea Turtle.” Do they help out a lot? 

MC: The film has a very nice feel for it. My family is super supportive. Most of my shorts are little to no budget, and the crew tends to be whoever is around me and willing to hold equipment. Since we were on vacation for “Martin” that happened to be my family. For a family of lawyers, it’s so fun to have this quirky film for us all to look back on. 

Can you tell us about the film’s festival run? Where did it screen, and did it win any awards? 

Submitted photo.

MC: “Martin” has screened at the Hollywood Verge Film Fest with a nomination for “Best Student Film,” “Best Screenplay,” and won “Best Comedy Short.” It screened The Atlanta Comedy Film Festival, the Indie Short Fest, the Independent Short Awards, Big Teeth Small Short, and won at the Best Shorts Competition in the student female filmmaker category, as well as “Best Wildlife Film” and “Best Leading Actress.”

“Martin” also came in second at the New Faces New Voices Festival.

Can you talk a bit about independent films? Do you think the medium is gaining traction with the proliferation of online media options and online film critics? 

MC: I love independent films. I think they are for sure gaining traction and rightfully so. The industry, and the way to watch film, is changing as I type this. There are platforms and streaming services that are niche and specific to certain films allowing accessibility and visibility like never before. 

What’s next for you? Can you tell us about any upcoming projects? 

MC: I have a three episode mocku-series coming out in the next few months that I’m, excited about. Its log line is “Squirrel Talk” and it is a three-episode mini docu-series exploring the untold life of three Manhattan squirrels; a nut salesman, a therapist, and an influencer. I also am in the finishing stages of a TV pilot and feature film that I hope to get made. 

You can follow Molly on TikTok and Instagram at @highon_molly, or follow her official website at www.themollyclark.com.