Director Mel Eslyn talks bizarre buddy comedy ‘Biosphere’

The movie, starring Mark Duplass of Apple TV+’s ‘The Morning Show’ (right) and Sterling K. Brown of NBC’s ‘This is Us,’ premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022. Duplass and Brown play Billy and Ray, respectively, who are the last two men alive. Photos courtesy of IFC FILMS

Three days prior to the 2022 Toronto Film Festival, a surprise screening was added to the slate of films accompanied by a vague one-line premise: In the not-too-distant future, the last two men on earth must adapt and evolve to save humanity.

The last-second addition was not the result of an under-the-wire, photo-finish from the crew of editors, but a calculated stunt pulled off by the team behind “Biosphere.” The ambiguity was intended to garner buzz, riding off the brief description and the reputation behind the film's only cast members, Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown. This feat was equally as bold as it was terrifying for producer and writer Mel Eslyn, who was also making her directorial debut. 

“We're playing at the Princess of Wales Theatre – like a 2,000 seater – and I'm like, ‘you're gonna announce it three days before?’” Eslyn told The Panther. “It was magical. They filled the seats. It totally worked. People were like, ‘What is this?’ I will say, I didn't see a single person’s face because I was so in my own head. I didn’t see the room, but I felt the room. I don't think anybody can get over hearing people laugh or gasp or cheer at something you wrote. You cannot imagine anything close to how good that feels.”

Throughout the film’s production, Eslyn drew upon her experiences in Milwaukee, where she began helping out on film sets at the age of 14.

On June 26, Eslyn sat down with The Panther to discuss her directorial debut in “Biosphere,” her long-time collaboration with the Duplass brothers and how her upbringing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin influenced the making of the physical biosphere. 

Thanks to a pivotal twist, initial reviews have tagged “Biosphere” with the label ‘the less you know, the better.’ While this helps create an alluring sense of mystery, Eslyn has been treading on thin ice, working to not reveal any spoilers during conversations with the press.     

“Doing press for this film has been incredibly challenging, not being able to talk about it and still trying to make it sound interesting and exciting…” Eslyn said. “Honestly, the buzz of everybody saying, ‘Go in not knowing anything,’ has actually worked. I love when the conversation about a film happens after seeing it, especially in this day and age. I love when we can create that experience of just going into the unknown and allowing yourself to have that authentic journey.”

Context is sparse as we meet Billy (Mark Duplass) and Ray (Sterling K. Brown) running laps inside the technologically chic, yet lived-in dome, chatting about Super Mario Bros. They seem to be the only humans left, the world around them is dark, and they rely on a self-sustaining garden and fish tank. The film hinges upon the chemistry between Duplass and Brown, presenting itself as a buddy comedy until a tinge of science fiction alters the course of events. 

Eslyn is a longtime producer and the president of Duplass Brothers Productions, an independent production company started by Mark and Jay Duplass. Eslyn described her relationship with the Duplass brothers as a brother-sister bond mixed with artistic collaborators. The initial premise was developed and outlined by Eslyn and Duplass at a writer’s retreat in 2018. Duplass took the first crack at writing the script but found himself stumped, leading Eslyn to take a pass at it. 

“I've worked with Mark so long, he would not mind me saying this…but Mark comes up with these kernels. They're like the best kernels ever, but they're never fully formed,” Eslyn said. “I think over the years, I've gotten in the habit of trying to figure out how to… flesh them out. In this case, he had this simple idea with a few things surrounding it… I came in and just brought all the things that I get excited about, which are science, gender, sexuality, magic and comedy.” 

Eslyn wrote the script with Brown in mind after his seeing his performances in “Waves” and “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” Although there was no doubt Brown was capable of carrying a film solely on charisma and dramatic chops, Eslyn worried, ‘Is he funny?’ 

“I think one of the best ways to find out what an actor is really like is through casual interviews,” Eslyn said. “I was just kind of googling him, and I found this video of him dancing on set, and dancing is the quickest way to my heart. I knew immediately I wanted to get him. He has a lightness of heart and a levity.”

The film is currently playing at select theaters as of July 7 and has a limited release.

Without any prep time or rehearsal, it only took one dinner for the trio to click and start forming their own inside jokes. Production started in 2021 inside a Glendale, California warehouse, where the biosphere was built. 

Hailing from Milwaukee, Eslyn grew up watching indie movies at small cinemas, volunteering for a film society and becoming inspired by the films of David Lynch. Her dreams of movie-making couldn’t be stopped by Milwaukee’s small film scene or on-set age requirements. 

“I think my first day on a set, I was 14, and they handed me a boom (mic),” Eslyn said. “I was this tiny girl holding the boom, shaking (and) not knowing where to put it over this dinner scene…. I started just showing up and pretending like I knew what I was doing. I do remember many times I was handed contracts to sign that said if you were under 18, to get a guardian, and I would just sign in and be like, I'm 18, whatever.”

Eslyn carries her Wisconsin roots with her, allowing the Badger State influence to permeate through her work. In “Biosphere,” Eslyn drew upon her memories of The Domes of the Mitchell Park Horticulture Observatory, located in Milwaukee, when it came to creating the look of Billy and Ray’s residence. 

“(The Domes are) how I always envision the biosphere, and I had done a bunch of sketches. “When I brought them to my production designer Megan Fenton… she kind of took it and ran with it,” Eslyn said. “When we got to the stage, there's always those things you have to work with. I wanted a round biosphere, and the space was a rectangle, so suddenly, it became a longer dome. It was cool to see it evolve.”

The film’s “speculative directions” direction is sure to conjure a plethora of emotions from viewers. Eslyn encourages film students and prospective filmmakers to trust their gut when it comes to their material and simply hone in on their craft by making something, which will showcase your capabilities and spark trust in future collaborators.

“We live in such a world where people are so fearful of pushing boundaries even more than ever,” Eslyn said. “I think it's just like going in with heart and soul and really standing behind it… We need more unique art. That's what everybody should be doing right now.”

“Biosphere” will have a limited release in select theaters on July 7.