Interview Byron Tully of Indie Friendle

 

Byron Tully grew up in Houston, Texas, under the influence of both Baptist preachers and beer joint owners. He attended the University of Texas at Austin. There he met student filmmakers and started working with them on their graduate film projects. Planning to open a liquor store in his hometown after graduation, he heeded his father's advice that he 'do something with his writing' and abruptly left for Los Angeles to pursue a career in film. He and partner Weatherford Bradley produce Indie Friendlie, a weekly television show that spotlights independent filmmakers from around the world. A cigar-smoking vegetarian, he continues to write screenplays and songs and hopes to one day make his own independent film.

What is the current project you are working on? INDIE FRIENDLIE, THE SHOW THAT SPOTLIGHTS INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker? ACTUALLY, I WAS GOING TO OPEN A LIQUOR STORE. MY DAD WASN'T THRILLED WITH THAT PLAN AND SAID, "I ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU'D DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR WRITING." TWO WEEKS LATER I WAS ON INTERSTATE 10, HEADING TO LOS ANGELES. I MOVED INTO A VERY DICEY APARTMENT BUILDING IN HOLLYWOOD AND STARTED WRITING SCREENPLAYS.

What inspired you to become involved in the independent film industry? MY PARTNER, WEATHERFORD BRADLEY AND I GREW A LITTLE BORED WITH MOST STUDIO FILMS. NOT ALL, JUST MOST. SO WE STARTED WATCHING FOREIGN FILMS AND SMALLER FILMS, AND WE LOVED THEM. WE TALKED TO OUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE FILMS, BUT THEY'D NEVER HEARD OF THEM. THIS PISSED US OFF. SO, LAST NOVEMBER, WE WERE SITTING IN A COFFEE SHOP AT SUNSET AND VINE, AND WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR INDIE FRIENDLIE TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT INDIE FILMMAKERS AND THEIR FILMS.

What is the best thing having your own show? YOU GREENLIGHT YOURSELF.

What is the worst thing about having your own show? ONCE YOU GET THE GREENLIGHT FROM YOURSELF, YOU HAVE TO FINANCE YOURSELF.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on? I'VE WORKED ON PROBABLY A DOZEN FEATURE FILMS IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES.

Who is is your favorite filmmaker? LUC BESSON, THE FRENCH FILM DIRECTOR.

How has your life changed since you became the host of your own show? FILMMAKERS HAVE BEEN SO GENEROUS AND APPRECIATIVE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE SHOW. MY LIFE IS RICHER BECAUSE I'VE MET AND TALKED WITH THEM.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who wants to make it in the movie business? BE POLITE AND MODEST. YOU CAN BE THE MOST TALENTED PERSON IN THE WORLD AT WHATEVER IT IS YOU DO OR WANT TO DO, BUT THERE ARE VERY TALENTED PEOPLE GETTING OFF THE BUS EVERY DAY IN L.A. HOLLYWOOD IS NOT A DOOR YOU BREAK DOWN. IT'S A CLUB YOU'RE INVITED TO JOIN.

What are some of your favorite American films? MATEWAN, BY JOHN SAYLES; CASABLANCA; GODFATHER I AND II; HUD; COOL HAND LUKE; Foreign films? STARMAKER, IL POSTINO, MESRINE, JEAN DE FLORETTE AND MANON OF THE SPRING; EVEN THE RAIN; THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES. Television shows? THE SOPRANOS, MI-5.

How would you describe your film education? INFORMAL, INCOMPLETE, AND ONGOING.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live? IT'S LA, SO IT'S VERY SUPERFICIAL IN SOME RESPECTS, BUT VERY GENUINE OVERALL. YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE COMING HERE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD BECAUSE THEY LOVE FILM. IT MAKES CONVERSATIONS EASY TO STRIKE UP.

How has social media changed the independent film industry? IT'S A MIXED BLESSING. IT HAS LEVELED THE PLAYING FIELD WITH REGARDS TO PEOPLE HAVING ACCESS TO MORE CONENT. BUT IT HAS ALSO FLOODED THE PLAYING FIELD WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CONTENT--AND EVEN MORE HYPE--THAT DROWNS OUT THE QUALITY FILMS THAT ARE BEING MADE. THE AUDIENCE STILL NEEDS GATEKEEPERS AND GUIDES. NOT CRITICS NECESSARILY, BUT SHOWS LIKE INDIE FRIENDLIE THAT CAN WATCH A LOT OF FILMS AND SAY, HEY, AMERICA, WORLD! YOU NEED TO SEE THIS FILM; THIS FILMMAKER HAS SOMETHING TO SAY.

What is the interview process like? IT'S FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD. WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE FILMMAKER'S FROM; WHAT INSPIRED THEM TO MAKE THE FILM THEY MADE; WHAT THE FILM'S ABOUT; AND WHAT'S NEXT FOR THEM. THOSE ARE THE BASICS I TRY TO COVER IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. BUT IF THEY SAY SOMETHING THAT RESONATES, THEN I'LL FOLLOW UP AND WHO KNOWS WHERE THE CONVERSATION GOES.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream? INDIE FILMS ARE MUCH MORE PERSONAL. MOST OF THE TIME, YOU AS AN AUDIENCE MEMBER ARE GETTING A VERY INTIMATE GLIMPSE OF THE FILMMAKER'S PERSONALITY. WHAT THEY BELIEVE, WHAT MOVES THEM. WHAT THEY THINK IS FUNNY. WHAT THEY THINK IS TRAGIC. THEY'RE ALSO MUCH MORE PERSONAL BECAUSE INDIE FILMMAKERS DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET TO BLOW UP BUILDINGS, SO THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS RELATIONSHIPS.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why? I THINK CASABLANCA, JUST TO BE AROUND THE CAST. CONRAD VEIDT, THE ACTOR WHO PLAYED THE NAZI GENERAL WAS A JEWISH IMMIGRANT WHO HAD FLED GERMANY WHEN HITLER CAME TO POWER. SIDNEY GREENSTREET AND PETER LORRE WOULD HAVE BEEN A HOOT TO HAVE A DRINK WITH.

You could be any animal. Which would you be and why? A DOG. ALL THEY DO IS GIVE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE TO OTHERS, AND THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.

You could have any super power. What would it be? TO BE INVISIBLE. YOU CAN'T FIGHT WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE.

Thanks for doing the interview Byron, I'll definitely let any filmmakers I chat with know about your show. I'll be tuning in.