Producers/Directors/Editors Joke and Biagio

Wife and husband team Joke and Biagio are best known in the unscripted world for executive producing "Scream Queens" on VH1, "Commercial Kings with Rhett and Link" on IFC (currently airing Friday Nights at 10pm 9 central) and the upcoming documentary series "Caged" on MTV. Other credits include "Beauty and the Geek" and "Oh Baby, Now What?" The duo earned their documentary wings under acclaimed filmmaker R.J. Cutler ("The War Room," "The September Issue") and honed their reality TV skills working with luminaries like Mark Burnett. Their company, Joke Productions, Inc., is growing fast. They blog and tweet about making film and TV at http://www.jokeandbiagio.com and @JokeAndBiagio. You can see their Kickstarter campaign for Dying to do Letterman, featuring Jon Reiss' book "Think Outside the Box Office" here: http://kck.st/r7rDZP

What is the current project you are working on?

Right now, we're bringing our six-year passion project, a feature-length documentary Dying to do Letterman, to the world. It's just been invited to compete for an Academy Award by the International Documentary Association at this year's prestigious program DocuWeeks. The movie's about stand-up comedian Steve Mazan, whose life-long dream was to perform comedy on David Letterman's show. However, his quest gets far more urgent when he's diagnosed with cancer and told he might only have 5 years to live. We self funded the film, and right now we're trying to raise $100,000 on Kickstarter to put the movie in theaters ourselves. We're at about $47,000 with a little over a month to go in the campaign. People can help bring the movie to a theater near them by joining our campaign here: http://kck.st/r7rDZP

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

Biagio: No, I wanted to be an actor at first, but after a brief stint on Nickelodeon's Kenan and Kel (while still delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut as a main source of income!) I decided I wanted to be behind the camera.

Joke: I thought I would become the president of Flanders. Long story.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

Biagio: I'd written a play that had won a Young Playwright's Festival in Cleveland and been produced. I wanted to make that play into a movie, and it all began there.

What is the best thing about being one?

Joke: Finishing a movie like Dying to do Letterman and seeing Steve's amazing story touch audience's everywhere.

What is the worst thing about being one?

Biagio: Wondering if it will be another six years until we finish our next film!

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

Joke: Oi, a lot. Our first project together was a feature film called "Me and Grandma" based on Biagio's play. Next was a feature documentary we produced about the Star Wars phenomenon called "A Galaxy Far, Far Away" which had a small theatrical distribution. Our foray into unscripted television began with two pilots we made on our own (just the two of us.) We produced, shot, directed, edited, and did the graphics for two pilots we sent blindly to Food Network. One was a wacky cooking show called "Cooking with Beer" and it starred my parents! The other was a cooking / dating show called "Quickest Way to the Heart." Eventually we were able to break into unscripted TV. Some of our big shows were Beauty and the Geek and VH1's Scream Queens. All in all, I guess counting feature films, tv series, and pilots a little over 20.

Who is your favorite filmmaker?

Biagio: I plead the 5th.

Joke: Ditto.

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

Biagio: We've met so many incredible people, and been to places we'd never dreamed we'd end up -- the jungles of Guatemala, the secret tunnels underneath Caesar's Palace in Vegas, the back room of a comedy club with Arsenio Hall and Jay Leno -- places we would never dream of seeing. Becoming a filmmaker has allowed us to experience life on a hyper-real level, and we're grateful for every moment of it.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

Biagio: GO MAKE STUFF. We have an entire blog dedicated to breaking in to the business at http://www.jokeandbiagio.com We call it "Hands-On Producing." I don't care what your ideas are, I don't care what you are "thinking" about doing, I care about what you've done. Walk into my office and show me a kick ass piece of tape you've put together. Something you're so proud of you'd show it to Spileberg himself. Otherwise, don't waste anyone's time, especially your own. Too many "wannabes" talk about making movies. Aspiring filmmakers are not "wannabes." Aspiring filmmakers go make films.

Joke: Ditto.

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

Biagio: Believe it or not, I was a star basketball player (in 8th grade, anyway!) I love to get out and shoot some hoops when I can. I've also been learning to program iPhone apps and mac apps, and hope one day to release some of them. We're also going to be self-publishing some books on the Kindle platform soon.

Joke: I love photography, traveling to small towns and discovering new places, and watching Battlestar Galactica.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

Biagio: Crazy jobs! I performed singing telegrams for Eastern Onion in Ohio, dressed up as Tweety Bird and the Talking Christmas Tree at the mall, Barney and the Green Power ranger at kids parties, washed dishes, bagged groceries, delivered pizzas, and once tried to sell cigars at a telemarketing gig that lasted 56 minutes. I also edited actor's demo reels out of our one bedroom apartment in Hollywood, and actually met Steve Mazan (subject of Dying to do Letterman) when he hired me to edit his comedy reel.

Joke: I was an assistant to Gale Anne Hurd (producer of Terminator, Armageddon, and AMC's The Walking Dead) and worked at a talent management group for a while. A little more tame than Biagio's work history.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

Biagio: American: Pulp Fiction, Tombstone, Raiders of the Lost Ark Foreign: Cinema Paradiso TV Shows: The Wire, Psych, Game of Thrones, season 1 of The Shield, Boston Med

Joke: American: Braveheart, Foreign: Daens (Flemish) TV Shows: Friday Night Lights, The Wire, Rome, The Good Wife, Hard Knocks

How would you describe your film education?

Biagio: Learn by doing. Period. Film school was basically useless. See http://www.jokeandbiagio.com

Joke: Varied.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Biagio: Well, we're lucky to live in Los Angeles, so they do make a few movies here. But to us, the film scene is really the internet: Twitter, Facebook, our blog, places like Kickstarter -- that's where the action happens, people are getting noticed, and we're making real relationships every single day.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

Joke: Well, it's built a community of people who want to make movies no matter what, and could care less about traditional models. I think that's a good thing. More interesting projects are getting made, filmmakers are finding new audiences, and people are finding creative ways to network and get themselves noticed.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding?

Biagio: Well, clearly, we're all for it! We're in the middle of a great experiment, using Kickstarter to actually distribute our film. We're a few weeks in and have raised almost $47,000. We hope the community will come out and help us reach $100,000, which will allow us to follow the plan in Jon Reiss' book Think Outside the Box Office, and put the movie in theaters across the entire country.

What is the casting process like?

Joke: grueling, whether for a scripted film or a competition show like Scream Queens or Beauty and the Geek. You see thousands of people. So many are great. So few spots are available. And unless you're making an indie film where you get final say, you're casting by committee. There's between 10 and 20 people that need to sign off on a final cast. By the end, your drained, but hopefully you've found the best cast possible.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

Biagio: Upside: You get final say on everything. Downside: Everything's on your shoulders. A lot of indies tend to think less of the studio system -- but it's not without it's perks! Sometimes you just want to make a great project and not worry about marketing, legal, distribution, craft service, holding a boom pole yourself. Then again, nothing beats taking a project from the very beginning to the very end and knowing it's the truest manifestation of your original vision for the film.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why?

Biagio: Raiders of the Lost Ark. No movie has inspired my imagination more. Fight scenes, vintage airplanes, the wrath of God, and Harrison Ford stapled a hat to his head! Who wouldn't want to see that?

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

Joke: "You're gonna need a bigger boat." Sums up how you're never as prepared as you think you are -- especially in our line of work.

You could have any super power. What would it be?

Biagio: Convince Joke I'm always right.

What is your opinion on movie remakes?

Biagio: I'm all for them if they're good. Too many times the film is just "product" made to tap into a pre-existing audience. But give a remake to a real filmmaker and magic can happen. Look what Scorcsese did with "The Departed" (Based on Hong Kong crime-thriller 'Infernal Affairs') and "Cape Fear" (Based on J. Lee Thompson's thriller from 1962.) A remake can be great -- but it's up to someone to decide they're making a real movie. And don't forget John Carpenter's The Thing -- pretty good remake!

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

Joke: same as movie remakes -- someone has to go in and make the book into a motion picture. We can name a hundred movies that were poorly adapted, but then you have filmmakers who make magic like A Clockwork Orange, The English Patient, and one of our favorites, L.A Confidential.

What are the pros and cons when it comes to working with your spouse?

Biagio: Pros -- with as hard as we work, we'd never get to see each other unless we worked together, and I simply couldn't function without seeing Joke for most of my waking life.

Cons: Every time I see how awesome Joke is it reminds me I married out of my league.

Joke: Pros -- My parents worked together, my grandparents worked together -- I never knew anything else. For me, there's nothing better than sharing my life and dreams with Biagio knowing everything we do we do together.

Cons: It can be hard to get out of "work mode" -- we're always working. When we go to bed at night, get up in the morning, have lunch or dinner, the conversation is usually work related. It's important to remember to take time for us.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Biagio: We're so grateful to the community for supporting our Kickstarter project in such a big way. No matter when you read this article, please head on over to http://kck.st/r7rDZP. Even if you think the campaign might have ended, it hasn't. We're trusting the community to help us put Dying to do Letterman in theaters, and anyone will always be able to donate at least $1, whether at Kickstarter, or another site we'll set up. Whatever the deal, we'll let you know at the Kickstarter page.

Thanks for doing the interview. I will spread the word about your campaign for Dying to do Letterman.  On a side note: I heard Joke does a really good impression of a Cylon. I'm a big fan of BSG as well.

Author Sharon Williams

Sharon is a native of New England but now resides in North Carolina. She is married with 1 son. She is owned by a flock of 8 birds and 2 hamsters. She is working on her first MS which is a children's book based on her Amazon parrot Jasper.

Learn more about Sharon by clicking on the links below:

Sharon's Blog: http://newenglandmuse.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @NewEngland_Muse

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sharon-Williams/195232693863109

What is the current project you are working on?

I am working on my first MS, it's a children's book. It is based on my Amazon parrot Jasper. It is set in the Amazon.

Did you always want to be a writer?

No, it had never occurred to me- I had always thought this was a field set aside for people who had skill and talent

What inspired you to become writer?

My husband told one of my friends that I wrote really well. A year or so after I started thinking of a story in my head and it would not go away. Later that year I had 2 surgeries within 3 months of each other( not related).  Having time to recover, I decided to put my thoughts on paper. I have been writing ever since, from short stories to full blown books.

What is the best thing about being a writer?

You can write about anything- from personal history to things you know. A writer can make up anything with different scenarios that makes their readers think.  I have always been an avid reader.  The thought that one day I can be one of those writers that bring people joy excites me.

What is the worst thing about being one?

The process one has to go through once a book is complete. So many hoops to jump through, it is not an easy business especially for the first time writer like myself. The easiest part is the writing no doubt 

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I am working on my first MS, in the process of editing and fine tuning it. However, I have a nice collection of short stories. Down the road, I plan on making two of them into a book.

Who is your favorite author?

Oh an easy question for me- Stephen King. I am from Maine and bias. However, I do love his works. Agatha Christie, James Patterson, Bentley Little and Greg Ilse are other authors I follow.  These are the books you will see mostly in my library.  However being an avid reader- I read basically anything between two binders.
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How has your life changed since you became a writer?

It has consumed me. I look at things differently now. Before I started writing, I was going through the motions of life. I see things through a different perspective now. Looking at people, I now go hmm how can I make that into a story?  I wonder what they are thinking and doing.  I use my senses more now.  I look at everything as a potential story.  For example, I have a long going war with the squirrels in my back yard.  I am not a fan.  Yet  I wrote a short story( I am on page 23 and still going) in 3rd person on what they thought of me.  It made me rethink, so yeah my life has not been the same.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to become a writer?
I know it sounds like a cliche but this has been the best advice I have ever received. Write on what you know.  It is really that easy.  A writer just needs to know a little tidbit and turn it into a short story or book.

What do you like to do besides writing?

I am owned by 8 birds and 2 hamsters. I love to read,take pictures,walk, exercise, go to the movies and listen to music. I am a budding bird watcher and learning to crochet on the side.  I run a book club in town but also am a member of one at a local library. I am a huge sports fan. I love baseball, basketball, hockey and football.  I like to stay busy needless to say.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a writer?

My jobs have varied from janitor to cashier to office assistant to chemist




How would you describe your education?

I have a BS degree in Chemistry

How would you describe the writing "scene" where you live?

There are many writers in my area. In fact, I am a member of 2 writing groups. The need and want is here.

How has social media changed the publishing film industry?

It helps writers promote themselves. The writers gets to "meet" and talk with fellow writers. Everyone knows writing is a solitary job- the need for social interaction is there.  Places like Twitter and Facebook and the likes gives writers a chance to share information and ask question. Ideas can be exchanged and a network is formed. It is so beneficial mentally and emotionally.

What is your thought process like when your writing?

I lose all track of time. The world could be coming to an end and I would be oblivious to it.  When I am writing, I envision the scenes in my head. I try to imaging the reality of what I am writing down on paper.  I think of different options, scenes and problems. I will write them down on the side in case I can use them later.  I tend to write by long hand- the flow works better for me. It consumes me and  I love it.

You could have any book in the world. Which would it be?

The bible- hands down.

You could be any animal. Which would you be?

Anyone who knows me would say a bird and they be right. I have owned or rather been owned by birds since 1998, they are my inspiration- relaxation

You could have any super power. What would it be?

To fly

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

Unless the author helps with the screenwriting or does it themselves- then I tend to worry they will mess it up.

There have been some amazing movies that have done honor to the book they are adapting from- but it is a hit or miss .

You could have any first edition book. Which would it be?

Drawing blank

 

 

 

Thanks Sharon for doing the interview. I wish you the best of luck with your book. Please let me know when it is published. I'm sure my niece would love to read it.

Interview with Sean Hackett

Below is my interview with Sean Hackett.

What is the current project you are working on?

I just finished a small project that is part of a bigger project with the family of Robert Altman. It doesn't have a title yet and will probably be out this winter. It was myself, Robert Edgecomb (who shot One Big Holliday for My Morning Jacket), Josh Polon (who shot/edit/produced Jay Duplass's award-winning documentary Kevin), and Daniel Williams (who is the Sundance Labs' sound guy and did the sound for Homecoming) traveling around the Tennessee / North Carolina countryside to follow legendary singer/songwriter Danny Darst. Danny is a bit of a ghost, so we never had any planned agendas. We were constantly leaving the bar or dinner table to capture what he was doing. He's very different than other musicians you'd meet in Nashville. He reads Plato and listens to Mozart and sifts through old junkyards looking for antique parts.

I'm also starting a project this fall in the midwest and preparing for that. All while doing a lot of work on the distribution side of Homecoming.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

To say I never wanted to be a journalist, FBI agent, graphic artist, or something practical would be a lie. But I can tell you that I've always loved filmmaking and always hoped that somehow the cards would be right for me to become one. I read as many interviews w/ directors or writers as I can. Jeff Goldsmith's Q&A was literally my motivator / film school. One thing that you often hear from directors is that they remember their first film they saw in Theaters. I have a notebook filled with other director's firsts. For me it was Top Gun. I was 3 but I remember everything. Missing the first two minutes and having to sit in the back (my parents could only afford the Dollar Theatrers) . I remember dancing in my seat to "Shake My Nerves and You Rattle My Brain". I remember crying and having to leave the theater with my dad when Goose died. I remember the Brucheimer-esque sex scene. I remember my uncle losing his wallet between the seats. I remember eating at Fuhrs cafeteria and trying to understand the Cold War while eating fish sticks. I love how movies are ways to see other peoples Daydreams or Imagination.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

Being an only child that lived in an older residential area, I often laid on my stomach and drew on printer paper from his old job. I often created sequels and crossover sequels to films or cartoons I loved. My parents weren't artists to say the least (my mom was a Med Tech and my dad was an accountant) but I think they knew pretty on that I loved to be imaginative. When I was the right age, around 10-11, they surprised me with a vacation to Disneyworld in Florida. At the MGM Studios they had a tour of the animation department and I heard what "Storyboard Artisits" did and through out gradeschool I sort of wanted to do that. I was almost too involve with becoming a storyboard artist for a long time. When my friends thought about asking out girls in junior high, I thought about going to an Animation Camp ran by Disney....and maybe finding a cute girl to make out with there...but mostly Animation Camp.

What is the best thing about being one?

In one word. Everything. Every part of the process is like getting to travel to a new, awe-inspiring location that you've only seen in postcards. I really love assembly a cast and crew and collaborating with them. There are these moments where you're watching a scene being filmmed and then part of your brain switches on and says "15 years ago you were doing this in your backyard with Jack Smedile and Patrick Clark". And the crew I have worked with, you sort of get that electric feeling ...the same way you do with Rookie Atheletes , that their potential is worth jumping on the bandwagon for. You want to succeed because you want them to succeed and vice versa.

Writing a story is a personal journey for me. It's a marathon made up of confessions and childhood yearnings with characters I have had in my head for years. And then there's editing, which I feel like I do with a kindred spirit like Kate Hackett. She's sort of the compliment to everything I feel weak about and yet she and I have the same passions and frustrations that it takes to make a quality film in the editing room. Having legelnds like David Kitchens & Ben Zaria or Art Freed & Bruce Goodman who have worked with the very best directors in Hollywood take on your film so it's made for theaters even better. But the finishing touches... like having Gingger Shankar (the award winning composer from Sundance hit Circumstance) show up to a recording session with a terrific harpist and turn your independent into a major - i still get goosebumps with that. I dunno... it's all priceless.

What is the worst thing about being one?

I mostly worry if the project i'm working on can advance myself and my crew to getting more chances to make films. I'm always have this fear that I'll be working at an Enterprise Rent-A-Car in 2-5 years.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

Probably over 50 if you include short films. I've done a bunch for AFI, UCLA, and USC over the years. In terms of features, probably 10?

Who is is your favorite filmmaker?

I was at the bar the other night and forced to say one and one only. So... it's Cameron Crowe. I picked him 1A over 1B , Alfonso Cauron because he's written all of his screenplays. Crowe tells these magical, personal stories that relate to everyone in the audience. I root for his characters more than any other filmmakers. His pacing ,editing, music, and dialogue is an explosion of American Cinema that can't be replicated. The common argument is that visually he's not up with Scorsese, Kubrick Spielberg, or Terrence Malick or as bold as someone like Robert Altman, Alfred Hitchcock, or PT Anderson - but every film he's directed has had an epic, visually stunning scene. And I think with him, he doesn't always strive for every scene to be masterful because he captures us with those 5 or 6. All of his screenplays are just hypnotizing to me, even some of his darker stuff.

But to add to the list in no order at all..... Richard Linklater (Before Sunrise/Sunset = Top 10) , Andrew Stanton , Brad Bird, Pete Docter, JJ Abrams, Robert Redford, Jason Reitman , David Fincher (first boss) Hal Ashby , Rian Johnson , Shawn Levy, Robert Zemeckis (who needs a comeback) , Woody Allen, The Coens, Guillermo Del Torro, , Jay and Mark Duplass, Zach Weintraub, Lucas McNelly

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

I feel more self-assured with making the decision to move to LA and try to get to the point where I am directing films. Whether Homecoming was good or bad, I'm trying my best to make sure my next film is a solid follow up. I'm probably more mellow. For some reason I also really crave Del Taco's 49 cent bean and cheese burritos alot since I became one.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

Ask other directors questions. Work with directors. The one part of my career that was a changing point for me was working with Jay and Mark Duplass. We're different directors cinematically, but they took a lot of time to teach me the perfect recipe of Ambition and Patience without being a douchebag. From big to small scripts they genuinely thank and love their cast and crew. Both of them have this contagious personality that carried off with me to other projects.

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

I love journalism. My grandfather was a journalist and I'd like to write articles for a movie blog or something like that. I approached GordonandtheWhale.com with an idea that I think they liked, I just need to find time to do it. I also garden and cook. My blackberries are incredible this year.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

I worked at a Best Buy in college. I also ran a football website for CBSSportsline.com while I was in high school. That's a story that I need to write.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

All Time Favorite : Back to the Future

Gradeschool: Jurassic Park (saw it 15 times in theaters), Dumbo , Ferris Bueler’s Day Off , Quiz Show , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

High School : The Graduate, Good Will Hunting, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, Say Anything, North By Northwest, M*A*S*H.

College: Y Tu Mama Tambien, Before Sunrise/Sunset, Big Lebowski, The Last Detail, Finding Nemo, Almost Famous

Post : Puffy Chair, All The Presidents Men, Children of Men, Brick, Little Miss Sunshine, Half Nelson, Nashville

TV Series = Twilight Zone, LOST, West Wing, Community Modern Family (they are first comedy series i really loved) , Friday Night Lights , and guilty pleasure is Deadliest Warrior or maybe Dawson's Creek Season 1 and half of Season 2)

Foreign Films = I digg French New Wave a lot. Japanese Animation and French Animation is almost always in my Netflix Que. I thought the Illusionist was quite cool. Probably the last one I saw.

How would you describe your film education?

Inspiration / Writing - Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith. http://www.theqandapodcast.com/ . Jeff is actually from my hometown and one of the nicest, funniest people I've met. He used to run Creative Writer Magazine but started his own thing. I never had money for film school after College. Not even night classes. But since I've moved here

I've listened to his stuff. He gets everything you need to get a chip on your shoulder and tell yourself to writer as well as get you into the heads of some of the top up and coming writers.

Directing - I worked in development on mid-to-major studio films. Production on small independent films. And Post Production with mid-sized independent films.

The studio jobs (Sony , Jerry Bruckheimer) paid my bills, but on weekends I would run around town working on short films for AFI, USC, UCLA. That's how I learned about what is needed for sets. I didn't really direct my first short film until 3 years. I'd volunteer to do everything from casting to PAing to 2nd AC / 2nd ADing on them. I mostly watched other people make mistakes with their parents money before i felt confident to make my own.

Producing - I got an HVX-200 off of craigslist for $1000. I served as a producer on alot of peoples shorts and even features by offering the camera / my apartment for the credit. Usually i was a one man craft service, equipment , grip , location manager...but all of those moments helped me appreciate producers and their thankless jobs. It's also awesome helping out other up-and-coming directors get off the ground.

Watching Films - I see two movies a week in theatres and a lot on Netflix Streaming. I ran a short film festival where I got to meet other great filmmakers.

Scripts - Also I read a lot of scripts - luckily Homecoming helped me sign w/ Chris Davey of Media Talent Group. He's a fantastic manager and he and his assistant have gotten me the chance to read a lot of blacklist and up and coming screenplays. I read about 1 script a day, usually in the afternoon.

News / Critics - most of my brain fart time is spent reading about 20 different news websites. I send letters to the writers if I like their work. Most people writing reviews or articles do it out of the passion of film, so a letter can make their week. Film Criticism / Journalism is a part of Filmmaking in my mind. They are the Oracles of what audiences or maybe more importantly what "word of mouth" audiences want and hate.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

I live in LA, but my next project is going to be in the Midwest. As far as LA goes, I've been cynical myself but I don't think Studios or Development is as evil as The Player or Barton Fink or Movies That Hate Hollywood put out. One of my really good friends is a Studio Executive for Fox named Missy Foster. She's passionate about character pieces and has that same charisma that the old studios days of Disney used to have. And it's not just her. It might be my generation and the few ahead of me and it might be PIXAR or BAD ROBOT, but collaboration without "drama" is sort of on a silent comeback. That being said, I think a lot of people get jaded by studios because they are waiting for the right studio executive to read their screenplay and make it into the next summer blockbuster. I personally feel that that's very unrealistic. I plan to keep making low budget character pieces until a studio sees my vision and wants to give me a shot on something. It could be 2 years it could be 5. Do I want to shoot studio films? Sure. But it's been proven that good films can be made with great crews outside of the studio, so why I should I restrict that opportunity?

In terms of Orlando, Nashville, and now The Midwest... their film scenes are getting stronger. Social Networking has helped. Technology of Cameras has helped. I personally love to shoot extreme wideshots of amazing looking exteriors aka free production value. People in small towns embrace that, whereas everyone in LA is pretty savvy and are immune to the magic of a film crew moving into their neighborhood. There's something strong about a crew moving to a location outside of their hometown. You sort of create a mini Army Unit where working on a film is a lifetime experience rather than a 9 hour job.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

I had a conversation with someone the other day about how every friend that I've made out here has happened because of an e-mail or facebook and now twitter. I think Kickstarter and Demand It are terrific tools. AMC Theatres is open to films being streamed off of a server and into Hometown Screens. Youtube , Hulu , Netflix Stream are all parts of everyone's vocab.

What's your opinion on crowdfunding and recent crowdfunding scandals?

The creators of Kickstarter will probably have a chapter dedicated to them in the history books of new millennium. And they deserve it. Yancey Strickler's legacy has barely scratched the surface but it's going to revamp small business into the next era of the economy. This goes beyond films. The chance to help others start their own business is what we need more of. We used to rely on the super wealthy and banking system to create our visions - and when they decided that we were too costly to make products and chains domestically they went to China and India and other 3rd worlds. It's the one way we have right now to bring our company back. One of my favorite memories of last year was seeing the girl get her own shaved ice company started through Kickstarter. Mark Bell is doing some so admirable with it too, trying to restart Film Threat to pay his writers by using Kickstarter. It's part very old school, with a new age twist. We used to build our neighbor's barn. Now we can build their dreams.

In terms of movies, it's impact has already started. Sundance had a film or two that was fully funded by KS. I'm sure 25% or more will be KS funded next year. My next film will be Crowdfunded, on the simple account that I know that when I was 16 the chance to produce a short film for a weekend of busing tables would be the best investment ever. I also sort of hate the wait game with making low-budget films. There's usually that guy with $100,000 that is and isn't in. It's a lot of frustration that isn't needed at all.

In terms of everything else... I don't know if I'm caught up on Crowdfunding Scandals yet? I know about the Four Eyed Monsters kid and thought he was tackling something too big again. He's an ambitious kid, but a little bit of a self-proclaimed indie messiah. He had a whole From Here To Awesome project that blew up really bad. And he always has a ton of bad karma around him - stuff gets stolen and he cries about it on the net. I was a bit stunned to see him go around DYI days and pitch a new idea. His heart is in the right place, but I don't think that he's the type of mind that could conceive an idea for the one-cure-all for independent filmmakers. I've heard he spent that money on his Burning Man weirdness but no one has verified that? So I'm just going by the fact that he had a project that never finished. But who is to say that that's his fault or the investors fault? Major films the people who come up with a movie have a bond company create a competition agreement for the project/film. Kickstarter doesn't really have that, so your trust in the person you invest in. If they don't complete...maybe you have the right to punch them really hard in the face ? But then they'll cry again on camera.

The only other scandal was about Quasi Celebrities joining Kickstarter. Some people who had hot tempers blew up about it. From a business perspective Kickstarter has been mostly filmmakers supporting other filmmakers and family members supporting other filmmakers. To get press on KS and the average follower of Colin Hanks or Moby look at that site means that more non-aquintances will be interested in your project. It's actually very brilliant. My best advice is to just research the project and be careful with investments?

What is the casting process like?

You always want to be the star maker and not star breaker. Casting is a ton of fun because you get to meet the next potential star. My first job had me making 50 page databases of actors, actresses, writers, director for a great guy named Mike Medavoy. After that I created a never-ending spreadsheet that i keep names of actors/actresses that I think have "it". I got to have first hand experience that "it" with Homecoming / Brea Grant. To me the "it" is a person who's more than an actor / actress. A lot of talent in this town can be over fixed with being famous or getting told their attractive. I like an actor or actress that I can talk about life with. The more emotionally intelligent an actor is the more relatable they can get with the audience. If Brea wasn't an actress should could easily make it as a history professor or who knows, a soldier? I was telling an actress the other day that the final two people who came down to playing Estelle in Homecoming were Brea and another actress. The other actress was a full-time nurse and a writer/comedian. The actress who played Lindsay (my character's ex-girlfriend), Christina Bach Norman, in the film is actually a Lawyer for the state of Florida. Tom Fox Davies is a musician and jack of all trades. So I guess I like people who aren't tunnel vision about one career.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

I'm not sure it does? Independent film usually means that it wasn't by a studio. Mainstream means that it's generally likable or made for the broadest audience possible. I don't really like that there's an "independent cinema genre" or "indie crowd". I'm not saying that I don't appreciate supporters of independent cinema, but the one thing

that both the studios and independents are guilty of doing is taking audiences for granted. Coming from the Midwest, I was a huge product of that assumption. I remember seeing Memento, Before Sunrise, and Hedwig and the Angry Itch at my hometown Arthouse with kids that played on the Football team and loved The Rock and Twister.

A huge amount of directors from this summer started out in independent film. The fact is that stories are only as good as their storyteller. Studios make great movies. Non-studio funded films turn out to be great movies. Both have things that aren't people's tastes.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why?

Charade. It has Audrey Hepburn , Carey Grant, Walter Mathieu , and James Coburn and was filmed in Paris. I've always been in love with Grant's classic banter mixed with Hepburn's quick wit. Other than that, I'd probably love having a Martini with Sean Connery, a flask with William Powell and Myma Loy , a cigar with Alfred Hitchcock, a cigarette with Rod Serling, and a thick joint with Kubrick.

What's your favorite movie quote and why?

Walter Sobchak: That rug really tied the room together, did it not?

I quote Coen Bros movies a lot. Lebowski is my most quotable. I also have a t-shirt that says "I'm your Huckleberry" from Doc Holliday, Tombstone.

You could have any super power. What would it be?

I'd like to have the Flash 's powers. That way I could write a screenplay and lose my beer gut in a mater of minutes...

What is your opinion on movie remakes?

I'm going to say something crazy...but here goes. I think problem isn't that studios are making them, i think the problem is that studios aren't developing them correctly. They don't need time, but they need notes, they need fresh eyes who will bluntly point out the elephant in the room. The problem with successful franchising is that everyone who was part of it, thinks they were a huge reason for it and by that belief they believe that they should infact get more power to make it even better. That's when things sort of get messy. As much flack as studios get, some of our favorite films took tens years to make because Producers / Studio Execs saw that they needed more time. I read the first Script to the Hangover and had it been the shooting script it wouldn't have been a success. The first Pirates and first Matrix took years to make with tons of rewrites. Pixar has reshot a lot of their films because of lack of satisfaction. Every movie should strive to put us into unique moment with relatable characters. A great movie is a great first date. The second date is always anticipated, but sometimes you look too far long-term to make it memorable.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

My main point on remakes or book adaptations is that I want them to give me something more than what the book gave me. I applaud when a director or writer will use the material to make a movie rather than try to cram a book into a 2 hours of film footage. Jurrasic Park is an excellent film, but some people hate that they left out parts from the book. But that's because Jurrasic Park was written to be a novel and not a movie. I see no difference between what Spielberg did with Jurrasic Park than what Nolan did with Batman or Fincher did with Social Network (or Speilberg did to JAWS) Nothing on film will ever triumph over your imagination's vision when reading a novel. That's why people will always hark on filmmakers breaking canon.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Just that my last film Homecoming would love to play in your home town. We're looking for people to DEMAND it at http://tinyrul.com/demandhomecoming . If you're a filmmaker, inspire the Underdogs. If you have any questions e-mail me @ seanhackett@gmail.com

Thanks for doing the interview Sean.  keep me posted on your vurious projects.

Filmmaker Andretti Dante

Andretti Dante was born in San Antonio, TX he first found his love for films when he saw the film Back To The Future at the early age of 7 years old. Andretti would go on to play sports as a child but was always fascinated with films. Once in high school Dante would find his true calling when he joined his high schools television program ECTV. That is when Andretti would start to gather his skills as a filmmaker. He would write, shoot and edit all his short films, television shows and music videos himself. Editing with a 3 VCR set-up Dante says "With all this new technology it makes it so easy now to edit. I love editing I personally don't see how any director doesn't edit their own films."

After graduating high school Andretti would later attend film school at Full Sail University in Orlando, FL. After graduation Andretti went on to work for Fox News in San Antonio, TX where he became a key member in the San Antonio Spurs pre-game and post game shows, as well as directed numerous local commercials. Andretti left Fox News to focus more on film making, where he then moved to Southern California, and within a years time of been there he directed over a dozen music videos, wrote, directed, and produced multiple webisodes (Muzik Nation and Urban Legendz).

Andretti also wrote, produced, and directed his first straight to DVD feature film called “Streetz Keep Callin Me”. Andretti currently has in development and production "Exit 13", "Zombies vs. Scarecrows", "The Religion(film trilogy)", "When The Smoke Clears" and the highly anticipated "Book Of 1,000 Deaths".

What is the current project you are working on?

Currently I'm working on a few projects, I have EXIT 13, THE RELIGION, DECEPTION and LIES, SENDING OUT THE CLOWNS and I just wrapped up WHAT IF. But the main thing on the board is EXIT13.

 
Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

Since the second grade I wanted to make movies, I use to think I would have to be an actor to break in to hollywood. So that why I have a huge background in acting because I took it very serious from second grade all the way up to college.

 
What inspired you to become filmmaker?

Once I saw Back to the Future I knew I wanted to make movies for the rest of my life.

 What is the best thing about being one?

The ability to create, tell stories and do what you love.

 What is the worst thing about being one?

The worst thing would have to be being judged, but at the sometime you want that satisfaction of someone else approval of what you created so its a give and take situation.

 What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

Filmmaker Rebecca Davis

Rebecca Isbill Davis is a filmmaker based out of Greenville, SC. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Film from Bard College and a Master's in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University. She has 10 years of on-set experience. In the past year, Rebecca has completed two short films. She produced MJ Slide's "The Saving," and wrote and directed her own short film, "Paradox in Noir." She is currently in pre-production for a web series entitled "Twilight of the Gods." In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys playing music and singing and making things, mostly out of duct tape.

What is the current project you are working on?

I'm working on "Twilight of the Gods." It's a web series that's a modern-day adaptation of the same Norse mythology Richard Wagner used for his epic Ring Cycle operas.

Did you always want to be a filmmaker?

No. The first thing I wanted to be was an FBI agent. Ever since I visited the FBI building in Washington D.C. And that was the plan up until about Junior year in high school.

What inspired you to become filmmaker?

Actually, it was probably Tim Burton. He was the first director whose style I could really identify film to film. It made me realize how you could express yourself through the medium, and, being both a visual artist and a musician it seemed like the right fit. It combined everything I loved to do.

What is the best thing about being one?

Filmmaking makes me feel TRULY free. I can imagine whatever I please, without limits or rules.

What is the worst thing about being one?

It costs. A LOT. And I have to get very creative in funding productions.

What is the estimated number of projects you have worked on?

I'd say 12 or so. Every role from PA to Camera Department to Wardrobe to Producing/Directing and Writing. I've done a little of everything!

Who is is your favorite filmmaker?

Orson Welles or Jean-Luc Godard. Maya Deren was pretty badass. Werner Herzog is crazy, but pretty awesome. Coen Brothers and Christopher Nolan are fun.

How has your life changed since you became a filmmaker?

I have far less time. But I feel much more fulfilled.

What is one piece of advice you can give to someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?

Just start making films. Write. Shoot. Shoot all the time. Crew other's films whenever you can. Network yourself! Just keep moving forward. And shoot! I learn something new each and every day through one part of the creative process or another. Eventually, I'll figure it out!

What do you like to do besides filmmaking?

I play the piano and the ukelele. I call myself Geekelele and play really geeky songs. In general, I'm a nerd.

Have you had any other jobs before you decided to become a filmmaker?

I still have another job! But, no, I have always seen filmmaking as my career. I have an impressive retail resume, though.

What are some of your favorite American films? Foreign films? Television shows?

Call me cliche, but "Citizen Kane" blows my mind every time. "Wait Until Dark" still gives me chills. Also in my upper ranks: "Silence of the Lambs," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," and "Blade Runner."

As for foreign films, pretty much anything Godard has made, especially "Breathless" and "Alphaville." I also love Japanese cinema. Kurosawa's films are amazing.

And since I'm doing the whole series thing now I have to cover the TV shows! I'm pretty much straight sci-fi/fantasy when it comes to television. "Doctor Who," "Star Trek," "Stargate SG-1," "Battlestar Galactica," "Firefly," "Torchwood…. need I go on? I also love British Comedy ("The IT Crowd," "Ab Fab," "Spaced"…)

I could go on about this all day.

How would you describe your film education?

I studied film in high school through a public school program at Greenville, SC's Fine Arts Center. I attended Bard College and graduated with a degree in Film and Electronic Arts. I also graduated from Full Sail University with a Master's in Entertainment Business. I have been working on sets from college on. I also aspire to go back to school for my doctorate in Film History.

How would you describe the film "scene" where you live?

Small, but ambitious. A lot of people in the area want to get more involved in filmmaking, but many are not quite sure how to go about it. But the upstate of SC has some amazing resources and locations.

How has social media changed the independent film industry?

Social media is the reason I could move back to my hometown from NYC and still make films. It has singlehandedly grown the independent film community to the global effort that it is today. I have never known so many people that I've never met in real life. Social media has opened so many opportunities for alternative ways of funding productions, screening them, and distributing them. It's really amazing how the industry has changed in such a short period of time.

What's your opinion on crowd funding?

Having just successfully funded the pilot ep of TOTG, I have to say I'm a fan. But make no mistake, pulling off a successful campaign is pretty much a full-time job on its own. You have to put the time in to get the results back. Toka Kokan. Equivalent Exchange.

How does independent film differ from the mainstream?

The answer to this question largely depends on your definition of the two terms. I'm going to go for the more cerebral definitions instead of the cut and dry ones for my answer.

I think most people don't know what independent film really is. I think the internet is changing that slowly. Mainstream films are products, plain and simple. Some of them are pretty neat. Some of them actually have some substance. But they're products in which every detail has been determined based on how much money it could bring in. Take the inverse of that and you get indie film. Indie films are made because a group of people wanted to express something. And sometimes some of them make a profit.

This is not to say that, hands down, indie films are better than mainstream ones. I've seen my share of poor indies as well. In fact, I think that this very question is one of those argument starter questions that they wouldn't let you ask in elementary school.

But that makes it fun.

You could go back in time and see any classic film being made. Which film would it be and why?

"Citizen Kane", of course. Not only is the cinematography unbelievable, Orson Welles was larger than life.

What's your favorite movie quote?

"Six years ago, I looked at a picture of the world's greatest newspaper men. I felt like a kid in front of a candy store. Well, tonight, six years later, I got my candy -- all of it." -C.F. Kane (Orson Welles) from "Citizen Kane"

What is your opinion on movie remakes and sequels?

I think they are relied too heavily upon. Some of them are lots of fun, but I'm concerned that it has made story-tellers lazy. That being said, my series is a sort of remake/adaptation itself. I think sometimes you can remake a film in a really compelling different way by taking it and really making it your own. When it feels like a straight remake, though, it feels like a waste.

What is your opinion on book to movie adaptions?

I'm very open to them. And I'm definitely not as picky as some about staying true to the book. Books and movies are completely different mediums. Some things that work in books just don't translate to film. Sometimes it takes making concepts more relevant to a mainstream movie audience. I remember plenty of instances where I saw a movie, found out it was based on a book/comic/etc, and then rushed to find and devour the source material. Sometimes an adaptation can open the door for a whole new audience for the book. It's a symbiotic relationship, really, even if liberties are taken in the shift from book to movie.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I'm really enjoying figuring out how to get a web series off the ground. I think the transition to web-based entertainment is the way of things, and I'm excited to get going on this project. It's been a steep learning curve, but totally worth it. Look for the pilot episode mid to late September.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Rebecca for doing the interview. Good luck with you webseries. Please send me a link to the pilot when it is on the web.