More Discussions With The Filmmaker
I've received so many private comments from fans of the film and I've enjoyed the discourse with you folks enormously. Oddly enough, people who love the film send private emails, whereas people who are infuriated by it post public condemnations.
Let the conversation continue, and please don't be shy about posting questions here.
Note: the number one question I receive is 'what did Caroline hear at the end of the film'?
I don't think it spoils anything for people who've not seen it to tell you: she hears her own voice calling her name. I'll leave it to you to interpret what that means, of course.
The film has a 5.1 Surround Sound soundtrack, and some non-surround systems may remix the audio in such a way that nuance is diminished. So by all means, if you have a surround system, crank it up!
Let the conversation continue, and please don't be shy about posting questions here.
Note: the number one question I receive is 'what did Caroline hear at the end of the film'?
I don't think it spoils anything for people who've not seen it to tell you: she hears her own voice calling her name. I'll leave it to you to interpret what that means, of course.
The film has a 5.1 Surround Sound soundtrack, and some non-surround systems may remix the audio in such a way that nuance is diminished. So by all means, if you have a surround system, crank it up!
posted by Grinning Idiot at
12:05 PM
8 Comments:
Ok, I won't shy away!
It's a down and dirty shame that this film had no theatrical release and that you were not catapulted to fame-infamy. I'm sure it doesn't much matter, that there's a lot more where this came from. But I was thinking red carpets, what is he wearing, etc etc all for "filmcasting" Jay in an admixture of admiration and teeth gnashing I would look on from behind my little computer in my little apartment . . . working on my little... oh never mind!
Ok I didn't really personally like this film, but I admired your skills, talent, corazon y cojones. It was a spectacular debut. I was frustrated by what seemed to me the sort of trivialization debasement demonization of the less than sympathetic characters, and of the similar reductivity of the depiction of the main characters before their seeing the light, that sort of thing. I also didn't go for the ending of American Beauty, even Ohran Pamuk's writings about Islamic fundamentalists make me a little uncomfortable, even secular as all hell Woody Allen wrankles on this score in a way having nothing to do with religion really. But most of these peoples sins on this score are writ smaller I guess. I mean they don't provoke frustration all through the film. I am an atheist, by the way. And in sum, I think I felt distanced by this film cause I felt patronized as an infidel pervert, enjoined to despise my enemies when frankly I'd much rather we just get to know each other well enough to feel empathy and possibly respect.
I also . . . kind of disliked the conventional sitcom device of relying on sustained, difficult to manage suspension of disbelief that was required to go with the newly liberated family members' apparent inability to remember how they used to think. It leaves you wondering about the story you are at this moment craving to see, how it would be for these formerly close characters to be able to communicate about this change that has overtaken some of them.
Some parts of it were just so beautiful and perfectly realized: my favorite scene is the one with Joe Romano playing you-know-who (how sweet was that bit of casting? my favorite "touch" of the entire thing. [he wants to be a pig from hell but what he really is is a christ figure...] but why was he not credited in the film?) honestly, that part even now brings tears to my eyes to think back on...and I'm tearing up halfway through, the way the scene plays out brings that scene to a . . . condition of having been overall a most remarkable achievement.
I liked the kids, good actors! I like the gameness of the two parents.
The scene with the ice cubes spreading like some kind of epidemic in the quiet little town was also just irresistible, a classic bit!
The stolen scenes are just a source of such profoundly satisfying delight: they look entirely like big budget shoots at the high school football game. Go team go! You must continue to shoot your own movies, right?
Anyway now I feel like only people who receive TLA catalogues are going to know anything this film. I hope you can one day get it on cable besides the Sundance Channel. The movie is a phenomenon that ought to have been a public phenomenon.
Anyway, congrats and keep on...
Hello Anonymous, or, as I now think of you, Infidel Pervert. (C'mon -- if you throw something that good at me I'm gonna use it.)
You're one of those people who didn't care for the film who I actually think I'd hang out with -- it usually goes the other way (and I'm sure it's usually mutual).
I can't imagine what it might be like to view this story through an atheist's eyes without having a fairly loud dialogue going on in your head the whole time. Kudos for making it through to the end!
You quibble with some of the story points. Fair 'nuff. I can tell you where I'm coming from. The film that I shot tells exactly the story I wanted to tell. Sure, when writing it, I had to keep it small enough to actually make without a crew -- but, script-wise, I don't have many regrets. I strongly believe in trying to create new voices in American film making. It simply can't happen if you adhere too closely to the Hollywood script template. (I'm having a hard time talking about this thoroughly without referencing the story, which I don't want to do here for obvious reasons.)
I wish I could have had the 'thing' that happens 16 minutes in happen 10 minutes in, but I felt we needed to see these people living the 'old way' long enough to get a strong sense of who they are.
You made a 'Joe Romano' comment -- he's not in the film. Not sure what you're referencing. Jesus? That was Pop DaSilva. The Coach was Khris Scaramanga.
As for the method of making a film without a crew, it's great for your first film but I don't want to do it again. I'd love to work with a good DP -- I'd rather be able to play with my actors more while on set, and you can't do that when you're setting lights, sound equipment, and shooting.
Hmm... I'm out of time at the moment -- maybe I can pick up this thread again in a bit.
Thanks so much for your comment, IP.
ah oh I looked him up, found a pic you're so right it's not "biker pigs from hell" joe romano... was sure it was and that the method of voiceover had to do with his kind of strange "divine" sort of vocal quality, maybe it had to do with the wind in the field... the idea it was joe romano was just a fantasy of mine... sweet guy he is...
I wasn't thinking hollywood script template was a problem, rather it was adherence to sitcom conventions that I thought could have been . . .. transcended... for me the relentlessness of the punch lines, almost every other line intended as a big knee slapper, was something I found oppressive...
I wasn't suggesting no crew but if you don't want to shoot either that's fine by me, obviously you can communicate with a DP lol
do tell me what camera you'd use if you were shooting this film today, as I asked in a pps I think :)
your welcome for comments for what they're worth, the point of view of a not too typical moviegoer who dislikes many many more movies than he likes have meant to sort of put in my 2 cents for some time finally got around to it. . .
I did enjoy "ghost town" on friday btw, you might like it methinks . . .
It's so odd that you perceive a sitcom style to the comedy in FTF -- it's not intended at all. In fact, the comedy is usually played so straight, it doesn't read as comedy to some viewers.
I'm putting together a couple of projects now -- one large and one small.
The large one will not be digital, but the smaller one will. My producing partner and I are looking into the RED system for the digital project, but haven't decided yet.
And since you said 'methinks', you're definitely among friends here.
you're missing my point about the camera I think, I mean red is out of reach for me, I'm wondering basically whether if you had only 2 grand say for your camera to shoot with would it be the canon or would you go hi def at that same price point, if you even. . . feel like you are keeping up with . . .prosumer type developments to answer. . .
well I don't know if sitcom is really correct but let me put it this way, when your laughs were visual they were a lot more satisfying to me, I felt there was a bit too much in the way of witty verbal fireworks... that script's to me excessively polished comic finish as it were... was a drawback, I felt too aware that there was this writer trying to be funny, and it took me out of the moment. that's my real ... point. . . but I'm a tough customer as you've seen and if you please you me... well that's amazing but you might be leaving other childs behind. . . for sure. . . but still, I think this ... observation has some objective truth to it...
anyway thanks for indulging me. a ce moment it's not like I can afford to shoot with any camera I don't own already anyhow so I don't know what the f-heck I'm asking for as by the time I'm ready to roll, it's going to be a new generation of tech...
Hey Anon --
Contact me directly at frank@grinningidiot.com -- we'll yap about cameras.
Hey Floyd,
was this based on some sort of personal experience? If not, how did you come so close to real ity?
We both have been 'over to the other side' and i have had several experiences that were, way out of body, and life changing. Had the "church" attack us, just like in your VERY WELL DONE movie!
Thanks so much for doing this, we had a greatlaugh and watched it several times!
zip and zar
Hey Z&Z --
I knew the film would speak to some people -- and deeply so -- but I must say your account is the strongest bullseye yet.
I myself have not had the experience of crossing over -- but I did grow up in the South... well, not really the same thing at all, is it?
And your names have me very intrigued. I'm so glad that you watched the film more than once -- there are tidbits buried all over it that I don't think a normal person gets the first time.
Yours --
Jay
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