GCFF Part Two: Director's Meeting & Interviews with Chris Sirmans & John Ross

Howdy all. The GCFF is in full swing now, with filmmakers shooting at random locations and the feeling of overwhelming madness is in the air. In order to combat this very thing, I make it a point to hold weekly Director Meetings on Thursdays after school to cover certain things with the kids (LIKE DEADLINES), keep my board on the wall updated with jobs completed for all the rest of the Drama students (non-filmmakers must complete 3 film jobs by end of 2nd quarter for credit), and to let the directors voice problems that we can solve quickly. At this meeting, we brought up the subject of their shot lists being due, their film poster deadline, this year's GCFF t-shirt and poster designs (we are still in need of both for any would-be designers), and I gave them the date for the Director's Party, which will be the Thursday after the film's ultimate deadline of November 27th. I like to reward them in a small way with food and tokens of my esteem for going through the process, and then listen as they share their stories about the process as a whole. It was productive, but as one who hates meetings (and pretty much humanity as well) I kept it short.

Interview with Chris Sirmans, Director of THE LEGACY:
TJ: Tell 'em who you are, man...
CS: Chris Sirmans, Senior, 17 years old.
TJ: ...and LEGACY is your first film?
CS: Right...this is the first film I've directed.
TJ: Alright...so what inspired you to even attempt this...I mean, you're not even ADVANCED DRAMA...you're a Drama 1--
CS: DRAMA 1.5, actually...I guess I was inspired by the group I've always hung around with...I mean John Ross (Director of THE UNSEEN & this year's HUNTER) and a few of the others...basically just everyone in Drama, and I had a story to tell.
TJ: I'll say...I mean THE LEGACY is quite a unique entry into this year's festival...what inspired this particular story?
CS: Well..I guess I liked THE LEGACY because it represented just taking an idea and breaking it down into something real. I mean, it's about something that's being passed on, from a grandfather to his grandson...and in this case a retiring superhero from a past generation who is passing down the torch to his grandson and--
TJ: Superheroes?
CS: Yeah, I knew I could sell that to you too, Mr. Howell..but it was like bringing something fantastic down to earth, for me...if that makes sense. My own personal relationship with my grandfather has quite a bit to deal with it too, and the issue of respecting and valuing one's elders. Also...it helped because I have virtually no budget.
TJ: Will that be the biggest challenge, do you think? The lack of budget?
CS: I'd say my own self-doubt will be my biggest challenge, to be honest. I mean, I've never done this before...and I'm sort of a perfectionist, so as long as I make myself happy, I'll be pleased with it.
TJ: Okay...so what do you want the audience to experience when they see LEGACY?
CS: I guess I want the audience to take the message of "Appreciate one's elders"...since they have so much wisdom and knowledge to pass on, and I really feel that because my own grandfather almost passed away last year.
TJ: Alright, Chris...thanks. How about a final quote?
CS: Quote? "Legends never die......"

Interview with John Ross, Director of HUNTER:
TJ: Alright, John Ross...
JR: Hey Howell...
TJ: Give 'em the stats.
JR: John Ross, Senior, 17 years old.
TJ: Now I have to start with the fact, that you well know, that I loved THE UNSEEN...it was my pick for Best Film at last year's GCFF....I like THE LIST, but I thought yours was the best...but I don't judge....
JR: Right...thanks.
TJ: So HUNTER is your 2nd film?
JR: Actually it's my 3rd...I made THE UNSEEN, and a sort of untitled experimental one that I'm still working out....
TJ: I see...well what I loved about UNSEEN was it was experimental, complex, ambiguous...I mean you could take a variety of meanings from it...is HUNTER in the same vein?
JR: Definitely. I mean...I don't want to give the plot away right now, but I want the audience to get a certain feeling from it...more than any simple understanding...I guess I'm trying to provoke a similar reaction to how I felt when I thought of it.
TJ: I see...and what inspired HUNTER?
JR: A nightmare actually...
TJ: Really...
JR: Yeah, and some personal experiences that I've gone through this year that felt like a nightmare. It was an atmospheric type of setting where I wake up in the middle of students from foreign countries...all eating and talking...then the students are taken one by one to a metal door, and once through, are strapped down to a chair and have a drill bored into their heads.
TJ: Right....drill in the head, yeah. Now you and I have discussed our favorite filmmakers before, but who would you top out as your main influences here?
JR: Well, my favorite filmmaker is Chris Nolan.
TJ: Rock on...
JR: Yeah, I guess you could say that I'm trying to emulate his sense of grittiness and realism, but the main influence on HUNTER would have to be from Takashi Miike. I mean, he is the one guy that can take any completely normal situation and then through manipulation of mood and atmosphere make the audience feel like they are getting a glimpse of hell.
TJ: So what do you believe will be the biggest challenge you will face in shooting HUNTER?
JR: Probably the environment, or getting my locations and sets to show exactly what I want without interference from the rest of the world.
TJ: Ah, the pressures of low-budget filmmaking. What do you want the audience to experience from HUNTER, or is there a message in the film?
JR: I don't necessarily have a message in the film, unless it's something like "Love can drive a person to lengths they never dreamed possible...."
TJ: Alright, John and thanks. Final quote?
JR: "I hope HUNTER makes you uncomfortable."