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| SXSW '08 Interview: "Yeast" Writer-Director-Star Mary Bronstein |
by William Goss
The "Yeast" Pitch: "With a physical aggressiveness and emotional violence that is surprisingly yet undeniably feminine in nature, 'Yeast' explores the grinding mechanics of friendships that have run their course."
Describe your movie using the smallest number of words possible.
"Yeast" is a film about an impossibly un-self-aware woman trying to cling to a toxic friendship while breaking up another one.
Is this your first trip to SXSW? Got any other film festival experience?
I was at SXSW last year in support of my husband Ronald Bronstein's film "Frownland," which I co-starred in. I love the atmosphere of festivals, I love that at festivals it is normal to see like four movies in one day and eat a ton of junk food. The only thing I find difficult is that I am not a big party person, never have been. I'd rather be in my hotel room eating cookies and watching "America's Next Top Model" marathons than be trying to be interesting at a party. But this year might be easier because I am going to be with a lot of people I know.
Back when you were a little kid, and you were asked that inevitable question, your answer would always be "When I grow up, I want to be a..." what?
This is going to be a very boring answer, but as far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a performer of one sort or another. When I was very young, I wanted to be a dancer. Then I became enthralled with old TV shows such as "I Love Lucy," "Your Show of Shows," "The Honeymooners," "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "The Carol Burnett Show." I wanted to be a vaudeville type variety performer. I can't sing at all and was unable to dance any longer and discovered that vaudeville didn't exist anymore anyway. I've wanted to be an actor ever since this realization. Oh! But secretly, I have always dreamed of being a modern day Jane Goodall. For real.
Not including your backyard and your dad's Handycam, how did you get your real "start" in filmmaking?
Since my dad didn't even have a Handycam, I suppose an actual official starting point has to be when I met Ronald Bronstein. I was auditioning for "Frownland". Not only did I get the part and get to be part of creating a wonderfully brilliant film, but I fell in love and got married. I am very proud that we have a partnership that is both a life partnership and a creative one. However, I was never a filmmaker until I decided to make "Yeast"; I was always an actor. I still identify as an actor over a filmmaker, even though I plan to make more projects.
Do you feel any differently about your film now that you know it's on "the festival circuit?"
Not really... I'm just proud of everyone who worked on it and happy that we have the chance to show our work to people.
Of all the Muppets, which one do you most relate to?
Fozzie Bear. All. The. Way. Because of my deep vaudeville performing desires. I also like to define myself as being the opposite of Miss Piggy. I hope.
During production, did you ever find yourself thinking ahead to film festivals, paying customers, good & bad reviews, etc?
I really, really didn't. The film was made fast in a burst of manic creativity, and while we knew we would submit to festivals, SXSW in particular, I don't think anyone was making decisions based on an imaginary audience.
How did this film get rolling at the beginning? Give us a brief history from writing to production to post to just last night.
Well, I had this idea about a film that explored the break-up of a friendship. I pitched it to my husband, but he already had his own ideas for his next project. I then moped for a little bit until I realized I should just do it myself. I approached Greta Gerwig about making a film with these themes. She suggested we set it on a camping trip, which was a brilliant idea. I also had another film idea about two estranged roommates and the resentment and emotional entanglement that comes with living with your best friend. I decided to combine the two ideas into one film, and signed on my good friend Amy Judd, thinking that we could explore some of the issues we've had in our frienship. I wrote a version of the film and sent it to both Greta and Amy. We then began a process of sending it back and forth, making additions, with me editing it in-between, until we had a solid foundation. We didn't use the final product as a script, but instead used it as a tight outline in which to work within on the set. Prior to each scene I met with either Amy or Greta, or both, and we discussed the arc of the scene, what each character was going for and so forth. I'd then discuss it with Ronnie so he knew what to expect. Once on the set, we blocked it and then only performed it when the cameras were on. We filmed rehearsals through the final scene in one session. Ronnie was on set molding the performances so that the ideas were fully realized. I realized pretty early into the process that Ronnie's presence was essential because I could not direct myself or be fully into my performance if I was worried about what another actor was doing. Cinematographers Sean Williams (who shot "Frownland", among lots of other projects) and Michael Tully (an awesome filmmaker in his own right: "Silver Jew" and "Cocaine Angel") were in charge of the look of the film. We used two cameras in order to avoid a shot-reverse-shot acting style. Other filmmakers, such as Benny and Josh Safdie, Sam Lisenco and Ignacio Carballo, rounded out the crew and cast. Ronnie also edited the film, which was wonderful. I got to come home each evening and watch that day's editing work, discuss it and finalize it with him. All in all, it was a very collaborative process that was actually quite fun. It was immensely helpful as a first timer to have a crew made up entirely of veteran filmmakers! I got very lucky with this group of people. As for last night, I listened to "The Best Show on WFMU" and finalized some design stuff with Don Raymond, the freakishly talented graphic designer who did all the work for Yeast, as well as "Frownland".
If you could share one massive lesson that you learned while making this movie, what would it be?
It is really impossible to direct yourself. And probably not wise. Get an awesome assistant director like I did.
What films and filmmakers have acted as your inspirations, be they a lifelong love or a very specific scene composition?
Wow wow wow. Hmm. Okay. See below for an elaborated answer regarding the film "Wanda." Other than that film, some movies that have been important to be for a long time because of their emotional honesty and what I see as a filmmaker trying to explore something different are "Splendor in the Grass" and "Love with the Proper Stranger." I have seen these movies probably 50 times each at least and I could see then 50 times more. I have also been hugely inspired by Cassevettes films, especially "Husbands" and "Opening Night". "Bad Timing" is a movie I have most recently become obsessed with. I am inspired by anything that is something I have not seen anything like before. Having said all this, I am most inspired by performances within films, rarely the filmmaking itself. I do not care about shots, composition or lighting. Talking exclusively about such things after seeing a movie tells me the movie did something wrong. For me, it's all about the characters and whether or not they transcend the screen, even if it is for a moment. This is why I am generally uninterested in experimental films or animation. For me, a film is as good as the best performance within it. Bad acting is absolutely unforgiveable, even if it is framed in a beautiful shot. I look for movies to lure me into feeling or thinking something real while being totally pretend; that's the only reason I watch movies.
Did you watch any movies in pre-production and yell "This! I want something JUST like this, only different."?
Sort of. "Wanda" is a huge inspiration for me. Not so much the topic or anything like that, but the look of it, certainly, and also that it was made by an actress who was passionate enough about an idea that she decided to go for it herself instead of waiting for someone else to. Barbara Loden worked with a cinematographer who picked up all the technical filmmaking stuff while she did the writing and acting. I cannot stress enough how life changing learning about this movie was. Amazing.
What actor would you cast as a live-action Homer Simpson?
Ay yi yi. I have no idea. There should be no live-action versions of cartoons. Ever. EVER!
Say you landed a big studio contract tomorrow, and they offered you a semi-huge budget to remake, adapt, or sequelize something. What projects would you tackle?
First thing I would do is be scared out of my mind. Then I would try to get out of it. Then I would think about how I don't like the idea of remakes... finally, I would try to be the one and only person to get the film rights to "Catcher in the Rye", so I could play the prostitute in the green dress.
Name an actor in your film that's absolutely destined for the big-time. And why, of course.
The two actors who co-starred with me, Greta Gerwig and Amy Judd, are wonderful. Greta is already on her way to something fabulous, having been in such films as "Hannah Takes the Stairs" and "Baghead." Amy Judd is a very talented newcomer to the independant film world, and I am very proud of her performance and hope it leads to lots of opportunities for her. I think that working with each of these women strengthened my own perfromance and I feel lucky to have such a talented bunch in the film. So my answer is that the three of us are all destined for greatness, of course.
Finish this sentence: If I weren't a filmmaker, I'd almost definitely be...
Well...I consider myself to be an actor who makes films, rather than a filmmaker. Is that annoying?
Who's an actor you'd kill a small dog to work with? (Don't worry; nobody would know.)
Well, unfortunately, most of the actors I have always dreamed of acting with are no longer alive. If I had to pick a living person... I would kind of love to work with Lili Taylor. But I wouldn't kill a small dog to do it.
Have you 'made it' yet? If not, what would have to happen for you to be able to say "Yes, wow. I have totally made it!"?
I haven't made it yet. I'll have made it when people are soliciting me for parts in their films. And when I don't have to have a second career.
Honestly, how important are film critics nowadays?
Sometimes, I enjoy reading other people's opinions of films, especially after I've already seen them, but honestly, I don't follow any critics or place much importance on them for my personal movie viewing choices. I like the idea of a guide leading one towards good movies, but in the end, the opinion of the critic is no more important than any one person in the audience, and thinking otherwise can be dangerous. To me, they are not important, but I can't say how important they are in general because I'm really not tapped into it.
You're told that your next movie must have one product placement on board, but you can pick the product. What would it be?
Sunny Doodle Snack Cakes.
You're contractually obligated to deliver an R-rated film to your producers. The MPAA says you have to delete a sex scene that's absolutely integral to the film or you're getting an NC-17. How do you handle it?
I am not really interested in exploring sexuality in a visual way on film, although I am interested in exploring it themeatically. So it's hard for me to imagine myself in this situation. But here are my thoughts: Nicolas Roeg uses a very explicit sex scene in "Don't Look Now" to illustrate something very important about the couple in the movie; the way they are with each other physically in that scene is the only way the audience learns how much they love each other. If that scene was not in the movie, it would be a very different film in terms of how the audience sees the main characters. There is a feeling and an idea behind the choice to show such content other than to titillate. He did the same thing in "Bad Timing." A film I mentioned above, "Splendor in the Grass," on the other hand, is entirely about sexual issues and contains no explicit sexual content. I know myself well enough to know that, if I was to get an NC-17 rating, it really would be integral to the film to have the content, but... I haven't answered your question at all, have I?
What's your take on the whole "a film by DIRECTOR" issue? Do you feel it's tacky, because hundreds (or at least dozens) of people collaborate to make a film - or do you think it's cool, because ultimately the director is the final word on pretty much everything?
I think that each film is made with a varying degree of collaboration. My film is very collaborative, so beyond giving myself proper credit, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. On the indie level, it makes no sense. On a Hollywood level, I can understand it because the director's name becomes a draw, even if a million people are working on it. So, if you aren't a big name, how you decide to do the credits is sort of an ego thing.
In closing, we ask you to convince the average movie-watcher to choose your film instead of the trillion other options they have. How do you do it?
Well, I would say that if they come to "Yeast", they will laugh a lot, be horrified a lot, have a lot to think about, and have a really interesting time at the movies. That should be enough.
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Mary Bronstein's Yeast will play as part of the 2008 South By Southwest's "Narrative Competition" slate. For more information, click here.
link directly to this feature at http://hollywoodbitchslap.com/feature.php?feature=2398
originally posted: 02/20/08 21:42:44
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