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| SXSW '08 Interview: "One Minute To Nine" Director Tommy Davis |
by Erik Childress
The “One Minute To Nine " Pitch: Honest.
How did this film get rolling at the beginning? Give us a brief history from writing to production to post to just last night.
TOMMY: Had a grant. Did a google search. Drove around for six months. Flew to Oregon. Found some wonderful people. Tried to keep the camera still. Learned alot. Edited and edited. Voila.
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?
TOMMY: A cowboy.
How did you get your real “start” in filmmaking?
TOMMY: Drawing Japanimation in San Antonio.
Is this your first trip to SXSW? Got any other film festival experience? If you’re a festival veteran, let us know your favorite and least-favorite parts of the ride.
TOMMY: Went to SXSW in 2004 with Mojados: Through The Night. Best part is the travel.
Do you feel any differently about your film now that you know it’s on “the festival circuit?”
TOMMY: Film festivals equal travel and that's a luxury.
During production did you ever find yourself thinking ahead to film festivals, paying customers, good & bad reviews, etc?
TOMMY: Try not to think about those things.
Of all the Muppets, which one do you most relate to?
TOMMY: Fraggle Rock all the way.
If you could share one massive lesson that you learned while making this movie, what would it be?
TOMMY: If I was honest about this I would get in trouble.
What films and filmmakers have acted as your inspirations, be they a lifelong love or a very specific scene composition?
TOMMY: Wu Wenguang
Did you watch any movies in pre-production and yell “This! I want something JUST like this …only different.”
TOMMY: We watched films that incorporated home videos and tried to avoid creating anything similar. If we succeeded, I don't know.
What actor would you cast as your favorite cartoon character?
TOMMY: David Bowie as Elmer Fudd
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?
TOMMY: Flash Gordon Part 2
Finish this sentence: If I weren’t a filmmaker, I’d almost definitely be...
TOMMY: Bumming in Beijing.
Who’s an actor you’d kill to work with?
TOMMY: Emilio Fernandez
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!”
TOMMY: I try to make it every day.
Honestly, how important are film critics nowadays?
TOMMY: There are some great critics out there. You can learn something from a great review.
What would mean more to you? A full-on rave from an anonymous junketeer or an average, but critically constructive review from a respected print or online journalist?
TOMMY: Tough one.
You’re told that your next movie must have one “product placement” on board, but you can pick the product. What would it be?
TOMMY: reDO the aluminum tube web chair created by John Plauche
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?
TOMMY: Depends on the situation.
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?
TOMMY: It'll give you something to think about.
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Tommy Davis' One Minute To Nine will have its North American premiere at the 2008 South By Southwest Film Festival on Monday, March 10 at Austin’s Alamo Ritz. It will also screen on Wednesday, March 12 (9:30 PM) at the Austin Convention Center and again at the ACC on Saturday, March 15 (4:30 PM).
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link directly to this feature at http://hollywoodbitchslap.com/feature.php?feature=2410
originally posted: 02/29/08 11:05:12
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