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| SXSW '08 Interview: "Super High Me" Star Doug Benson |
by William Goss
The "Super High Me" Pitch: "'SHM' explores the current debate over medical marijuana. As part of the journey, comedian Doug Benson ingests and inhales medical marijuana for 30 consecutive days in order to get "super high." But first, Benson must go 30 days without any marijuana and undertake a series of medical exams."
Describe your movie using the smallest number of words possible.
30 days off pot, 30 days on.
Is this your first trip to SXSW? Got any other film festival experience?
Yes, this is my first SXSW, and I am super psyched. My movie played at the Woodstock festival last fall, which is an adorable little fest, but from everything I've heard, it's no SXSW.
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?
Magician. Luckily, I got over that.
Not including your backyard and your dad's Handycam, how did you get your real "start" in filmmaking?
I did a lot of work as an extra when I first moved to Hollywood, and I've had small parts in a few films, but "Super High Me" is my first feature as a co-producer/on-camera guinea pig.
Do you feel any differently about your film now that you know it's on "the festival circuit?"
Makes me film hip. Well, now I don't anymore. Using the word ruins it.
Of all the Muppets, which one do you most relate to?
Animal. Sans rhythm.
During production, did you ever find yourself thinking ahead to film festivals, paying customers, good & bad reviews, etc?
Tried not to think about that. I was too busy getting high. Or not.
How did this film get rolling at the beginning? Give us a brief history from writing to production to post to just last night.
It started as a joke in my act. Then I suggested to my friend, filmmaker Michael Blieden, that we really shoot it, and he loved the idea. He suggested it to a production company he had worked with before, and next thing I knew, "Super High Me" was not just a suggestion, it was real. And I panicked, because I thought smoking pot constantly for 30 days would be the death of me. (Obviously, it wasn't.)
If you could share one massive lesson that you learned while making this movie, what would it be?
Less close-ups of my face please! And thank you.
What films and filmmakers have acted as your inspirations, be they a lifelong love or a very specific scene composition?
I've loved movies since I was a kid, but the films that I kept thinking of while making "SHM" were the docs "Dig!" and "This Film is Not Yet Rated". Mostly because I Netflixed and watched them while we were filming.
Did you watch any movies in pre-production and yell "This! I want something JUST like this, only different."?
Well, it should go without saying that "Super Size Me" was an inspiration.
What actor would you cast as a live-action Homer Simpson?
I would do everything in my power to keep such a project from existing. He's perfect as a cartoon.
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?
Let me smoke a few bowls and get back to you on that one.
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'm pretty happy with my current level of noteriety. In fact, I want to write a book called "How to Succeed Without Really Succeeding."
Honestly, how important are film critics nowadays?
Right now, they are super important to me. I don't want to get my feelings hurt!
You're told that your next movie must have one product placement on board, but you can pick the product. What would it be?
Zig Zags. C'mon, ask me a tough one.
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?
Oooh, that's good. I'd have to go with black bars, Todd Solondz-style.
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?
It's informative and funny and sexy. But mostly the first two.
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Doug Benson and Michael Blieden's Super High Me will play as part of the 2008 South By Southwest's "Spotlight Premieres" slate. For more information, click here.
link directly to this feature at http://hollywoodbitchslap.com/feature.php?feature=2436
originally posted: 03/05/08 10:30:57
last updated: 03/05/08 10:34:18
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