The new indepedent film POLLYWOGS premiered just recently at the still running 2013 LA Film Festival where it was described as offering an equally amusing and insightful look at directionless thirty-somethings lurching towards adulthood. The film is directed by first-time feature director Karl Jacob (who also wrote the screenplay, produced and starred) and T. Arthur Cottam. In the film Dylan–who’s played by Karl Jacob–retreats to Minnesota for a family reunion featuring firearms, heavy metal and unwelcome questions. Amongst the throng of relatives, he discovers Sarah, the childhood crush he hasn’t seen since her family decamped to a religious compound. Could she prove to be the perpetually heartbroken Dylan’s salvation or will their emotional scars fail to align?

We were fortunate to catch up with the talented Karl Jacobs and fired off a few questions about his new film.

VIMOOZ: First, congratulations on POLLYWOGS being an official selection in the 2013 LA Film Festival … and the World Premiere on Friday.

Karl Jacob: Thanks. We are excited to be premiering it here at LAFF, they have been taking really good care of us, and the audiences have been amazing. Both of our screenings were sold out shows!

VIMOOZ: Tell us about POLLYWOGS – the story?

Karl Jacob: The story is about a man coming home to Minnesota after a bitter breakup to seek support from his family during a reunion. While he is there he runs into his childhood best friend and first love who he has not seen for 18 years since her family moved to a religious compound. It’s really a story of confronting your past in order to move ahead.

VIMOOZ: Why did you set the film in Minnesota and not say Brooklyn or California?

Karl Jacob: Northern Minnesota is where I was born and raised, and I am interested in focusing my story worlds to exist inside of the culture there. It’s a world I know a lot about, and find very fascinating. It’s also a culture that I haven’t really seen showcased much in cinema. There was also a practical decision for this as I cast my entire family in the film and we shot it at our family cabin. As filmmakers it’s always a huge boost to production value when you can get amazing locations and willing actors for free.

VIMOOZ: What films have you directed before?

Karl Jacob: This is my directorial debut, aside from some small music videos. I have directed some theater and taught many acting classes. I have also acted professionally for 15 years. I produced a feature film in 2011 called Happy New Year.

VIMOOZ: You wrote the film, what was the inspiration? Was it based on experience?

Karl Jacob: I think every work of fiction pulls from experiences that we have in our own lives, and so does Pollywogs. The film was definitely inspired by a breakup, and the relection afterward is what lead to the finished product. Conversations with friends and family, working with T. on the structure along with workshoping the film with the actors over the course of 6 months got us to what you see on the screen. While shooting we stuck to a firm story structure, but all of the dialogue is improvised, which is why the actors all have an “Additional Material” credit. Everyone brought something to the table, it was hyper colaborative.

Karl Jacob as Dylan Stares in Pollywogs

VIMOOZ: And you also acted in the film, what was more difficult, the acting or the directing?

Karl Jacob: Well, to be honest it kind of blurred at a certain point. We were all so well rehearsed and talked so much about the story and the vision that I was able to really rely on everyone coming with their A-game. This made it much more comfortable to both act and direct. We had an amazing team and I really could not have done it without their diligence and professionalism. It was also a fun and unique experience to guide the scene as a director through my performance while I was acting in it.

VIMOOZ: What’s up next for POLLYWOGS, the film?

Karl Jacob: Up next we have a screening in Duluth, MN, near where we shot the movie. It is on it’s way to a few more festivals as well. The complete list will be announced on Pollywogsmovie.com soon. Signing up for our region-based mailing list on the website will get you announcements for when it is coming to a theater near you. It will be on VOD in soon as well.

VIMOOZ: What’s up next for you?

Karl Jacob: I have a documentary that I will be shooting in the fall about 2 men and their journey into the Colorado Rockies to seek out and kill an elk with a Bow. I also have a episodic series in development.

http://youtu.be/XTumZoAoRNY

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LLYN FOULKES ONE MAN BAND, a feature documentary about artist and one-man-band musician Llyn Foulkes, will have its World Premiere at the 2013 LA Film Festival on Thursday, June 20. Directed and produced by first-time documentary filmmakers, Tamar Halpern and Chris Quilty, the documentary chronicles 7 years of Llyn Foulkes’s life from ages 70 to 77. During the seven years chronicled in the film, artist and musician Llyn Foulkes creates, destroys, and recreates a pair of large-scale, three-dimensional paintings, one that costs him his marriage, while trying to keep afloat in the fickle art market. 

We caught up with filmmakers, Tamar Halpern and Chris Quilty at the LA Film Festival getting ready for their big World Premiere.

VIMOOZ: First, congratulations on LLYN FOULKES ONE MAN BAND being an official selection in the 2013 LA Film Festival … Are you nervous, excited by the upcoming premiere

Tamar Halpern: We are thrilled to be included and cannot wait to share this film as we worked on it for eight years.

VIMOOZ: Tell us about the film – the story?

TH- We followed the painter and musician Llyn Foulkes from age 70, when the art world seemed to have forgotten about him, till age 77 when he was at last rediscovered. Llyn works alone – without the aid of assistants – which is incredibly rare in contemporary art, and he plays The Machine, a one man band contraption he built by hand which has the effect. His fame as an artist seemed promising in the 1960’s when he won several awards here and abroad, sold paintings to major museums and had one man shows at the top galleries and museums. What happened over the next forty years, Llyn’s work and influence was shown with less frequency as his contemporaries shot to fame. Undeterred, Llyn kept making his art even when no one was paying attention to his efforts.

Chris Quilty – This film is specifically a portrait of a fascinating and aging artist who really takes his sweet old time with his work, but there’s also a more universal story here. It’s also a film about growing old, and the great struggle for relevance in the world. It’s about obsession, perfection, and letting go.

VIMOOZ: How did you first find out about Llyn Foulkes?

TH- Llyn was my neighbor in the nineties down at the Brewery, an artist complex in downtown LA which was formerly a Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery. I cast him in my feature film “Your Name Here” as a musician who give advice to his teenage grandson about the music industry, warning him that sometimes it’s easier to be a one man band than deal with the problems that arise among band mates. Llyn drew from his personal experience of playing in rock bands in the sixties and seventies, culminating in his appearance on The Tonight Show and a record deal with A and M. Llyn walked away from it all to become a one man band. This theme of walking away when things are going well seems to relate to his art career as well, evident in the first fame he had in the sixties when he was known for his beautiful, meditative rock paintings. Major museums here and abroad bought them and Llyn was a sudden hit in the art world. Instead of continuing with the newly lauded rock paintings, Llyn said he was losing his soul and instead started painting bloody heads – a series of macabre faces gouged out and beaten.

CQ- I was doing sound for Tamar on one of her films back in 2004. Llyn had a small acting part. I was immediately charmed by his music and fascinating character, and thought to myself, “someone’s got to do a doc on this guy!”

VIMOOZ: Was it difficult convincing him to participate?

TH- Not at all. Llyn has been ready to share his fifty year perspective on the ups and downs of the art scene and when I approached him, he didn’t hesitate. He was angry at the art world but also blamed himself for his lack of success, which makes him a very sympathetic character. He is at turns hilarious, charming, angry and verbose – but always forthcoming. There was not a single performance in the film as everything he said, he said with uncensored honesty.

CQ- Llyn is one of the most open people I’ve ever met. He loves to talk, and loves it even more if a camera is rolling. So he was game from day one. That’s not to say we didn’t have some issues as the years went by. During deadline crunch times when he was so into his work, we would often have to convince him to let us shoot. Occasionally we just backed off, but mostly he relented and invited us into his world. Because we had basically no crew, just the two of us and a camera, we could work “fly on the wall” style, which Llyn appreciated very much.

VIMOOZ: How long did filming take?

TH- We filmed off and on for over seven years until the ending revealed itself to us. It was the beginning of his rediscovery, but more important than that, it was a time he openly reflected on life, aging and happiness. Since this film isn’t just about an artist and musician- it’s also about a husband, ex husband, father and human – we allowed the narrative to encompass all aspects of Llyn, as complex and entertaining as they are.

CQ- Our film took over 8 years to complete, but we could have made a different film and finished it much sooner. The “ending” kept changing, so we kept filming. Llyn says in the film about his work, “it’s never done until they take it away from me.” This could also be true for Tamar and me. We had to stop and let someone take it away from us.

VIMOOZ: How was it working with Llyn Foulkes – was it difficult? Did you ever feel like quitting at some point?

TH- There was never talk of quitting. If anything, this project fed our soul and fueled us through other jobs that were challenging. Chris worked thirteen hour days as a Hollywood sound man and Tamar wrote copy and directed commercials until she landed the feature Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, a children’s film she adapted and directed. Through all of it, Tamar and Chris always had this beautiful gem of a film waiting for us and it made all the difference.

CQ-  We never felt like quitting, but we would sort of drop it for a while and let it percolate for stretches of time. In fact, the nature of this extremely long shoot was that we had the luxury to let things go for a while, and then come back and see what’s new and how our story has developed.

Co-Directors Tamar Halpern and Chris Quilty

VIMOOZ: Tell us about you, what films have you done before?

TH– I’m a narrative writer and director so this is my first documentary. My film before this, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, starred Mira Sorvino, Joe Pantoliano and Michael Urie with music by Edie Brickell, and was based on a book by New York Times bestselling author Wendy Mass.

CQ- My day job is “Hollywood sound man.” I’ve been in production sound for over 16 years, with many television and film credits. Although I’ve been a shutterbug for years, I basically learned to direct and shoot and edit on this film. But I wouldn’t call myself a cameraman, director, editor or even a sound man. I prefer the term “film maker.”

VIMOOZ: Have you worked together before as co-directors? Will you work together again?

TH- This was a first for us. I’d do it again in a minute.

CQ- Tamar was actually my “boss” a few times in the past when I did sound for several of her narrative films. But this doc was the first time for us as co-directors/producers. We often have different opinions on things and different styles of working, which I believe led us to a better film. We never really talked about our work flow or individual responsibilities on this film. It would just  sort of fall into place organically. I’d be happy to work with Tamar again in any capacity.

VIMOOZ: What’s up next for the film?

TH- We are hoping to find our NY premiere and then an international premiere. As Llyn’s work becomes more known in France, Italy and Germany, we hope people will be excited to learn more about his odd iconoclast with volumes of talent. We’ve found that the film appeals beyond the art world because the message is universal – to keep following your passion even if no one is watching.

VIMOOZ: What’s up next for you?

TH- Tamar has just adapted Wendy Mass’s first book “A Mango Shaped Space”, a coming of age story about a thirteen year old girl with synesthesia. The book has been translated into seven languages including Chinese and has the most fan base of any of Wendy’s books domestically and internationally. It turns out more people have synesthesia than previously thought and those who don’t are fascinated. The film will be live action with animated elements to illustrate how the main character “sees sound and music”.

CQ- There’s a few doc ideas we’re kicking around, but one thing’s for sure, the next one wont take us 8 years to make.

http://youtu.be/O3aGdoNP7xU

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The new indie romantic comedy “FOREV” co-written and co-directed by Molly Green and James Leffler is already receiving earning critics praises after the world premiere on Saturday night at the 2013 LA Film Festival.  The film is described as a romantic comedy about impulsive marriages.  In the film, Pete and Sophie are somewhere on the edge of the desert when he works up the nerve to propose. The hitch being: Their whirlwind road trip from L.A. to Phoenix is the closest these neighbors have ever come to going on a date. Nevertheless, fueled by their respective fears of intimacy and low-grade self-loathing, they run with the idea, much to the annoyance of Pete’s sister Jess, who’s along for the latter half of the ride.

We got the opportunity to interview co-directors Molly Green and James Leffler at the LA Film Festival to find out more about their new film.

Molly and James Photo Credit: Jennifer Nies

VIMOOZ: First, congratulations on FOREV being an official selection in the 2013 LA Film Festival … and the World Premiere on Saturday.
Thank you! We’re thrilled to be at LAFF, and couldn’t be happier with how the premiere went. The theater was packed with people, and then they actually laughed, which was a huge relief. Everyone at the festival has been awesome – we’re having a blast.

VIMOOZ: We read some early reviews and they are very, very good. Are you surprised?
We’re still surprised that we’re in a position to be reviewed! So far it seems like most of the things people are taking away from the movie line up with what we intended, which of course is a director’s dream. We haven’t read a really rough one yet, so we’re kind of waiting for the hammer to fall. Then we’ll just pretend we don’t read reviews.

VIMOOZ: Tell us about FOREV – the story?
FOREV is a romantic comedy about two neighbors who decide they’re going to get married, then realize they probably should’ve started dating first. And that realization becomes increasingly obvious when they get stuck in the middle of the desert.

VIMOOZ: Who are the three main actors in the film?
Noël Wells and Matt Mider play the fiancés, and Amanda Bauer plays Matt’s sister. We’d worked with all of them before, and they were closely involved in the writing process too. They’ve been so integral to the project from the very beginning, and we hope that shows up onscreen.

VIMOOZ: In addition to co-directing, you also co-wrote the film, what was the inspiration?
We knew we wanted to make a movie with Matt and Noël, and landed on the engagement while thinking of situations that could work well with their dynamic. We were 25, the age when you start seeing all of those elegant wedding announcements come in from people you’ve done keg stands with in college, now in grown-up clothes posing in front of some foliage or whatever. Looking around our dumpy apartments we thought, “Wait, how is that guy suddenly an adult?” So the idea that marriage can seem like a shortcut to adulthood was our jumping-off point. Once we brought Amanda into the fold it really rounded out the character dynamic, and the story started to take shape.

VIMOOZ: Co-directing and co-writing, that could be very complicated. Was it?
Actually, not really. We worked so closely throughout writing and pre-production that by the time we got on set we were completely in sync. We’d usually have the same answers to any questions that came up, and that came from doing a ton of prep to get on the same page. We’re still working on our duets, though.

VIMOOZ: Have you worked much together before?
Totally. We’ve been directing music videos and writing together for about 5 years now. We met in college at the University of Texas, and started collaborating the first day we were both in Los Angeles. At this point we basically share a brain.

VIMOOZ: Do you get asked the question about “relationship” as in “is there or is there not“ a relationship between you two?
Man, people love to ask that question! We’re not dating (and probably wouldn’t have survived making a feature if we were), but people definitely ask that all the time. Noël and Matt get it, too, and none of us have been able to find the perfect sassy answer to that question yet.

VIMOOZ: What’s up next for the film?
We’ve got two more screenings at LAFF – Wednesday, 6/19 at 9:50PM and our just-announced, just-added final showing on Friday 6/21 at 9:50PM – and they should be a lot of fun. We hope to do as long of a festival run as we can, and see what happens along the way.

VIMOOZ: What’s up next for you?
Aside from finally catching up on some sleep? We’re always writing. We have a few projects we’re excited to start focusing on, and think it could be cool to try some TV stuff too. But our eye is on the next feature, for sure.

http://youtu.be/bO3Ws3AKaa4

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The independent film “MY SISTER’S QUINCEANERA” about a Latino family in Iowa, is playing at the LA Film Festival where it had its North American premiere on Saturday night. Starring Silas Garcia, Samantha Rae Garcia, Becky Garcia, Tanner McCulley, Nicole Streat, Elizabeth Agapito and Josefina Garcia, MY SISTER’S QUINCEANERA follows teenage Silas who is considered the man of the house, but he wears that responsibility lightly, searching for more from his life than the small town mischief he gets into with his best friend., The film is written, produced and directed by Aaron Douglas Johnston who is also from the Midwest but now resides in Netherlands. We got the chance to catch up with Aaron Douglas Johnston at the LA Film Festival to find out more about his new film.

 VIMOOZ: First, congratulations on MY SISTER’S QUINCEANERA being an official selection in the 2013 LA Film Festival … and the North American Premiere..

Aaron Douglas Johnston: Thank you!  It’s a great honor to be here at the LA Film Festival.  It’s the first time the film has shown in North America, so it’s wonderful to see and hear the audience react to the film.

VIMOOZ: Tell us about MY SISTER’S QUINCEANERA – the story?

Aaron Douglas Johnston: The film and its story are the result of an intensive workshop in acting and filmmaking that I gave to Mexican-American residents in my hometown of Muscatine, Iowa.  I developed the story while working with the workshop participants, who are also the actors in the film.  It was a wonderful and rewarding process that created ongoing friendships, great actors, and a film we’re all proud of.  MY SISTER’S QUINCEAÑERA follows one Midwestern Latino family as they prepare for a quinceañera.  As the eldest of six, big brother Silas is constantly helping his single mom and taking care of his siblings.  He has become the involuntary man of the house, but he dreams of leaving his hometown to pursue his own dreams.  Family relationships as well as love interest Nicole make the choice a difficult one.  Surrounded by family, friends and potential love, he struggles with the question: Should he leave or should he stay?

VIMOOZ: You are credited as the writer for the film, what inspired you to come up with the story?

Aaron Douglas Johnston: The workshop participants and actors inspired me to write this story.  I started the workshop with no pre-conceived notions of what the film should be about.  During the course of the workshop and through the various assignments and acting improvisations that I gave, I was drawn to several recurring topics: the importance and craziness surrounding the quinceañera, the warmth and love of a large Latino family, and the heart-wrenching dilemma for a son/sibling to decide whether to continue helping to provide for his family or to leave his family behind in order to pursue his own dreams (of higher education in Silas’ case).  The richness, love, and at times constrictive nature of family relationships, combined with the beautiful small Midwestern town landscape, inspired me to tell this story.

VIMOOZ:  Is there a large Latino community in Iowa?

Aaron Douglas Johnston: Like much of Eastern Iowa, my hometown of Muscatine has a significant Latino population, about 10 to 15%.  Latinos have long been a part of Iowa.  Through the workshop and the film, I was anxious to explore my hometown, and the workshop became a wonderful way to both get to know the Latino community of Muscatine and to tell an authentic story dear to all of us who collaborated on this film.

VIMOOZ:  How did you find the actors?

Aaron Douglas Johnston: All of the actors attended the acting and filmmaking workshop.  They had never acted before, but they became not only comfortable but also professional and quite skilled in front of the camera.  It was a great experience working with them.

VIMOOZ:  Most people may not know that you graduated summa cum laude in International Studies – so will you incorporate this international perspective to all your films?

Aaron Douglas Johnston: I’ve always been fascinated by various cultures, countries, and languages.  Before I became a filmmaker, I studied sociology at graduate school, and I’ve lived in several different countries.  I now live permanently in Amsterdam.  I’m drawn to stories where various cultures mix, mesh, and/or collide in interesting and dramatic ways as well as to stories about insider/outsider themes.  These types of stories often mesh with an international perspective so this perspective does find its way into all of my films in one way or another.

VIMOOZ: What’s up next for the film?

Aaron Douglas Johnston: The film will screen at multiple film festivals this year, and we’re currently working on distribution deals to get the film out there so people can see it.

Aaron Douglas Johnston (center wearing grey scarf) with crew at WorldPremiere IFFRotterdam 2013

VIMOOZ: What’s up next for you?

Aaron Douglas Johnston: I’d love to make another film in Iowa, as my own hometown continues to inspire me. I’m also currently developing several projects in the Netherlands. [ Pictured above: Aaron Douglas Johnston (center wearing grey scarf) with crew at WorldPremiere IFFRotterdam 2013 ]

http://youtu.be/YdSMWQEtPJ4

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