Interview with Tisca Chopra

Just like we are taught to never judge a book by its cover, we too should never speculate about the personality of a film star simply by his/her onscreen or public persona. While Tisca Chopra has always remained clear of any controversies, she is somewhat of a dark horse of the film industry. Gaining acclaim after her comeback in Taare Zameen Par, I found her, through my interactions on twitter and email, to be a very down to earth person, courteous, and someone who has varied interests ranging from traveling to writing, along with an obvious passion for cinema. Her colorful nature, she did answer the questions in purple, along with a knack for good humor, just read some of her answers, she has won many hearts with her smile and brilliant performances in films and in commercials.

I would like to thank Ms. Chopra for taking out the time from her busy schedule to answer the questions put forth about her life and about her time in the Indian film industry.

Raghav Modi (RM): You've been working in the film industry for a while now, but your comeback came about with Taare Zameen Parwith a rather unconventional role of a mother to a young boy. How did that happen?

Tisca Chopra (TC): One of the assistants on the film, Ritu Bhatia had seen my work on TV. I was called in to audition. I did my best at the audition and I was on the same evening. 

RM: Being a part of the Indian film industry for so many years how do you feel it has changed over the years?

TC: The age of the actor is here. If you can act, you’ll be working and working a lot. The only thing that can stop you is if you develop an attitude.

Multiplexes have breathed life into new types of stories. The next step is movies that have multi ethnic, multi country casts and crews- world stories... some of that we have seen in Crash and Babel, but more is yet to come.

RM: What according to you is the next logical step that the film industry should be heading towards? Has the audience really started to look forward to "intelligent" cinema or is there scope for everything still?

TC: Films like Ready, Golmaal and Son Of Sardaar prove that the audiences love comedies and action films. Yet, slowly there is a distinct audience emerging for smaller and sassier films too. With a bursting-at-the-seams population like ours, how can only one type of film work? Everything works, so long as it's got a semblance of a soul.

RM: There has always been a gap of few years between your films. Your filmography is somewhat empty between 1995 till 2000 and then again from 2004 till 2007. This also included a name change. Why have these breaks been important and where have you been busy during these years?

TC: There are three kinds of roles for women in Bollywood- Babe, Bhabhi and Beeji. I keep ducking the stereotype. Anything that offers me chance to play a real person, I will do it. Fat, funny, thin, bald, ugly...anything, so long as its real and has a good story to tell.

I’ve never been homogeneous. I do not feel pressure to do work all the time. I travel, I read and when something fun comes up, I do it. It's important for me to believe in the story and in the people making it. One can’t keep reaping if one is not sowing. I want to put in a little living to be able to bring something fresh to my work. I don’t want to develop emotional myopia…I can’t see other actors films and act out of that. I need to meet people, observe life, and do different things.

Meantime, I have finished a book I am writing. It's called ‘Get Your Act Together’. We have also been traveling with ‘Dinner with Friends‘ a fabulous play that I’ve had the good fortune to be in. 

RM: Ever since your return to films you have been doing a number serious films/roles like TZP, Firaaq or even Mirch to an extent. Has this been a conscious decision or it is always about the role rather than the genre of the film?

TC: Not at all. I am absolutely dying to do a comedy. Friends and family will tell you that I’m quite a clown. TZP set a benchmark that most people just follow. Coming up shortly is a comedy I did, ‘10ml Love’. I enjoyed that so much that now I’m seriously looking for another comic script… something totally crazy. Something like As Good As It Gets… smart and funny.

RM: Although it is a clichéd question, but you must have a wish list when it comes to directors and actors. So, which director and actor would you want to work with, someone you haven't worked with yet?

TV: Anyone with a delicious script. Actually, I am now keen to write a script myself... maybe that’s the next step for me. But, if you are asking whose work I like, then Raju Hirani, Vishal Bhardwaj, Shimit Amin, Dibaker Banerjee, Neeraj Pandey (Wednesday), Subhash Kapoor (Phas Gaye Re Obama), Abhishek Sharma(Tere Bin Laden) are some names.

Internationally, I’m a huge fan of Woody Allen’s films. There are so many excellent directors like John Lasseter, The Coen brothers, Peter Jackson, Clint Eastwood, Ang Lee, Martin Scoecsese and Christopher Nolan. I’d love to work with actors like Leonardo Di Capprio, Jhonny Depp, Helen Mirren, Ryan Gosling and Meryl Streep.

RM: As an actress, do you have any regrets, roles that you missed out on for one reason or another?

TC: I did not miss out on anything because I live for the moment and make the film I’m doing at the moment the best fun thing in the world. So whether the film does well or not, I’ve given my heart and soul to it and had a blast making it. It's a win win. So, to answer your question I have no regrets.

..unless you talk about ‘Fargo’,‘Chicago’, ‘Bullets over Broadway‘ or ‘As Good As It Gets’, then yes I did miss out on those.. 

RM: Can you tell us about some of your up-and-coming projects?

TC: Coming out on the 7th of December is ‘10ml Love’, a mad comedy based on Shakespeare’s‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’. I’m filming ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case’ that is being produced by Vikram Bhatt, at the moment. ‘Qissa’, an international film with Irrfan is just getting done. There’s a bi-lingual thriller that is starting in February. And like I said, I have an idea for a film, which is a comedy. I want to write that asap.

RM: What are some of the perks of being in the limelight and also some drawbacks that you wish you could change?

TC: I wish I didn’t have to wear high heels. Something about wearing high heels makes your brain stop functioning. The flip side is that, that makes one appealing to certain types of men.

I’m also intrinsically shy, so sometimes that becomes an effort- to fight my basic personality and be open. Being a celebrity, one has to reveal selectively, but being an actor has opened my soul.

RM: One of the perks that we are aware of is that actors get to travel all around the world on the pretext of filming. Is there anyplace that you've discovered because of a shoot that you would like to return to?

TC: I’m pretty hooked to travel, work or no work. My husband’s a pilot, so we end up traveling a lot. I fell in love with Istanbul. That’s one place I’d love to go back to. Manali is a favorite in India. I want to definitely go to Ladakh this coming year, the Dead Sea, the Rio Mardi Gras and the Machu Picchu area.

RM: Before we let you go you have to tell us your five favourite Indian Films and five favourite Non-Indian films?

TC:  International- As Good As It Gets, Fargo, Shawshank Redemption, Bullets Over Broadway, The Green Mile.  

Indian- Lagaan, Ab Tak Chappan, Raat aur Din, Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots.

Interview with Jason Harris (Voice of Top Cat)

If you are unaware of who Jason Harris is, there is a good chance you've at least heard his voice. If you haven't, then you are bound to with the release of the brand spanking new film Top Cat: The Movie in which he provides a plethora of voices.

Not letting go of a chance, when Jason recently tweeted about the movie, I asked him for a Twitterview (Twitter + Interview) to get to know him and his art (as a voice artist) and especially about Top Cat: The Movie, a film I'm eagerly awaiting.

Raghav Modi (RM) - Hi Jason, thank you so much for the opportunity. Now, besides voicing Top Cat, you are also lending your vocals to a number of other characters in the movie? 

Jason Harris (JH)- Yes. I play Choo Choo, Brain, Griswald, Strickland, Big Gus, the Maharaja, and a few smaller roles. I had initially voiced all roles for the scratch track because the director working on it knew my work from a film called "Anyone's Hero" They initially hadn't planned to do a final English version. That idea came later.

RM - How is it shifting from one voice to another?

JH - That is a weird skill I have. I like to have characters talk to each other and did the scratch that way. Like a play reading. For the final though it was important we miked each character separately.So we would have sessions dedicated to 1 specific character at a time. As far as technique, the key is to find a way to embody each character and make it your own. Once you find that, you can call it up in an instant. But finding it initially can be tough.

RM - Top Cat has always appealed to both the young and the old with its lovable characters and cheeky humor. What appeals to you about the cartoons?

JH - All the character have a lovable silliness about them although they actually deal with serious problems. In the original especially It's about being wily with a sense of humor to overcome whatever hurdles and unfair situations life throws at you.They are easy to root for!

RM - What really drew you towards the film and made you want to do it?

JH - Well honestly I am an actor and was hired. But this was unique in that I got to play many roles, cast the others, and voice direct sessions. I would have tweaked the story and added more jokes throughout but we had to stick to what we had since it was being dubbed into Spanish, but still the thought of doing all these iconic characters was exciting and to be honest... A bit overwhelming. I would have preferred a little more time, budget and flexibility but such is the business reality of film. To do this great with this much and these constraints, we did the best we can with what we are allotted.

RM - There are always people who feel that classic films or cartoons should be left alone and not remade or turned into movies. What would you say to them?

JH - Mixed feelings honestly. They are timeless and the thought of tweaking them to introduce to a new generation is exciting. That said it is a huge challenge to keep the essence of what made them iconic and yet make it relevant. When it works it is wonderful and gives new life, but often there are stumbling blocks along the way- even in the final product. But you have to try!

RM- Tell us about some of the other films you are working on please?

JH - My bio is all over the place. I hosted Double Dare 2000 in the states on Nickelodeon, and have done hundreds of cartoons, commercials,etc. I just did small parts and directed the loop group for the new Ice Age movie.I'm doing the same for a new animated film about the Yankees. I also run a loop group in the US that supplies VO actors for TV+film. Boardwalk Empire, Smash, Damages, and Royal Pains.

RM - Being able to voice so many different characters, do you have a routine to keep your vocal chords nice and healthy?

JH - Yes! It gets harder as you get older but I've always been blessed with flexibility. I sip warm water all the time. And try to get rest before work. Plus, I practice a lot and am always drawn towards new voices and sounds and how to recreate them.

RM - Who's your favorite character from Top Cat: The Movie and why?

JH - I kind of love them all in their own way. Strickland, Griswald, and Gus were the most physically tiring. Top Cat had the most pressure to to get it as close as possible. I had lots of fun with Choo Choo and Brain and their one liners Oh and I LOVE Bill Lobley as Dibble, Bob Kaliban as the judge, and Chris Edgerly as Benny!

RM - Lastly, what can be expected from the movie for the people who grew up watching the film and for those who have never seen the cartoons?

JH - Honestly, an exciting fun effort. It was a low budget undertaking. So don't expect perfection, but from my end which is vocal performances, we had an eager, talented cast who did their all to stay true to the roles and bring them new life. I hope we succeeded for the most part.

Thank you Jason and all the best on you future endeavors. 

An Interview with Anish Trivedi

The best way to introduce Anish Trivedi would be to pull up his bio from his Twitter account @Anish_Trivedi (see below). I've known Anish for the last year or so, only through Twitter, and what really impressed me, besides his approachability and the fact that he is always there to help, is that he can take a joke on himself as well as make one (especially on a public platform), and for me that says a lot about a person. 

Seeing how multitalented Anish is, I requested him to answer a few questions for my readers so that we can get to know him and also share some of the knowledge he has acquired over the years;

  

Hello Anish. Thank you very much for taking out the time to answer our interview questions. Jumping straight in, as mentioned above, you have worked/participated in many fields (education, VJ, theater, radio, business, investment banking, writer), what has been the most satisfying work professionally and personally?

I began as an investment banker, something I did for 15 years, and I’d be kidding myself if I weren’t to admit that the financial compensation you get in that industry is hard to beat. But I found that wasn’t enough for me after a while, and I needed to be doing something I enjoyed. At a time when radio didn’t exist in India, we founded Banyan Tree, a company that’s been at the forefront of cutting edge radio, whether in terms of programming or platforms. I’m very proud of the fact that we were the first Indian company to do internet radio for the Indian diaspora, the first to do satellite radio, the first to do mobile radio. On the personal front, I’d say it’s my first play, Still Single, and my first novel, Call Me Dan, that make me glad I do what I do.

You were one of the very first Video Jockeys (VJs) that this country had. Now, music channels are filled with either film adverts or teenage dramas or reality shows and negligible music. Do you miss the good-old-days or has TV just progressed with time and represents the present society?

When Meghna and I started hosting Mangta Hai on Channel V, there was nothing like it on Indian television. We took the request show format and turned it on its head. Unfortunately, music channels now don’t bother about the music, preferring to compete with every other station with formats that range from soap operas to reality shows. I’d hate to think that this is all we want as a viewing audience. I think it’s more representative of the laziness that creeps into a programming team. Family drama does well on a GEC format, so let’s do teen drama on music television. Reality shows rock, so let’s forget about rock ‘n’ roll. And unfortunately, it’s getting to be that way on radio too.

I came to know you through Twitter. You are also one of the few hands-on celebrities on Twitter that interacts with his/her followers. Why this interest in Twitter? Is it a business tool, or just a personal pastime, or as some people say, simply waste of time?

I had to set up a Twitter account in 2010 because I was a part of an international online tasting panel choosing the cask that would be Glenfiddich’s Vintage Reserve that year. We were scattered across the world, but put our tasting notes up on Twitter in real time. I let it languish for a long while after that, but then found myself drawn into conversations with people like you, about topics as diverse as political inaction and single malt whisky. I’ve never met most of the people with whom I interact, and I probably never will. But they offer me a point of view that’s different, and one that I thoroughly enjoy receiving. But the day you get me tweeting about my personal life or what I had for breakfast, please, shoot me.

You've written a piece of fiction called Call Me Dan which to me is a humorous look at the changing lifestyles of India. Where did the want to write a book originate and where did the idea for the character of Dan come from? Also, can we expect some new literary works from you in the future?

Call Me Dan came from just that changing lifestyle that we’re seeing in India today. Like Gautam, the protagonist in the novel, there is an entire generation that is earning more money than its parents ever did, is spending it in places like bars where its parents would never dream of entering, and yet goes home every night to the value systems of a traditional middle class upbringing in India. There is a huge dichotomy in the lives of kids today. My parents’ generation may have been the first to live in a free India, but it’s this generation today that is really embracing freedom, both economic and social. I write about contemporary India, the one in which you and I live. Gautam, and Dan, are the guys who are this generation, and that’s why I like them, and the women they date.

The next novel has been slow in starting, only because it’s sometimes difficult to balance running a business and taking the time off to go and write. But I know what, and about whom, I want to write. So if I spend less time this year doing online interviews (he said, with a straight face), I’m hoping to start writing the damned thing soon.

We would love to know a little bit about your "origins". Where were you born, your childhood, your life in a paragraph or two?

I used to begin by saying I was born a poor black child, but Steve Martin stole that line and used it in a movie. Less interestingly, I grew up in Mumbai in a good Gujarati family. Parents who neither drank, smoked or allowed meat to cross their threshold. By the standards of wealth we see in this country today, I guess we’d be classified middle class, but then in those days we were all middle class because the government taxed away all our money. Twelve years of school at Cathedral where I learnt to write, run and play rugby. Economics and international relations at the University of Southern California, where I learnt that not all Americans are as ignorant as the international press makes them out to be, that I will never understand baseball but I love American football, and that Jack Daniels and I are never going to be friends.

You have been working in and around the entertainment industry for quite a long time. Any anecdotes that you can share, with or without names?

You mean like going on the road for a radio documentary with Jethro Tull and drinking with Ian Anderson? And having him sing snatches of Thick As A Brick in a Bangalore bar to a young lady who went on to win an international beauty contest and then become an actress, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more? Or the newsreader who forgot to switch off her body mic while she did a cameraman in the green room? Now, really! How could I possibly have such stories?

Now, adding to your many talents is that you are also a playwright. Recently, you started work/performance on another Play that you have written. Tell us a little something about the Play and where can one get to see it. Also, do you think theater is a dying art in India or does it still have a strong hold on society?

I wrote my first play, Still Single, because of a bet. I was told then that all I wrote were newspaper columns and that I knew nothing about what went into the creative process of theatre. So I decided to write the play. Seventeen rewrites later, we put it on stage. Had it not done well, I’d probably have slunk off and gone back to propping up bars, but it did do well so a year later, I wrote my next play, One Small Day. And most recently, we opened my third play, Famous Last Words.

Famous Last Words is a black comedy about an author who hasn’t written anything for the past 5 years, and ends up depending on his ex-wife to help him get his life back in place. Of course the only place he’d like it to be is the nearest bar. And no, there is no autobiographical element in it.

Theatre in India? It’s not quite dying, but it certainly needs life support. There are no theatres. In any other part of the world, you’d write a play, book a theatre, and do shows for many months. Here, you try and get one weekend at the NCPA, finally do after a year of trying, and then sit down to write your play. Thinking of it as a career option? Don’t.

As I run a travel blog, I can't help but ask for your favourite places in the world and why they are so special?

Ah, Scotland for sure. Apart from the fact that I love single malt whisky, it’s a place I’ve been going to for the past 15 years, and one I try to visit at least once a year. I fell in love with it the first time down in Argyll, and I think it’s just the raw nature of the land that draws me to it. Well, yes, that and a steady supply of damned fine whisky.

Whisky and Cigar, more so "Good" Whisky and Cigar have always been special for you. When and how did this love affair start? What tips would you give to first-timers who want to enjoy these finer things in life? 

I got lucky. Most kids start out with rum and cola or beer in their teens. I only started drinking, really, when I went to university. And instead of beginning at the bottom, my eye, and my palate, latched onto a bottle of Glenfiddich, which was pretty much the only single malt you could buy in the US in those days. And 32 years later, I’m still drinking it. I drink beer, wine and vodka as well, but it almost always comes down to good malt for me. Cigars too. I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life, but I enjoy cigars, and have for coming on a couple of decades now.

I’ve always said that there’s no such thing as a bad whisky. It’s just that there are some that are better. If you’re starting out, drink the best you can. Life’s too short to waste on something that’s not worth it. Try different whiskies, from different regions and with different finishes, to see what you like. The same with cigars.

And ignore the snobs. You will be surrounded by know-it-alls who will tell you there is only one brand of cigar you should smoke, or that you’re drinking the wrong whisky. Be polite. Don’t tell them where to stick it. But just do what you enjoy. And spit in their glass when they’re not looking.

This next one is probably the most clichéd question, but still, if you were to tell the younger generation one thing that you have learnt from your life, what would it be?

Follow your dreams for sure. But make sure you have enough money to pay the rent and feed the kids before you do. Passion doesn’t pay the bills. And at some point, your parents won’t either.

Since this is a film blog, we cannot let you go without telling us your top 3 favourite films? Just to make it easy, we would like 3 International (English/Non-English) films and 3 Indian Films please?

  

International- On The Waterfront, Scent Of A Woman, Breakfast At Tiffany’s.

Indian- Aradhana, Mera Naam Joker, Sahib Biwi Aur Gulam.

Thank you, once again, Anish for taking out precious time from your schedule to answer the above questions. I look forward to having numerous more fun conversations over Twitter and hopefully meeting you in real someday.

I strongly encourage everyone on Twitter (no matter where you are from) to follow @Anish_Trivedi.

An interview with Producer/Director of The Ultimate Ultimate, Joe Benarick

The thing I love about cinema is that there is always something for everyone. Besides the different genres, films end up being unique based on the style of filmmaking. Add to that the individuality that everyone brings working together to make movies for us. One such individual is Joe Benarick whose "indie-comedy" The Ultimate Ultimate will be hitting the festival circuit real soon. I had a chance to ask him a few questions about his film, his cinema preferences, and the art of filmmaking.

Hi Joe and thank you for taking out the time to answer some of our questions.

Oh, my pleasure.

Raghav Modi (RM) - The Ultimate Ultimate definitely sounds like the ultimate movie, but still tell us a little about the title and why did you select this very title?

Joe Benarick (JB) - You’re right, it is the ultimate movie. The title, The Ultimate Ultimate, comes from a line from one of my favorite comedies, Windy City Heat. Everyone needs to check out that movie. After a dozen views, it’s still the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. The title of our movie is really just a nod to that. The movie’s about two buddies taking a trip to a nearby town to get away from their problems at home, so there’s no real relevance, just something I thought of. It works anyway.

RM - Having just seen your trailer, the humor and the language is very much adult and very Jackass-y. Was it a conscious decision to maybe use it as a unique selling point because by going R rated you are limiting your target audience?

JB - My humor’s always been R rated. I don’t think I could censor it; I lack a filter. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg tried to censor theirs in Green Hornet, and even though I like that movie, I was thinking, “The f-word would’ve been great there” the whole time. I think the only two PG-13 comedies that have lasted with me are Dumb & Dumber and Kingpin—Kingpin’s my favorite comedy. Those movies both have heart, though. I don’t have a heart, so I use filth as a crutch. But I’d love to write and direct something with emotion one day. I’m sure everyone would see through it, like, “This guy clearly doesn’t know what it’s like to have a dead wife,” but I could try. And there’s always going to be an audience for R rated comedy. That 18-34 year old male demographic is the one everyone’s trying to catch.

RM - Comedy has obviously played an important role in your life, and reflects in the films you make. When did you figure out that you had a knack for comedy and that this is the line you wanted to take professionally?

JB - Kindergarten. I did a Jackie Gleason impression and the kids lost it. No, I don't know. I've always loved comedy. As far back as fifth grade I wanted to be a stand-up comic. I thought I had a little talent for it, and as I got older it became something I wanted to pursue—something I wanted to be great at. I still do. I want my name ultimately to be up there with the greats, on both sides of the camera.

Joe Benarick

RM - Joe, you seem like a man of many talents especially with your name recurring a number of times in the credits. Was it a necessity that you had to take over a number of roles, or was it something you wanted to do from the start?

JB - Both, I guess. Writing is my first love; I’ll always be writing. I’ve grown to really enjoy directing, too. I’m looking forward to doing something down the road that I don’t have to act in, and I can just direct. I’d like to write something for our guy Frank Aguirre to star in, and I can stay behind the camera. Frank’s the half brother of Deco Drive host Louis Aguirre. He stars in The Ultimate Ultimate and our last movie, Days of Lightning. He’s very good. He could carry a movie. Up to this point, I’ve had to act in everything we’ve done because it’s tough to find good actors, and let’s face it, I’m very good. Brando-ish. I’m also easy on the eyes, if you like guys who aren’t good-looking. If you’ve ever said, “I don’t like really good-looking guys, I’m into 6’s,” I’m your Ryan Gosling. Or Shia LaBeouf, if you like him. I pronounce his last name “La-Boo”—real French.

RM - Please tell us something about your production house A Set of Works? A little about the origins and also what are the future plans?

JB - I started A Set of Works in 2007 when I was living outside Philadelphia, just doing little online videos. I was doing some stand-up comedy. Then I moved to Miami, Florida—Miami is awful, by the way. A really deplorable city. But I got down here and my buddy KB and I started doing a lot of stuff together. Our buddy Back to the Futrell helped out with ideas. It’s grown from there. I’m really trying to get the hell out of this city and move west. We have two or three other scripts ready to go. But we can’t keep doing things the way we have, i.e. funding them all ourselves. It’s not enough. But The Ultimate Ultimate is getting out there, and we’ll see what happens with that—where it takes us. I really stand behind this movie.

Harry - Harry Stergo, looking like the shrink from Office Space

RM - Let's talk about the term Indi-Comedy. You said that The Ultimate Ultimate is an indi-comedy, so what is this genre all about according to you and why the necessity to differentiate comedy in segments?

JB - Yeah, it is an indie-comedy, and I don’t like that title because, to me at least, it evokes thoughts of weird, unfunny, obscure stuff that you see on IFC or something. I can name two indie-comedies that I love: Clerks and The Foot Fist Way. People will say some movies go over your head if you say you don’t like them, and I’m like, “No, it just sucked. I got it. I got that it was dull”. I aspire to do mainstream comedy because I think it’s better. Until you’re backed by a studio, though, you’re indie. I still want to look like we can stand next to the big boys, even on our own with no money or names attached. If “indie comedy” means our humor has to appeal to 3% of the audience, or we have to use a shaky cam and nauseating zooms like the Duplass Brothers, or we have to get Jason Schwartzman to star, I don’t want that. But that’s the label we’ve been dealt.

RM - You talk about mainstream comedy, which also is divided into segments. We have the family comedies with Kingpin and Dodgeball which are somewhat borderline family, but there are also comedies like Clerks and American Pie which are more geared for the college crowd. Which of the two are you more inclined towards and why?

JB - Our content is geared towards the college crowd, definitely. Not only them but the young knucklehead crowd in general. We gravitate to the adult stuff as fans, too. Except KB. He likes that Raining Meatballs kid movie—the CG one. How unbecoming, right? Now, I don’t like vulgarity for the sake of vulgarity. It has its place, and it doesn’t belong everywhere. That’s a big issue with a lot of comedies these days: they’re trying to outdo each other in terms of shock value. That’s a direct result of a lack of creativity. Some guys have no originality, so every picture is an attempt to outdo the last one’s gags. With that said, the audience is clamoring for it, so how can you blame the studios for giving them what they want? Shock value is nothing new, though, it’s just more prevalent these days.

And I have nothing against kid friendly comedy—not at all. I think Meet The Parents is one of the best comedies of the last 10-15 years. Will Ferrell has made some classics in that lane. Napoleon Dynamite is still amazing. I don’t know if those are family films; they’re as clean as I can go. I haven’t seen a PG comedy in 20 years. Unless Napoleon Dynamite is PG. I watched approximately one second of Toy Story 3 and was like, “I got bigger fish to fry,” and turned it off.

Joe and Frank Fish 3 - Joe Benarick and Frank Aguirre on vacation

RM - What about the actual filming of The Ultimate Ultimate. Tell us about some of the challenges you faced and how important was the location to your film, be it indoors or outdoors?

JB - We shot in and around Miami. It’s tough; Miami doesn’t want to help. If it’s not a Castro documentary, they’re not interested. Other filmmakers are selfish down here. They’re on year 4 of pre-production on their Scarface-influenced film, and that’s it. We had some luck on The Ultimate Ultimate with our locations. We rented a motel room nearby for a bulk of the movie’s scenes. We weren’t able to finish on time because we lost an actress—literally lost her, she died. She didn’t die, no, but she bailed on us, so she may as well have. And when we went back to the motel to wrap, the owner said we couldn’t film anymore because too many cops were watching the place because they rented rooms by the hour, which is illegal in Florida. We waited till he was gone one afternoon and knocked out the missing exterior stuff on property. I gave that dude fifty bucks beforehand—there’s no reneging, pal.

I do think setting a movie in a tropical environment is attractive to an audience. People love that look; they want to be there. It adds kind of a warm, upbeat feel. In that sense, Miami’s good for us. We can achieve that look all over Florida, though. Oh, I’m so bitter, can you tell? I just threw a Heat hat on the ground and stomped on it. They don’t have real fans, so it’s fine.

RM - As a director have you had any formal training in the field and also what sort of equipment did you use to film?

JB - No, no formal training. I thought about film school after high school, but I hated school way too much, I really did. I couldn’t fathom paying for more. The first camera I bought was a Panasonic PV-GS320 Mini-DV consumer camcorder. No external mic, no add-ons. I think I was 19. I read as much as I could on filmmaking, really studied film, and taught myself. It shows in our early stuff. I was a point-and-shoot director. I could write my ass off, though. But failure is to be expected. We even used that old camera for Days of Lightning. The visuals held up, I think, but it sounded terrible. For The Ultimate Ultimate we used a Sony HXR-MC50U with a shotgun mic, and an additional Rode mic for some exterior stuff.  Edited in Final Cut Express on a MacBook Pro.

Trailer of The Ultimate Ultimate 

(Please keep in mind that the trailer has language that might be offensive for some)

Film synopsis 

RM - With the increase availability of the internet, especially blogs, and promotional tools like Facebook and Twitter, has there been a change in the whole independent cinema business? For one, you are able to reach a whole new audience, but what other benefits or negatives do you associate with this technological evolution?

JB - Oh yeah, a big change. Everyone’s doing it now. The benefit of it is like you said: you’re able to reach a whole new audience. The downfall is oversaturation. Look at Twitter: everyone on Twitter thinks they’re a comedian. Maybe 2% of them are funny. The market’s overflooded. It’s great that people are getting discovered via YouTube and stuff—good for them, but most of the stuff is dreadful. The YouTube stars are terrible. And for someone calling me a hater: you’re right, I hate them. It’s very competitive now, and competition can lead to great things, but I’m not really seeing it. I think, and maybe I’m wrong, but some truly talented people are going unnoticed because, maybe, their content doesn’t appeal to the kids and nerds who have the time to sit on YouTube for hours on end. Of course, I’m talking about us. Just kidding. I’m not kidding.

RM - Since this is a film blog, I honestly cannot let you go without you telling us your Top 5 films of all time, and why you regard them as the best?

JB –

1. American Psycho – This has been my favorite movie since I saw it in like ’99 or 2000. It’s hilarious. I quote it every chance I get. And if I don’t have a chance, I force it. Pat Bateman is the greatest. I still want to get him with the butcher knife tattooed on my arm someday.

2. Fight Club – It’s such a great movie. I wish I could articulate this better, but I just love it.

3. Goodfellas – The greatest gangster movie of all time. A gangster was the first thing I ever wanted to be, seriously, and this one is the best portrayal of that life ever on-screen.

4. Kingpin – My favorite comedy. This movie really struck a perfect balance between comedy and heartfelt emotion. The Farrellys have always been great at that. Someone’s going to say, “What emotion?!”, but come on, when Roy loses the tourney to Bill Murray, and he’s alone—Ishmael bailed on him...I’m going to trail off there.

5. Clerks 2 – Kevin Smith is one of my favorite comedic writers and directors, and this is his best film to me. Like Kingpin, it earned the spot because it’s a lot more than laugh-out-loud funny. The go-kart scene and Randall’s subsequent explanation for why he loves go-karts is one of my favorite parts of any movie.

Thank you answering the questions. We wish you all the best for The Ultimate Ultimate and your future endeavors.     

Thank you, and let us know what you guys think of The Ultimate Ultimate.

An Interview with Paul Atkins (Arcane Movie Tees)

Some of my readers will be aware that I am a Business (and Psychology) major. So, whenever I come across a business enterprise that I witness growing and one that I find interesting, I am always intrigued about its "back story". What truly made Paul Atkins from Arcane Movie Tees all the more interesting was the fact that here is a man who not only had great business sense, but one that went ahead and did something most of us desire to do all our lives; he managed to mix his passion, for movies, with his business giving the term "don't mix business with pleasure" a run for its money.

I came across Arcane Movie Tees and their products via Twitter and while I was convincing them to host #MTOS I thought it was perfect opportunity to get to know more about the man behind the company. In my last minute attempt to coincide the hosting with the interview, I would like to thank Paul who was kind enough to answer the questions in rather a short period of time.

Paul (wearing one of his own creations) with his Son. 

Raghav Modi (RM) - Hi Paul, thank you for taking out the time to answer the questions of the interview. I would like to jump right into it and simply ask what made you start your company Arcane Movie Tees? Was it simply love for cinema and business, or is there more to the story?

Paul Atkins (PA) - I have a genuine passion for movies and I wanted to vent that passion in some way. My other main love is Music and I previously used to produce artwork and websites for my own band and friends bands. This led to creating tees and other clothing for some of them and it was at that point I thought it would be cool to create some ideas inspired by Movies also. I wanted to create designs that I thought were lacking in that market and I would also love to wear myself. It started with creating ideas that were appealing to me and soon enough appealing to those others I showed. The idea then turned into a business model and here we are today.

RM - Take us back to your earliest childhood memory of watching a film. Which film do you remember had the biggest impact on you as a kid?

PA - I certainly remember watching Robocop for the first time when I was only 9 and that had a very profound effect on me at the time! A friend of mine acquired it from his Father's VHS collection and we thought it would be a cool idea to watch. I can tell you it’s a very disturbing Movie to watch as a 9 year old. That stayed with me for quite a while. Even by today’s standards, I feel the violence in that Movie is quite shocking.

Arcane Movie Tees latest design

RM - Why "Arcane"? What significance does the name Arcane have in your life? Also, if you could please give us a short history of the origins?

PA - Arcane was a name I worked with throughout a graphic design project in my younger years. I used it then to create the identity of a fake record label, but loved the word and it’s meaning from then on. When I founded AMT it seemed a very fitting name to work with as one of its meanings is ‘known or understood by only a few’. Exactly the subtlety I wanted to project in some of the brands intended designs.

RM - Moving on with the company, why did you decide on making the Tees only in limited editions of 150? Has it been a good business move so far?

PA - We wanted to create something even more unique here at Arcane and felt that limited edition tees would be perfect. Its a very saturated market, so by having a limited number of each design, it makes our tees stand out as they will not be around forever. And only an exclusive amount of people Worldwide would ever own the same t-shirt as the other customer who purchased it. We thought that was a cool approach to producing such rare garments. We have found that our customers really love this exclusivity and love the fact that only a handful of people share the same tee.

RM - Tell us some films that you are proud to have in your collection and some that you desperately want to add?

PA - There is currently a long list of films wanted that I am constantly updating. I generally seem mostly to be boosting my Blu-ray collection. Either with new titles, or usually ones I already own on DVD, but it’s got to be done! I even have some of them still on VHS, so I am prepared for all occasions!

Work-in-progress @ Arcane Movie Tees

RM - I know Arcane Movie Tees has been quite pro-active when it comes to using the social media. It is after all the new form of advertising. How important and crucial is it to your business and to any business for that matter?

PA - It is by far the most important form of advertising and customer interaction to us. We were relative novices of Twitter until a few months ago, but our Facebook page has been a very useful marketing tool since the beginning. Along with being able to promote our products direct to the people who would most appreciate them, it’s a fantastic way to interact with our fans/customers on a more personal level, which is definitely the most crucial aspect when creating such an esoteric Brand.

RM - Arcane Movie Tees is amongst a number of companies that are giving out a similar product. Although there seems to be healthy competition between everyone, how do you try and stay a step ahead of everyone?

PA - I feel that we try to stay ahead of the game for a few reasons. Its no secret that the market is now more saturated with similar designs, that’s why we now also try to create different designs that are not the same in any way. We still create designs that are inspired by fake brands, companies or locations from Movies, but they are now the style of Movie tee that can be found from a multitude of places. We don’t want to disregard that style or the subtlety they evoke, but feel there is room for far more. We also feel that by creating our other design ranges (e.g. Suspects, Decade and Iconic Images) we are moving away from what any other Movie tee company can offer. It is a precise balance of unique and diverse style limited edition designs, a great value price structure and the fact our tees are available on a wide range of colours to suit everyone’s taste that make us, I feel, one of the most exciting tee brands out there.

RM - Tell us a little about films that you are passionate about? What do you like, dislike, love to hate, and hate to love?

PA - Horrors are my main passion. My partner and I both share the same healthy obsession with the genre and have a few particular favourites. The Shining has to be my ultimate personal favourite and The Lost Boys and The Thing are simply awesome. Horrors aside The Godfather trilogy is incredible. I’ve lost count of the amount of time I have spent watching it. I even love the much-slated 3rd, even though to be fair, it isn’t a patch on the first two parts. My guilty pleasure have to be early Van-Damme movies, he tries so hard! Much the same can’t be said of Seagal films, that guy has no charisma what so ever.

The one I own - Inspired from the movie High Fidelity

RM - Which direction according to you is the movie industry heading in now? Are you a supporter of 3D and is that the future of cinema?

PA - That is a tough one. There are still plenty of amazing films released each year, but that said I do feel that Hollywood has gone re-boot crazy of late. There seems to be far to many remakes, re imaginings, prequels, sequels and re-boots of Movies that we just don’t need. Also the big Hollywood re-workings of great foreign films seem a little like a general lack of ideas for totally original concepts. 3D is a medium I tend to avoid. I much prefer the standard 2D versions of the film and in reality most of the 3D adaptations of Movies are just cashing in while it’s such a popular format and I don’t feel it really adds anything to the Movie going experience, except maybe those annoying glasses!

RM - In the end, without giving away much, what more can we expect from Arcane Movie Tees in respect of designs and or products?

PA - We will continuously push to create more new and interesting designs and develop more original ideas as we go. We will be showcasing a little more of our illustrative side also after the amazing reaction to our Suspects range and at the same time still create the style of design we are best known for producing. Also look out for the AMT Ultimate Movie Crew coming soon. It’s not a tee, but that’s all I can divulge this time.

RM - Thank you for your time and wishing you all the best in your future endeavors. 


Arcane Movie Tees can be contacted through their website www.arcanemovietees.com or on Twitter with the handle @arcanemovietees