indieBlog

A Trip to San Diego in Three Acts:

PROLOGUE

We at SAGIndie decided to try a little something new this year, and hold a panel at Comic-con. We figured there we would find many aspiring indie filmmakers wanting to make low-budget sci-fi and fantasy films, and who probably weren't aware that they could actually afford to use professional talent. What better place to educate said filmmakers than their Mecca, Comic-Con?

ACT I

Scott and I woke up (in our respective apartments, get your mind of out the gutter!) so early on Saturday that the sun wasn't even up. Under the cover of night, we ran away from home to join the circus that is San Diego's annual Comic Convention. We met up at Union Station to take the train south. Plans were almost thwarted here, when we realized that the line was longer than my list of reasons not to have kids. We also figured out that our grumpiness is in direct correlation to how sure we are that we're going to miss our train (multiply that by empty tummies squared and lack of sleep to the 18th power and you've got a breed of supergrump that is scarier than my seventh grade math teacher.)

We calmed down a little when we made it to the train in the nick of time...until we realized we were sitting behind the most annoying girl ever. You know how painfully unfunny kids are when they're, like, eight years old and are just discovering what a sense of humor is, and they try really hard to be sarcastic and stuff? She was less funny than that. What's even worse is that she sure hit it off with the guy next to her, so the next three hours we were forced to listen to this girl and her plot to go to wealthy older Beverly Hills couples and offer to bear children for them if they get her into show business. No matter how loud I turned Children of Bodom up on my i-Pod, I couldn't drown her out.

Upon arriving in San Diego, we promptly (accidentally) gave some poor guy the wrong directions to the covention center. To console ourselves, we had breakfast at some nook whose name escapes me right now, where I had the best omelette of my life. After that, it was time to get down to business, so we checked in, got our badges and admired how precious dorky 9th grade boys can be.

ACT II

I'm finding it difficult to find words to describe Comic-con. Crowded is one that comes to mind. Expensive is another. I was lost on a good number of the references. I know, I know, it's Comic-con. But I figured "I'm a nerd, I watch cartoons, I'll fit in here!" That wasn't enough. I don't care about Star Wars, The Matrix, LOTR, superhero comics being turned into blockbusters. I used to pretend I did, but as I got older and more secure with myself, I found myself less and less worried about not being in the upper-echelons of geekdom. I knew that if I had really belonged there, I wouldn't have been so irritated by not being able to get through the massive crowd to an area less claustraphobic, or pushed along by the crowd when I wanted to stop and look at something. We did, however, take a ton of pictures and marvel (get it?) at the effort that it must have taken these fans to get their costumes together.

After wandering around the lower level and exploring the upstairs autograph area, we went to the room where we were to hold our panel and Q&A. There was an indie film-fest going on (!!!), but all the films were non-union. (Even though I found out later some of the actors were actually SAG - very naughty.) The film fest ended and we set up the presentation, which went by faster than expected. We had a decent crowd for not having advertised, coupled with our competition: a LOST panel. Unfortunately, some of the audience left when they realized we weren't showing any films. The (lucky) people who stayed were treated to the comedic stylings of Mr. Scott Garner and his hilariously sensitive microphone. The Q&A was brief, but several people stayed after to talk to us more. It's very satisfying to dispell negative rumors about SAG and show people what a good deal these contracts are. Once everyone had cleared out of the room, we debated whether or not to stick around and explore some more, but decided against it. If we hurried, we could make it home in time for dinner!

We left, spirits higher now, at the thought of making it home early. We just weren't made to last in a place like this. We walked the mile back to the station, following the yellow bricks embedded on the edge of the sidewalk, just barely making it back in time to catch the 4:20 train back into the city. After ten minutes of waiting, we realized that the 4:20 train must be late. It was a disappointing realization, as it was becoming, like, unbearably hot. (Now I've lived in both Arizona, where temperatures regularly reach in excess of 110 degrees as early as the end of May, and Chicago, where you truly understand the agony of extreme humidity - so trust me when I say it was unbearably hot. I feared the only way I was going to get my jeans off was with a heavy duty nail polish remover.) It was nearing 5 pm when the Amtrack employees finally realized they needed to let us know what was going on. Apparently, the trains were coming into the station but not leaving, because Amtrack was experiencing technical difficulties. It occured to us now that we may be stranded in San Diego, unless a train that could carry us home came along.

ACT III

By the beginning of the third hour standing in the sun waiting for a train that may or may not ever arrive, the crowd had grown to the size of a mob and was understandably upset. It might have been a little better had we been allowed to form a line inside, or at least in the shade. Scott and I made some calls to a friend who had access to a computer, and got the addresses and numbers of several rental car places in the area. When we realized the closest one was, like, over a mile away, we decided to call them first. You know, just in case. Our suspicions were confirmed. They were all closed. Getting home seemed even less like a possibility at that point, and I overheard angry people exclaiming that no hotels in the area had rooms available.

So we gave up the hope of returning, resigning ourselves to a feral life on the mean streets of SD, and turned our focus to organizing a coup d'etat. I was fashioning a bayonet when Scott wandered off for a smoke, and as soon as he was out of sight and ear-shot, the announcement was made: The train is boarding now! (I took a picture of the scene, to give you an idea.) I stood by the boarding gate alone with our bags, eyes stinging with tears at the thought of us missing this train because he had wandered off. I tried calling him, but all I got was his voice mail. My heart sank into the deep recesses of my tummy as I watched as the crowd boarded the train. There was no sight of him, we never going to make it home.

But wait!

Just when I couldn't get any more dramatic, Scott appeared in the crowd, strolling casually to where I was standing. How can he be so non-chalant?!? (I would characterize my demeanor as "cool and collected" - Ed.) He almost had us stranded! We got in line and politely made our way to the train. After scoring a window seat (!!!) but still extremely grumpy about the whole ordeal, we put on our i-Pods and watched as the seventh circle of hell faded in the distance. I was starving and contemplating a much deserved trip to the dining car, when an announcement was made. There was no food on this train. Anywhere. I was too exhausted to get angry, so I just listened to Jay-Z and made a mental note to justify my thug once I made it back to Los Angeles.

There's no place like home.

NBC Wants Your Film!

This press release just came across our desk, and it seems like a great opportunity for you diverse filmmakers out there in the blogosphere:

"Announcing Comedy Short Cuts (www.ComedyShortCutsNBC.com), a unique showcase of independent short comedy films and videos with a culturally diverse production team, cast, or theme.

NBC Universal is producing this festival to uncover diverse talent in front of and behind the camera for future development.

Semi-finalists films will be screened before an industry audience in on August 29 and finalists will be sent to LA for an exclusive screening on September 20th.

All finalists will be screened at NBC’s soon-to-be-launched comedy internet channel www.DotComedy.com in September.

The winning filmmaker will be given the chance to pitch to NBC comedy development and meet with top executives at Rogue Pictures and Focus Features. Additional prizes and opportunities are soon to be announced.

Deadline for submissions is July 31 so go to www.ComedyShortCutsNBC.com to find out how to submit your film and get the opportunity of a lifetime!"

Waylaid

Friday night SAGIndie screened the first film (Michael Kang's The Motel) in our newest undertaking, the quarterly Diversity Screening Series at AFI. I'd like to thank our volunteers for the night, the flawlessly tan Marcus Grewe (left) and the unequaled genius that is C. Evan von Bloch (right). I don't know who the weird looking person in the middle is. (Here in the SAG offices, we are trying to conserve, and apparently have abandoned the idea of air conditioning. This has made me really grumpy.)

ANYWAY, to be completely honest (something we don't agree to often), we decided to screen this film before any of us had a chnace to see it, going on the accolades and festival buzz alone. Thankfully, it turned out to be a really great film, saving us from looking like asses. Based on the novel Waylaid by the filmmaker's friend, Ed Lin, The Motel is about a thirteen-year-old boy named Ernest, who lives and works at his family's disgusting hourly-rate motel. Misunderstood and entering puberty, Ernest befriends Sam, a reckless and charming man who has checked in. It's a great portrait of several lives that are completely relatable, and quite funny. Everyone seemed to enjoy it enough to stay for the Q&A with producers Gina Kwon (Me and You and Everone We Know) and Matthew Greefield (The Good Girl). I highly suggest tracking this film down.

Thanks again to everyone who came out and supported this wonderful film. We promise to try and present something just as impressive as this one.

 

(Here producers Gina Kwon and Matthew Greenfield share a laugh at Paul's expense.)

So Ronery, I'm So Ronery...

Dear Loyal Readers:

Since I was left alone in the office today, with no one to entertain me (Paul is in NYC hiring the east-coast face of SAGIndie, DMG has taken a break from her banner snatching to represent us at the American Black Film Festival and Scott is at home (Warning! This link leads to a disgusting, stomach-churning, not very pleasant image. Seriously. You've been warned - Ed.) not feeling well), I decided to post a little update!

Business has been picking up here, and tonight I am heading out to Westwood, where my date and I will catch Kalamazoo? Friday I'll be running the first showing of our new quarterly Diversity Screening Series! I'm quite excited about the film, which is The Motel. Saturday, Scott and I are running away to San Diego to join the circus! We'll have a panel from 3-4, so if you're there, come see us. As usual, fun follows us wherever we go, so look forward to plenty of pictures and bloggery.

And now for another installment of Eliza Recommends:

How about taking a trip to Indieville or SoCal?

Resources for and interest in independent filmmakers and their films is at an all time high, so get out there, create a masterpiece and make your elementary school enemies jealous and your mothers proud!

The City that Doesn't Sleep (except where I'm staying)

SAGIndie is growing.

Besides the addition of Eliza (who is putting us all to shame with the frequency of her blogging), we are going to add a part-time, independent contractor to represent us in New York. This person will be the face of SAGIndie and will at long last give us a year-round presence in the birthplace of indie film. Because I'm still in the middle of interviews, I'm not going to say anything to reveal who this person might be, but I will say that this candidate was particularly impressive.

Instead, I'll talk about the weather and food.

It's hot (the weather, not, unfortunately, the food). This is the first time I've been to NYC in the Summer... and I wish I could say it will be the last. As they say, it's not the heat it's the humidity. It feels like a sauna. Even girls are sweating. Hey, I love New York, but I have to wonder how a city that is either frozen or sweltering for most of the year became the most important metropolis in the world?

My hotel is very nice... unlike the place we've had to stay in the last few times... but it's in Midtown East, which I've discovered may as well be called Los Angeles Very East. They roll up the sidewalks at 7:30 pm. There's nothing to eat except fast food. My first night here I was forced to go to Sbarro and last night my choices were The Olive Garden and TGI Friday's. I chose the latter because there were fewer dead rats and in front of the building. I realized after my "meal" that it's because they never make it out of the kitchen. 

For lunch today I went to one of the street vendor carts. The falafel pita was good... but I'm not sure how I feel about the owner dripping on it.

I know there's great food here. I've eaten it. For my last night here I'm determined to have something good.

Or there's this.

Outfest 2006: Airing DIRTY LAUNDRY

O.K., y'all haven't heard much from me lately.  For one, I haven't seen that many films lately, despite the local festivals.  I can only blame the fact that I was traveling when the call for ticket requests was issued.  And since there's no such thing as a cell phone and/or internet, so that I could look at WHAT I WANT and submit it, the powers that be (Paul) just gave the two homebound whiners (Scott and Eliza) all the tickets.  Harumph!   For two, the good thing about having the newbie around is that she has taken on much of the blogging responsibilities.  And I have to say, I've enjoyed her "really honest, don't take crap from anyone, but I'm still cooler than you" style blogging.  The girl is a hoot.  Glad we hired her.

Having said all that, I did see a movie at Outfest.  Saturday night, I went to a screening of Dirty Laundry.  A little bit Tyler Perry's Madea, this feature by Maurice Jamal is about a gay man who has left the country life and family behind to find himself in New York.  When he is called home for a surprising reason, he must come to terms with who he is and the people he begrudgingly calls family.  Starring a host of familiar faces, from Loretta Devine, Rockmund Dunbar, and Jenifer Lewis, the film is heartfelt and funny without falling victim to too much "chicken and grits" humor.  This could have easily fallen into the "Mama I want to sing but my arms are too short to box with God so I'll go the the beauty shop and meet my baby's daddy" films, but it holds itself clear, the message of owning who you are and being proud of it is brought home without too much preaching.  As always, Jenifer Lewis is her diva best, and Rockmund Dunbar manages to play gay without looking too much like he's playing the stereotype.

I'll have plenty more to blog about during my next trip.  I'm headed out to Miami tonight for ABFF.  I'll see films, meet filmmakers, and eat some really great food for the next 5 days.  Don't hate, the food almost makes up for the bugs that are so big, they hang out on corners and jack people for their wallets. 

Outfest 2006: Why Didn't I Think of That?

Last Friday I finally got to see Ash Christian's first feature Fat Girls. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last spring, and is now enjoying popularity at OutFest (in fact, Christian won the "Outstanding Emerging Talent" prize from the fest.) I'm quite relieved to report that Christian's film features Rodney Miller, a gay teen already quite comfortable with his sexuality, thus successfully side-stepped the overly angsty or saccharine plot devices that tend to swallow films about teenagers whole.

Hailed as "a completely new voice", "young and quirky" and "fresh", I was sort of suprised to see quite a few cliches employed in the film, which gave it a not-so-fresh-feeling. I was also suprised to see the footage looking as though it was shot on Hi-8 with a dirty lens - however, a filmmaker can get away with sub-par production value if the story is interesting and well executed. Every review I've read has called this film "Napoleon Dynamite meets (insert quirky film about gay teenagers/outcasts/trashy Texans)", which I suppose is a fair judgement, though I'd argue that Napoleon's jokes were consistantly smarter. This is not to say that Fat Girls wasn't funny - on the contrary! It's very funny, but it was also made by a 20 year old boy that sometimes settles for the easy gag. You may disagree with me, like the audience did, if you think that getting caught by a Sunday school class while performing fellatio is the epitome of comedy. Were I to have made a feature at that age, I can see the final product being on par this one - but as an older and wiser 22 year old, my sense of humor has matured beyond reminding someone that their father called using the bathroom "dropping the kids off at the pool".

The acting is solid over all, despite a particularly wooden delivery by the actor that portrayed Joey, the hot new boy in school. Some of the other performances leaned towards being a tad caricature-ish, but that didn't hinder them - Deborah Theaker steals every scene she's in. The flow of the film is fine, though it gets weighed down every now and then by some completely useless scenes that are repeated later and offer no payoff, leading up to a confusing and abrupt ending. Beyond all this, though, the film has a lot of heart and is able to laugh at itself and I can see this becoming a cult hit. I can't see the film itself experiencing mainstream success, unless people like the citizens of Canton, TX can get over the fact that there are people who participate in homosexuality and there isn't anything they can do about it (beyond kicking the film crew out of their fair city on account of the subject matter). However, Christian alluded to the fact that this film will enjoy an extended life as a cable television series.

In the end, though, all these arguments feel like useless nitpicking. Ash Christian made a pretty successful feature before he could (legally) drink, which makes it easier to forgive the film's shortcomings. So congratulations on the success of your first film, Ash - it is almost as good as my directorial debut. Almost.

Outfest2006: Fabulous! (Sort of.)

This weekend I went to Outfest and I just have to ask: Why so grumpy? You're in your 24th year of a successful film festival designed to educate and enlighten! You are doing wonderful and exciting things here...and yet the people I encountered this weekend seemed bored or irritated. It wasn't just me either - I heard several people grumbling about the same thing as we left the DGA. A suggestion of something to keep in mind: as with any fest, or any job for that matter, what you are doing is bigger than you. If someone has a negative experience with even just a few people, it is going to reflect poorly on everyone. It may not be fair, but it's a fact. If you want people to come to your festival, don't make it an unpleasant affair. I don't think I really need to expand on the rudeness I encountered, but I will say I am really disappointed at the way I was treated. I am here to support you and your films. Remember that before you grab me by the elbow to turn me around or ignore me when I ask you a question.

ANYWAY, on to the films:

I didn't get to see the Saturday screening of Fat Girls, as it was oversold. There were quite a few people with and without tickets who were turned away at the door, which makes me even more excited to finally see this film. (It's like Fat Girls is playing hard to get, and you just know I love the thrill of the chase!) I managed to get a ticket to Friday night's screening, so you'll have to wait until next week to hear what I think about Ash Christian's debut. And I know you're just dying to.

With Sunday came a special SAGIndie sponsored screening of Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (which is also airing this weekend on IFC). My date went into the screening not very keen on the idea of this documentary, not because they have a problem with the subject matter, but because they didn't think it would interest them that much. They emerged with a different attitude and, consequently, would not shut up already about how they remember what a big deal it was when Ellen Degeneres came out.

The documentary itself is rather simply made and carries a sort of "Gay Cinema 101" format, but remains quite intriguing. It includes interviews with homosexual heavyweight helmers like John Waters, Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes and the incomparable Christine Vachon. Interviews are coupled with some very fascinating clips from both landmark and largely forgotten or extremely underground gay films from a 1947 Kenneth Anger film to Brokeback Mountain. The film also features a time line of events significant to the mainstream acceptance of GLBT culture, and a section highlights "subconsciously homosexual media" from the 70s, including Sonny and Cher and The Brady Bunch. (Really? The Brady Bunch seemed gay? I never noticed!)

I was particularly interested in the coverage of several breakout films that dealt with the advent of AIDS. Now, I was much too young to be aware of the initial impact AIDS had, as I was an infant in the mid 80s. We share our birthday, in fact (along with the first sexual reassignment operation and Matthew Shephard.) To me, these extremely low-budget films are especially intriguing for two reasons: partly because this has happened in my lifetime and also because we had never before seen a community of people band together to create awareness of and fight an epidemic like we did with AIDS just 20 years ago. Expanding on the latter, when that same group of people feel like their experiences should be shared in their own voices, coupled with the increasing access to cameras, they have the motivation to create some really compelling films.

I'm going to recommend this to anyone reading this, whether or not you think you're interested in independent queer cinema. At the end of the day it's just an entertaining film history documentary, and films by, for and about the homosexual community are only going to become bigger. People whose stories have been ignored by or hidden from the mainstream still have a voice and will find a way to be heard. And that's a great thing.

Outfest 2006: Or Why is Everyone Dressed Better than Me?

Last night was the opening gala for Outfest 2006: the 24th Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

Props to Outfest for once again booking the Orpheum Theatre for opening night. This still-grand theatre is in the heart of the little-used downtown theatre district. I love downtown LA and the beautiful old buildings on Broadway and enjoy any opportunity to mingle with crack whores.   

After the obligatory (yes, Eliza, it is very necessary to clap for all the sponsors) thank yous and speeches (including a very compelling plea from Executive Director Stephen Gutwilling for the audience to contribute to the preservation of Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender films), the opening night film, Maria Magenti's Puccini for Beginners, finally started.

The film is a charming and funny look at a bisexual love triangle (And who doesn't enjoy a little girl-on-girl/boy-on-girl action?). The performances were excellent, especially Elizabeth Reaser's marvelously understated portrayal of a typical, committment-phobic guy (who just happens to be a woman), and Gretchen Mol, as the girlfriend who really wants a committed relationship (with anyone). The film isn't without problems... I thought the lead character's transformation was a little forced, but it's a fun little movie with an interesting take on gender roles and sexual identity.

One of the biggest things that struck me about this film was the fact that it was completely apolitical. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with message films, but it's always nice to watch a movie with gay (or minority or disabled or senior) characters that doesn't have to make a statement about it. Puccini for Beginners is about people. Some of them are gay, some are straight, and all of them are a little bit confused. Just like real life. I left the theatre with a really positive feeling about how far our society has come in regard to diversity and tolerance...

And then I read this morning's paper.

Forty States have laws that prohibit same-sex marriage. And the last time I checked, it's still legal to discriminate against gays in the workplace in most of the United States. Frankly, I don't understand why anyone sees these issues as any different than the anti-miscegenation or other discriminatory laws of the last two centuries. But then again, I don't understand anyone who bases their moral perspective on superstition (BTW, before anyone accuses me of hypocrisy: Although I may not agree with your beliefs, I will defend to the death your right to be wrong.).

I don't know if Outfest will change anybody's mind, but maybe seeing films with realistic portrayals of all kinds of people will help.

A Sitdown With "Strangers"

Six years after Jerri Blank, a middle-aged high school student with a sordid past as a “boozer, user, and loser”, and pivotal character in the Comedy Central series “Strangers with Candy”, slouched morosely off the small screen, she has triumphantly returned for more abuse from the judgmental students and teachers of Flatpoint High School in a theatrical prequel which opens this month.

SAGIndie recently sat down with Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello, two of the three minds behind Strangers (hot-shot talking head Stephen Colbert being the third), to talk about finding and losing (and finding again) the money for your film, directing your friends, the film festival circuit, and the joys of residual checks.

How did the notion of taking Jerri to the big screen come about?

Amy: We were working on a book called “Wigfield”, and we kept improvising little bits here and there. Eventually we pulled it all together, and said “Hey, we have a script.”

Was the movie a hard sell, or did the show’s popularity make it an easy pitch?

Paul: It wasn’t even a pitch. Mark Roberts, a producer here in L.A., called and said he had a guy with money sitting in the bank, did we want to make a film, and I told him we just happened to have a script. So we started the process, and then a week or so before we began shooting, Mark called and told us the guy had left town, and taken his money with him. I thought that was it, I was already moving on to the next thing, because everything was so tightly scheduled, I figured any kind of delay would lose us everybody. We had people who could literally only give us 10 hours. But in the end, we found the money, and went ahead.

Paul, on this film you’ve made the jump to directing feature films. Can you talk a little about that experience?

Amy: Well, Paul had actually directed some shorts-

Paul: Yeah, so it was just a matter making some adjustments here and there, really.

Which was more nerve-wracking: directing Phillip Seymour Hoffman, or directing your friends?

Amy: Oh, that’s a good question.

Paul: Well, you know-

Amy: We all kind of direct each other-

Paul: Yeah, and for everyone else they just needed some tonal adjustments so they would fit in with the world we were creating. Initially I was nervous, but once I started working with them they made it really easy on me.

You guys all have such strong improv backgrounds. How much of the final film is as scripted, and how much is improvised material?

Amy: There are pockets in the film where we were allowed to improvise, little moments.

Paul: We like to play with words and twist meanings, and that’s hard to improvise, so a lot of it was carefully scripted. Plus, we only had 24 days to shoot, so I didn’t have the luxury of a lot of takes. I seldom do more than 3 or 4 takes, unless there’s so kind of technical issue. But again, I was lucky, because when you’re doing a scene with Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Allison Janney, they’re going to nail it. If you’re doing an independent film with actors who don’t have a lot of experience, I can see that that would be a recipe for disaster, but when you use top talent it allows you to shoot in 24 days. And Amy and Stephen are amazing; they nail it almost every time.

What a great cast. Did you set out to create an all-star cast, or was it a case of people just wanting to work with you guys?

Paul: Maybe half of the cast came to us that way, and then we had a wish list of people we went after. Allison Janney, we didn’t have a relationship with her at all.

Amy: We sent her a script. Dan Hedaya you sent a script to.

Paul: And Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Justin Theroux are all friends of ours.

Amy: I think the only two people who actually came to us through a casting director were Christopher Pratt and Elisabeth Harnois.

Paul: Yeah, Chris actually was a fan of the show and paid to fly himself from Utah, where he was shooting “Everwood”, to New York to audition for us.

Amy: And the minute we saw him, we were like “That’s Brason”.

Paul: And we brought back as many people from the show as possible.

Amy: We only recast people who had gotten older, because Jerri had to look older than them.

You shot the film under a SAG Low Budget Affirmative Action agreement. Was having a diverse cast important to you?

Paul: Shooting under that agreement didn’t add any pressure, we would have cast that way anyway. I think we like a diverse cast because it’s just more interesting that way. We’re looking for interesting people, and that’s a lot more broad than having just white people.

Amy: We want that diversity of experience, because it sort of informs everyone’s work. Like when we were first up on the Second City mainstage, everybody was from, like, Ohio, but then we came, and I’m from North Carolina, Stephen Colbert is from South Carolina, and Paul’s from Chicago, and we brought our own experiences, and that influenced and changed things, for the better. I think it’s the same way on the film, just having people from all walks of life makes it richer.

You took the film to Sundance, where it was one of the toughest tickets in town. How was that experience?

Paul: Yeah, we did the parties and we did the photo ops. It was interesting because I had been there seven or eight years ago with a short film, and it was a lot of me standing outside in the snow looking through windows at other people’s parties. It’s a lot different experience when you’re sort of on top of the list.

Amy: This all new to me, these press junkets and everything, I call Sarah and Phillip and say, “This is what you do for a living?” I mean, you do 48 interviews in a day, so when I talk to them now, I don’t want to ask them anything. I don’t even want to ask them what they had for dinner. And if you invite them to a premiere, that can’t just show up, people want to ask them questions and take their picture. I never saw it from this side before, I mean this is on a smaller scale, but I can imagine what that would be like.

Did you go to any other festivals, or was Sundance the one?

Paul: I think that ThinkFilm has been very good for us. One the benefits of being dropped by Warner Brothers, or whatever happened, is that the film got a second life in film festivals. I’ve taken short films to Berlin, Sundance, New York Underground, so I love the whole film festival circus-

Amy: Ahhh…

Paul: Circuit! And I like the whole community aspect, hanging out with other directors. When we got picked up at Sundance, they didn’t want to do any other festivals, but when ThinkFilm got a hold of it, we did Seattle International and CineVegas, which was an experience.

Amy: New York, San Francisco, too…

Paul: So it’s been great. I love it.

Amy, is this it for Jerri, or are there more stories left to tell?

Amy: It’s like Paul says, she’s like a bad rash, you never know when she’s gonna reappear. We never plan anything, but I’ve always said I’d like to do a movie of the week, a Christmas movie with Jerri.

What’s next for you guys?

Amy: Well, I’m working on a cookbook, it’s more like an art book. Paul helped me write it, so that’s coming out in October. So I’m in deadline city right now. This wouldn’t be so hard if I didn’t have that hanging over me.

Paul: I wrote another feature that I’m going to shoot in the fall.

Amy: And he needs to let me know when he’s having auditions. He’s got to have a little something in it for me.

Open forum time. Do you guys have anything to say about SAG to our readers?

Amy: It’s so exciting for me to get that big envelope in the mail with a residual check. I have it sent directly to me, so I can just enjoy that moment. I know if something has run, and if it’s like “Maid in Manhattan” or something like that, it’s very satisfying to get that check.

Strangers with Candy opens July 7 in select cities.