Karina on SpoutBlog

For today’s SXSW Preview, we’re taking a look at Present Company, the latest film by Frank V. Ross. Frank, who appeared in this episode of Butterknife, had two films in last summer’s New Talkies program at the IFC Center, and like Quietly on By and Hohokam, Company is a lo-fi character study about the everyday traumas survived by young people far removed from urban hipster culture. This time around, Ross takes a look at Christy and Buddy, two young parents who are raising an infant whilst living in Christy’s parents’ suburban basement. Check out the trailer above, and Frank’s answers to the 4 Questions We’re Asking Everybody below.

Tell us about your movie. Who did you work with, why did you make it? Give us the reductive, 25-word or less, “It’s like [pop culture reference a] meets [pop culture reference b]!” pitch, then explain what the quick and dirty sell leaves out.

I don???t know why I made it. But I know now why that material kept my attention finally. Originally this movie was the Susan Smith story meets, I dunno, some shitty movie about a band with a horrible title. I wanted to make a picture about an unwed couple with a baby living in parent???s basement. It???s around me, it???s relevant, and with consequence. The deal breaker was wanting to make a movie with Tamara [Fana], once she was part of the deal we were able to see the picture for what it was supposed to be. She said the imagined circumstances were her nightmare???watching how she played it was a joy.

So now I guess it???s For Keeps meets Scenes From a Marriage sans-all the talking. Which leaves out the passive-aggressive relationship; and the fact that it???s a comedy of sorts. They don???t hate each other, they think they???re funny, they get along every now and then but they just don???t love one another despite having a baby???that was an accident. Bound by the obligation. Characters not having a strong enough personality to be themselves around different groups or individuals and almost never doing the right thing in circumstances.

“This meets that” always leaves out way more then can be measured and takes away from how hard we work at trying to make something new. I hate you for asking me to do that. But love that you asked.

(more…)