Brant Sersen’s last film, the Rob Corddry-starring comedy Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story, won the audience award at SXSW 5 years back. His follow-up, Splinterheads, stars Rachael Taylor (top billed in the Washingtonienne pilot) and Lea Thompson (riding the heat of the recent resurgance of Howard the Duck), and is premiering at SXSW in Emerging Visions. Sersen answers The 5 Questions We Ask Everyone after the jump.
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.
Splinterheads is the story of a going-nowhere-fast landscaper, who falls for an insidious parking lot carnival worker. It has the perfect ingredients - a splash of romance, a pinch of danger and a healthy dose of devious comedy. It’s Oreos meets fried dough.
I became interested in the parking lot carnival (not to be confused with state fairs or theme parks) after falling victim to a smooth talking splinterhead (a splinterhead is another name for a carnival worker that runs a game.) Long story short, he waged a $50 bet that I couldn’t pop 4 balloons in row with a dart. I took him up on it and of course, lost. I didn’t actually lose the physical part of the challenge, but somehow got his rules confused - so he said. Whatever the case, I got suckerd, but he sparked my interest in everything around me. I went back the next night and talked to as many splinterheads as I could. I was introduced to a world of unpredictable, dangerous, hardworking, loving characters that all lived, worked and ate together. It was the perfect setting.
Besides my amazing cast I had a great creative team behind me. Brendan Burke (who also plays Thad in the film) worked on developing the story with me. This guy can find a Joseph Campbell mythology in anything you write; my producers Darren Goldberg and Chris Marsh - great business guys, but extremely creative as well; my cinematographer/suggestion box, Michael Simmonds (“Man Push Cart,” “Chop Shop,” “Goodbye Solo”). Thankfully we share the same sense of humor. Chad Keith, my production designer from down south, he’s the most resourceful, I’ll git ya anyting ya want, guy I’ve ever met. The list can go on, but everyone that worked on the film lent a creative hand to achieving my vision.
Do you have a day job/a non-filmmaking occupation that raises money for your filmmaking efforts? Tell us about it.
Filmmaking is my day job - finally. It only took 10 years of working at various production companies and Comedy Central to get there. As for the money, we fortunately raised it through private financing. Thank you private financiers!
Have you been to SXSW before? If so, tell us about your funniest story from the experience. If not, what are you looking forward to re: the festival and/or the city of Austin?
I was at the 2004 SXSW fest with my film Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story. Rob Corddry, myself and a few others from the film were in line at Iron Works for some BBQ. We started talking to this guy, Craig, who was right behind us. He recognized Rob from The Daily Show and asked him all kinds of questions about the show. After a while Rob asked him what film he was here with. He told us that he has a website and was here for the interactive part of the festival. I asked him what was his website, and he replied “I have a site called Craigslist.” Rob (mouth wide open) says ‘you’re Craig from Craigslist? I was just on there this morning!’ Craig just smiled and handed each of us his card. It’s not the funniest story, but one of the memorable moments I had.
Let’s get hypothetical: You’re on death row. The night of your execution, you’re allowed to watch any two films of your choice. What would you pick for your last-night-on-Earth double feature?
I’d stick with the prison theme. If I’m feeling comedy it’s 48 Hours and Stir Crazy. If I feel like getting badass it’s American Me and Cool Hand Luke. But I’d probably just watch The Shawshank Redemption twice.
There’s been some criticism that the only way to get into SXSW is by being a part of an “incestuous scene where everybody knows everybody.” So who did *you* have to sleep with to get in? (Metaphorically or literally: are there any SXSW filmmaker(s) past or present that you’re close with personally and/or professionally, and how have those relationships helped or hurt the process of producing your film and getting it seen?)
Sorry, I don’t have any juicy stories for this one. I don’t know many other filmmakers or people in the “scene.” I just make movies and hope that people will enjoy them.
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SpoutBlog » Karina Longworth