Drew- Not a problem, sir.
Paul- No problem
So I guess first things first I should ask about Distant Pictures and what you guys have done and want to do with it.
Drew- Well, it started out truly because we were bored. Paul wanted to make a movie, and my friend Eder and I did as well, so we just kinda got together one summer and filmed us doing things we thought were funny. and somehow we created something. And that was Weaver, a story Eder and I had when we started college.
You didn't film or write anything before that?
Paul- I had been doing some jackass-type stuff like everyone else and some stuff for the school like battle of the bands and graduation. I don't think Drew had worked in the medium before.
Drew- Well, I was writing constantly of course but I never really filmed anything. Except once, we made something called The Ghost Hunter Hunter, which is lost and gone forever, unfortunately.
How was the whole process of doing Weaver?
Paul- It started out with alot of getting together and eating burritos. We had some writing sessions getting the plot and some of the jokes worked out, then we just shot it. It was mostly improvised by Drew and Eder.
Drew- Yeah, there was literally no script, just a really basic shot list. and then paul would tell us what to do. And Eder and I would basically just try to make each other laugh all day. Which we often did.
Paul- We never had more than one take on any scene
That leads into a question I wanted to ask. Is it easier to improv for comedy or does that tend to lead to lots of mistakes... I guess what do you guys think of writing out jokes versus the spontaneousness of random jokes and situations?
Drew- Well, for me, it's always nice to have a set subject, and a basic idea of what you went to express with the subject, and just go free reign from there. I've definitely gotten a lot better at writing jokes, and in the stuff we've made since, like Pizza and the Spare Change trailer, and things like that, we have stuck to a script. But then there's always that spontenaity of improv thats so alluring that you really cant help yourself. You spat out a line you find funny that wasn't originally there, and we go back and kinda go "Yeah, let's riff on that a while, too."
Paul- As the director of Drew and Eder I like the improv, they are better at that then written dialogue. And they are funny guys, just let them act like they do in real life. However, the more and more stuff we work on, the more scripted its seeming to become. Kind of a blend of the two.
Paul, is it hard to film improv knowing that you have no idea what they're going to do?
Paul- We come from the Kevin Smith school of filmmaking at this point, a set camera with not much movement. So the improv is easy to capture on the film, it's usually in the editing that it's harder to piece together since we're doing it multiple times, sometimes with different lines.
How do you guys go about writing?
Drew- It's a bit of a process for me, anyway. Lots of narrowing things down, kind of shaving things off, condensing them. I have the tendency to be long winded. I just try and make sure to stay concise, whether I'm working on a joke or illustrating something else, themetically, just staying on point. When it comes to the funny, though, I always bounce off Paul. If I can make him laugh, I know I'm on to something.
Paul- Yeah I'm not really a writer, I'm more of an idea guy. If I think of something I'll feed it to them. but usually Drew just bounces it off me.
Drew- Paul says the funniest shit ever, but he has no idea it's funny.
Does being in film school have any effect on what you do or is the medium and themes of your videos something entirely different from what you're learning about?
Paul- So far film school is kind of different from what most people think. We learn a lot of the basics but for the most part we are left to what we want to do, which is nice. So with our brand of humor, we arent really put out or anything.
Drew- Yeah, and even though we've learned a lot, and seen some really, really fantastic films, the quality of our stuff hasn't exactly changed.
Do you both want to make a career with filmmaking?
Drew- Yeah, definitely. In some capacity.
Paul- I want to be in the world of film, but not necessarily feature length films at this point. I'm kind of leaning towards starting my own production company at some point. Be it features, shorts, commercials I don't know yet.
Drew- Operating in the industry in some form is definitely the goal. We're doing our best to get there!
Do you have any advice on getting past having no budget and still making a quality video?
Paul- I think the most we have spent on a movie was $3.25 for an Oregon Burrito but we still get the laughs out there. Especially for comedy, I don't think you need a big budget, or one at all.
Drew- You just have to have confidence on what you're doing. If you have enough conviction in you're trying to create, budgets shouldn't be a constraint. ESPECIALLY if you're just posting it on the internet
What kind of equipment do you use? Cameras, editing software, etc.
Paul- Right now I have kind of assembled a small production kit of a Panasonic Camera, Shotgun mic and then I edit with Final Cut Pro. But back in Oregon we just got the camera and mic from the local tv station. I just had to take a really easy class and we could take out the camera, it sucked, but it was all we needed. That's what I would suggest to anyone who doesnt have a camera.
Drew- Yeah, there's always a means to get what you need, even if it isn't the best quality equipment... We're getting real inspirational here people.
So are there any future plans for anything right now?
Drew- At the moment, we're giving Weaver a complete face lift, retooling the script and story turning it into a feature length. The script is just about done and when it is, we'll definitely go the more legit route with it. Thanks to the connections we've made at school, we can have a whole crew and cast, and a decent budget eventually.
Paul- We just need to get Eder out here.
Drew- Yeah, he's the last piece of the puzzle
Awesome, are you going to shoot it in Chicago then?
Drew- Yeah, Chicago would be a good setting for Weaver, I think.
Lightning Round: You can only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what is it?
Drew- That's a tough one, but think I'd have to stick to my roots and say blink-182's "untitled" record. It just barely beats out "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" by Neutral Milk Hotel.
Paul- I'm going to have to go with Modest Mouse, "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank." They're one of my favorite bands and I listened to that album alot last year. So I probably won't get tired of it.
Favorite website?
Paul- SlashFilm i think is where I go the most besides the book (Facebook). Got to get all my film geek news somewhere.
Drew- I'm going to make a plug and say the-frat-pack.com. They have all the best Frat Pack and Apatow-related news, plus they've got this really great writer who reviews all the movies.
Paul- He is good
I stumped myself with this one so have fun with it... The Weatherman or adaptation.?
Paul- adaptation. for sure. Spike Jonze is amazing.
Drew- adaptation. definitely, no contest. How did you stump yourself with that one?
I fucking love The Weatherman.
*Both laugh*
But that's why you're the ones being interviewed.
Drew- Good point, we are better than you.
10 years from now I'll ask you "Bangkok Dangerous vs. The Wicker Man remake?"
*Both laugh*
Favorite Movie?
Drew- Dude, that's even harder than favorite album. Actually, no, what am I saying. Punch-Drunk Love
Paul- I think over all I'm going to go with Pulp Fiction, it's just so good all around. Theme-wise I think up there too is I Heart Huckabees.
Drew- I hate that movie.
Jude Law was good in it.
Paul- Yeah, I liked Marky Mark.
Paul- favorite director, Drew- favorite actor?
Paul- I hate to sound like a cliche film student, but I'm a big Kevin Smith fan. I don't think he's the best, but his style is his own and sets him apart.
Drew- Favorite actor, I think I'm gonna say David Hess. He appeared in a lot of grindhouse movies throughout the '70s and I've never seen anyone play sleazey better than him. Check out The Last House On the Left and Hitch Hike.
This is the part that His Hideous Heart started when I couldn't think of a last question, so both of you can ask each other one.
Drew- Hey, Paul, who's your favorite Olympian?
Paul- I think I'm going to go with Phelps. then Dolhossen. 'Cause he's a beast.
Paul- Yo! Drew. Why have we never fucked?
Drew- Because the dude's name is Dollhauser, and you piss me off.
Thanks guys.
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