Terry and Brenda: Interview with Writer/Director Jamie Hooper

Jamie Hooper shooting Terry and Brenda

Read my first interview with Jamie about his short movie Plastic Love!

The Squeerelist - It's great to have you back with another movie and witness the evolution of your work. Actors Tim Blackwell and Debra Baker starred in Plastic Love and are now Terry and Brenda. In both films you've challenged them to play unusual kinky characters. In Terry and Brenda your characters are much more twisted. How challenging is it for you to get your actors to fill those kinky and messed-up shoes?

Jamie Hooper - Finding actors who are so open and willing to do weird things on camera is very difficult. Luckily for me, Tim and Debra are both actors that enjoy pushing themselves and exploring strange characters. Obviously it also helps that I've worked with them before and they trust me as a director. I had such a fun time making Plastic Love that I wrote Terry and Brenda with Tim and Debra in mind, thankfully they got the dark humour in the script and were excited to be part of the film. To be honest, if they hadn't wanted to do it I probably wouldn't have made it as I don't think it would've worked as well with anyone else. From my experience the darker and weirder the script the more fun it is for everyone on set. It's important to me that everyone involved is having fun and enjoying the work, otherwise what's the point? I think Tim and Debra know by now that they'll at least have fun working on my films.

Do Debra and Tim bring more to the characters you created or do they stay true to your screenplay?

The film is 100% faithful to the script. By that I mean every scene and line of dialogue that was in the script is in the film, that doesn't mean the actors don't contribute anything though. The interpretation of the characters is completely down to Tim and Debra, and I'm constantly surprised and amazed at the choices they make with my material. I usually have a very distinct idea of what I want from a scene or how a particular line of dialogue should be delivered but I'm more than happy to go in the opposite direction if an actor does something that's more interesting, which Tim and Debra regularly do.

Where do you find inspiration for characters and stories like these?

I find inspiration from anywhere and everywhere. With Terry and Brenda it came from reading a lot about serial killers, but more specifically couple serial killers, which I find fascinating. How do two people meet each other and at some point begin killing people? I think the most interesting thing to me is the dynamic of power within a relationship and how it can change a person. I like to explore the innate weirdness in people.

Your movies focus on sexuality, fantasies and kinks. In your next projects will you still draw from that bottomless well of inspiration or will you take another direction?

I'm not sure what my next project will be. I'm currently writing several scripts, some much weirder than others, so who knows? My overriding constant is a desire to tell different stories about strange but very human characters, usually with a dark and twisted sense of humour. I'm a big fan of things like Julia Davis' Nighty Night and Christopher Morris' Brass Eye, which are perfect examples of my sense of humour and the tone I try to achieve with each film.

Can we expect to see more of Tim, Debra or even Lucy Hutchinson (who plays the daughter of Terry and Brenda) in your next films?

It entirely depends on what my next film is and whether they are appropriate to the characters and story. I'd certainly love to work with all three of them again at some point. It's tremendously exciting to collaborate with talented people in all aspects of filmmaking.

Plastic Love was selected for the Cannes festival. Any expectations or idea on the fate of Terry and Brenda?

It's always really difficult to know how a film will be received. I'm hoping Terry and Brenda will play at certain festivals and that audiences will enjoy it. More than anything I'm just happy to have made the film exactly how I wanted it, which is quite rare with low/no budget filmmaking.

You've only directed short films so far. Do you have any plans on making a feature film?

The only reason I've stuck to short films so far is that all my films are entirely self-funded, and I can't afford to fund an entire feature. That being said I never say never and hopefully at some point I'll make a feature film. I'm currently developing Terry and Brenda into a feature script so you might see more of their adventures in the future.

Terry and Brenda (2014)

Love and Marriage

Jamie Hooper is coming back with a short film about what seems to be a tame middle-class couple at first. We soon discover that Terry and Brenda are kinky for better or worse. Hooper continues his work on fetishes and brings it to a new extreme. Debra Baker and Tim Blackwell are reunited as Terry and Brenda after both playing in Plastic Love and got more deranged characters to explore the second time around. The movie also stars the young Lucy Hutchinson as the daughter of the sordid couple. The best part about Jamie's movies is that he works with actors we can relate to. They're middle-aged and could be anyone's neighbors. When they do get creepy, this is what makes is so realistically scary. The intense rhythmic visuals that you could expect from Hooper and the performances are equally delightful. 

1 reason to watch: it's everything you could expect. And more.

Read my interview with Director/Writer Jamie Hooper here!

Terry and Brenda - Teaser Trailer from Jamie Hooper on Vimeo.

Le Fear II: Le Sequel - Interview with Director Jason Croot

Jay Croot (left) on the set of Le Fear II: Le Sequel

The Squeerelist - Your movie deals with a wide range of events that can go wrong on a set. As extreme as your portrayal of a failed production is, I can't help but assume some of it is based on your experience in the industry. How much of LeFear II: Le Sequel is actually based on your misfortune?

Jay Croot - I wrote Le Fear in 2009 partly down to experiences of my time as an actor on a film set. One example was a sound guy who was texting whilst holding the boom. With the second film I wanted to bring in different nationalities to try and show the clashes of styles - i.e. African film industry Nollywood, French Film Noir and the British film industry. I have watched many films from all 3 Countries and worked on all.

 

Some of your characters are very unprofessional. Have you worked with people that are as inappropriate as the nymphomaniac make-up artist that you created?

I have worked with a few unprofessional cast and crew. Trust me, there are a few out there but the majority are a real pleasure to work for and with. I’ve never worked with a nympho though.

 

 

Le Fear III: Le Cannes has already been announced. Will Carlos' film be selected at the French festival? What more can we expect from this movie?

We hope to head down to Cannes with Carlos - the very talented Kyri Saphiris. Without giving too much away Carlos will be taking Le Fear II: Le Sequel aiming to sell it but it would not be a Le Fear if things did not go wrong.

 

Is your movie a portrayal of a certain reality or a way for filmmakers to put things into perspective and show them that whatever their problems are, everything will be fine... Or at least better than Carlos' issues.

I read a great book called My First Movie by Stephen Lowenstein. It has many examples of things going wrong such as Barry Levinson who casted an actress who said she could ride a horse. She got on, ready to shoot the days' first shot and the horse bolted and ran off with the actress into the woods. They did not find her for hours ruining the first day's shoot, I tried to create many problems for Carlos to deal with he tries but he had his work cut out.

 

Le Fear series seems to be an important part of your career. Is there any completely different project we can expect to see you work on in the next years?

Le Fear is close to me given the first film was my directorial debut. We may stop at Le Fear III: Le Cannes or make more. We are hoping people watch them and get them and ideally like them. I have one idea I really believe is a winner. It is a film that has never been done and I can’t really say any more than it is a comedy, I’d love to make it. I really can see it working.

 

Do you have any advice to share with independent filmmakers with current production issues?

I have encountered so many problems and filmmaking is tough. I would say try to do as much in production as you can instead of leaving it to post because you can be there for years. Really take care of sound - in my opinion, it is more important than visuals. Finally vet who you work with before you hire them, I have been lucky to have a great cast and crew on both Le Fears but you can get some real pain in the butts, finally on set never panic even when things go wrong!

Le Fear II: Le Sequel (2015)

Murphy's Law

 

 

 

Imagine that you are making a movie and everything that can go wrong does. This is the premise of Le Fear II: Le Sequel. Director Carlos Revalos is talked into remortgaging his house to produce his new horror movie. On shooting day the so-called film set is what appears to be a tiny second-hand trailer parked by the busy street. The unprofessional movie crew is made of the worst people to ever be on set. Le Fear II: Le Sequel is a funny take on what can go wrong with a nymphomaniac make-up artist or an Avatar-special effects wannabe. The documentary-style camera follows the very slow breakdown of the director. The plot is original enough to surprise you at first with its bizarre characters but I believe it would have made a better short than a feature-length movie. The story drags the viewer along for longer than needed. In the beginning of the movie, I obviously rooted for the director but as he tripped over the same obstacles again and again, I started to think he deserved it. Le Fear II: Le Sequel is an unpretentious comedy made from an original and simple idea and featuring a very eclectic cast. We can only expect the worst to happen to Carlos as he will try to get his bloody horror movie selected for the Cannes festival in Le Fear III: Le Cannes.

1 reason to watch: if you are a filmmaker with production issues, it will make you put things into perspective.

 

Read my interview with director Jason Croot here!

 

 

Galaxy Quest (1999)

Never Give Up. Never Surrender.

You can both like sci-fi and make fun of it. Galaxy Quest proves it with this delightfully-cast spoof of iconic sci-fi series and the fate of their has-been actors. Former captain of a Star Trek-like TV spaceship and has-been diva, Alan Rickman's character and his crew are reunited at a comic-con where they are approached by actual aliens. The extraterrestrials are convinced that the actors are a true spaceship crew who has the power and knowledge to save them from the space threat they are facing. Let's be clear, Galaxy Quest is not a masterpiece of the 7th art but an unpretentious comedy classic. How often do you get to witness a sci-fi icon like Ellen Ripley making fun of the genre that launched her career as one of the best movie stars to ever set foot on Hollywood soil? Whether or not you enjoy old sci-fi series, Galaxy Quest plays for both teams. Its friendly self-mockery style underlines the ridiculous misuse of female characters in ancient science-fiction and the unjustified worship of its alpha male hero. 

1 reason to watch: Sigourney Weaver. Oh and did I mention Sigourney Weaver?

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Overrated (adj.): appraised too highly; e.g., "This film is Coen-brothered"

Once again Hollywood has proved that the quality of a screenplay had nothing to do with making a movie successful. What matters is who you know or who you are. That's how the Coen brothers have managed to get producers to invest in their projects for the past 30 years. I'm not saying all of their movies are bad. It is true that they have blessed us with the rare eccentric extravaganza. I'm thinking about The Big Lebowski that is clearly the movie of a generation. But most of their other movies revolve around a self-centered unlikable character who thinks way too highly of himself. Wait, would this be inspired by the writers' own subconscious perception of themselves? Back to the point: this character usually evolves in a rather plotless environment where there is no attempt from the Coens to resolve any of the few intrigues that may seem interesting. But the thing here is that you are not exactly bored during the movie because the Coens drag you along until the end making you expect things to happen. At the end of the movie, they pretend to expose a supposedly brilliant twist. This so-called 'twist' usually makes no sense whatsover and has nothing to do with the 'story'. As you know, I don't spoil stories - not that there is much to spoil with Inside Llewyn Davis - but you can expect this exact technique applied to this latest work. There is one thing that I liked about this film - its cinematography. Kudos to Bruno Delbonnel for his polished work. He stays true to his style. Talking about polished though, you follow Llewyn for a week - from his homeless couch-to-couch routine to his impromptu Chicago road trip - and the guy looks as fresh as the first two minutes he's on screen. Not only does nothing happen in this movie, but even the hygiene of the main character is unbelievable. It is a shame to come up with such a poor movie when you get to work with actors like John Goodman and Carey Mulligan. Thanks to their brand-name, the Coens have managed to get their movie overpraised by some critics. But the audience can be reassured - the movie won't earn significant awards. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association had the decency not to award the movie with anything. And I would like everybody to give a big round of applause to the Academy which didn't even nominate Inside Llewyn Davis in any of the major categories. The only Oscars this movie could win is Best Cinematography and Best Sound Mixing - both nods being legit. 

1 reason NOT to watch: it's a waste of your time