OnlineHost : Welcome to our chat w/John Pierson & Kevin Smith;ask
a question w/the INTERACT WITH HOST button
The i line : Thank you all for coming tonight, welcome
The i line : Our guests tonight are John Pierson and Kevin Smith
OnlineHost : John Pierson is an indie producers-rep and partner
in Grainy Pictures.
OnlineHost : He was been involved with a such indiefilm as:
"Parting Glances,"
OnlineHost : "She's Gotta Have It," "Roger & Me," "Slacker" and
"Clerks."
OnlineHost : His latest project is a weekly TV show tentatively
entitled, Rough Cut.
OnlineHost : John is logging on tonight from New York.
The i line : Welcome John!
OnlineHost : Kevin Smith is a filmmaker who gained notoriety for
his debut film Clerks.
OnlineHost : Kevin's second film "Mall Rats," was released last
year.
OnlineHost : In addition to writing scripts for Hollywood, Smith
has recently finished shooting a new film,
OnlineHost : "Chasing Amy" a new film, set to be released soon by
Miramax.
OnlineHost : Kevin is logging on tonight from LA.
The i line : Welcome to both of you
KevinSLA : Hey.
OnlineHost : Welcome to our chat w/John Pierson & Kevin Smith;ask
a question w/the INTERACT WITH HOST button
The i line : Let me start with a topic on come of our minds right
now
The i line : the Independent Feature Film Market
The i line : John, you wrote an article discussing your views of
the IFFM
The i line : can you give us a quick summary of your thoughts
JPiersonNY : It's hard to summarize in two lines. Since I'm in a
dark mood today, I just feel like calling the
JPiersonNY : market a "mass grave." $done
The i line : Kevin, where do you weigh in on the subject?
KevinSLA : The IFFM was good to me. An argument could be made
that what happened to Clerks might have happened
KevinSLA : regardless. But still - it was our first exposure to
an audience... even if it cost us $500 to get in
OnlineHost : Welcome to our chat w/John Pierson & Kevin Smith;ask
a question w/the INTERACT WITH HOST button
The i line : Let's take a question from the audience...
The i line : BRichLive asks:
Question : do u have any advise for me, this 16year old kid,
who wants to be a part of the film
Question : industry in my future?
The i line : Anyone care to take that one?
KevinSLA : Is he from Iowa?
JPiersonNY : :)
JPiersonNY : I guess we shouldn't be so obtuse. We recently got a
fan letter from a 14yr old in Iowa.
The i line : And what did the fan say?
The i line : OK, let's see we have a question from Bashar Te...
KevinSLA : He loved Steve Buscemi.
Question : Kevin, How's the Superman script coming along? What
details can you give?
KevinSLA : It's a weird experience. I spend most of my time
arguing over whether there's going to be a giant
KevinSLA : spider in the third act.
KevinSLA : Actually, Jon Peters and Warner Bros. argue about it.
I just nod a lot.
The i line : And what's the latest is the spider in or out right
now?
KevinSLA : Peters - In.
The i line : and Smith? ; )
KevinSLA : What does he know? He's just the writer.
OnlineHost : Welcome to our chat w/John Pierson & Kevin Smith;ask
a question w/the INTERACT WITH HOST button
The i line : OK -- John, would tell us a bit about your new TV
show?
JPiersonNY : Half hour show on independent film which will be on
MTV and the Sundance Channel starting in Feb. '97
The i line : OK.
The i line : Well looks like we lost Kevin?
The i line : I am sure he will be back momentarily
The i line : Lets take another question from the audience...
JPiersonNY : About the show, I hope it's in the spirit of the
book, Spike, Mike, Slackers & Dykes. Anyone read it?
The i line : Here is one...
The i line : From Baleares...
Question : John, who in your opinion is the most up and coming
director?
JPiersonNY : I'm crazy about a kid from Milwaukee named Chris
Smith whose first feature is "American Job."
The i line : What is the latest with American Job, will it be in
theaters soon?
JPiersonNY : We hope it's part of a special college tour with
several other films next spring. In the meantime
JPiersonNY : Chris is doing a new feature which we hope to
serialize on the show.
The i line : Here is another question:
Question : John, Do you feel that the IFP & the IFFm have gotten
too concerned with raising money,
Question : and aren't concerned enough with helping filmmakers?
JPiersonNY : They certainly do seem concerned about preserving and
expanding the institution.
The i line : Here is one from MGrimm605:
Question : Question for John: What qualities does a production
need to possess to grab your attention
Question : and spark your desire to become involved with it ?
JPiersonNY : Originality in a word - no Elvis, no serial killers,
and above all else no vampires.
The i line : John, how many films are sent to Grainy each year?
JPiersonNY : Looks like 400 - 450 in 1996.
The i line : Your mail carrier must love ya!
OnlineHost : Welcome to our chat w/John Pierson & Kevin Smith;ask
a question w/the INTERACT WITH HOST button
JPiersonNY : That's still less than half the total than are
submitted to Sundance.
JPiersonNY : Our mail carrier (Bob the mailman) is going to be on
the show!
The i line : Kevin is having tech probs and will be back shortly.
The i line : Here is one from Stranahan, about the IFFM:
Question : Since I'm already HERE (not showing a film, just
attending) - any advice on how to make
Question : the most of things?
JPiersonNY : What was your expectation?
The i line : Mingaskew asks:
Question : How active are you guys on the Internet anyways,
besides these chat things?
JPiersonNY : Get as many free coffee mugs as possible. (IFFM)
The i line : Kevin!
The i line : Welcome back!
The i line : Earthquake in LA?
KevinSLA : Thanks. Damn AOL.
JPiersonNY : Kevin's gone hogwild. He's got a board at his
ViewAskew web site. Hey Kevin! Missed Ya
The i line : Kevin the question was about the internet
The i line : plug your site will ya!
The i line : and tell us about the feature of the site!
KevinSLA : We do have a cool web site (www.viewaskew.com).
KevinSLA : We hope to get the address on the bottom of the
'Chasing Amy' poster.
JPiersonNY : I'll also be writing regularly for the
sundancechannel web site (sundancechannel.com)
The i line : Here is a question from iguana4in about getting
started as a filmmaker...
Question : I don't have 30 credit cards, and I am assuming that
no agent or producer/company will
Question : ever allow me to direct my own first script. I don't
have much of a chance, do I? :)
KevinSLA : Screw credit cards. Borrow the money from friends,
relatives, dentists.
JPiersonNY : If it's a good story, just shoot in digital video.
The i line : John, any guess on the number of filmmakers the
solicit you that end up in debt without distribution
JPiersonNY : About 75%
JPiersonNY : It's more but I don't want to depress everybody too
much.
The i line : OK, well here is a question from Saltpeter:
Question : John: what do you consider to be the main problem
with indie cinema today?
JPiersonNY : too many careerists. Not enough original ideas.
Basically too many films.
The i line : I presume that this next question from BskidGF14 is
for Kevin...
Question : How many times have you seen Star Wars, because you
talk about S.W in everyone of your
Question : movies
KevinSLA : An awful lot. But I don't think I'm the big fan I
was years ago (although I do look forward to the
KevinSLA : rerelease.$done
The i line : and John, how many times have you seen Star Wars?
JPiersonNY : Once in 1977 and a second time this past winter with
my kids when Kevin gave us his old edition
JPiersonNY : laserdisks.
The i line : FJReynold asks:
Question : Kevin, has Jon Peters offered to do your hair?
KevinSLA : No, but I offered to do his. (P.S. - he declined)
OnlineHost : Welcome to our chat w/John Pierson & Kevin Smith;ask
a question w/the INTERACT WITH HOST button
The i line : Kevin, can you tell us a bit about CHASING AMY.
KevinSLA : It's a big leap away from 'Rats', that's for sure
KevinSLA : (Did I hear a sigh of relief out there?)
KevinSLA : We shot it for $250,000, and it looks better than our
last film.
JPiersonNY : It's funny as hell then it turns real emotional.
It's got a big heart.
The i line : OK, one for the two of you from CitizenFe, that is
obviously tough to answer...
Question : What is your favorite movie?
JPiersonNY : Seven Samurai
KevinSLA : Toss up amidst JFK, Last Temptation of Christ, Do the
Right Thing, and Jaws.
JPiersonNY : LOL
The i line : OK, here is another from Bashar Te:
Question : Kevin, you mentioned part of your Superman script as
the "third act". I'd like to know how
Question : you and John each feel about scripts broken into
"acts"... I had a professor once who didn't like
Question : to "force" scripts into such constraints
JPiersonNY : Hey yeah Kevin, where does the third act of Clerks
start?
KevinSLA : Usually, I leave acts for the Apostles. But this is
a studio I'm dealing with. It's all about acts.
KevinSLA : Clerks had a third act?
KevinSLA : I thought it was one long act.
The i line : Here is one for Kevin:
Question : Kevin, I love the "Clerks" laserdisc with extra
footage and commentary! Do you plan on
Question : doing a similar version for "Mallrats"?
JPiersonNY : Broken up by 37 shorter ones
The i line : I'll take that as a maybe Kevin ; )
KevinSLA : We're trying like mad. We started a grass roots
campaign on our web site - asking people to
KevinSLA : e-mail MCA and demand it. So we're trying.
The i line : Here is a question from KGB1138:
Question : I have. Really interesting tibits. How did Mr.
Pierson meet Kevin? & what was his first
Question : impression about the film "CLerlks"?
JPiersonNY : We met on the phone after the IFFM screening. He
sent the tape. My wife Janet saw it first.
KevinSLA : Clerlks?
JPiersonNY : Loved it.
KevinSLA : But what did you say about it, John?
The i line : Ok, Here is one from NikkoMom1:
Question : If you were to recommend a film school for someone
who hopes to make films in the
Question : Independent market, which school would you recomend?
The i line : Anyone care to take a crack at that one?
KevinSLA : The Film school where you watch a bunch of movies,
read a lot of books, and experiment with equipment.
KevinSLA : But you don't pay tuition.
KevinSLA : There's good and bad to everything.
The i line : Sounds like a job at a video store? ; )
KevinSLA : A bit like that, yes. John?
The i line : John, what's the word on filmmakers and film school
these days?
The i line : Are they going?
The i line : woops
The i line : Let's take another Kevin question!
The i line : From Laxdaela2:
Question : Kevin, how come you've stayed in south Jersey and not
moved to someplace cooler?
The i line : welcome back John.
JPiersonNY : We're back. What'd we miss?
KevinSLA : All my friends are in Jersey. Why go anywhere else?
The i line : We're talking about why Kevin lives in Jersey?
The i line : I should mention, John is here with the other half of
Grainy Pix, his wife Janet!
The i line : hi janet!
JPiersonNY : Hi
The i line : Janet, tell us about your wedding.
JPiersonNY : She typed and edited the entire book - I write
longhand.
KevinSLA : And they have kids, to boot!
JPiersonNY : It certainly never occurred to me that anyone would
care 13 years later - but we got married at the
JPiersonNY : Film Forum in NYC on Watts St. Showed 1/2 of Buster
Keaton's 7 Chances.
The i line : Here is one for John:
Question : Question for John: How do you prefer to be approached
by indies looking for representation
Question : ?
JPiersonNY : With a bottle of bourbon.
The i line : OK, who wants to take this one? NoCoastWs asks:
Question : How do you feel about the role of Sundance these
days?
JPiersonNY : Seriously, we just need to see some of the work - on
film,tape.
JPiersonNY : We don't read scripts.
JPiersonNY : They're sponsoring me on television so I shouldn't
bite the hand that feeds but no one should
JPiersonNY : let them create a monopoly on American independent
film.
The i line : Kevin, Mindaskew asks:
Question : Kevin, do you think Amy can avoid the NC-17 hassles?
KevinSLA : I think so. Some of the discussion run the Clerks
gammut in terms of being racey, but it's got too
KevinSLA : big of a heart for even the MPAA to slap it with an
NC-17. I hope. $done
The i line : We have time for just a couple more questions...
The i line : From Mike185:
Question : Kevin: Who is your main influence for becoming a
filmmaker?
KevinSLA : I'd say Richard Linklater. After I saw Slacker, I
realized I, too, could be a filmmaker.
The i line : BskidGF14 asks:
Question : Was Shannon Dogherty as bad on set as the rumors?
The i line : woops, wrong one!
KevinSLA : What rumors? Shannen was an angel.
The i line : sorry, the question was actually supposed to be:
Question : Kevin, Is it true that you read Rick Schmit's
book "Feature Filmmaking at Used Car
Question : Prices" and that it helped you get "Clerks" on the
screen??
KevinSLA : Everything I read helped. Rick's book was amongst
those tomes. The idea of making a movie for the
KevinSLA : price of a used car, and the breakdown behind it,
fuels your engine. $done
The i line : I am embarassed about letting the Shannon Doherty
comment slip in, sorry...
The i line : let's end with this from CitizenFe:
The i line : Kevin and John, I just want to thank you for being
such an inspiration. -Thanks
KevinSLA : Jeez, that was sweet.
The i line : Any final thoughts folks?
The i line : anyone who wants to keep talking, go to indiechat in
the iLINE area, keyword; iline, click chat
KevinSLA : I'm kind of sorry I didn't get to the Market this
year.
JPiersonNY : Good questions and the Orioles beat the Yankees.
Maybe the IFFM isn't a mass grave.
KevinSLA : I miss the viewing the chaos.
The i line : At this point the lights in this room are about to go
off...
KevinSLA : G'night.
The i line : I want to thank John, Janet and Kevin for being with
us
The i line : thanks!
JPiersonNY : Our pleasure.
The i line : Good night, and drop by keyword: iline if you are to
chat some more with each other.
KevinSLA : Bye, from the city of greed and weirdness.
