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GR: how about scriptwriting?
jon: oh man, i have the most fun in writing the script...because you have no rules, you
can make anything happen on paper. like at this point, she grows wings and flies away,
you know? when i write a script, i usually just get my ideas on a page and there comes
a point when i just have to get rid of certain things because i can't afford it or it's
impossible...and then that's when reality sets in when yr like, well, this is gonna be
a movie, so i guess can't afford to have that car blow up, so i'll erase that scene...
and i think for me, i would never start shooting a movie until i have a script that to
me, was so perfect...and i think a lot of problems people have is that they start
shooting their movie when their script wasn't that good or isn't finished...and they
try to patch things up while they're shooting...like, it doesn't make sense like what
happened because she was crying in that scene and then she's happy...when you start
inventing things on the spot, even though every now and then it may lead to something
good, but in most cases, due to the pressure, things will end up getting screwed up.
like murphy's law, if something bad will happen, oh well. as far as scriptwriting, the
key is to have something that when yr ready to shoot yr just so strongly into it and yr
like, this is so good and i know this is how i want it to be, rather than being wishy-washy,
like, "ah, this is ok, but let's just start shooting the film"...again, this is like the
"hollywood" method. it's like you don't have yr shit together but yr starting and then
you start making mistakes...but you have enough money to cover yr ass...that's the
"hollywood" way.
GR: yeh, it's just another roll of 35mm film, we have
$30 more million to spend. so how much is that? how much more is 35mm from 16mm?
jon: you know, like i said it's about $250 for about 10 minutes of 16mm film? for 35mm,
it's about 4 or 5 times that amount. i think just 10 or 11 minutes of just the raw film
for 35mm is about $400-$500...it's hella expensive. you hear these stories about these
students in film school who spend like $100,000 on their 10 minute project...it's freaky.
they think they have to do that to get their foot in the door in hollywood so they spend
tons of money on this short movie.
GR: did you do mommy mommy where's my brain in/for school? that one's my favorite...
i think i showed everyone but my mom and dad that one.
jon: yeh, i did it at brown university in 1986. i'm so glad you like that one...that's
like my all-time favorite...that was a pretty cheap film for me to make.
GR: sleazy rider was rad too...it was really funny, especially that old lady!
jon: oh man, i actually used to work for her, that was my boss! yeh, i used to work at
the art gallery at brown painting walls and hanging up shows and stuff and she was like
the head of the art gallery and for the first year i worked for her, i hated her...i was
like, "man, yr such a bitch! i hate you!" and after a year, i was like, she should be in
a movie of mine, and that's when i was like, "hey, i like you now." (laughing)...she was
so cool, she didn't get freaked out about all the things, like in this scene i was like,
"can you hold up this raw sausage and say these stupid lines?" and she was like, "sure i
can do that!"
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