An evil army is approaching, and a lead character is lamenting the power and flexibility of evil in the world...the monologue draws to a pivotal moment...the actor's voice swells...and...
"All we have is Steel!...Wizardry! All we have is defense!"
This line, from a character played by the actor Steve Guynn in an upcoming Jerry Williams fantasy film, is just one of many, many examples of the great lines that one encounters in a Jerry Williams film!
Jerry Williams is an indie filmmaker extraordinaire. He is a guy who usually has multiple films in various stages of production, and has crafted a style that can only be described as his very own, unique genre. He definitely pushes the envelope with his work, and elicits alot of reactions, ranging from those that love his signature style (count me in this group), to others less inclined, such as a film reviewer that actually called for someone, somewhere to punch Jerry for making the film that the guy was reviewing (true story!).
One thing that is indisputable is that you will be hard-pressed to find someone who is more passionate about independent film. You will also be sorely challenged to find someone who is more gracious in the goodwill and support that Jerry regularly extends to other filmmakers of all genres and styles.
From cardboard sets and creative uses of his cat (note to Humane Society: the cat has never been harmed and is, in fact, quite spoiled!), to voluptuous actresses leaving little to the imagination, to cult independent film stars such as Debbie Rochon, Conrad Brooks, and Troma's Loyd Kaufman, Jerry's works always have the unexpected and the original. What most people don't realize is that underneath all of the onscreen insanity, Jerry actually injects a serious literary undercurrent, an example of which he discusses in this interview concerning his feature "Misadventures in Space".
Jerry is a playright, poet, and prose writer as well, and we wanted to bring a little of that aspect out in this interview, and encourage the reader to look into his excellent poetry collection that is in print, called Mirrors and Portraits.
It is my intention that this interview gives the reader a little insight into the craziness, humor, work ethic, committment, talent, dedication, and other characteristics that Jerry possesses. (The genius right alongside the offbeat and insane, so to speak!) You will also hopefully get a sense of his collaborative spirit, as well as get to meet a few of his regular cohorts such as Pat Bowling and Eric Butts.
The indie filmmaking world is not an easy one, and Jerry puts his heart and soul into his work. With all the things stacked against the no-budget indie filmmaker, Jerry's progress, success, and prolific filmmaking nature gives inspiration to all of us; the "Steel, Wizardry, and Defense!", if you will, to keep fighting the good fight for independent film.
So here it goes! Buckle up, hold on to your seat! Now...Ladies and Gentlemen...the long-awaited IMM interview with Goatboy Films' legendary and controversial director, Jerry Williams!!!
-Stephen Zimmer, for Indie Movie Masters, June 25, 2009
SZ: We know you are a brilliant, genius filmmaker, but give us a little idea as to your background, education, that kind of thing.
JW: I've always been a writer, first and foremost, and I got a masters degree in creative writing from MSU....two things from that time have always influenced my cinema work are my love of hidden messages in writing and my love of the grotesque...Lovecraft, Tolkien, and my personal favorite Clive Barker. In literary criticism, one of the things of Hemingway that struck me was he was very direct in his writing, but if you peered deeper in...there was hidden meanings in such simple direct sentence structures. I like the idea of my films, no matter how simple or silly it appears should have some deeper levels. I had read once that Gene Roddenberry made star trek a vehicle where he could talk about the human condition under the guise of a 'sci fi' show....I wanted to take that idea and apply it to indie or cult cinema, and place hidden messages or motifs in crazy surreal films. Misadventures in Space on one level is a silly send up of the sci fi genre in general and star trek in particular, but it is also a satire of the Iraqi war...when I wrote it...I was constantly watching the cable news shows, and the character Brother Bishop Tucker(Billy W. Blackwell) was named after conservative TV host Tucker Carlson. That biting satire buried in sci fi nonsense interested me...a form of commentary that hopefully some people got when they saw the film.
SZ: What got you into movies so passionately, and what type of movies or what movies are your favorites?
JW: I got into cinema as an extension of what I was trying to do with my poetry and coffeehouse performances. I have tons of favorite filmmakers...passion about the film is what I respond to....regardless of the genre. I took an art motif of homegrown 'slacker Dada' to my films. I like surreal films, and I love the idea of marrying cartoons, surreal, and junkfood low brow culture into sci fi or horror films. I love older cinema, and since I never had a color TV until I was into my teens, the idea of a black and white film never seemed weird to me... I watched all of the crazy shows from the 70's in black and white. Older movies seemed, to me at least, filled with beautiful women and films that needed plot and characters in them. When I see the CG inspired madness and MTV inspired 'slick shots' in films...I wonder how dated they will look in twenty years. I would rather watch an Ed Wood, Russ Meyer, or Ray Dennis Steckler film anyday over glossed over candy that passes for films these days.....the female lead from 'creature of the Black Lagoon' seems much more beautiful to me than some of these tacky celebrities out of hollywood of late.....Bela Lugosi was Dracula, and Flash Gordan fought Emperor Ming's evil empire give me more enjoyment than most current films.
SZ: Do you have some favorite directors? And why are they your favorites?
JW: Ed Wood, Clive Barker, Lloyd Kaufman, Ray Dennis Steckler, Kevin Smith and Russ Meyers. Each director had a unique vision of what they were shooting for, and some (Ed Wood, Ray Dennis Steckler) did great with limited or no budgets. I also love my friend Conrad Brooks and his films....definitely worth a look for fans of surreal horror and 'offbeat' films. I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention local filmmakers George Bonilla, Jacob Ennis, Cherokee Hall, Stephen Zimmer, Matt Perry, Daniel Roberts, Mark Poole, Jason Crowe and my favorite Tim Ritter. I did several films with George Bonilla as an AD, and all of his films are surreal horror and worth a look for psychotronic film fans.....I did a nod to him and named several characters after him in Ectovision!
Jacob Ennis produced my film Purvos, and I learned a lot...a lot from him on making films...Stash is a 70's slasher horror film much better than anything that Hollywood puts out there...I love Stephen Zimmer's films...his Shadows and Light movie is a fantasy film that really had a unique vision, and I really liked Matt Perry's film murderer. Tim Ritter is still a favorite director of mine, and definitely influenced Purvos.
SZ: Do you have a day job? Or do you just sit back and collect royalty checks from the Goatboy films Empire?
JW: I'm a working stiff, and fund my films myself which gives me freedom and headaches at the same time. Perhaps one day goatboyfilms will help fuel that run for the whitehouse or Senate. Vote Williams!
SZ: How in the world did you come up with the name Goatboy films? What is the story behind the name of your studio?
JW:From my friend Chadwell, we were kicking around ideas for a film company name in early 2001. It was Chadwell's nickname in college by a tripped out hippy chick. The name fit what I shooting for, and we kept it. It's not related to that saturday night live skit.
SZ: Tell us about Pat Bowling and others in the Goatboy Films empire, as I know you work regularly with a few particular renegades like Pat.
JW: I've known Pat from college, and our differences work out for the best. I'm a 'head in the clouds dreamer' sometimes, and Pat is a 'nuts and bolts' guy and that combination helps get projects done. Trust me, Pat is worth his weight in gold when it comes to the UFO film. Pat is also a damn good actor as well, I think he likes production much more... his acting swan song will be in Queen of the Cursed World. Pat is briefly in the medieval thing I'm cooking up...Insomnia and Dragon Witch. He did a fantastic job editing 'The Cursed Doll' which is now with Echelon Studios
SZ:How in the world would you describe a “Jerry William’s Film”? It seems to me you defy classification, but I had to ask, if only to know how best to describe your stuff myself. You perplex me!
JW: Live action cartoon energy slacker dada satire comedy horror show....I guess my films move to their own heartbeats....I like the idea of crossing genres...high brow motives with junk food pop culture. I have some notes about doing my version of Alice in Wonderland called at this point 'Alice Caligari'...I like the idea of bringing in older actors since our culture is so youth obsessed, and Lewis Carroll's book lends itself easily to symbolic and freudian intrepretations...I read several biographies and literary criticisms of his creative work, and agree it was his only outlet in a repressed and solitary existence. It's still up in the air at this point.
SZ: You have incredible women in your films. How do you convince them to be involved in no-budget projects without shelling out big bucks?
JW: Well, my films usually have strong female character roles...most films you have a finite amount of what and who you can play. Slasher films usually have two roles in them...hero or victim, and sci fi films are even more restrictive. My films may be out in left field, but the female characters have power and command respect. I like that the actresses bring something to the table. Leslie Rogers was a fanastic Fiona in Soul Robbers, and Heather Price does a fantastic turn in Ectovision. Stephani Heise and Natasha Roberts who played the lovers in Purvos did great.
I wanted Purvos to be a little different. Actors will at least listen to you, if your film isn't the 'slasher-on-the loose' fare, and I don't cut off roles at 24 years old....I find the youth obsessed culture out of tinseltown is shallow to my taste, but of course that's just my opnion.
SZ: What is your largest budget to date? What is a typical budget on a Goatboy project? (In US Dollars, Yen, or Euros, you can pick)
JW: Zeppo definitely, but I'm not sure about the final budget...that's more with Eric Butts and Moodswing Entertainment. I work with various budgets, but I joke with Pat that some of my films cost a six pack of beer and a song! I will say that at the end of the day, folks won't care about your budget if you engage them and entertain them. I've seen several modest budgeted films and felt great whereas I've seen CGI laden films that cost more than the gross national budget of small Africian countries and though they were slick emotionally dead pieces of eye fluff.
SZ: You have a knack for casting, such as using the regal William Schaeffer Tolliver, the insane Steve Guynn, the Bruce Campbell-esque Daniel Roberts, the larger than life Cherokee Hall, etc. How do you approach casting such colorful characters? Do you bribe them?
JW: I bribe them with my personality! No seriously, I usually connect with actors and crews working on other films for friends....I met several talented actors on film sets by local filmmakers such as Cherokee Hall, George Bonilla, Daniel Roberts, Jacob Ennis, Eric Butts, and Cineline's Matt Perry ....you find out more about a person working with them in long period of time than someone who wows you in an audition, and are a complete pain in the ass afterward. People who want to work on my films are a pretty passionate group, and I've been very lucky to get actors like Steve Guynn, Jason Crowe, Nathan Day, Billy Blackwell, Roni Jonah, Stepahni Heise, Natasha Roberts, Claude Miles, Kat Carney and others in the regional area. I also got to mention that Chad Hundley is a fanastic comedic actor, and his timing especially with Cherokee Hall reminds me of the old Bowery Boys. If I missed anyone, trust me there are some great actors out there working.
SZ: What is it like working with The Bob Cooke?
JW: He was awesome in Misadventures, as was Belinda. Bob's passionate about any and all things cinema....there was one line from misadventures that makes me smile...Bob's character says 'Our heroes will come like rain to a parched desert!' Bob did the line, but swore he'd beat me if I sent him another script like that again! People should check out his site www.Kymovie.net, Bob Cooke is like Coca Cola...he's the real thing baby! Belinda is a damn good producer on films like Hellephone, and Monstrosity among others and a passionate actress(she was fantastic in STASH as the sleazy mother).
SZ: Give me an idea of your filmography (Yes, I understand that we might need a couple pages worth of space for this one.)
JW:
Completed films:
Mint condition -writer/director (a Clerks type comedy) 18 minutes 2003
Manic / Happy Anniversary - producer for Jacob Ennis's shorts
Purvos - 72 minutes, writer/director 2004
Zeppo - writer/director, feature film 90 minutes (2007)
Misadventures in space, feature film 74 minutes (2007) and 53 minutes (2009)
Soul Robbers from Outerspace, feature 61 minutes.
Major Power and the flying saucer from Mars (and other tales of the hero) compliation 53 minutes (2009)
Pirate Candy Sampler, comedy film 49 minutes
Dinner for two, short 5 minutes
Pumpkin Joe, short 5 minutes
Twin sisters of Desire and Death! (The 'lost' episode of Misadventures in Space) 10 minute
Alien Conspiracy Murders, short 34 minutes
In production:
Ecto-vision!, Insomnia and the Dragon Witch, Saucer sex from beyond, and the UFO documentary film I'm working with Pat Bowling. I'm also starting an edit of
'Queen of the Cursed World', and have several projects in the planning stages.
As Assistant director on ZP movies:
Edison Death Machine, Monstrosity, and Hellephone.
SZ: Speaking of Zeppo, which is arguably your “biggest budget” project to date—what’s going on with it at the moment? Will it ever be released? Rabid fans want to know!!!! (Or will the boxed set version be out before the regular version?)
JW: I'm dating myself with this admission, but when I was a kid in the late 70's there was live action TV shows like Shazam!, Isis, and Jason of Star Command. Zeppo was a homage of sorts to that crazy saturday morning craziness crossed with a surreal midnight movie like Liquid Sky and Looney Tunes cartoons. Zeppo in a nut shell is a black and white cartoony sci fi adventure with non pc humor, naked zombies, cruel sexy aliens, and cardboard tombstones! Eric brought a lot his humor, and production skills for the film (not only did he edit and produce the film, but supervised the music and special efx shots for the film). We're currently shopping the film out to distributors, so hopefully folks will get to see it soon. Debbie Rochon was fanasttic in it, and Lloyd Kaufman still cracks me up...editing Lloyd was the hardest thing since he brings so much to the table...I'd love for Lloyd to do more serious dramatic roles...the local actors Stacey Gillespie, Elysse, Amanda Kaye, Casey Miracle, etc. did a fanastic job under some crazy shoots, and I have to say we had great production help from Casey Miracle, William Schaeffer Tolliver, and makeup was done by Julia Caudill.
If Eric and I were the heads of Zeppo, Eric's mom, Patsy Butts, who helped produced the film and was its biggest booster was the heart of it. Sadly she passed away last year, but her legacy lives on in the film.
(Movie Trailer for Zeppo)
SZ: Will there be a sequel to Zeppo? And will the sequel be released before the original?
JW: Never say never, but for me it would depend on how the first film fares out with the folks out there.
SZ: How do you pull off working on multiple film projects at the same time? Are you simply crazy? Or is there a method to this obvious madness?
JW: Part craziness, and part necessity. I shoot fast on my solo films, but it is also cause a lot of the actors are only available for a finite amount of time, so I have to move fast. The shooting multiple films at the same time is a nod to Roger Corman's methods. He would shoot a scene for a movie for AIP, then he would move the props about and change costumes to shoot a scene
for his own film which he would sell to AIP or to other film distributors. Pure genius, but maddening at the same time.
SZ: Loyd Kaufman, Conrad Brooks , Debbie Rochon…what is it like working with cult figures that you have been a fan of yourself? How in the world do you keep Loyd contained and under control on the set?
JW: I worked with Conrad on my horror film Purvos, and he and I are good friends. I love classic cinema, and movie serials of Conrad's youth so we talk about his films, and his experiences. A nice man, but pretty set in his convinctions which I understand and emulate myself. I always look forward to working with Conrad on any film...a good actor, he brings a lot to the table. He's an older actor and still working...check out his Jan-Gel films. Expect more film madness from Conrad in the future. I loved working with Debbie Rochon. A beautiful and talented lady, she was fantastic to work with on Zeppo...committed to the script, and worked her butt off on it...an artistic lady with a huge heart, and I can see why guys (and gals) fall for her like a ton of bricks. Whenever I think of Debbie, I imagine she is taking her ten minutes free from Fangoria radio and production work to paint on canvas...an earth elemental, timeless and beautiful like the moonlight in June.
Lloyd is great actor, and very committed to cinema on all levels. I was very nervous meeting him. His toxic Avenger films are a part of my youth, so it was great and surreal to work with him. Like Debbie, a committed actor who busted his butt on the film. He really is a genius of indie cinema, and his books on making films should be taught in schools. Even if you don't 'get' the Troma films, it does my heart good that they can be out there. I think Lloyd can say more in a 90 minute film about the current state of affairs and the universal prejudices we have in say Poultrygeist than hours upon hours of PBS programming. I think Troma and Lloyd are the best parts of Americana like the hot dog and baseball, which is why I think people respond it worldwide. If you're into films, do yourself a favor and pick up his books and see that there is a method to the madness. I kept Lloyd contained by a harem of nubile women who fed him grapes and fanned him in between scenes....just kidding...he was a pleasure to work with, although I'm sure he wouldn't have protested that grape feeding scenario.
SZ: I happen to own a poetry book by you, called Mirrors and Portraits, which not many people may know about. At the risk of incurring your wrath, I would like to shed a little light on this side of you. Talk about the poetry book and any other literary projects you might have coming out?
JW: In college, I hung out with the literary crowd and loved writing poetry. I also got over my shyness by reading poetry at coffehouses, although I preferred doing it at places you wouldn't think about poetry.
In Morehead, it was the local bar called Spanky's....you'd get these high and drunk professors, along with bikers and rednecks playing music and reading their poetry. A rough hole in the wall, but it was fun and definitely a place of my youth. In Lexington, it was High on Rose....unfortunately these places don't exist anymore...I guess I'm more Charles Bukowski 'live life fully dammit' than hanging out at staid coffeshops talking about writing. I had written poetry from that time period, and finally got a book of verse together called Mirrors and Portraits. In a sense it a portrait of me as an angry young guy who loved everything to the fullest. It's like the first time you finally 'hear' Mozart and it moves in your heart...same thing with literature and poetry with me. Passion fuels literature, and hopefully if people see the book, and see me...flaws and all. I'm working on a new book of poetry. I love writing verse, and never want that to leave my heart or my life. I try to put poetry and some poetic ideas in my scripts as well.
SZ: On that note, rumor has it that you might be developing something theater related? Is there any truth to this rumor?
JW: I wrote the Halloween murder myster play, Green Ghost of the Tracks, for Kathy Hobb's theater company, Fantastical theatricals, and it was great to see a play of mine on stage. Theater is the ultimate high wire act. I have a couple of plays written together, that may or may not hit the stage. A lot of folks don't realize that I was actually more interested in forming a theater company to stage my work at the beginning, but went with films instead. I would still love to make a theater company, so maybe one day down the road when the stars are in place, it may happen. I would also like folks to check out Kathy and her wonderful Fantastical Theatricals, a wonderful experience for me as a writer.
SZ: Where can people find and buy some Jerry Williams movies?
JW: Purvos is available at Brain Damage films. Major Power and the Flying Saucer from Mars DVD is available at indieflix. Misadventures in space the original version is on google video and hungry flix. That film has a tight new edit, and should be in a DVD package soon with mint condition. I have a comedy film, Pirate Candy Sampler, which is a comedy in the style of 'Amazon Women on the moon' on google video as well. The Cursed doll is now with Echelon Studios, so it should be out soon. You can also see Purvos on netflix and get it off Amazaon.com. My book of poetry is also available on Amazon and other book seller sites.
Links to buy Purvos, Major Power, and Mirrors and Portraits.
Purvos
http://www.amazon.com/Purvos-Conrad-Brooks/dp/B0012OTVCG
Purvos on netflix
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Purvos/70093406?&mqso=70002140&trkid=129129
Major Power
http://www.indieflix.com/Films/MajorPowerandtheFlyingSaucerfromMars
Mirrors and Portraits
http://www.amazon.com/Mirrors-Portraits-Jerry-Williams/dp/1413765807/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
Misadventures in space (original cut on google video)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=895029670631039342&ei=qiE_SpqxA4WkqwLPruTKAQ&q=misadventures+in+space
Pirate Candy Sampler
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7192095349227927623&ei=5CU_SoasK5HwrgK-lIHLAQ&q=pirate+candy+sampler
SZ: Will your cat be appearing in future projects, and will there be any parts available for other people’s cats, such as mine? Your cat’s performance was awesome as the Wizard Merlin in Major Power, and in the heavy-duty SFX sequence in the engine room in Misadventures in Space!
JW: I actually jotted down an idea for 'Major Power and the Ghost train!', so if Major Power shows up...I think the Wizard would confer with the great wizards of yore...you always got to look out for ...evil ectoplasm!
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