Posted by Ethan R at hnw0004.resnet-student.upenn.edu on November 16, 1999 at 16:44:22:
In Reply to: KEVIN-SOCIOLOGY QUESTIONS (REPOST) posted by Jason Director! on November 16, 1999 at 16:39:26:
: Hi Kevin,
: This is Jason Director. I spoke with you at the NY Film Fest the second night after the Q & A session. I told you about my sociology project where we had to interview someone in the Arts from a sociological viewpoint and we kinda came to the conclusion that it would be best for me to post my questions for you here on the board. So, I've finally got them done and here they are...
: (A DISCLAIMER FIRST: I know to everyone out there reading this post that I probably seem like I don't know much about View Askew and Kevin Smith, but in order to provide a faithful interview and GET A GOOD GRADE I have to ask the novice/first timer questions...)
: HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS...(In no particular order)
: 1. How is it that you got to be where you are now? What motivated you to want to become a filmmaker?
: 2. When View Askew Productions first started out, how did having John Pierson and others involved in the independent film industry (Bob Hawk, for instance) in your corner help give you opportunities that weren’t available to other companies starting out?
: 3. How have critics influenced aspects of your productions? Any specific examples where you have changed part of a film because the critics didn’t react favorably to it?
: 4. Who is your audience? And how do they either help, hinder or dictate your ability to present your art? Also, do you feel your audience has changed considerably since you first made Clerks?
: 5. Now that your films have been accepted by the mainstream, do you feel that you are more free to experiment with different genres, styles and themes? Or do you feel that public expectations play a great role in dictating your next career move?
: 6. Given there are different parties in Art (fans, critics, producers for example), how do they either alter or dictate your work at all?
: 7. Did the opening of Jay & Silent Bob’s Secret Stash stem from an economical need to expand (into the realm of t-shirts and other cool “swag”)? Or was it formed with the idea that you would be playing a greater part in bringing your art closer to your fans? (As corny as that might sound.)
: 8. How do you get funding to produce your films (Private, Self, ...even *gasp*...Government)? How does this dictate what you do and how the final product turns out?
: 9. What do you think is the social impact of film as opposed to other types of media (live theater for example)? How might the taping of live theater (which is commonplace in our time) affect this impact?
: 10. In what ways does a professional training affect ones work or career?
:
: Well, there they are! Once again, thanks for being so nice and accepting to do this for me. It really is a great help, and I'm sure when I present this all the other kids will say, "How the fuck did he get Kevin Smith to do this!?"
: Thanks a lot!
: Jason Director