First of all, could you give a short summary of your film, so that those
reading the blog will have context?
The Bacon Tree is the story of two young men who have become lost in a seemingly endless desert. After a week of wandering through the wasteland Ben and Woody are at the
end of their rope. But things take a turn toward weird after the
appearance of the fabled Bacon Tree.
If you really want to get the picture you can see The Bacon Tree online at (vimeo.com/benleonberg/bacon)
What got you
started in the filmmaking process?
I
started making movies around age 8, at which point I was making my own
version of Indiana Jones (starring myself as the main character.) I
have progressed slowly from there.
What would
you say is your biggest inspiration?
My
biggest inspiration is stories told in the oral tradition (i.e. spoken
stories.) Spoken stories require a lot of imagination to play out in
one's head. Even stupid stories or cheesy jokes can be really
entertaining if presented and told in the right way- I endeavor to
capture and duplicate that in my movies.
What is the
hardest part about making a film?
Finding
people who are really willing to do what it takes to make a movie.
There are a lot of people out there who think they know how to work
hard, but really almost none do. Unfortunately this seems to be
disappointingly common amongst the people who come to "help out"/act in
student films- but then again it's hard to complain about people who are
volunteering their time for a movie that will never make money.
What was the
hardest part about making The Bacon Tree?
Within
the first few hours of getting to the set (an alpine desert in New
Zealand's Tongariro National Park) the cast and I were caught in a freak
summer blizzard with 70mph winds, hail, snow, and a sky that looked
ready to drop doom. Somehow in those conditions I managed to get
horrifically sunburned and the next day had to strap on a heavy backpack
laden with camera gear and trek 20 miles out of the car park where my
rented vehicle had been broken into and vandalized. Conveniently this
was also the most fun I've ever had in three day weekend!
Do you have
any filmmakers, directors, writers etc. that you look up to, or take
inspiration from?
Wernor
Herzog is a personal hero of mine. Between being a total bad-ass and a
hilarious narrator, he's accomplished some of the most reflective and
thought-provoking films I've ever seen.
Are you currently working on any projects right now? If
so, would you like to share a little bit about the project(s)?
Currently
I subcontract as a director for a major apparel brand, but it is not
nearly as exciting as making student films on whatever resources I had
in my wallet.
What would you say is the most difficult aspect of creating a comedy?
I find the hardest part of
comedy is keeping things natural and off-the-cuff. I think the key is
not to over think it; nothing is less funny than an overly thought-out
joke.
What made you gravitate toward the genre of comedy?
I don't think I gravitate
towards comedy on any conscious level. I think I just prefer to tell a
story in what most people consider a humorous style. I probably make
films this way because I've talked and told stories in that same fashion
as long as I can remember.
Would you ever consider making films in a different genre? If so what would you like to try?
Absolutely, I'm dying to make a real pulp adventure film (In my opinion no one's made one since Last Crusade.)
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself, your film, or other projects?
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