Q & A for a New Year
I got a chance to do a little Q&A with the producer, writer, and star of the film New Year, Julian De Zotti.
RC – What was the writing process like coming back to a script on and off for a year?
JDZ - I think it was a good thing. You really have to let a script breathe. It gives you time to step back, be objective about what really works and what doesn't. Something that was a great idea then can be terrible months or a year down the road. Also, usually in that time someone else has read the script and gives you feedback that can be incorporated.
RC – To shoot a feature in 10 days is a heck of a thing to attempt. How was the process?
JDZ - Exciting, nerve wracking, yet very professional. We didn't have time to screw around. We had to shoot an 86 page script in ten days so you have to be very clever as well as put your complete trust in your crew who is working to get everything shot. However, while there was the pressure of having to complete in ten days, it brought us all close together working toward a common goal. We were able to laugh a lot and have a ton of fun without the magnitude of the project overwhelming us.
RC – How has Nick Rose’s (played Peter) ACTRA award nomination changed the promoting of the film?
JDZ - It has legitimized the film in some of the industry's eyes. It's also shown ACTRA's true colours. They really do support their own. They are 100% behind their actors staying busy and doing what they love! They have helped us to promote the film to their large membership and treated us very nicely through the whole awards process. We definitely include it in all our advertising materials!
RC – A movie about 20-somethings in Mississauga seems to be quite a hook; did you foresee this being such a point of interest for audiences?
JDZ - We did, moreso making a movie about 20-somethings that isn't American Pie or your typical Hollywood "teen movie". The Mississauga thing exists only because we grew up there and this is our own version of what that was like, growing up in a certain part of that suburban experience. I think people of that age, even younger, as well as their parents age, will recognize themselves, their older siblings, or their children up on screen.
RC – You're an actor, producer, director, writer – which is your favourite hat to wear?
JDZ - Oh dear. Well, to be honest, I wrote the film so I could act in a movie. The writing was a ton of fun, especially with Phil as my partner. I did the acting, and he did the directing. Producing is a lot of work, and means you are with the project for the whole time from beginning to end. I am still "producing" this movie and we shot it three years ago! However, there is a sense that the film is really yours, and I love the challenge of going out there and finding an audience for it.
RC – What was your favourite Canadian film growing up? What is your favourite Canadian film now?
JDZ - I'd have to say Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy. It was one of those hilarious, quotable movies that just never leave you. Recently I enjoyed Away From Her, and Polytechnique blew me away.
RC – Who is your favourite Canadian director?
JDZ - Denis Villeneuve is doing fantastic work right now, and I have a soft spot for Cronenberg.
RC – What unique perspective do you think Canadian filmmakers offer, and do you see yourself as an active member of that group?
JDZ - Because we are just north of the biggest exporter of films in the world, there's always this tension and pressure to best them. It is also tough when distributors can't sell our own movies, and a lot of the time our audiences just aren't interested. Taking all that into account, Canadian filmmakers find a way to stand out. They tell stories that can highlight a fringe or alternative viewpoint: characters, story, design. It makes for fascinating movies. There are so many diamonds in the rough. Go to your local video store and check them out. We made this movie so we could become a part of that group, and maybe usher in another generation of entertaining, and thought-provoking Canadian movies.