Q&A with Corey Lee, Director of 'What You're Ready For'
ACA 2007 nominated short
‘What You’re Ready For’ is nominated and featured in the Alberta
Centennial Award section this year.
CIFF: Tell me about your past experience in the ACA’s and what you look forward to this year.
Corey Lee(CL):My last film, “The Perfection of the Moment”, the first in the Kilter Trilogy, played at the ACA screening last year. It was a great turn out in the lower theatre at the Uptown, and I enjoy viewing my work with an audience, to both see and feel their reactions. I like the idea of the event, a kind of best of Alberta shorts, not to exclude specific artists, but more to inspire a higher level of quality amongst filmmakers in this province. As much as I make films for myself, I make them to be seen, and I think that’s something all filmmakers need to keep in mind, especially if you want to create opportunities to make more films.
CIFF: You are involved in some local music projects including Anita Athavale’s
music video also in this year’s festival. How do you switch from filming a serious drama to creating a music video?
CL: I have a strong visual sense and would like to believe that I am fairly organized –meaning I do a great deal of prep before I go to camera - which I think is horribly important, so, in that way, it’s no different. I do like to involve the musician in the process as much as possible - because really it’s all about them, as the video is a promotional tool as much as it is a standalone work of film (or video). With my narrative film projects, the entire focus is on what I need to craft the story I want to tell, from performance to framing and camera movement, to art direction, editing and music. My approach to music video is similar in the necessity of a clear and single vision, but the goal has to be to create an innovative and interesting visual work that the musician is excited to have represent, not only his or her music and lyrics, but also who they are as an artist.
CIFF: Do you have any future films in the works?
CL: I’m currently writing the final film in the Kilter trilogy, In Translation, with the author, John Gould, which will likely shoot over the winter. I’m in post-production on a new short film, ClimaXXX: a love story, a mockumentary about two struggling adult filmmakers, while also carving out the structure of a television/web series, Fur Nation. I am constantly working on my feature stuff and have a few in various stages, including: the father son crime-drama, Of
Winds and Dragons, the revenge tale, Fixer, the coming of age drama, Wrecking Ball, the Lynchian road movie, All Things Not Forgotten, and a crazy cross Canada clone comedy, currently known as Imperfekt.
CIFF: Are you showing at any other film festivals this year?
CL: “What You’re Ready For” is just hitting the circuit this fall. Following its premiere at the Alberta Centennial screening at CIFF, it will play the Edmonton International Film Fest in early October. There are a bunch of other festivals, mostly happening in 2008, currently pending. With a bit of luck I’ll be enjoying some time on either the beach or the slopes while traveling with the film, so it should be an exciting run.
How did you get into filmmaking? CL: I was into drawing and illustration from quite a young age and that evolved into writing fiction. Often I’d sit around for days on end writing these stories and then illustrating them. Later, I experimented with my father’s video camera, using my friends as actors and making little shorts. I left art college for film school, then worked as a technician for several years, which ended up being a wonderful opportunity to watch some incredibly talented directors, actors and cinematographers work.
What inspired you to adapt this story? CL: There are so many great stories and wonderfully cinematic bits in John’s (Gould) “kilter: 55 fictions” collection, but “What You’re Ready For” hit me pretty early on. There is just such an exacting and precise wrath wrapped up in the obsessive psychosis of the Narrator’s ultra calm and sane exterior. And the collision course that he and Laird are on is so brilliantly laid out in the original story. I thought it would make a delightfully dark, sad and funny little film. A perfect second chapter in this trilogy based on his “kilter” stories.
What about the story do you identify with most? CL: I love how we peel the layers off of these characters and ultimately expose their opportunistic choices, one character following the teachings of the other. We often paint our own reality in our mind... and it looks nothing like what’s really going on around us. Exposing that is what is really interesting to me.
Why do you think audiences are fascinated by stories about what people will do in the face of extreme emotion? CL: That is when we are at our worst or maybe, our best. It’s a pure and primal
reaction, that’s what we love. It’s unfiltered. It’s how we wish we could live, most
of the time – without that worry of consequence or judgment. Moments of
extreme emotion become etched into our brains and affect us for the rest of our
lives. You watch your wife give birth to your first child. You see a pedestrian get hit at a crosswalk. An assailant points a gun at your head and demands money or your life. These are things that change you forever.
What influences you as a filmmaker and why? CL: Life. Just living and examining what frightens me. Certainly having recently had a child brings out new reactions to the world and new fears, but I enjoy getting lost in things and then having to figure out where the hell I am and how I got there.
What does your film say about all those offering self-help advice and those who choose to seek it out? CL: I love how John’s story holds Laird accountable. None of us live perfect error free lives, including these people who are offering advice. To preach one thing, then turn around and do the opposite, simply because in your own mind, you can
justify it, well, that is morally wrong. Some of us might need to be pointed in a better, more healthy direction and I don’t see anything wrong with seeking out that advice, but don’t think that whoever you’re looking to for guidance isn’t just as capable of screwing up as easily as you are. Look for the answers inside yourself first.
What’s the most extreme action you’ve ever taken in the name of love, hate or loss? CL: When I was a kid, my Aunt who was, and maybe still is, obsessed with status and wealth, told me I shouldn’t be an artist because artists don’t make any money. I was pretty depressed for a while, then angry – like “Who the hell are you to tell me what I can or cannot be when I grow up.” If I was older, I probably would have just gone on a hell of a bender, but I was like 10. Anyway, shortly thereafter, I decided I wanted to make movies. Making a conscious choice to be a filmmaker, with all the risk, heartache and struggle that this profession seems to endlessly provide, I’d say that’s pretty extreme.
Joe Media Alberta Centennial Award
Uptown Downstairs
Sunday, September 23, 6:30pm
L-R Lori, who played my mom (we'd worked together before and it was so great to play her daughter in this, because she's such a great mom to her own kids and I already loved her from our work together in "Summerland", that it took very little acting on my part to pretend to have a close relationship with her!) Debbie (who did my makeup) Doug (who, along with Laurette, was a Canadian producer who took care of everything and was responsible for most of the incredible crew - so I'm really grateful to both of them!) me, and Cathy (who did my hair, and who, along with Debbie, earned the nicknames "Puff and Comb" from Don - powder puff for makeup, comb for hair). I'm going to see them all soon, and can't wait!
So that's the majority of the day. If we were shooting more than one scene in a day (on the day shown in those ladder pictures, we did 3 scenes - it was our last day of shooting, and I remember trying so hard not to cry when we were done (and failing!), because I was afraid I'd never see the crew members again, and I liked them all so much!) then when we finished one scene, I'd rush back to base camp to change clothes, change hair and makeup, and then hurry to the next set to shoot the next one. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon "craft service" (the people who provide food all day for everyone to snack on) would bring around something more substantial than the usual junk food (sodas, candy bars, etc.) like sandwiches or soup. People visiting a film set for the first time are always shocked at the concept of craft service - there's a table full of snack food available all day long, with fresh fruit and veggies, pastries, cheese and crackers, and other goodies appearing sporadically through the day. But when you're shooting in the middle of nowhere (literally - on this film we'd be in the middle of a field somewhere - no electricity, no bathrooms, no houses as far as you could see) there's no water fountain, no vending machine, and the crew in particular is doing hard work and heavy lifting, with no time for a "coffee break", so having that snack food on hand is a necessity, so that they can grab it (or have someone grab it for them) and go. Usually about 7 or 8 hours after we'd started, catering served lunch. It was great - 3 choices of main dishes, veggies, salads, lemonade to drink, and some awesome dessert. As I said in my last blog, at lunch time I'd practice riding with the Kirk and TJ the horse wranglers, who were also my riding coaches (although I'm not sure they got paid for both jobs?) so everyone was kind enough to let me go through the lunch line first, eat quickly, then saddle up.
At the end of the day, I'd change back into my own clothes and the wardrobe department would wash what I'd worn so that it would be fresh the next morning. Someone would tell me what time I'd be coming in the next morning, and Kim would drive us back to the hotel, where I was usually too tired to do anything but sleep! All of my sightseeing and shopping and eating out was on the weekends. Here's another picture of one of my favorite non-movie memories of Alberta - snow in July! 
I leave for Calgary in a week! I can't wait! I'll stop in to blog one more time between now and then. Have a great weekend - and I hope to see you on the 23rd!
OK, I had to include a photo with Catherine, to show you the difference between a REAL rider and someone who just plays one in a movie. Catherine was a local girl worked on the film to earn money to buy a saddle (it's such an expensive hobby/sport!) and I learned a lot by watching her with the horses. When you see Checkers with his hair braided for the competition, you're looking at Catherine's handiwork! Her horse, Brownie got to be in the film, too!
This was my lunch hour almost every day. I'd wolf down some food and then spend as much time as I could on the horse. Because we were shooting scenes all day long, and most of them didn't involve me being on the horse, lunch and weekends were the only time that I really got to work on my riding. You'll notice that Kirk and I are each riding a "Checkers". Both of these horses played Checkers in different scenes - one was better at doing tricks and one was better for riding, but I loved them both - Picasso and Trigger! 
Our whole last week of shooting was spent in this spot (don't you love the location? the hills in the background?) and that's where I learned to jump. It looks like we're just walking through this jump, so it must have been early in the week, but I had to start somewhere!
Weekends I rode with TJ Bews. Part of the time it was work, practicing my riding for the film and bonding with the horses, but it was a great way to relax, too, just getting away from it all. On the weekends there were no lights, no cameras (OK, I guess someone had to take this photo with a camera, but no movie cameras!) no hair and makeup - just us and the horses.
You've never met a harder working bunch than this crew. You can tell how long they were out in the sun by looking at those tans! This photo is with the assistant directors, who made sure everything ran smoothly no matter what the day held. Left to right they're Jess, Cory, Jesse and Alex.
Q&A with Scott Eathorne, Australian Director of 'Selling Hopkins'
What influences you as a filmmaker and why? 
Back to that whole "the people in Calgary are the best!" theme - this photo was taken when TJ Bews (who together with Kirk Jarrett owned and trained most of the horses in the film - and trained me!) had us over for dinner with his family - yep, that's where I want to retire!
Speaking of TJ and Kirk, that's the 3 of us getting ready to shoot the last scene of the film! I love how you can see forever from that hillside!
This is Lake Louise in the Banff National Forest. What a view!
We were driving home from work one day, and the sunlight was streaming down through the clouds over this farmhouse in the distance, and I said what a great picture it was, so our driver Kim pulled over so I could take the picture - the people in Calgary are the best!
PDF Courtesy of Avenue Magazine www.avenuemagazine.ca
ROCK POCKETS 
Synopsis: A sugar rush of sex, politics, and rock 'n' roll, as seen through the eyes of a ten-year-old boy at the fair. A short personal documentary disguised as meta-music video. Featuring appearances by members of Shout Out Out Out Out, The Wet Secrets, and the music of The Vertical Struts. (from www.dirtcityfilms.com)
