by Erik Childress
The “In the Land of Merry Misfits" Pitch: A live action, alternative style, fairy tale about a naive young man who takes a wrong turn through a mystical tunnel, lands in a fable-like universe and is forced to assist a whimsical group of misfits in their quest to capture "The Grail of Popularity."
How did this film get rolling at the beginning? Give us a brief history from writing to production to post to just last night.
KEVEN: It took seven years to get to principal photography and then ten years after that to complete post production so I don’t know how to be brief. I worked as a carnie every summer in the Northeast so I could finance a move to Hollywood each winter in order to break into the TV/film industry. My experiences with the bizarre characters I encountered inspired the screenplay and helped me gain the endurance necessary to make a low budget, independent film. Also, when I did catch what I consider my break – getting hired as Head Writer for MTV’s Singled Out - I fought to get all my fellow carnies and family members hired to work on the show and moved them out to live in my tiny apartment in order to do so. I even arranged for each of them to be on camera. One ended up being on every single show in seasons three, four and five, performing in sketches with Jenny McCarthy and Carmen Electra in a role people still recognize him for. Collectively, they had zero training or experience in TV, film, stage or anything entertainment related so the experience we received at MTV was crucial in making the film.
In 1997, when the show wrapped its final episode, I moved back to the Northeast to write the screenplay and to begin construction of the fable-like universe I envisioned while writing. Creating a fairy tale setting on a low budget was not easy. Maybe that’s why, in the history of film, it’s never been done before. Costumes had to be sewn, sets had to be erected and props had to be built. It took almost ten months andthe help of handy friends and family but, somehow, in the end, we created the multi-million dollar setting. The shoot was tough. We didn’t have a real producer. Therefore, we weren’t able to get the proper crew necessary for such an ambitious shooting schedule. And by the time we were on set there was no one other than myself to manage them. As a result, I was forced to, literally, throw my storyboards in the barrel and settle for whatever minimal coverage I could get. On a positive note, though temperatures soared, the actors all performed above and beyond which left me with strong hope that when we wrapped production we could regroup, edit footage and then conduct a reshoot to finish the film properly. That was the plan, anyhow but you know what they say? You wanna make God laugh? Tell him YOU have plans.
While I was busy wrapping our production in the Northeast, which included breaking down huge sets, putting locations back together, storing props and the fourteen prop cars etc., the negative for the film, which was sent to LA when we wrapped, was stolen. In addition, the two lead actors sided with the thief and refused to take part in ANY reshoots which grinded any chance to finish the film to a halt. After all the years abusing my body as a carnie…working EVERY summer weekend in my twenties… sleeping under trucks to save as much money as I could, I now found myself left with nothing but debt and the deepest sense of depression I have ever known. But the debt was so big that there wasn’t even time to be depressed. To repay them, I worked construction by day, tended bar by night and by weekends went back to being a carnie. Any hour that I wasn’t sleeping, I needed to be on the clock making money. When finally I paid off all the debts, I had to repay all the favors we received in the making of the film. I refinished exactly five houses, two warehouses and a nightclub. By the time I was done so was my writing career – along with most of my friends and contacts. Luckily, Maria Menounos had worked on the film when she was an Emerson College sophomore. She came on as a PA and by the time the film was stolen she was a Producer.
In repayment for her dedication to the film, I helped her get her reporting job at Channel One News. Knowing I was finished as a filmmaker and knowing the success I had in breaking other outsiders into the business, she asked me to manage her. I warned her that I had no background in formal talent management. I’m also an extremely passionate and highly energetic workaholic whose sole attention was now going to be her career; it was the nice way of saying that I would put her through hell or be extremely annoying at least. Maria, who had been working manual labor since the age of three, scoffed at my warnings and off we went.
Our collaboration saw Maria soar through reporting gigs from Channel One to MTV to Entertainment Tonight and now to NBC with Access Hollywood and the Today Show. We formed the charity, Take Action Hollywood! and Maria acted in umpteen TV shows and films. She also is the spokeswoman for Pantene shampoo. Yet for all the success, it never sat well with me that the film never got finished and it never sat well with Maria, either. We felt badly for the good people who had volunteered so many hours of work on it. For most, it was their only chance to see their names and faces in lights. One day Maria and I were talking about it and she just sighed and said: “You need to find a way to finish it. I’m in for whatever it takes but you have to just do it.” I asked her how, when two of the original stars refused to come back. She replied: “You star in it….it’s s a story about misfits and you’re the biggest misfit I know.” Fortunately, I had a head start. Over the years, in the wee hours of the night, I would quietly piece together old footage. It was a puzzle for sure but with the dedication of the old guard from the original shoot and the new guard who joined “the quest” we were able to do it. We had several shoots with our loyal and ageless stars Randal Malone, John Comerford, Joe Gear, Orji Walflauer and Doug Sherin. We cast a new lead female in Danielle Weeks who, with a long list of TV, film and commercial credits including starring in Oxygen’s classic “Campus Ladies.” Danielle was really the only true professional of our cast with the exception of Randal. From that point on, “In the Land of Merry Misfits” became like a snowball rolling down a hill.
Fred “Rerun” Berry offered to make a cameo and so did Josie Davis from “Charles in Charge.” Along with former WWE champ Bob Backlund, it was the perfect, eclectic grouping – the type you’d see in a John Waters film which was perfect as Mr. Waters happened to be an idol of mine. AJ Lekowski, designer of the Universal amusement park ride “Jurassic Park” signed on as Production Designer and built the most intricate and fantastic sets. Frank “Toby” Chi, artist behind the famed “Jackie Brown” poster series, added an animation element that plays throughout the film. Aaron Strongoni (screenwriter, “Return of the Living Dead” Series) and John Comerford sat for a year with me, along with Toby, in the edit bay. Together, we witnessed many sunrises. Sir Richard Wentworth was our chief composer. I know at the very least HE did a good job as after every screening, audience members make inquiries about acquiring the soundtrack. In the final days of post, one of our agents at CAA told John Waters about this crazy film that he (Mr. Waters) just had to see. John Waters obliged and, after seeing it, said that our movie reminded him of HIS old films. The next thing I knew I was on a plane to Baltimore on route to direct a voice over session with the great John Waters, himself. John Waters was now the film’s narrator. So after a long journey we, at last, had a completed film. My goal was simply to finish it, rent out some theaters, screen it and go home. If I could toss back a few well deserved beers with my comrades afterwards? That would be even better. I wanted or expected nothing more than that. For me, it was about the other people who worked on it and just getting an albatross off my neck. I didn’t care if the film sold as, thankfully, these days, I don’t need the money. Aaron, however, wanted to try the festivals. He argued that it was only a hundred bucks in entry fees and I yielded. What could it hurt? I was pleasantly stunned when Tribeca AND Cinevegas, two of the world’s leading festivals, accepted us.
The critics have been great, too. They have compared “In the Land of Merry Misfits” to everything from John Waters to Kevin Smith to L. Frank Baum to “Rocky Horror” to Monty Python.As to what I did last night? In my personal fairy tale, I have turned back into a pumpkin. I have left the “Land of Merry Misfits” to return to my day job managing Maria and running our company, Omega Girl Inc. There are a few mortgages that need tending to. More specifically, I was doing a deal for Maria to be in Ben Stiller’s next film and working on a sitcom for her to do with Ben Silverman and NBC.
What are you looking forward to during your CineVegas experience? If you’re a festival veteran, let us know your favorite and least-favorite parts of the ride.
KEVEN: I am hoping mostly to enjoy the experience…to see the film on the big screen with cast and crew…to have a few cold ones afterwards and to decompress with them …and to do it in Las Vegas of all places. What I don’t enjoy about playing festivals as all the stress leading up to the screenings with the coordination and promotion etc. Again, my filmmaking experience was so long and so unique that I don’t care as much about the latter as I do the former. The greatest honor and achievement, really, is being accepted to Cinevegas – especially with the extraordinary amount of films being produced today due to advances in digital technology. Everything gained after that else is gravy. At some point, you have to drop your game face and let out a sigh. I am hoping a nut like me will be able to do that at the festival.
Back when you were a little kid, and you were asked that inevitable question, your answer would always be “When I grow up I want to be a …” what?
KEVEN: I wanted to be a priest: Shaolin, Catholic or otherwise. As an altar boy I frequently channeled David Carradine’s Kwai Chang Caine from the TV series “Kung Fu” when wearing my robe. By my teen years I wanted to be a
superhero. I sewed an amazing Batman costume just like Adam West’s and would frequently make public appearances to the confusion, dismay and disdain of teachers and classmates. I guess I was always a misfit.
Not including your backyard and your family Handycam, how did you get your real "start" in filmmaking?
KEVEN: By getting hired to write for MTV’s “Singled Out.” Even though it was just a little dating show, MTV is very serious about the writers they hire. I found myself surrounded by some of the most talented writers around. Your jaw would probably drop if I ever took the time to list the huge credits and accolades most of them have accrued since then. They brought out the best in me, too, as did MTV. Since MTV budgets are tight, you need to wear a lot of hats. I got to direct actors and hosts as well as produce sketches and short films. Plus, working with contestants on the show gave me the valuable experience of working with novice actors. I was proud when Producer Mark Cronin (creator of “Surreal Life”, “Flavor of Love” etc.) hired me and eventually promoted me to Head Writer. It was truly my start.
Do you feel any differently about your film now that you know it's on the festival circuit?
KEVEN: It is definitely a feeling of validation. Playing a festival like Cinevegas is something that can never be taken from you. No matter how much people or critics hate your movie, you always have that to cling to.
Of all the Muppets, which one do you most relate to?
KEVEN: I think I always related to Ernie. He was the most “well rounded” of the lot and pretty cool headed, too. However, at any given moment he could totally snap. Living with a dry drunk like Bert will inevitably take a toll.
During production did you ever find yourself thinking ahead to film festivals, paying customers, good & bad reviews, etc?
KEVEN: Back in 1997, in my youth, during production number one, reviews, festivals and theatrical distribution was ALL that I thought about. By the 2006 production, however, all I thought about was just finishing the damn thing, renting a theater to screen it and going home. When it comes to the film, I am kind of like an old fighter who is just punched out.
If you could share one massive lesson that you learned while making this movie, what would it be?
KEVEN: I could share many valuable ones and will whenever I get the opportunity. I hope no one ever has to endure what I did. The greatest one comes from a Turner Classic Movie documentary on independent filmmaking that I saw just six months ago. A retired indy film director whose name unfortunately escapes me said something that I – and ALL indy filmmakers - should always remember. The retired filmmaker seems to view his olds films with a deep sense of frustration, sadness and regret over various shortcomings. His tired eyes looked into the camera as he said the words that will always haunt me: “…if only I had been tougher.” The lesson I learned then and there was that “I” had to be tougher. “We” filmmakers have to be tougher if we are going to have great films. When you need to go an extra hour on your
last chance to use a particular location but your sound man doesn’t want to because he wants to go home and watch “24”, you have to be tougher. When everyone working on the film says you are at final cut even though you know in your heart, the movie needs one more edit, you have to be tougher. When a color correction house puts a rookie or slacker on your film because your last name isn’t Spielberg, you have to be tougher. You have to be tougher not merely for yourself but for the film and everyone working on it. Whether they know it or not, the quality of the work will serve everyone far greater in the long run. Remember, film lasts forever – or beyond our lifetimes, at least. You can always TIVO “24.” There were only weeks left in post production when I saw this interview but I WAS tougher in those weeks. Of course, this might not hold as true for larger budget films. I cannot speak to those. But in the indy film world where we are forced to wear so many hats and fight so many battles alone, we have to be tough and, above all else, always try to make the very best possible film.
What films and filmmakers have acted as your inspirations, be they a lifelong love or a very specific scene composition?
KEVEN: Stanley Kubrick, John Waters, Kevin Smith, Spike Lee, Woody Allen, Todd Solondz, Ed Burns, Sofia Coppola and Alexander Payne are a variety of filmmakers who have inspired me in different ways. Waters for being so original…Smith for his sense of humor…Lee’s use of production design in telling his stories…Allen for his ability to accurately paint life...Solenz for his bold, dark and honest presentation…Kubrick for just about everything and so on. Each of these artists inspired me because they are filmmakers in the truest sense of the word. To me, true filmmakers write and direct as these artists do. And each has his or her own unique style that separates them from one another and everyone else.
Did you watch any movies in pre-production and yell “This! I want something JUST like this …only different.”?
KEVEN: I watched every successful, no budget, indy movie I could, paying close particular attention to “Clerks”, “Swingers” and “the Brothers McMullen.” Besides loving both films, “Clerks” was done on our original budget. I wanted to see how and why those movies were able to succeed despite low funding. What set us apart from these films was the fact that we were shooting on 35mm film. We also had so many actors and locations as well as intricate sets and costumes. Though, for the record, I happen to like these films a lot more than my own.
If you were to make a live-action version of your favorite cartoon, whom would you cast?
KEVEN: Underdog is my favorite cartoon. Jim Carrey would make a great Underdog and Jack Nicholson would make a great Simon Barsinister.
Say you landed a big studio contract tomorrow, and they offered you a semi-huge budget to remake, adapt, or sequelize something. What project would you tackle?
KEVEN: Elmore Leonard’s highly underrated classic, Mr. Majestyk.
Who’s an actor you’d kill to work with?
KEVEN: If Jack Lord, William Conrad, Alstair Sim or Charles Bronson were alive it would be one of them.
Have you “made it” yet? If not, what would have to happen for you to be able to say “Yes, wow. I have totally made it!”
KEVEN: I just had this conversation with Joe Gear, another longtime Producer/Actor from “Merry Misfits.” Joe is always trying to get me to loosen up a bit because as he says I have “made it.” I do live on an estate, have four cars and engage big movers and shakers in Hollywood on a daily basis yet I don’t feel, at all, as if I have. I don’t even feel as though have accomplished much of anything. It might be my incredible fear of failure or the fact that I lost everything once before in making “Merry Misfits.” I’m scared that if I ever allow myself to believe that I have “made it”, I might slack and lose it all again. Most of my childhood heroes behaved in the same manner. In ‘86, I watched Larry Bird play in the title game of his series against the Houston Rockets. Bird played that day with this ferocious look on his face and maintained his intensity long after the game was clearly won. It wasn’t until Bill Walton took him by the shoulders and physically shook him that Bird finally broke a smile. I truly believe it was that kind of behavior that brought him success. Years later, when Bird retired, he told reporters that he felt bad that he didn’t win many championships, even though he had won three. Incidentally, I think Joe Gear has kind of been my Bill Walton – the one who shakes me every now and then – but I am not sure if I’ll never feel as though I have achieved much.
Honestly, how important are film critics nowadays? What do you say to studios and publicists who consider print critics the "cream of the crop" and onliners as third world citizens?
KEVEN: For me critics are very important. Unless I get a personal recommendation, I’ll mainly use critics to guide me in my film choices. I have never heard online critics being referred to as third world citizens. For those who do, I have to disagree. The web is just too powerful a medium to ignore or scoff at. What will these people say when more movies and shows are displayed on the net as they inevitably will be in the future? Personally, I am producing a sitcom for the internet now and I am praying it is received well by online critics.
You’re told that your next movie must have one “product placement” on board, but you can pick the product. What would it be?
KEVEN: The candies, Milk Duds and Carmel Creams. They’re the best to eat during a movie so why not have them pictured IN your movie?
You’re contractually obligated to deliver an R-rated film to your producers. The MPAA says you have to delete a sex scene that’s absolutely integral to the film or you’re getting an NC-17. How do you handle it?
KEVEN: It’s a simple question to me as I have been properly tenderized by my experiences in the business. You cut the scene. However, after that you push your creative skills to the absolute limit to regain what was lost. You look at old footage…you see what you can do to recut or even reshoot…perhaps there is something you can do with your sound…open your mind
and your own wallet if you have to. At MTV, EVERY time the network made us cut down something amazing we would hem and haw like most writers do. However, when we were through crying and rolled up our sleeves to do something within the box they put us in we would almost ALWAYS come up with something better than our original idea.
What’s your take on the whole “a film by DIRECTOR” issue? Do you feel it’s tacky, because hundreds (or at least dozens) of people collaborate to make a film – or do you think it’s cool, because ultimately the director is the final word on pretty much everything?
KEVEN: A good director is a director who is micro-managing everything from costume to production design to hair and make up to lighting and music, just to name a few of many elements. This director most definitely deserves that kind of credit.
In closing, we ask you to convince the average movie-watcher to choose your film instead of the trillion other options they have. How do you do it?
KEVEN: The one thing I say with confidence is that our film is different than any other film you are going to see. And we did more on our budget than any other 35mm film ever produced. Also, a lot of festival films can be pretentious. For people looking for an alternative, “In the Land of Merry Misfits” will be a refreshing option. It’s a fun and colorful ride…a midnight movie with a heart. If that doesn’t work, we’re hoping Maria Menounos will show up to our screenings and sign autographs.
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Keven Undergaro’s In the Land of Merry Misfits will have its world premiere at the 2007 CineVegas Film Festival on Thursday, June 14 at 7:30 pm and screen again on Friday, June 15 at 1:00 pm (at the Palms’ Brendan Theatres.)
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link directly to this feature at http://www.efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=2198
originally posted: 06/02/07 11:24:51
last updated: 06/02/07 12:02:33
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