Last week we ran a news story about a New Zealand short film that will be playing alongside Spielberg’s latest at this year’s AFI Fest in the U.S. We fired some questions at Runaways director Jordan Dodson about his short, and what happened? Well, Jordan answered them…
Hello from Flicks. How are you doing?
I’m alive.
What should people expect from Runaways?
A film that isn’t about runaways. It’s about two old people who hate each other… I’m not selling this very well.
What is your strongest memory from filming?
We were shooting in the ancestral home of these lovely old dairy farmers – and I broke a 100 year old house plant and still haven’t confessed… which is probably why the memory is lingering. I’m haunted by that plant.
What are you trying to convey with the film?
I love those moments when people change – and in this film the characters go too far, violently so, and the result is a newfound appreciation for each other’s well-being. A graphic sort of catharsis I guess.
What expectations did you have for the completed film?
This sounds lame, but I guess I hope people are drawn into the same compassionate place that I was trying to put the characters in.
What does the selection of Runaways in the AFI Festival mean to you personally?
I’m working on a series of pick-up lines based around that… and I can brag to my mum.
What about professionally? It seems like a great development for your future career prospects.
That would be great. We’re getting involved with the film market over there, so we’ll try to leverage this in favour of some of our other projects.
If you could make a film about anyone living or dead who would it be?
Dostoevsky – the Russian author. He looked kind of like Jack Nicholson, so that helps.
What was the last great film you saw?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Write something great kid.”
What are you thinking about doing next?
We’re writing longer films now, trying to get stuff made, trying to get money out of people, it’s a hustler’s life.
It’s a hustler’s life alright. Now that Runaways has been selected for the AFI Fest, the next step for Runaways is a conversion from 35mm to DCP so it can be played. This is an expensive process, even for a short film so the filmmakers have taken to Pledge Me to raise money for the conversion. Visit the site to donate and find out more about the treats they’re offering to entice you to do so – plus, check out their video:
