9 Questions for Larry Longstreth

At age 20, with no major filming experience under his belt, Larry Longstreth set out to finish a home movie called Safari Larry. He begged friends, family members, strangers, and local actors to help him finish the project, and even though the final product didn't turn out how he wanted, it was a learning experience--one that has led to where he is right now, seven years later getting ready to finish up his first TV pilot: Dolly Oxem's Traveling Video Circus.

Longstreth's crew is a large evolving group of filmmakers, including some who have been with Larry from the beginning (his brother Aaron Longstreth, Vince Bruno, and Clint George) as well as others who have just joined this summer (Justin K. Phillips and Jake Ruby). Their popular works include Batman's Gonna Get Shot in the Face, Nintendo: Old School Revolution (both of which have been shown at Kevin Smith's film festival), and The Greatest Fan Film of All Time. He's worked with WWE/TNA wrestler Steven Richards, Our Lady Peace lead singer Raine Maida, Troma legend Lloyd Kaufman, and Narnia fx man Paul Molnar. Batman's Gonna Get Shot in the Face was voted 4th best short film of 2006 by Filmthreat.com. His latest project, Dolly Oxem's Traveling Video Circus, is currently in post-production and will be done in the Fall.

Larry took a few minutes from his busy schedule to answer nine questions about becoming a filmmaker, working on Dolly Oxem, and what the future holds.

Blank the Messenger: With having a day job, how much of your free time are you able to devote to filming? Basically, what does a typical day look like when you're deep in the process of filmmaking?

Larry Longstreth: Tricky question. My day job is the time I spend mentally working on our films. Usually, I work on them in some way, shape, or form every single night when I get home.

Now, however, we're shooting something (Dolly Oxem's Traveling Video Circus) that's mostly built around improvisation so I basically just lay out a rough plan for each Sunday and make sure that location-wise and schedule-wise, it's going to happen. Once I get back to working on a more organized project, it will basically take over my life, as the always do.

BTM: You've done both live action and animation films. Which do you prefer?

LL: Animated projects, at least when done with Jacob Drake (our animator), are way easier. I mean, they're a lot of work for him but we keep full control of the project at all times. The only time you really have to rely on somebody else is when dealing with voice actors... but for the most part, the ball is completely in your court and you can tweek and change whenever you want to. With live action, it's completely different. You can have lighting, sound, camera, actors, director, etc all doing a great job and just one thing can go wrong that ruins everything. It's way more of a challenge. Everybody has to deliver. I love the challenge of live-action because we're still struggling to get a system down that's organized AND technically efficient. We keep getting closer and closer and I'm realizing exactly what I need in able to pull it off. I need a close, reliable, educated DP (or Director of Photography) first and foremost. All in all, I love the challenge of live-action but I realize that animation will also provide great challenges down the line as we grow and branch out. It also allows for more epic work. I can't really say I have a favorite between the two.

BTM: Of all of your pre-Dolly Oxem projects, which is your favorite?

LL: Personally, The Wimp Whose Woman Was a Werewolf is my favorite. It's not all that great, I suppose, but it pulled together about 50 different people from all over the country. We worked with Hollywood folks and normal folks. We shot in NYC and Stow, Ohio. We lost so much along the way. I spent so much of my own money just to reach the finish line. Our original werewolf completely fell apart last minute and we had to think of something else so we drove to NYC to pick up Paul Molnar, who created the newer version. There were so many last-minute screw ups that forced me to figure out a way that it felt like baptism through fire. In the end, that finished film means so much to me. Next, it would probably be The Greatest Fan Film of All Time for much of the same reasons. So epic in it's production, and with so many close-calls.

Now, CREATIVELY speaking, I'm not sure. I think Batman's Gonna Get Shot in the Face might be our best work, but my opinion on that changes by the second.

BTM: The preview for Dolly Oxem is thin on the details. What kind of show would you describe it as, and when will people be able to get a full look at it?

LL: It's a very tongue-in-cheek show that's based on a simple premise: A washed-up, unfunny comedian named Dolly Oxem basically creates this piece-of-shit late night comedy show in a last-ditch effort to become famous. It's a satire of those things you find on local access TV at 2 am. It's done really well, though, and is of course nowhere near as boring as they actually are.

BTM: Where did the idea for the character Dolly Oxem come from?

LL: From local filmmakers, writers, comedians, etc. There are so many unskilled and/or untalented locals (as well as famous ones). Just drive across the Kent State campus any evening and poke your head into a few coffee shops or bars. You'll hear a good amount of bad music, bad poetry, etc. I'm not saying it's bad to do what you love. Certainly at 20 or 30 years old you can do it poorly and get away with being a "starving artist", but I know a lot of people who are in the same boat and are 50 or 60. At that point, it's not just sad. It's irresponsible. Sometimes common sense is the only thing you need in order to figure out just how to get a little bit better at what you do. Sometimes you just put your ego aside and say, "Hey, I'm not a good writer... but I'm a good camera man. Maybe I should try that instead." I suppose there's the argument that good or bad, we do what we love. I understand that. I get it. Dolly Oxem isn't a malicious shot at anybody. It's just something that the gang and I have noticed with a lot of Ohio artists and filmmakers and it's something I wanted to satire because the best comedy is a little bit sad too.

BTM: How much more material do you have for future episodes?

LL: I have an unlimited amount. When it comes to being an asshole and making fun of something, this well never runs dry.

BTM: What is the future of Dolly Oxem? How far do you plan on taking this?

LL: We're going to pitch in LA and Cleveland. One way or another, it will lead to something bigger and better.

Big Chuck Schodowski, a TV icon in the NE Ohio, had recently requested copies of our stuff. I sent him a DVD of Batman's Gonna Get Shot in the Face, The Wimp Whose Woman Was a Werewolf (which he acted in), and the trailer to Dolly Oxem's Traveling Video Circus. I realized last night before I fell asleep that Batman is filled with sudden F-bombs, the Dolly preview has the word "sexual predators", and Wolf has a girl being shot in the head. Chuck seemed really happy to help us and I figured he'd helps us get on TV here in Ohio if LA didn't work out, but after he sees that DVD, that may no longer be the case. (laughs)

BTM: In the past you've discussed how you have little film education and you're basically self-taught, adding that filmmakers "shouldn't hide from actually going out and getting it done." What's the transition been like from being a wannabe filmmaker to preparing your first pilot for Hollywood?

LL: Long and hard. You have to absolutely not be afraid to look like a total idiot in front of everybody. You have to be okay with being poor for a very long time. I always say it but it's true: I get asked for autographs and I'm a landscaper. Millions of people have seen my face and heard my voice and yet I'm still poor. It comes with the territory. I know money is in our future and we're actually working on that right now, but it's a long, hard, road. If I cared too much about what people thought, I'd never have been able to do it. People are judgemental and cruel. They want to say "Hey, I know that guy. He's gonna make it big. It makes me wish I'd done something like that with MY life." but by the same token, they say "I don't know how you live like that... I'd never be able to live on ramen noodles.", "I've got kids to take care of and I don't have the luxuries you do.", "I've got to save money.", "It's this economy.", etc. They want the glory but they don't want to eat any of the shit you have to eat to get there. There are a billion good reasons NOT to follow your dreams. I'm also very aware of those reasons myself. The people close to me know that I sometimes have bad days. I have days where I think "My God, what am I doing with my life?!". A quick google search to see how things are going with our films usually silences my doubt but still, it's hard and humbling.

BTM: What projects are you working on next?

LL: Four Tanks and a Healer is an animated TV pilot we're making in the same style as Batman's Gonna Get Shot in the Face and The Greatest Fan Film of All Time, but it's a completely original work. It centers around a totally lop-sided team of adventurers as they play inside one of those online roleplaying games. With just four tanks and a healer, they are forced to come up with innovative and creative ways to defeat obstacles that a real team would breeze through. It's really funny and really sad and true.

I'm also getting the itch to do a feature film but I don't know any more at the moment. Aaron just bought a steady cam. I need a few more people who are schooled in certain job types before I'll go forward with it, though.

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You can check out Larry's films on his MySpace page.

How to talk about politics on the internet

Even though I’ve covered this before, it needs repeating: the internet has made everything in our lives better. But what the internet has probably improved most is how we express our political views. Before the convenience of the internet, if you wanted to get your voice heard, you would have to, for example, write a letter to the editor, which takes more time to write and send out through the mail (or Fed Ex for you non-socialists). And even then you’re expected to properly edit your own work so it’s suitable for publication. Talk about an unnecessary hassle.

But there’s no need for that anymore now that we have the internet.

Through the past few years, the internet’s capabilities have grown to a point where they can be daunting. Below is a list of the best ways to express your political views on the internet. Maybe they will help you start a journey of political self-discovery.

1. Make a YouTube video of yourself

Do you love to hear yourself talk? Do you like wearing sunglasses indoors to compliment your boss do-rag? Do you enjoy making up words like preventeded and opinioniated? Is there no conceivable way anyone would let you on real television because of your total lack of preparation? Then YouTube is the place for you.

Unfortunately, traditional forms of media like TV, film, and radio have a little thing big wigs like to call “standards.” Thankfully, due to the internet, these “standards” no longer apply to the average hardworking joes like you and me who would rather not re-tape 5 minutes of us stumbling over our own words while trying to make a point.

Sure, you may not get very many hits because people who actually know you don’t even care what you think about anything, but your words and voice are still out there, and that’s what matters. Forget things like substance, quality, and viewership. That’s old media. In the age of the internet, the only thing that matters is the fact that you are doing it, not that what you are doing is meaningful. And what is less meaningful than YouTube that has so many people doing it? (Besides World of Warcraft)

2. Post on a forum

If you do actually care if people hear or read what you think or you hate to look at yourself, then maybe YouTube isn’t for you. A better place might be a political forum, where you can shove your beliefs down peoples’ throats until they choke on its truthfulness.

The benefit of forums is that not only do you not have to look at yourself, but no one else can look at you either. You are completely anonymous, which means you can be as much of a douchebag as you want with absolutely no repercussions at all.

Let’s say, for instance, that you’re not really homophobic, but you want to make a thoughtful argument about gay marriage and end it with a gay joke. That’s not going to fly in the office. But on a message board? Son, you’re going to get banned if you don’t. And let’s say you want every message you post to be followed by a picture of a weatherman with a phallic-looking phenomenon seemingly coming out his pants. Passing a picture like that around school will get you detention, and it’s certainly not going to help your argument. But on a message board, you’ll probably get modded and be worshipped for your wit. So please, douche away.

3. Make Facebook posts

Maybe you want to be heard, but you really don’t want to be anonymous either. You may want your views to be thrusts upon those closest to you. Unfortunately, you hate actually talking about politics face-to-face out of fear of an actual dispute. You need to say just enough so that no one else can confront you about it without looking like an argumentative jerk.

If that sounds like you, then Facebook is probably what you want to use.

With Facebook, you can make many posts a day. Among messages telling your friends that what you ate for breakfast was good, you are leaving for work, and you think the guy in accounting is staring down your shirt, you can sneak in little posts saying that you think all Republicans must be mentally handicapped. And if anyone calls you out on your truth bombs, well they should just lighten up. You weren’t being serious anyways. But what can you expect from a Republican, right?

Check and mate.

4. Contribute to CNN’s iReport

After looking at all of these options, you might be thinking to yourself: “Yeah, but I still really want to be on TV. I’m just too good to be wasted!”

Hey, I hear you. Your childhood was spent wishing you could be on America’s Funniest Home Videos, and you won’t rest until you get your face on TV with the smallest amount of effort possible.

Thankfully CNN has followed in the internet’s footsteps by eliminating their “standards” and making iReport.com one of the major contributors to their television content. It’s a lot like YouTube, except now people who accidentally left their TVs on CNN thinking it was a real news network can hear what you think about healthcare. Plus, you can watch yourself on a bigger screen, which makes it better.

5. Create a blog

Still, after hearing all of these options, you might be feeling like you are too ugly for screen-time, yet too self-important and long-winded for forums and Facebook. Additionally, you might be too lazy or untalented to actually get your own work published. Well, that’s why blogs were created.

Now you (yes, you!) can self-publish your tedious diatribes to anyone, but probably no one. It doesn’t matter though. Sure, you’re doing all of this work for free, but you get the satisfaction that you’re saying something that must be really, really important. As long as you feel like someone may be reading your passive-aggressively sarcastic statements, you’ll feel a lot fuller inside.

Maybe it’s all of those terrible memories from your childhood that have scarred you that make you search for some sad, small semblance of importance. It doesn’t really matter, because once you see all of those words spread out in a way that might resemble a page of a book, you don’t really remember anymore. Better yet, with blogs you can always turn off the comments so you never know for sure if no one is reading. Maybe some day you can turn them on once again and gain yet another new outlet of political self-expression.

Well, I hope this list was helpful to you. Just remember a general rule of thumb: if you’re working too hard on expressing yourself in a constructive and meaningful manner, you probably just shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.

Pros and Cons #2

In a bold move that might be confused with indecisiveness, Blank the Messenger has decided to abandon the cause of finding the greatest creation of all time. This isn’t quitting though. I’m just making the quest to find the greatest creation ever better by completely abandoning it.

However, the feature won’t be lost and forgotten. It will be renamed Pros and Cons and provide exactly the same information it did before, minus the inclusion of the creator for each thing. This is better because a.) I never intended to finish it, and b.) it will

I am now also tired of making a list of why my decision to not pursue the quest to find the greatest creation ever is best. I’m making that list better by abandoning it also.

So, without further ado, here is Pros and Cons #2.

Blood Plasma

Pros: Helps you live; Can be used to create life-saving medicine; Kind of looks like beef broth; Can totally be sold for money

Cons: Does not taste like beef broth; People willing to buy plasma are frugal; Has nothing to do with watching high-definition television

Facebook

Pros: Easy and convenient way of social networking; You wouldn’t keep in touch with any of your old friends without it; Those crazy, crazy text games

Cons: Your parents now use it; Another way for friends to try and get you to read boring surveys about themselves; Number of Facebook friends give you a false sense of popularity that will never be able to fill the void in your life that was left by your social awkwardness

Owning a Dog

Pros: Best friend for life; Unlike children, you can name a dog pretty much anything you want without fear of shunning; You don’t have to stand up and walk to get your slippers anymore

Cons: Face it—it’s going to try and eat everything you own; The only new toy in your life that, when you get bored of it, you can’t throw away without fear of prosecution; Pees and craps all over the place; no matter how many times you call it your baby, it’s not really your baby.

Coffee

Pros: Keeps you awake; The best part of waking up (note: dependent on brand you choose); Impossible to live life without; Is basically a legal drug

Cons: When drinking too much, side effects are sort of gross; Can’t drink the good stuff without looking like an elitist; Get the shakes when you haven’t had any for a day

Incense

Pros: Makes your place smell good; Wide variety of scents; Cheap; No one will be able to know for sure if you smoke pot

Cons: Okay, be serious, everyone knows you smoke pot now; You look like a hippy; No variety of scent can mask its true smell: vintage store

Coming up: War Wars, A Great Idea, Dolly Oxem, and State Face Face-Off. I'm getting that heartburn feeling again!

Dolly Oxem Preview

Hey, folks. Here's the first preview for the upcoming pilot of Dolly Oxem's Traveling Video Circus. I've been hearing a lot about it and it looks like it should be very funny. Hopefully I'll be at the premier and give a first impression. Larry Longstreth has done a lot of other videos that can be seen on his MySpace page, among other places (and come on, you know how to use Google), so make sure to check them out too.

Tomorrow!: Blank the Messenger goes 80's horror film style all over one of its features. We're going to see the return, demise, and sort-of-return of the Greatest Creation Ever Nominations. It will be a lot like Friday the 13th: A New Beginning, but with less gratuitous sex and even more disappointment.

Hey. That sensation you just felt in your chest and throat--it isn't heartburn. it's excitement, so save the Maalox.