navigation.navigation.navigation.navigation.navigation.
The Sound Faction vs. Seth & Joe
Recently in mine and Manda’s video production class in film school, our professor decided to show us a cool web-series as an example of just what we could do if we put the effort and energy into our work. This web-series is called Take Me Back, and after watching it, I decided to get in touch with Seth and Joe, the creators (and most of the crew), and they had some amazing answers for me. Enjoy!
"I think I liked Paper Boy so much because it's kind of like the real world, except everyone's crazy."
- Seth
First up for our readers out there, roll call! Who are you, and what do you do?
Seth: I'm Seth. I'm a writer, director and editor. But I do other things, too. I like to eat and watch movies, too. I just don't pay my electric bills by eating pizza. Mind you, electricity is included in my apartment.
Joe: I'm the Joe half of Joe and Seth. In a nutshell I'm the eyes and half of the brain behind this whole operation. My half includes the occipital lobe (thanks, wikipedia).
Joe: I'm the Joe half of Joe and Seth. In a nutshell I'm the eyes and half of the brain behind this whole operation. My half includes the occipital lobe (thanks, wikipedia).
Where did the idea for Take Me Back come from?
Seth: Joe read some article about people who were making stuff for the Internet while he was living in Scotland. He called me late at night and said that we should be doing the same. We essentially wanted to stop talking about making something and actually go out and do it. We knew that it would take months or years to get funding for a feature and we knew that you can't really get much of an audience in most film festivals. So we decided to do it cheap and quick, using a small cast and free locations. The idea grew out of that - trying to make a story out of what we had (or didn't have).
Joe: The idea behind making Take Me Back was in reaction to an article I read about "web auteurs" just under 2 years ago. The article focused on a handful of 20-something kids using the internet as their venue, and in several cases making a few bucks in the process. I thought to myself, "I'm doing absolutely nothing with my life, why don't I do that?" So I called Seth, pitched the concept, he said "maybe" or something to that effect and 16 months later we had a web series (and not a penny to our names).
Joe: The idea behind making Take Me Back was in reaction to an article I read about "web auteurs" just under 2 years ago. The article focused on a handful of 20-something kids using the internet as their venue, and in several cases making a few bucks in the process. I thought to myself, "I'm doing absolutely nothing with my life, why don't I do that?" So I called Seth, pitched the concept, he said "maybe" or something to that effect and 16 months later we had a web series (and not a penny to our names).
How long did it take you to do all of Take Me Back, approximately?
Seth: We started working on ideas in December of 2006. We shot TMB in the summer of 2007 and launched it in April of 2008. We were working on it pretty much right up to the launch. And once the series finished online, we decided to shoot some extra scenes to flush it out into a feature film for the DVD. We're still editing those scenes, so I guess TMB is still a work in progress.
Joe: See Q#2. I think we've been going with 16 months from the moment we began working on the story to the moment chapter 10 went up online. In truth though, we went back to the drawing board after all was said and done and shot a few new mini-scenes for the yet to be finished DVD, so in a sad sort of way, it ain't over yet. But then it took Ridley Scott 25 years to finish Blade Runner and Lucas is probably still working on his student films, so I think we're doing alright.
Joe: See Q#2. I think we've been going with 16 months from the moment we began working on the story to the moment chapter 10 went up online. In truth though, we went back to the drawing board after all was said and done and shot a few new mini-scenes for the yet to be finished DVD, so in a sad sort of way, it ain't over yet. But then it took Ridley Scott 25 years to finish Blade Runner and Lucas is probably still working on his student films, so I think we're doing alright.
How big of a crew do you usually use for projects like Take Me Back?
Seth: Well, Take Me Back was the first project we made like Take Me Back, so there is no 'usually' in the equation. But the crew was essentially Joe and I for the most part. We were the writers, directors, producers, editors, actor, cinematographer, set designers, costume designers, location managers and occasionally boom operators. We actually had a rotation of about 10 boom operators, but when we couldn't get anyone, we either leaned the mic against a wooden box, or one of us held it. We had a composer and sound designer for post-production, as well as a 14-piece orchestra. That helped a lot, since Joe and I couldn't figure out how to simultaneously play 7 instruments each.
Joe: There is no "usually" for a project like this. TMB is a special kind of beast that required a retooling of our previous notions of filmmaking. Prior to this, we'd both written and directed shorts with crews between 15 and 30 people (including an AD, DP, ass. cam, prod designer, wardrobe, etc…). This time around, with no money and stupidly long hours, it was a bit tricky to find good help so we wound up doing the better part of the work ourselves, hence Seth acting in it and myself shooting it. We organized all the props, costumes and sets on our own, took care of the equipment and even found ourselves doing the makeup here and there. On our better days we had someone around to hold the boom, but that was it. In fact we were so used to this routine that on the one day that we managed to find 2 friends to show up, we had to send one home because there was nothing for her to do.
Joe: There is no "usually" for a project like this. TMB is a special kind of beast that required a retooling of our previous notions of filmmaking. Prior to this, we'd both written and directed shorts with crews between 15 and 30 people (including an AD, DP, ass. cam, prod designer, wardrobe, etc…). This time around, with no money and stupidly long hours, it was a bit tricky to find good help so we wound up doing the better part of the work ourselves, hence Seth acting in it and myself shooting it. We organized all the props, costumes and sets on our own, took care of the equipment and even found ourselves doing the makeup here and there. On our better days we had someone around to hold the boom, but that was it. In fact we were so used to this routine that on the one day that we managed to find 2 friends to show up, we had to send one home because there was nothing for her to do.
What kind of equipment do you use?
Seth: We had a few lights and some cables. Nothing close to what you should have on a 'normal' shoot. Joe shot the series with the HVX200. Although, we ended up shooting on mini DV, since it would have been too expensive and, more importantly, too time consuming to shoot on HD cards. We were working 18-hour days and there was no time to transfer footage to a hard drive each day.
Joe: We shot on the Panasonic HVX 200 but couldn't afford the cards to shoot HD so it was all on MiniDV. Also, a good chunk of our tiny budget went to renting some C Stands, cables, sand bags and apple boxes and we had a few 1k soft boxes and Chinese lanterns lying around that came in handy, to say the least.
Joe: We shot on the Panasonic HVX 200 but couldn't afford the cards to shoot HD so it was all on MiniDV. Also, a good chunk of our tiny budget went to renting some C Stands, cables, sand bags and apple boxes and we had a few 1k soft boxes and Chinese lanterns lying around that came in handy, to say the least.
Where do you find your inspiration for projects?
Seth: We get asked this question a lot, and I'm not sure we've ever come up with a real answer. Maybe Joe has a better answer, though. We watch a lot of movies. I think that helps us.
Joe: Inspiration, I think, hits you over the head while you're out buying milk (or some kind of non-dairy soy based concoction in Seth's case). There's no way to force ideas out, but it always helps to try and absorb as much from the world around you as possible. Keep your eyes and ears open, read, watch movies, travel, etc… To be perfectly honest though, TMB really grew out of nothing. We looked at a few people around us for ideas, but mostly it's just a series of brain-farts tenuously strung together over hundreds of late night phone calls.
Joe: Inspiration, I think, hits you over the head while you're out buying milk (or some kind of non-dairy soy based concoction in Seth's case). There's no way to force ideas out, but it always helps to try and absorb as much from the world around you as possible. Keep your eyes and ears open, read, watch movies, travel, etc… To be perfectly honest though, TMB really grew out of nothing. We looked at a few people around us for ideas, but mostly it's just a series of brain-farts tenuously strung together over hundreds of late night phone calls.
What kind of education do you guys have in film? What schools did you go to?
Seth: I studied film at Ryerson University in Toronto. I learned a lot there and it provided a really good environment for being creative and thinking critically. However, I think I actually learned much more by going out and making TMB. Having said that, though, I wouldn't have been able to make TMB if it weren't for what I learned at film school.
Joe: I studied at both York University and Concordia, completing a BFA in film prod back in 04 I think. I met a lot of incredibly talented filmmakers among my peers at both schools, and I even had the rare, inspiring professor (L Green, cough cough). However, most of what I know about filmmaking today comes, quite simply, from doing. The education from simply making or working on a film is incomparably superior to what I received in school, although I admit that these situations are hard to come by without the structure of academia.
Joe: I studied at both York University and Concordia, completing a BFA in film prod back in 04 I think. I met a lot of incredibly talented filmmakers among my peers at both schools, and I even had the rare, inspiring professor (L Green, cough cough). However, most of what I know about filmmaking today comes, quite simply, from doing. The education from simply making or working on a film is incomparably superior to what I received in school, although I admit that these situations are hard to come by without the structure of academia.
What do you think about that fact that there are some schools and film programs are showing your series as an example of well done filmmaking?
Seth: Some schools or one school? Either way, I think it's pretty cool. I was really surprised to find out that a professor decided to show TMB to his students. Does the school want to give us some money to lecture the class?
Joe: I'm a little shocked to be honest, and very much flattered. Seth and I were trying to figure out what angle someone might take when presenting TMB to their film class and we were both at a bit of a loss. If I were showing it myself I'd probably present it as a pretty decent example of the limits of low budget filmmaking, but it's hard to look past the flaws of a project that you've been married to for the better part of 2 years. That's not to say that we aren't proud of the outcome. We are, and the fact that other people hold it in such high esteem only serves to further validate this whole experiment.
Joe: I'm a little shocked to be honest, and very much flattered. Seth and I were trying to figure out what angle someone might take when presenting TMB to their film class and we were both at a bit of a loss. If I were showing it myself I'd probably present it as a pretty decent example of the limits of low budget filmmaking, but it's hard to look past the flaws of a project that you've been married to for the better part of 2 years. That's not to say that we aren't proud of the outcome. We are, and the fact that other people hold it in such high esteem only serves to further validate this whole experiment.
What are some of your other ideas for future projects?
Seth: Well, we can't really discuss Joe & Seth stuff right now. We're working on a number of projects, for the web and 'beyond'. You won't be seeing any of them anytime soon, but I promise that they'll be packed with more awesomeness than Take Me Back.
Joe: We're working on a romcom about a squirrel who switches bodies with a catholic priest and falls for a boy dressed as a giant acorn. It's got loads of hijinx, explosions and boobies. Okay, we're not really working on that. What we are working on, however, is so top secret that everyone who knows about it is now dead. Everyone except Seth and I of course.
Joe: We're working on a romcom about a squirrel who switches bodies with a catholic priest and falls for a boy dressed as a giant acorn. It's got loads of hijinx, explosions and boobies. Okay, we're not really working on that. What we are working on, however, is so top secret that everyone who knows about it is now dead. Everyone except Seth and I of course.
Now: The Sound Faction is made up of six staff members who are all super random and love to make people laugh... we like to end all of our interviews with five random questions, so if you're game let's do it!
Video games! Preferred system, game, and why?
Seth: Oh boy, I haven't played videos games in a long time. I'm a Super Nintendo guy. I was pretty good at Mario Kart. I also used to love Paper Boy (on regular Nintendo) and Paper Boy 2, although I rarely got past the first week of deliveries. I think I liked Paper Boy so much because it's kind of like the real world, except everyone's crazy. Old ladies chase after you, people are robbing gas stations, cars don't move out of the way when you're driving down the street. And there's a sewer monster epidemic. It's ridiculous. Now I like playing Rock Band at my friend's house. I've always wanted to be in a band and it helps me live out the fantasy for a few minutes. I'm going to put a mirror up in front of me next time I play.
Joe: NES, no competition (because I like kicking it old school and because all the new consoles confuse me). And I'm talking NES before it became so bloody trendy again. Let's go with a tie between Zelda and Kid Icarus.
However…
If we're including PC games, then I'd throw in Sierra's entire catalogue between 84 and 95 or so (QFG1 ftw) and Everything LucasArts put out before they scrapped their adventure game division. Aaahhhhh, Monkey Island…
Joe: NES, no competition (because I like kicking it old school and because all the new consoles confuse me). And I'm talking NES before it became so bloody trendy again. Let's go with a tie between Zelda and Kid Icarus.
However…
If we're including PC games, then I'd throw in Sierra's entire catalogue between 84 and 95 or so (QFG1 ftw) and Everything LucasArts put out before they scrapped their adventure game division. Aaahhhhh, Monkey Island…
What's one of your guilty pleasures?
Seth: Commando. But I'm not ashamed to say it. Does that still count as a guilty pleasure? Oh, I guess that song in the new Tylenol Rapid Release commercial would count as a guilty pleasure. It's been in my head for days. It's the one where everyone's doing fun stuff because their pain went away. There's a family playing air guitar at the end and I always look forward to that part of the song. My family never plays air guitar together anymore.
Joe: Anne Hathaway. That and HGTV.
Joe: Anne Hathaway. That and HGTV.
If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?
Seth: Marty McFly, so I can do all the cool things he did, minus the mother stuff. Either that or Larry David's Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm. That still counts as fictional.
Joe: Shotaro Kaneda, but mainly for the bike. I'm such a geek.
Joe: Shotaro Kaneda, but mainly for the bike. I'm such a geek.
If you could be champion of anything, what would you choose and why? (and if you say the world, we will laugh at you profusely)
Seth: I was never that great at video games as a kid. It would be nice if I could be champion of Paper Boy 2. That way I could have been the cool kid at my birthday parties.
Joe: Swimming, to put Michael Phelps in his place. Yeah, that's right.
Joe: Swimming, to put Michael Phelps in his place. Yeah, that's right.
f you could be any big-time director, who would you be, and what would you do with the power?
Seth: I'd be Woody Allen and decide against making The Curse of the Jade Scorpion. That might sound pretentious, but I really didn't like that movie. And I'd also think about re-tooling Scoop.
Joe: The power? Are we talking about a James Cameron king-of-the-world kind of power or Roman Polanski's power to sleep with minors and never go to jail? Let's see…
There's a good number of directors out there that I admire quite a bit, so it's tricky to narrow it down to one. I think I'll go with Hayao Miyazaki mixed in with pre-1992 Ridley Scott with a dash of Kubrick thrown in for good measure. And I'd make the best mother fucking sci-fi this world has ever seen.
Joe: The power? Are we talking about a James Cameron king-of-the-world kind of power or Roman Polanski's power to sleep with minors and never go to jail? Let's see…
There's a good number of directors out there that I admire quite a bit, so it's tricky to narrow it down to one. I think I'll go with Hayao Miyazaki mixed in with pre-1992 Ridley Scott with a dash of Kubrick thrown in for good measure. And I'd make the best mother fucking sci-fi this world has ever seen.
Thanks again to Seth and Joe for talking with us, and if you want to check out Take Me Back, check out the site here.
