I met Chuck Peters at an Eastern Oregon Film Festival short film screening, and was immediately impressed by his wonderful instinct for dialogue and story. His project, a web series called “Planet TR-57,” has racked up nearly 600,000 youtube hits and a large fan base.  You can watch the pilot episode here.

Chuck has created a kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the completion of “Planet TR-57’s” first season.  You can support him via his Kickstarter campaign here.

I spoke with Chuck about his web series and how it came to be.

DTTM: How did you come up with the idea for “Planet TR-57?”

Chuck Peters: I hadn’t owned any Legos in a very long time. I had bought a few different sets of pieces and kind of wanted more, but was looking at a way to almost justify the purchase. It was then that I thought up an idea to create a web series with Legos. A friend of mine got behind the creation of the project and we started from there.

DTTM: What were your inspirations both for this current project and your filmmaking career in general?

Chuck Peters: That’s a tough one, but I’d say mostly by the web series “Red versus Blue” and the television show “Robot Chicken”. What really inspired me, however, was the people I was working with.  They were all so supportive with the cast and crew. I draw a lot of my inspiration from people like Guillermo Del Toro, who are self made men and just constantly work their hardest and love what they do. Also, to an extent, Kevin Smith–for showing how when you focus on story you can make a success even from small beginnings.

DTTM: What has been the biggest challenge about Planet TR-57?

Chuck Peters: Turn around time. To get everyone together and figure out clever ways to get the right shot, the right way, has been tough. Organizing different times and schedules… has been challenging. At the same time it’s been very rewarding because of how great it all looks in the end. Time has definitely been an issue, but with all the time spent I couldn’t be more pleased with how it all looks and has come together

DTTM: What has been the most rewarding thing about creating Planet TR-57?

Chuck Peters: Working with the cast and crew that we have has been amazing. Everyone has worked so hard on this project and dedicated themselves to getting better and better each time. I wouldn’t trade any of them for a second, and working with this team has made me want to just keep all of them together for all kinds of different projects. As far as a reward, the level of collaboration on the set has really been an overall great experience and better than I ever could have hoped for.

DTTM: Is “Planet TR-57” just a series for fanboys?

Chuck Peters: [Laughs] Well yes and no. While I do love “Star Wars”, I wouldn’t consider myself a fanboy. I don’t know all the trivia questions.  I  wouldn’t consider myself “dedicated to the saga.” While I didn’t intend this to be centered on fanboys… it was more about being faithful to the core content, but I also wanted to extend it outside of it as well. Essentially, I want people to enjoy it simply because they love to laugh–whether they know about “Star Wars” or not.

DTTM: Do you find it easier to direct voice actors for animation?

Chuck Peters: There are pros and cons to doing both. I think it’s easier for the actor, because they can be more comfortable and don’t have to worry about being in make-up or costume. For me, as a director, it definitely has a lot of challenges. While a director has to worry about tone and attention to detail, with voice acting those challenges are even bigger because of the attention to detail that’s required.

DTTM: What are the pros and cons of shooting something stop-motion versus something live action?

Chuck Peters: Well, for me it’s been about finding the beats. I can lay out storyboards, but it’s been difficult with pacing. With this, if everything is timed out perfectly and things aren’t planned out perfectly it makes it harder for post production. It’s really been a test for attention to detail and preparing a lot before shooting. As far as pros, with so many props, sets, and characters it feels like a big set because we have so many options. It’s been tough but we are very attentive to feedback and making sure the fans are an active part to the creation of this series just as much as we are. Respecting the fans with a project like this has proven to be essential.

DTTM: What is the one goal you have with creating the web series Planet TR-57?

Chuck Peters: I think the one goal to creating this series is getting people to want to watch. The cast and crew work so hard and are getting better and better each time. The major goal is for more and more people to watch the web series and to enjoy it, tell their friends and just for that cycle to continue.

DTTM: After Season 1 of Planet TR-57, are you planning a season 2? Or possibly any other future projects?

Chuck Peters: After season 1, we want to see how the reception is from the audience. We will leave the ending open for the possibility of a season 2 but we also want to end the first season properly and with a bang. If enough people want another season we definitely have enough content. We’ve laid out enough content for at least five seasons, but it really depends on the fans and how they respond.

A couple years ago, I found out about a neat little cheat of a website called “Wonder Glen,” a sort of mash-up of “The Office” and “Home Star Runner.”

It was a fake Intranet, telling the fake drama among a group of fake employees at a fake company.  The site included fake emails, fake television pilots, fake myspace pages for its employees, and fake twitter accounts.  The site was a bit tough to get into at first–but once you did some clicking around, it became pretty darned hilarious.

For a while, nobody knew where the site came from or what its purpose was, other than to be kind of funny.  Eventually, the truth came out, as outlined in the post below:*

http://www.xconomy.com/national/2008/12/11/former-daily-show-producer-karlin-is-humorist-behind-wonder-glen-comedy-site/

The funniest content on Wonder Glen, by far, was this video:

Not a lot of people saw it… but all who did said, “Hey, that’s kind of funny.  How did James Franco end up in this vid?”

It was only the beginning.

A year or two later, after starring in Pineapple Express, James Franco appeared on General Hospital.  Eyebrows raised.

It was announced he would host the Oscars, which was interesting.

He then signed on to direct filmed adaptations of books written by William Faulkner and Cormac McCarthy.  I described how I felt once I picked my jaw up off the floor here.

After that, he premiered a “Three’s Company”-themed art installation at Sundance.  Plainly, things were going nuts.  And then he started teaching classes on himself at a film school, assigning film students to make documentaries about himself.  And then he said he made a sex tape once starring himself.  And then he’s going to Broadway.

It’s gotten to the point where I can’t think of anything funnier than what he’s actually doing.  I spent hours trying to come up with funny things that he’d announce yet… and then read he was in talks to star in a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.”

This is insane.

I don’t think it’s real.

There are two reasons for this:

1)  He’s been making announcements like crazy, but there’s not a lot that I’m seeing.  I’m not shortchanging the man or his work–he’s a fine actor, and fine actors tend to make fine directors, blah blah.  He is remaining prolific, is nominated for a Beset Actor Oscar, will be a fine host for the Academy Awards, and will rock Broadway.  But some of these announcements are too weird for me… even for a movie star.

2)  Wonder Glen.  I think he’s pulling an “I’m Still Here.”  I think he may be hanging out with some of the same brilliant pranksters that created Wonder Glen, and is cooking some of these stories.

Some of it’s funny:  I don’t know if he’s serious about making a dramatic version of “Three’s Company,” but if I were a comedy writer trying to fake James Franco’s life… that’d be something I’d come up with.

So–James Franco: acid-laced Orson Welles, or jolly prankster?  Whaddyou think?

I honestly don’t know what to believe–but I’m leaning toward the “This-guy’s-still-hanging-with-the-Wonder-Glen-dudes” camp.

He’s still really bright, though, and a pro:

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John Chiafos is a filmmaker and freelance writer based in San Diego.

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MUBI Links:

James Dean

I’m Still Here

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Watch this cool video on DTTM ad try not to be distracted by my constant ramblings.

Thanks to Juliane Ngan from the Press Enterprise for doing the report!

In this episode: We interview filmmaker, Azazel Jacobs. Azazel is the writer/director of films such as, the critically-acclaimed MOMMA’S MAN, and THE GOODTIMES KID. Both films are highly recommended. Make sure you check out MOMMA’S MAN while it’s still on Netflix Watch Instantly.

Azazel is an extremely talented filmmaker and it was a pleasure to have such a lengthy conversation with him about his work and technique. I am a big fan of his films and can’t wait for his next one! Thank you to Azazel for taking the time to do this interview.

You can also listen to any of our podcasts by clicking on the player at the top right, or by subscribing to our podcast on iTunes.

“Momma’s Man” trailer

“The GoodTimes Kid” trailer

Jared (L) talks with writer/director Bryan Poyser (R)

After the SXSW screening of “Lovers of Hate” in Austin, TX we sat down with the writer/director/editor of the film, Bryan Poyser. Bryan also wrote and directed the festival favorite, “Dear Pillow”.

Death to the Movies: Thanks for talking with us, Bryan.

Bryan Poyser: It’s my pleasure.

DttM: I understand you grew up here in Austin, is that right?

BP: I didn’t grow up here, but I have been here since 1993. I went to school here at the University of Texas, and I really enjoyed it so I’ve stuck around since then.

DttM: Where are you from originally?

BP: I’ve lived in many different places from Connecticut to Washington to New York City.

DttM: Did you get your start in filmmaking here in Austin then?

BP: I was actually more interested in being an actor in high school. At my high school, they had a thing called “Senior projects” where you take your last year to do whatever you wanted. So I decided to make a movie. I ended up making this really terrible and ridiculous “Lost Boys” rip-off vampire movie. It was shot on VHS and it was so cheap and stupid, like the vampires were out during the day because we didn’t know how to light scenes at night. It was pretty terrible and embarrassing and I hope whatever VHS copies remain are so degraded that no one can ever see it. But the experience of doing that, of being creatively consumed, hanging out all day in the A.V. room editing tape-to-tape, was so fulfilling. It was the first time I came upon something that fulfilled me in all aspects, emotionally, creatively, spiritually, it was just so much fun. It made me not want to be lazy, I worked really hard on it. Even though it turned out bad it made me think that this is what I want to do and I want to get better at this. So that’s when I enrolled at UT to become a filmmaker.

DttM: “Lovers of Hate” is featured on Video on Demand, how do you feel something like that will help the exposure of independent film today?

BP: For me, the last two features I did didn’t make a dime and hardly anyone saw them. With this new film we were fortunate enough to make it into Sundance and South by Southwest, the two biggest festivals in the US, and the exposure that the film has gotten just through these festivals has probably given us the most press we’ll get for it. With companies like IFC, who picked up the film, they’re trying out this new model where the festivals are almost like the theatrical run for the movie and it’s like we should strike while the iron is hot. Meaning when people are talking about the movie, and people are doing interviews with me like this one, and people are aware of the existence of the film, that’s when we should make the film available to an audience that might not have it in their city. With “Dear Pillow” I was on the festival circuit for 1 1/2 years, it took another 1 1/2 years just to get it out on DVD, and then the company that distributed it folded a year later. And I got so much out of that movie, it got an Independent Spirit Award nomination, it opened so many doors for us, it helped people take notice of what we were doing, but it just took so long for it to become available to people. So it was like, as much as I want people to see our film in the theaters and as much as I love the experience of having the film play at festivals, why not take a chance, lets try this and see if this Video on Demand thing is gonna work.

DttM: What’s your criteria or what do you look for when you watch a movie?

BP: My only request to the filmmaker is to show me something new. Surprise me because I’ve watched a lot of movies, I’ve soaked up movies since I was a kid but after seeing so much you get used to the tropes and the formulas. That’s what Hollywood is good at, but I’m always waiting for it to get me to the point where I can’t help but question the plot’s next move.

Bryan Poyser (L) with some of the cast & crew at the SXSW premiere of “Lovers of Hate”

DttM: Were there any movies that specifically inspired you?

BP: Most filmmakers today always go back to the 70′s, I was lucky enough where growing up with my step-dad,  he showed me a lot of things like that. I was 14 and he would say things like “You’ve never seen Raging Bull? Taxi Driver? Midnight Cowboy?”. While these movies were quite advanced to what I was ready for at that age, again they surprised me. They jolted me to realize there is a more deep and psychologically rich cinema out there that I wasn’t getting from these extravaganzas and blockbusters at the cinema.

DttM: Have you seen any films here at SXSW that you particularly enjoyed?

BP: I haven’t seen too many unfortunately. I’ve seen “Cold Weather” by Aaron Katz. It was interesting and showed some similarities to my own film that was interesting. It had some surprising genre elements of action and suspense and had a wet, soggy, and beautiful landscape surrounding it. It was a beautiful character piece and was again surprising to me where it switches from a relationship piece to almost a mystery, but I also have a lot of friends here showing films as well such as “Tiny Furniture”, “Happy Poet”,  and “Mars”. That’s the great thing about South by Southwest is that we bring movies from all around the world but we also use it to showcase what we have here in Texas as well.

DttM: What do you have next that you’re working on?

BP: Actually, I have a  script that I’ve been working on.

DttM: A vampire script?

BP: Yes, [laughs] well no, but it is a thriller actually and is set in an elevator. I wrote the script before “Lovers of Hate” and just finished a re-write so I’m gonna try looking for financing and if it doesn’t work out I’ll be sure to write something else.

DttM: Thanks so much Bryan, it was great talking with you.

BP: Thanks, you too.

Lovers of Hate is currently available on IFC’s VOD. Check out the trailer here

And the official website here

For our review on Lovers of Hate, click here