An Interview with Michael Anton - By Crystal Rockwell

Interviews: An Interview with Michael Anton - By Crystal Rockwell
Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2005 @ 00:00:00 Mountain Daylight Time by Duane

I would first like to start off by saying I am a very big fan of low budget films and I think this site is perfect for the independent film fanatic like myself. I had the pleasure of being on the set of the low budget comedy Potheads the Movie and the director Michael Anton was nice enough to let me interview him.

INT: When I first heard about Potheads the Movie I figured it was just another low budget comedy starring people I have never heard of, but I here you have some pretty big stars in this film, how were you able to get them to do your project for little to no money?

MA: Well it started out as a film with no stars in it, I thought that would be a lot fun working with some greenie's as I like to call them, but during pre production I had the opportunity to pitch a few roles to some stars and amazingly enough they all signed on except for one.

INT: who signed on?

MA: Ray Park from STAR WARS and X-MEN, Pauley Perrette for the show NCIS and THE RING, Sala Baker form Lord of the RIngs 1,2,3, Efren Ramirez from Napolean Dynamite, Sean Sweeney from MAD TV, EG DAILY and the rest you can read about on our website.

INT: who didn't sign?

MA: Hah, nice try, but that information is confidential. She was nice about it though, so I don't have any hard feelings.

INT: She hunh?

MA: You're digging.

INT: Sorry. So how were you able to get these actors?

MA: This film is really unique in that there is no set dialogue which makes the entire film improv. I think to an actor the more freedom you give them, the more likely they are to work with you.

INT: So your pretty young to be a director aren't you?

MA: The youngest so I've heard.

INT: Younger than Coppola when he did his first film.

MA: Two years younger. To save you the math, I'm 21.

INT: how did you get to do a project like this?

MA: Credit cards, not mine though.

INT: Who's?

MA: Chris Leone one of our actors and my co-producer. He did a great job finding the money, it's hard to get anyone to believe you when your young, which is said really because young filmmakers are taking over hollywood, and they will for years to come.

INT: So what's the film about?

MA: It's actually not about weed, at least not entirely. The film is about four high school potheads who get into trouble with the local drug lord. They are then forced to steal 25 pounds of medicinal marijuana that is being shipped to the local medical school within a 48 hour time span, or they're dead. The story is tri-linear which means there are three different stories going on through out the film. I can't stand linear comedies. They bore me. Give me some spice baby.

INT: It sounds exciting. So when are we expecting to see this flick.

MA: Early 2006 as of now, an agent asked me the other day if I thought the Toronto Film Festival would be a good place to premiere it, I told him it wasn't up to me, but the distributors.

INT: And whom may they be?

MA: It's still up in the air. We have received a ton of interest from really big distributors and of course a ridiculous amount of interest from small ones. I guess I'll have to see how the movie turns out in post.

INT: What are your expectations for this film?

MA: Somebody asked me that the other day and I told them it's either the next Napolean Dynamite or the worst movie ever made. I personally would settle for a happy medium.

INT: well thank you for your time, is there anything you would like to add.

MA: NO. Sorry, but I always wanted to say that