Seeking Distribution: Geek Mythology
Geek Mythology is a film with an unfortunately lame title, enough to make me ignore the movie if I saw it in the store, but I am pleased to say that it is actually a very funny film.
There are a lot of things to love here: the editing is very tight, the jokes are all very well delivered, and the casting is great. What was especially surprising was how rediculous the movie would get sometimes, dream sequences of cowboy fetish sex, a crazy black cop whose dialogue appears on-screen sometimes, and a spazzy main character that resembles a greasy Jerry Seinfeld. Even when the writing falters, the spot-on over the top acting pulls it all together.
Nothing is perfect, however, and this one has it’s share of flaws. The first noticable problem is the horrendous sound quality, it definitely damages the feel of the film. Sometimes, such as in the elevator sequence, the sound cracks so much that you can hear the microphone feedback. It doesn’t hurt to dub over a scene if the sound is bad. The main plot device, a magical statue that makes this guy sexy, doesn’t work out at all. It is such a little part of the film that I forgot about it halfway through.
The final greivance I’d like to bring up for this movie is so awful that it deserves it’s own paragraph. Artificially padding out the run time of a film is a sin, and it should be punishable by death (or maybe an extended time-out). This film is guilty of the (begin hyperbole) worst montage scene I have ever had to watch. It recaps the entire film over the course of five minutes and almost destroyed an otherwise good picture. Despite these flaws, though, this film is an ambitious and really funny comedy.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Interview with Phil Hwang, Director of Geek Mythology
Seeking Distribution (SD) – How long did it take you to make ‘Geek Mythology’ and how did you fund the production?
Phil Hwang (PH) – It took about a year to make the movie which I funded myself. It only cost eight thousand dollars.
SD – How long have you been involved with film production and what kind of future do you see for yourself in it?
PH – I’ve been writing screenplays for almost fifteen years and I made a another movie called The Corpse That Wouldn’t Leave in 2000. I have a couple of projects which would require bigger budgets that I would like to get off the ground.
SD – What is your favorite:
- Poem?
PH – Emily Dickinson’s “Hope is That Thing With Feathers.”
- Country?
PH – United States of America
- Historical Figure, why?
PH – Joaquin Murrieta. He was basically a Mexican Robin Hood whose story is very romantic.
SD – If you could change one scene in any film, which would it be and why?
PH – I’d triple the length of Halle Berry’s lovemaking scene in Monster’s Ball. Who wouldn’t want to see more of her?
SD – Where should we go to see the movie or contact you?
PH – Geek Mythology is available at Netflix and at on-line retailers such as DVD Empire, Best Buy, and Barnes & Noble. In a few months, it should be available in Europe as a VOD item. People can email me at: payperfilm@yahoo.com.
SD – Any tips for those novice filmmakers out there?
PH – The biggest tip I have for a novice filmmaker is to hire or team up with a producer whose has successfully made a film similar to the one he or she is attempting. There are so many mistakes that will make make post production hell or create a situation where you can’t get meaningful distribution. Even hiring a recent film school grad might not be the way to go since they tend to be hardwired into thinking you need a crew of ten with a giant grip truck to get any type of film made. Also it’s great to have a designated bad guy. People have all sorts of requests. It’s nice to be able to turn them down by blaming the evil producer.
If you would like your film to be a part of the Seeking Distribution series, contact us at ptkruz@jojevis.com. No submissions ignored!
