film

In this installment of "5 Questions," we sat down with producer/director Chris Ohlson, the hardest working man in Austin show business.  Suffice to say Mr. Ohlson is not one to rest on his laurels, having recently  completed work on independent films such as THE OVERBROOK BROTHERS, LOVERS OF HATE and THE HAPPY POET.  And to prove he's a glutton for punishment, Chris was the producer and director on his feature directorial debut, MELVIN, which is currently in post-production.

For more information on this talented and far too interesting gentleman, check out http://chrisohlson.com

1.  What was your introduction to filmmaking/producing?  When did you realize this was what you wanted to do as a career?

I got introduced to filmmaking via an internship I had at a production company/edit house in Walpole, New Hampshire called Florentine Films.  Not long after that, I knew that films were what I wanted to make and how I wanted to express myself...  Aside from a couple of slight deviations along the way, I've been able to find a way to live, work and survive as a filmmaker. 

2.  Tell us briefly about some of your most recent projects, and what are you working on now?

Recently, I was an exec producer on THE HAPPY POET, a film that had its World Premiere at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival.  It's about an out-of-work poet who puts his heart, soul, and last few dollars into starting an all-organic mostly-vegetarian food stand.  I like to call it, “ROCKY - with a foodstand.”  We're currently entertaining some different options as to how to best get the film in front of as many people as possible - and hope to have our plan in place in the coming couple of months. 

And right now, I am working on finishing up my feature directorial debut, MELVIN.  It's a simmering road movie and the portrait of a misfit wanderer named Melvin Mills.  MELVIN was selected for the IFP's 2010 Narrative Independent Filmmaker Labs, held in NYC in June of this year.  It was 1 of 10 narrative rough/fine cuts chosen for its “creative vision and promise.”  The Labs were an amazing experience and the film should be completed this Fall...

I'm also putting together a couple of different projects for 2011, including writer/director Matt Muir's THANK YOU A LOT.  It's a great little character-driven script about a small-time agent’s estranged relationship with his musician father.  We'll shoot that in early 2011.

3.  How would you describe your producing style?  Does your style change depending on the film, or do you strive for a particular consistency in how you approach the work?

My producing style really varies from project to project, but it's really about figuring out what each project needs and diving in and tackling those things.  I would say that I'm a "nuts and bolts" kind of producer a lot of the time... I like the details, I like creatively coming up with ways to make things happen.  I like being on set and I like the familial kind of feel of production.  It's what I do - and it's where I want to be.

4.  Is there a piece of advice you could give to a young filmmaker?  Something you wish somebody would have told you when you were starting out?

My few bits of advice aren't all that revelatory by any means... but I feel like they are important and I'm guilty of not necessarily following them completely when I should have.  But I would say to just dive in, when you're younger, and work on films.. be on set... learn the different jobs and how the film machine works.  It's easier to work for nothing or for cheap when you're younger, so take advantage of that time.  Nothing can replace real world set experience -- and you'll be employable and actually have a useful skill in the movie-world.  I would also say that you have to realize that this is a MARATHON.  Making films takes a long, long time -- so pace yourself and realize that you're not just signing up for a job or profession, but a way of life. 

One other piece of advice I'd share is that I would try and treat each person you come in to contact with professionally, with respect.  It often happens where people that were interns or PAs on one shoot, are all of a sudden running the show a year or two later and you're answering to them.  It has happened to me repeatedly, and I like to think that we have a good working relationship because we started off on a good, respectful foot.  So just be aware that you'll never know who you'll be working with – or for – from project to project, so keep that in mind.

5.  What's the last great movie you saw?

Wow.  I loved TRASH HUMPERS.  I saw it at SXSW in 2010...  I don't know that it qualifies as a movie, necessarily, but I definitely think it's an amazing experience -- and incredibly well done in terms of taking you to a specific 'world.'  I also gotta say that I thought THE SQUARE was great.  Exhausting and tough, but really well done and it had a whole ensemble of characters that were each better realized than the lead character in most films.  I'm ready for whatever Nash Edgerton wants to do next.