New Filmmakers LA - Christopher Walken's Coffee Shop
Christopher Walken has branched out from his very successful acting career to pursue his true passion, creating artisanal coffee beverages and pastries, but be warned his concoctions have more than just meets the eye.
Interview with Director Leah Dubuc
Watch Christopher Walken's Coffee Shop here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! I made this film with a group of improvisors as a part of the Famous Lost Works podcast. We used to warm up for the podcast by improvising commercials. Around Halloween of 2016 we came up with the original audio for Christopher Walken's Coffee Shop. I've been an animator for a long time and chose to animate this bit as a gift to my friends for the podcast, and things just took off from there.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think the key theme, as well as stylistic choice throughout this film, is improvisation. Not only is the dialogue in this film 100% improvised, but improvisation is a huge element in the visual language of the film as well. The majority of the backgrounds are created using the technique of marbling paper, in which pigment is floated on the surface of a tray of water, and then transferred over to a chemically treated paper. Marbling paper is never a sure bet, often yielding unexpected results that are completely unique and visually beautiful. It seemed like the perfect pairing for the way the audio for the film was made.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Since the film is completely improvised, we never worked from a script. One of the members of the cast, Matthew Crawford, had the idea to do a bit based on Christopher Walken and together we worked to build the game of his Coffee Shop using excessive murder to create its food/beverages. The story we built was then edited down and structured by our sound editor, Alan Snider, who gave it its distinct pacing and flow.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Generally we've received very positive feedback about this short. It's screened in multiple states throughout the U.S. and is slated to have two more upcoming screenings in Los Angeles into next year. My mom showed it to the entirety of my family and they all seem to really like it. We did get one hater comment on Reddit but it's Reddit so if we didn't I would be shocked and disappointed.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Honestly the feedback has done nothing but encourage me to continue to make work and make it readily available for people to see. Getting a positive response is very inspiring and has led to the development of an array of other exciting projects.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Sharing this film on We Are Moving Stories is a very exciting opportunity, and I would love if it not only got more eyes on our work, but served as a platform for connecting myself and collaborators with other emerging artists and filmmakers interested in similar types of work, especially comedy.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Honestly if Christopher Walken would just endorse it I think that would be a solid boost, although he might think there are some defamation of character issues there. I swear though its all in good fun. (Please don't sue us we are so broke!!!!!!)
Definitely gaining distribution would be amazing, there's a lot that can be done through self publishing on the internet, but it would be amazing if we had some extra help getting this film seen.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
Pretty much the only goal of this film is to entertain and make people laugh. If it also got viewers a little bit more interested in experimental animation that would make me really happy too.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Does Christopher Walken murder people and put them into delicious pastries? If the pastries are good, should we question the ethics that went into making them? Is this just the same old foie gras debate that has been never ending for generations?
Would you like to add anything else?
You can view Christopher Walken's Coffee Shop on Vimeo, or at NFMLA on December 16th, 2017, or at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles this February.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently developing a female driven adult animated comedy show with my creative partner Jamie Parreno, under the company Not Jelly, that is slated for release at the end of 2018. Alan Snider is currently creating a podcast called Ears Only that is a true riot and features a number of cast members from this short. Matthew Crawford improvises around Los Angeles on a regular basis, and Allex Tarr and Tom Slade are both creative professional geniuses out improving the world as we know it.
Interview: December 2017
_______________________________________________________________________________
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
_______________________________________________________________________________
Christopher Walken's Coffee Shop
Christopher Walken has branched out from his very successful acting career to pursue his true passion, creating artisanal coffee beverages and pastries, but be warned his concoctions have more than just meets the eye.
Length: 4 minutes
Director: Leah Dubuc
Producer: Alan Snider
About the writer, director and producer:
Leah Dubuc is an artist and filmmaker currently living and working in Los Angeles. You can view her work online at leahdubuc.com
Alan Snider is an artist, writer and improvisor currently living in working in Los Angeles. You can hear his podcast at stitcher.com/podcast/ears-only
Key cast: Matthew Crawford, Leah Dubuc, Tom Slade, Alan Snider, Allex Tarr
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Looking for distributors, sales agents, and buyers.
Social media handles: @gelsonsmarket, @alanjsnider @tragilarious @allextizzar @tslade12
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FamousLostWorks/
Twitter: @leahdubuc, @alanjsnider @tragilarious @allextizzar
Instagram: @gelsonsmarket, @alanjsnider @tragilarious @allextizzar @tslade12
Funders: just us baaaybeeeee
Made in association with: the Famous Lost Works podcast
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
NFMLA on December 16th, 2017, or at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles this February.