80 For 80
A video mini-series sharing the lives and stories of men and women over 80 years of age through humorous interviews and stories.
Interview with the creator and host Monica Nevi
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
The project came about for a combination of reasons, stemming from the passing of my grandfather. After he passed a few years ago, I found myself left with a lot of questions for him, about his life and how he felt about it or what he might be able to teach me. He was a really funny guy that was always saying exactly what he thought, especially as he got older. As a comedian, I have always loved the unfiltered and unapologetic nature of old people and it interested me to just ask people who may have been in his situation the questions we all wonder about aging but our parents might still be sugar-coating for us. I am a comedian by profession now but most of my life has been spent as an athlete.
Putting all those things together we thought doing a series of interviews, driven by comedy and in the intensity and theme of a sports documentary would be a really fun way to get some answers and tell these stories of people who may not be listened to much anymore. It also leaves their families and friends with something to have of them forever, something I would have loved to hear my grandfather do.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You get to hear some hilarious and almost painfully true answers to some of the big questions we all toss around. What is the meaning of life? How do you keep a happy marriage? Which works better, Viagra or Ciales? You get to hear stories of lives lived fully, from the actual people who lived them. You hear what they think about some of the changes they have experienced and our current society. Also, they just say ridiculous and hilarious things that only people who have lived this much have the knowledge to share.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
When we first started the project we didn't intend for their to be connecting themes between all of the interviews but it becomes very apparent that relationships were by far the most important and memorable parts of all of their lives. Whatever type of relationship you think of but their friends and family were by far the most important and emphasized parts of their histories. That connection seems perfect to me as it was what drove me to be so interested in what they have to say in the first place.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
When we originally came up with the idea we didn't intend to learn as much as we did. It was almost going to be a cut whatever funny things they say and put them together type of situation. It really evolved into having some nice moral values and advice for younger people from beautiful stories that we felt were important to share. It became more and more profound as it went on and still in such a fun and funny way. I became very attached to their stories and the audience may very well do that same thing.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
So far we have received good feedback overall. We premiered the first episode in November and we were pleasantly surprised with how well it was received. It is an interesting thing to watch people watch something that you made but they were reacting even better than we expected and are really excited to see the rest of the series.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It definitely surprised us some of the moments in the series that people thought were funny. There are a few parts that we knew would get laughs but just the overall demeanor of the interviewees and some of their reactions were almost more laugh-inducing than some of the most quotable lines in their answers. The idea that people do enjoy hearing stories that can fluctuate between hilarious and heartfelt was challenging for our original point of view. As a comedian, I am always looking for laughs but I think the balance was more appealing to the audience than we expected.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We want to share these stories with as many people as possible and get them invested in the project. The first season focuses on residents of the Seattle area but we think it would be great to tell stories from all over in this same manner.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We would love for anyone who can help us spread the project around and help us continue it in other places, buyers, distributors, festivals, journalists, all of it.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
We want people to view the project, enjoy themselves and be excited and invested in seeing and hearing stories from more people from more places.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Some questions that come to mind around this project are classic life questions and maybe how people my age (millennials) might answer them differently than someone who has lived that long. Also, it offers questions like "can old people just get away with saying whatever crazy thing they want?" When do you accept not teaching old dogs new tricks and how do we incorporate some of the differing opinions of different generations into everything that we do as an entire society?
Would you like to add anything else?
We really enjoyed creating this and working with these awesome people and want to thank them and their families for graciously working with us and being so fun and funny to work with.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
As the creator, my career is in standup comedy and I am always touring and working all over the country performing. I also have a podcast called the HugLife Podcast on the Podaholics network, as well as a monthly series on YouTube called Mellowing Out with Monica where I take people through a short, guided meditation for the month. Aside from those ongoing things we are mostly focused on figuring out funding and support to continue making 80 For 80 in other places.
Interview: July 2018
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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
80 For 80
A video mini-series sharing the lives and stories of men and women over 80 years of age through humorous interviews and stories.
Length: 45 minutes
Director: Richard Kilpatrick
Producer: Monica Nevi
Editor/Co-Creator: Ruben Rodriguez
About the writer, director and producer:
Monica Nevi - Monica is a Seattle native and nationally touring stand up comedian. She has been seen on FOX's Laughs TV Show, ESPN's Sports Center and a few Seattle based television shows. She is the co-host of the HugLife Podcast on the Podaholics Network.
Key cast: Robert Rupin, Patty Shanks, Patricia Levons, Charles Nevi, Karen Nevi
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists, producers
Social media handles:
Facebook: facebook.com/MonicaNevi
Twitter: @MonicaNevi
Instagram: @monicanevi
Other: MonicaNevi on Snapchat
Hashtags you use: #80For80 #NeviEndingStory
Where was this filmed? Seattle, Washington on Queen Anne Hill
Funders: 4Culture, Renton Municipal Arts Commission
Made in association with: Enriched Studios