Sherman Oaks Film Festival 2019 – Man Under Table
Set in the backdrop of a dystopian Los Angeles, Guy tries to write a movie, but instead gets pulled into everyone else's as he hallucinates his way through the surreal and bizarre indie film world.
Interview with Writer/Director Noel David Taylor
Watch Man Under Table on Prime Video
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thanks. After floundering in the absurdity of the indie film world for a while I just wanted to vent my frustrations. I also realized after making so many shorts that there wasn't much point to it; if I wanted to progress at all I felt like I should put my efforts into a feature.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Oh wow, okay well that's tough, there are so many options when it comes to killing time via "content" these days, I think I've always made things for maybe kind of a small audience, but that's what made me want to make films; watching things that were maybe a little kitsch or specific in some ways, and this film is specific in a lot of ways, but I also feel like there is a sadness and disparity in the air these days, and that's at the core of this film. It's a weird time to make art, it's a weird time to be alive, so hopefully, you can watch this and laugh as me and yourself.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Personally, I feel making art at all is a very privileged and self-righteous endeavor; it's very difficult to struggle and force your way through obscurity and justify the path. I feel like I'm constantly at odds with myself while being simultaneously frustrated with the pitfalls of the journey and my own apathy. I wanted to put that into a script, that sort of dualism of "everything is wrong" and "I'm not actually doing anything to help it"
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
There are so many lives that come and go when you make a film. I had so many ideas when I was outlining this movie that never happened, then you start shooting it and have to change so much, then, of course, you edit it and it changes again. I think that frustrates and discourages a lot of people and I get that. But I really enjoy that about going into projects, they start to take on their own life and they have their own desires and I think if you embrace that and try to listen to it, it can be a really fun and rewarding process.
I'm not answering the question am I?! I guess specifically for this film I maybe conceived it as a simpler, slower film when I wrote it, but then I just kept picking at it and adding things and wanting it to be a little more frenetic, I always wanted it to be insane, but I started really leaning into that as it went and I'm glad I did.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It's a mixed bag, it usually is, some people really like it, some people have a million film school notes about whatever various rules I've ignored. Everything has been welcomed and thoughtful but it's hard to make sense of. Ultimately I think I'm just doing my thing whatever the hell that is, and for better or worse that's what I'll continue to do. But yes, generally people have been very kind.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Not really, but I have definitely taken notes, a good friend suggested I film some more stuff and they were right and it ended up helping. I think if anything has surprised me it's that the film is actually accessible! Like my parents understood and liked it and that was a huge relief and reward, I really enjoy being able to make kind of weird stuff that everyone can relate to, if I could live in that sweet spot forever I'd be happy.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
For whatever reason, whatever is wrong with me, I just really like reaching people, when someone tells you they relate to the thing you're trying to say it's an incredible thing. I work in solitary a lot and getting to connect to a stranger who feels that sort of lonely and lost in a similar way as you, it's a reminder that this is maybe why you're doing it.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Well, I'm fairly hopeless at doing anything but make stuff. I've never been particularly good at networking or continuing a project once it's done. It's easy enough for me to make things but then what? I would love to be more involved in a sense of community, I would love to get this film to anyone interested in seeing it.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I guess the thing I fixate on the most is just getting seen, and reaching someone on a level where they say, "I feel like that". I would love people to relate and ultimately laugh at the absurdity of life with me.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Is film in selfish? is film fair? is there a shred of a meritocracy?
Would you like to add anything else?
Oh man, I can't imagine anyone wants to listen to any more of my ramblings. I guess just, thanks.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Everyone is working on something, my costar Ben Babbit has been working on the video game "Kentucky route zero" Katy Fullen has a million shorts that are all incredible. Danny Lane has a new album out and is working on another photo book. It's actually kind of insane how talented everyone on this film is and how prolific they are.
Interview: November 2019
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
Man Under Table
Set in the backdrop of a dystopian Los Angeles, Guy tries to write a movie, but instead gets pulled into everyone else's as he hallucinates his way through the surreal and bizarre indie film world.
Length: 1:21:21
Director: Noel David Taylor
Producer: Noel David Taylor
Writer: Noel David Taylor
About the writer, director and producer:
NOEL DAVID TAYLOR is in English-American writer, filmmaker, and actor. In over forty shorts and experimental films is in just a few years Taylor has created an inimitable aesthetic universe; a unique alchemy of homemade nightmare comedy and an absurdist sense of tragedy. Taylor's work has been featured on numerous platforms including Vogue, NoBudge, Paste, Nowness, and the Marche Du Film at Cannes.
Key cast: Noel David Taylor, John Edmund Parcher, Danny Scott Lane, Katy Fullen, Ben Babbit
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, film festival directors, producers, buyers
Instagram: @manundertable
Hashtags used: #absurdist, #comedy, #surreal, #dada