Podcasting Them Softly is excited to present our latest 10 QUESTIONS INTERVIEW with the fantastic filmmaker John Carney (Once, Begin Again, the upcoming Sing Street). He chatted with Nick about the importance of independent cinema, the current state of affairs in Ireland within their blossoming film community, and what inspires his creative process. Look for his new film, Sing Street, in theaters this spring! We hope you enjoy!
HOW DID THE SUCCESS OF ONCE CHANGE YOUR CAREER?
It had a huge impact. I didn’t have a career before Sundance accepted Once. I had a camcorder, some filmmaking and actor friends, and a hunk of debt! I don’t see how an Irish filmmaker can have a “career” without endorsement from elsewhere, Europe or America.
HOW DID ONCE PREPARE YOU FOR BEGIN AGAIN?
It didn’t at all! I just made Begin Again with the same attitude as I did Once. I just show up to set as late as I possibly can and hope the day offers up some surprises. This, I think, shocked some American crew members, not to mention some British actresses!
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
I write the scripts and score, and develop the songs in all my films, so the preparation is in that. This happens months, sometimes years before. After that I just show up as late as I can to set and do as little as I can get away with. Preparation is in what you have for dinner the night before shooting, what you read, and what you watch.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF PUTTING A FILM TOGETHER?
The laughs you have while casting the actors. Any work comes ages before shooting. Shooting is fun. If it isn’t, I think the audience knows.
HOW DID SING STREET COME ABOUT?
It happened on an underground train in London. I was looking at a schoolboy carrying a guitar and remembering that feeling of breaking out of school and heading to your friend’s house for band practice. The bully is after you, the teacher is on your case, your parents are being assholes, you’ve got no money, no girlfriend, and you’re never more alive. I thought, that would make a nice scene, and took it from there.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CURRENT IRISH INDEPENDENT CINEMA SCENE?
I’m excited if it gives people jobs. Ireland is really more like a city. It’s tiny. And it’s hard to sustain an industry. Thankfully we have state subsidy, which hopefully this interest in Irish filmmakers will help to sustain. But we need to cast Irish actors! Actors are still really struggling in Ireland.
WHICH FILMMAKERS HAVE YOU LOOKED TO FOR INSPIRATION?
John Ford was good.
HOW EXCITED ARE YOU ABOUT ALL OF THE RECENT IRISH TALENT TO FIND TRACTION IN HOLLYWOOD?
I don’t see it any different as before. Some Irish directors are certainly doing very well. But I’m glad I got in there before this new “wave.”
WHAT’S THE HARDEST PART OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Writing stories is the hardest part about making films. I mean creating new stories. Finding something new to tell, that’s what drives me.
CREATIVELY, DO YOU FIND YOURSELF ATTRACTED TO “IRISH STORIES?”
Are there actually any “new” stories? I think bad filmmakers are always looking for new stories. But the fact might be that the world has been spinning for so long that everything has pretty much been written. I mean, how original was Once? Boy meets girl. Ships in the night. The end. The original part was the tone, the songs, the casting. And that can all have an “Irish” feel, but Irish stories? I’m not so sure. Good films, I think, stem from the minutiae of your detailing and the universality of your story.
Podcasting Them Softly 