Shotgun Cinema: Pilot Episode

Interview With Dave Wilson
By Mark Brent

1) Describe your thought process behind leaving out the credits and let us know who is responsible for what. This way we can hold someone accountable.

Ha, Im not sure anyone involved really wants credit for Shotgun. Seriously though, I don't think there is room for it in the piece. Shotgun was designed to be an internet movie so credits were to be added in text alongside the piece, plus it kind of becomes a commercial and who wants to see credits at the end of a commercial? We only had four people involved in this film and a cat named Larry that kept on licking up the fake blood. Eric Stalzer was featured he also co-wrote, Tony Konichek was featured as well, he also co-wrote, did the graphics and was the gaffer, Ryan Alexander starred and provided the location, cottage cheese and fake blood, we all produced, I co-wrote, shot, directed and edited.

2) Shotgun is definitely an Internet film. What can a film like Shotgun accomplish for the filmmaker?

That is a great question. The Internet is becoming an amazing tool for short content. Shotgun was recently picked-up by atomfilms.com a site made for short content that gets 5,000,000 hits a month. There are also a lot of great grassroots tools for promotion and networking on the Internet. A film like Shotgun has the potential to reach an audience of hundreds of thousands of people - for a film that cost $80 dollars and 10 hours total to make, a few years ago this would be unheard of. These are exciting times.

3) Shotgun is built like a good joke, but it also seems to sum up everything that can be said about youthful pressures when it comes things like alcohol and drug use. Did you intend this, or is that perceived depth simply why it works as a good joke?

Some of the funniest things I've seen on TV are these anti-drug PSAs. You know the ones with Jimmy and Tommy smoking a joint, playing with a gun and somehow someones head gets blown off. How stupid do those producers think kids are, but then again the whole war on drugs thing is just as dumb and delusional? Shotgun is probably the easiest film I have made. The premise is simple, the joke is easy and it could easily become a see jimmy this is why you shouldn't be pressured into drinking except for the fact that it is completely absurd, then just when it would be the perfect time to reflect on the violent and horrifying event that had just taken place it becomes a pro-drinking add. I hope all of this plays into why Shotgun works, we are conditioned to expect a certain sequence of events and when something unexpected happens it's usually funny, like when someone falls down; they aren't supposed to fall, so when they do it's unexpected and it's funny. I really don't have much of a moral stance on the issue of youthful pressures and drinking, stupid people are going to do stupid things and if some tragic event happens while they do it, I have another plot for a film. I support drinking, I think Shotgun is better enjoyed after getting good and loaded, driving around in circles for 20 minutes and calling an ex-girlfriend a lousy and offensive twit on the nearest overpass with chocolate syrup. Enjoy Shotgun and watch it on atomfilms.com a few times so I can make a lot of money. Ha ha ha!

Interview with Dave Wilson