Interview with Christian Bretz, director of "How to be Emo"

by joseangeles@muchomail.com

I had the pleasure to interview the man behind the How to Be Emo movie (watch it now if you haven't already or else you have no idea what this interview is about) What better person to give a humorous look at emo than a guy who is an authentic fan of the particular art form. Now go read on (but, 1st, watch the movie if you havent yet!!!!)

-Is emo something you really hate or something you just like to make fun of? Like, do you respect it at some extent or simply abhor it?

i've had a lot of people ask me if i was emo after seeing the film, and having thought this funny, i related it to friend of mine the other night and he responded with "tell them to look at a picture of you". i got a kick out of that.

as far as the intent of the film, i never set out to completely disparage emokids. the whole emo scene really appealed to me in that i was interested in what it was all about (being artists mainly, and i like the hair/music), but that didnt stop me from finding the humor in it all. i stressed to the writer of the film before it was written that i wanted to make something that wasnt completely one-sided, hence the ample amounts of others made fun of.

-In your opinion, what's worse: emo kid, mallgawth, or wangster?

wangster- as they are way too aggressive and seem to put their energy in the wrong places.

- What is the one thing about emo that you find most hilarious?

i suppose its what i hear from people that arent into the scene and how they describe their encounters with emo kids they come across, which might start out like this, "oh you mean that kid with messy black hair that walks around in the middle of summer with a sweatshirt on? Oh.. and never glances up to see where hes walking?" which i then would respond with laughter and say yes, we call them shoe gazers.

-I've got some emo buddies that liked the movie. Do you have any friends that happen to be into emo, and did this movie piss them off?

one of the kids the movie was loosely based upon despised the idea at first, stating that many of the things presented in the movie were idiosyncrasies of her own and not that of an emo kid, which made me laugh and want to make it even more. after seeing the film, i think she enjoyed it. as for other emo kids i know, most seemed to find the humor in it.

-Slayer was mentioned in the movie, do you listen to them. For metal fans, I find it comes with the territory to make fun of emo. What other metal bands are you into?

i have a friend that listens to slayer. as for metal bands, ive listened to some in the past, but nothing i currently listen to.

-In the film I saw some South Park characters. As a huge fan of South Park, was anyone from South Park involved in this movie?

unfortunately no, and Im also a fan. However, i think brennan reed (the writer, narrator of the film) is somehow related to someone that works on the show.

-Every emo kid I know loves 2pac, for some reason. Is he really technically emo or was that just a joke?

haha, that was more of a joke.

-So how long do you predict the emo fad going on in mainstream culture? Do you think the whole emo culture will still stay intact after the fad is gone? I know disco died out but thrash still lived on in the underground.

as with most fads, Im sure once this one has run its course, which i see it already doing somewhat, all the pseudo emo/indie kids will dissipate, leaving the kids who are genuinely interested.

-Will this emo movie just be an internet thing or will it ever be available commercially?

Im in the process of seeing what i can do with the characters/story/context. Ill leave it at that.

-What other movies are you planning to work on in the future? And have you done anything else before this?

we are in a position now where we'd like to take some of the ideas weve had sitting around and turn them into shorts. as for something bigger, we are thinking about expanding on the idea of 'lucid' (another film on somethingdirectory.com). also, i recently put of a reel that shows more of our work on the same site.

(And have you done anything else before this?) Ive been making movies since i was 12.

-Speaking of movies, what are you top five films? And while we're at it, what are your top five albums?

-citizen kane

-taxi driver

-apocalypse now

-hard days night

-garden state

and albums

-air\the virgin suicides

-bright eyes\letting off the happiness

-neutral milk hotel-in an aeroplane over the sea

-the notwist\neon golden

-oasis\definitely maybe

- So...any last words?

the ice in my teeth keeps the cristal cold. x