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Your new movie Thanatomania
- in a few words, what is it about?
Thanatomania is
an autobiographical film about death, the fascination of death, and about
filmmaking itself. What were your
sources of inspiration when writing Thanatomania,
and is any of it based on personal experience? Everything
in the movie is, to a degree, autobiographical. It contains everything on
my mind during the shoot, and I've consciously included it all unfiltered.
But the film's not only about the now but also my past. It's more about a
basic feel than actual events. Thanatomania
is the summation of all my previous films, and it was thought from square
one as a movie of transformation or the end of my filmwork, as one thing's
for sure, I won't make another feature film under the conditions I've made
Thanatomania. To what
extent can you actually identify with Thanatomania's
lead character Peter? He's sort of a caricature of myself,
with more truth to it than I'd like. But I'm not just in Peter, the whole
movie is pretty much me. Many setbacks during the shoot I tried to include
and make the best of them. And Peter pretty much mirrors that. He's a
passive and unlikeable character, pretty much all wrong for a protagonist.
But I've felt a similar impotence during pretty much the whole creative
process. Do talk about your directorial
approach to your story at hand! At many instances I've let
my feelings rather than my thoughts take over. Given all the limitations,
there was no other way. I just had to work things into the film in an
organic way. You couldn't just black out the highs and lows behind the
camera. Beauty and ugliness continuously take their turns in the movie.
Also the style changes from scene to scene. Some looks cinematic, some
documentary, some simple, some complex, like Peter himself. Add to this
the limitations: What can I do on non-existent means, what possibilities
do I have? What can you tell us
about Thanatomania's
lead Jörg Wischnauski [Jörg
Wischnauski interview - click here], and what made him in your
eyes perfect for the role?
with Brian Trenchard-Smith |
There wouldn't be a movie
without Jörg, at least not in its final shape. I don't think I could have
found somebody else for the lead given the then current conditions. To
accept such a role, such a movie and working with me, that doesn't only
take courage but also foolhardiness and even a certain degree of
carelessness - a blend I have so far not experienced with any other actor.
Thanatomania
also features a guest appearance by cult director Brian Trenchard-Smith [Brian
Trenchard Smith interview - click here] - now why him, what does
he mean to you as a filmmaker ... and how did you get him even? I've
always admired Brian Trenchard-Smith, more so even after reading his
excellent book Adventures in the B Movie Trade. I think there is
something like an invisible bond between filmmakers, a fellowship in
misery outsiders will struggle to understand. Filmmaking after all is more
therapy and compulsion than it is fun. Thus one's most likely to persuade
somebody for a guest appearance who knows all that - even more than me
that is. After all, we experience the same problems and worries. Immediately
after I've learned Brian will be in Germany, I envisioned the scene.
Apparently he liked my description of the scene and agreed to do it. We
managed to shoot both the scene, as well as a short (Behind the Scenes
with Brian Trenchard-Smith - https://youtu.be/SEbHF3wzKqI)
within an hour. Brian's scene is essential for the movie, and it was only
possible because during the shoot he was on hand with help and advice and
the patience of an angel.
You
also appear in front of the camera in Thanatomania
as yourself - now do talk about your cameo, and to what extent does it
mirror the real you?
First and foremost, this is a movie
about the fascination of death and the resulting voyeurism. But on another
level I also cover the creative process that went into the making of the
film. This was a very exhibitionist process, which in my opinion is
nedessary for a filmmaker. Making movies is an exhibitionist process, one
cannot expose oneself more. Thus there was no question that I had to be in
front of as well as behind the camera. Even though Thanatomania
is a highly autobiographical movie, I'm not playing myself though but I
play a person who plays René Wiesner. It was the easiest way to not
personalize the film even more. Thanatomania
is a movie that wouldn't exist without me, I'm in it through and through,
both good and bad. What can you tell us about the rest
of Thanatomania's
cast, and why exactly these people? I got very lucky with
the whole cast. There isn't a performance in the film, apart from my own,
that I'm not satisfied with. With some I actually feel regret that I could
only showcase their potential within my limited means and not to the
fullest. A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? It was fun
only occasionally, mostly it was torture and as uncomfortable as possible.
During the making of the film I was unemployed and didn't receive any
social benefits. I always had to see where I could get money to both
survive and continue to film. That's one of the reasons why everything
took so unbearably long.
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Initially there was no script. All I
had was rough ideas for the plot and some scenes I wanted to shoot. The
rest would pretty much materialize during filming. This tends to be my
modus operandi, and fortunately Jörg is more or less used to this by now.
Still there were tensions during the shoot, especially when we shot at the
apartment, which we used without the knowledge of the tenant, shooting in
his absence, which created an uncomfortable atmosphere in unfamiliar
surroundings. The topics touched in the film didn't do any good either,
and we almost called the shoot off after a few days. I was doing the worst
though when we shot the big finale at the farm, the last big scene in the
movie without we couldn't have ended the film. One actor who only agreed
to do it if he may perform oral sex on Jörg quit only on the day of the
shoot, which meant we had to postpone everything. Weeks later we finally
managed to shoot the scene, but it pushed me to the edge in terms of
atmosphere and especially outward pressure. As one-man crew I had to deal
with three actors, a stubborn cow, the shoot, the production, the
surroundings as well as the curious looks of local farmers - heck, I'd
like to see anyone else do that! But it turned out one of the most
beautiful scenes of the movie. The
$64-question of course, where can Thanatomania
be seen? Many of my movies are hard to digest and thus not
necessarily what film festivals are looking for. I won't rule out public
screenings, but there's nothing planned in the immediate future. Initially
the film will only be available on DVD. Anything you can tell us about audience and
critical reception of Thanatomania? Presently
I can't really say too much as only a handful of persons know the movie.
The few critics who have seen it are polite but torn - but I was prepared
for that. I don't make crowdpleasers, I cater to a niche within a niche
and I don't make genre movies but Wiesner movies. If one knows some of my
previous films, one knows what one gets into. Any
future projects you'd like to share?
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Feeling lucky?
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I've got a few ideas for films, though I don't know when I'll be ready for something bigger
once again or if I even want that - not under the same circumstances,
that's for sure. Thanatomania
was a project that was with me for a long time, and now I really have to
wind down again. But I do have some shorts that just need editing. Other
than that I'd like to concentrate more on my book projects
presently.
Your/your movie's website, social media, whatever else?
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTQ88H7wb5U86kzwec1jT1w
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wiesnerfilms
Anything else
you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? Thanatomania,
Konversion, as well as other RWFilms
DVDs are available directly from me. Thanks
for the interview! No, thank you!
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amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
amazon.de
eThaiCD.com
