Hello ladies and gentlemen, Muldoon here with a pretty fun chat. First and foremost, I'm a moviegoer. I'm a fan of comedies, action, horror, drama, and more. I consume films in every facet of my life, and have my favorite actors, directors, cinematographers, and production designers. The below interview is an all too brief talk with a man I thought only existed as a character in some of my favorite comedies. In short, if you think I get a little star struck here - you're right, I absolutely do. We've all seen him in various movies, and there's an idea of "I know who this guy is," but... like with anyone, you only know what you've seen, and in my chat below I kind of feel like we scratch a bit below the surface of just who this guy is. I posted a clip from the film this past Monday and as the movie's out now - I'd be curious to hear your thoughts. I hope you all find the interview interesting, insightful, and ultimately a good (quick) read. VIGILANTE DIARIES is out now on iTunes and select theaters, so if you're looking for a fun film that's absolutely comfortable in its own skin, I honestly would suggest you give it a look.
Hi, Jason.
What’s up, Mike?
Not much, sir. It’s a privilege to talk to you today, so thank you for taking the time.
Awesome, man. Thank you.
I saw the film this past weekend and I really enjoyed it. I thought it was crazy, bat-shit insane, and you were the highlight of the movie for me. First things first, how did you first get involved with the film?
So the awesome thing is that the movie started off as a web series that me, Christian Sesma, and Paul Sloan put together. Paul Sloan had the idea and the concept and I added a little of my two cents, but we started it as a passion project doing it as a web series. We got it out there. We did a few episodes, and we had a blast. Again, we weren’t making any money. We got a little bit of financing to put it together and people seemed to dig it. I really dug it, and someone saw it and really dug it and came on to make this into a movie. So Christian Sesma put together the script. He and Paul Sloan put the movie idea together. A lot of the video that we shot, those were the flashbacks when I’m talking to the camera like “Yo man, this is us going through this…” When The Vigilante kicks in the door, the first time I capture him on video and I blackmail… It was just awesome. I’m friends with Christian Sesma and Paul and they were talking about this idea and we all got together and put this little series together, then they found financing to make it into a movie. They shot much more and tied it all in, then they started to get some awesome actors, like Michael Jai White, Michael Madsen, Rampage… I don’t know, it just came together and came out way better than I ever could have expected. Again, I thought the web stuff that we shot was great, then we started tying everything together and Christian put it all together and really made it work. I didn’t get to see the finished film of course until the cast and crew screening. I sat there in awe, like “wow.” What they did with the budget and the fighting along with everything else they were able to throw together, with RPGs being shot and everything. It was fun for me to be a part of something like that. I’m used to “playing the fun guy,” the slapstick character, and not to say that my character isn’t a silly dude web documenter following The Vigilante around, but there was so much action involved. It was a real blast for me.
I had no idea that you guys had done it as a web series until just now. There definitely seems like there was a heavy dose of passion behind the film and that’s typically magnetic, regardless of budget, so it’s no shock that you guys got “a little bit of money” to make the movie. Speaking of fights, it seemed like you had bulked up a bit for this role and actually get to kick some ass. There’s one fight in particular where you kicked a guy’s ass and that’s not something I’m used to seeing you doing, to be honest. Did you do anything to physically prepare for the choreography involved that you were going to have to deal with?
No. Honestly, I wish I did. To that chance to do more action, I wish I had done a little more training, so I would have been able to do a bit more… It was cool as if I asked him “Hey, I want to try this and do this” they were definitely… Christian was definitely open to hearing my ideas, but I was physically limited to do certain things, and not to say that he wanted me to do something and I couldn’t, but I’m just saying I feel if I was more prepared, I could have been like “Oh my god, let me backflip off this toilet and then come down and smash him over the neck.” Again, it sort of came together quick, but it was a good lesson learned if you will. I need to start trying to get more physical and doing more fun things like that and really trying to bust some new moves. There was still the goofier moments there, like “HADOUKEN!” while smashing the thing on the dude… it’s me throwing in a little bit of my adlib and my own little business, but the other dude was awesome. I’ve worked with him before on a project with Danny Trejo, so it was fun. I didn’t really prepare much. People say, and assuming they’re not lying (Laughs), that they are digging what they are seeing already, so if I start prepping more then I can bust some more moves and try to throw someone for a loop, throw the audience for a loop, like “Was that Mewes doing a backflip and a roundhouse kick?”
It was a great fight in how it didn’t feel overly choreographed. It felt like a fight right out of a Jackie Chan film, early Chan where there’s action but with humor injected.
Awesome. Perfect.
You did mention a little bit of ad libbing, which leads me to my next curiosity. I know now how crucial you were to starting this project up, but how free were you to improv and go with whatever your gut told you? Your gut’s lead you down a pretty fun film path, so how much input did you give with your lines?
It was nice, because it really was just free range. Christian and Paul, they had the outline of what was to be said, but they were totally awesome and stoked with just throwing whatever in and adding things that worked, really taking my input. I didn’t write the script, but in the beginning it was certainly a team thing and they were all into the input. Paul was stoked and he had no qualms with the script if I said “I think he should do this instead of this…” They were all for that with my character anyway, so it was nice. It was nice to really go in there. They did an outline of who this guy would be and I got to add my two cents to everything. It was very cool, especially when I’m running around and the camera is on me sort of documenting my stuff, most of that was all saying stuff like “Whoa that just whizzed by my head…” All that stuff was me throwing stuff in. It was a lot of fun.
The fun that you guys had making the movie definitely translates to the screen. Speaking of fun, TODD AND THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL… I can’t pick your brain and not mention that show, as it’s one of my favorite things I’ve seen you in. Looking back, what do you remember most about that show? What did you take away from that experience?
Yeah, it was a lot of fun. For me, it was nice because it’s a Canadian show and I had no idea what to expect of the eventual show and how it would be. When I got to read the script, I was truly laughing out loud, like “This is awesome. I can’t wait to see what it looks like when they actually shoot it with the creatures and monsters in there…” It was just a blast. I wish I were in it more, honestly. It was nice to be the guru-janitor giving some advice, but it was so much fun shooting those one or two scenes throughout each episode, that I wish I were able to run around more with the main characters. What I remember a lot of is the writers and producers on there, Andrew [Rosen] and Craig [David Wallace] and all of those guys, they were super nice. It was so much fun… Anthony [Leo], and the cast… It was so much fun watching Alex House as it was his first… I know he’d done a couple of guest spots on other shows and what have you, but that was really like his first show, so every day he came to work just super excited and had great energy, so me and him had so much fun in between takes messing around and stuff.
It was an old abandoned school that we shot in, so there were all these empty classrooms with swords and axes. In between takes, he and I would mess around with prop swords and swordfight or throw axes into the old wall, because they were tearing it down anyway when we were down. (Laughs) Just goofy and fun. The cast was great, especially Alex who was super stoked to be there. I’m so bummed they cancelled the show after the second season, but I just finished doing the last bit of business of… I sang three songs for the animated movie: TODD AND THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL movie. It’s animated, and it’s so good. I mean I read the script and it’s going to be incredible. The show itself was great within live action, but the cartoon can go even crazier. It’s really funny. It will be out, if not before, at the latest “the end of October.” Definitely keep an eye out for that one.
I can’t wait. I’m definitely a fan.
So you knew about it?
I knew there was a cartoon movie being created in lieu of a third season, but had no clue it was that close to completion.
It’s nice, because it starts off where it ended in the TV show, so they finish and wrap up the story, which is great.
I remember the film’s IndieGogo a few years back it feels. So what types of projects are you hoping to do more of? I mean, I don’t think you want to be pigeonholed, something you’ve probably been fighting against since ninety-four. What are you hoping to do more of that perhaps you’ve not done yet? Action?
I’ve been getting some good offers and I’m going to do more roles, never too different. I did this movie, K-11, where I played a guy in prison who is a drug dealer, but not funny at all. It was super serious and dark, a drama. Hen thre’s THE LAST GODFATHER where I played a mobster with Harvey Keitel. So it’s been nice. Gradually I’m getting out there, but what I’d really like to do which I haven’t done yet is I really want to play like a Hannibal Lecter type character, or AMERICAN PSYCHO, something dramatic and creepy. I love CSI: MIAMI and CSI: NEW YORK and all of these shows where I’d love to play a cop, something a bit more serious. So sort of similar to VIGILANTE DIARIES, but again even with VIGILANTE DIARIES I was pretty goofy. I want to be the guy going around kicking butt, but it would be awesome to play some type of detective, still quirky and creepy, a little funny or whatever. I’ve been producing a bit more and I really want to direct. It’s not set in stone, so I don’t want to say too much, but it’s looking really good.. I’ve been working with a buddy of mine from London. I came up with the idea and he made it even better. He wrote a script and we are tweaking the script, but it’s looking very good for us in terms of financing. It’s not set in stone, but it’s looking good, and if all goes well, hopefully I’ll be directing my first feature in the next three or four months. I’m hoping all of this pans out. I’ll be acting in it too, but I really do want to direct more. I’ve done a few music videos, a PSA, a short… never a feature though. I’m hoping this pans out and comes true; it’s my dream if you will. Keep an eye out for a movie directed by Mewes.
I hope it happens. I’m really curious what your instincts are in that role. It sounds like you’ve got quite a bit lined up. What’s next for you, not in terms of “CLERKS III” or such, but projects you’re personally hoping to make that maybe isn’t so obvious.
Of course I’m always going to meetings and there’s always offers through my agent and stuff like “Hey, we’ve got this great script and it’s cool. You can play a different character.” Whatever it is, there are different roles, but I also do a ton of independent movies which don’t always have financing locked. There are things now that are in the works, that are a little different, but a lot like “We’re interested in having Jay play this role, but we are waiting for the other half of our financing.” Then of course I just did an episode on THE FLASH, which was awesome. I’ve been going out on more auditions and meetings about doing more guest spots on TV maybe as series regulars. Right now there’s nothing I’ve done that’s coming out soon, except for YOGA HOSERS where I’m in one scene. I’m going on meetings and auditions still for a lot of TV stuff. So I don’t know, but I love what I’m doing and hopefully I’ll get to direct and spread that news soon. TODD’s coming up in October, so I’ll talk about that when it’s closer… Again, just trying to get things rolling. I’m just trying to play different things, so we will see.
Great. Jason, it’s been surreal picking your brain for just a bit. You’ve got a big fan at AICN, so thank you for your time and best of luck with this movie. I’ve got my fingers crossed for your feature.
Awesome, man. Thank you very much. Bye.
Bye.
BAM! There we go, ladies and gents - a little bit of insight into the mind of Mewes. I hope he gets his chance to direct whatever project he's got lined up. I'm insanely curious how his sensibilities will translate into the role of director. As I think you can tell... I enjoyed Christian Sesma's VIGILANTE DIARIES and even with all of the explosions and action - having Mewes at its core was one a total tone setter - a reminder to just have fun, that you can have your cake and eat it too.
- Mike McCutchen
"Muldoon"
Mike@aintitcool.com
