[J. D.]: What's it like being on the other side of a filmmaking considering that you've reached both ends of the cinematic spectrum now?

[Joey]: It offers a valuable perspective when reading reviews, that's for sure. Because you know it's just an opinion being expressed, and that it might ultimately tell you more about that person's individual taste than the film itself. That doesn't mean it isn't great when someone connects with and enjoys the work, or painful and disappointing when they don't. That could change with experience though. Neither Johnnie or Ka-fai seem to take reviews, be they positive or negative, too seriously. That's probably a good thing. I'm not a fan of the cynicism in a lot of contemporary criticism. Too much talk about what's wrong with cinema than what's right. The movies you love often need the ink more than the ones you don't. I'm reminded of a time when a rave I wrote for a festival screening of BULLET IN THE HEAD was jettisoned by an editor to make more room for a one-page scathing review of SISTER ACT. About ten people showed up to the screening of BULLET IN THE HEAD, while SISTER ACT ruled the box office.

[J. D.]: Quickly, give me 10 words or less on what you thought about LORD OF THE RINGS!

[Joey]: I want to see THE TWO TOWERS. Now!!

[J. D.]: (Laughing) Awesome! I'm sure films have influenced your life as much as all of us, can you name the first film that really made you fall in love with the movies?

[Joey]: I didn't get to go out to the movies very often, so I really grew up with whatever was on television, usually Hammer and Universal Horror, Black Belt Theatre, Spaghetti Westerns, and Japanese Creature Features. I could watch those films forever, but I suppose the impact of seeing stuff like STAR WARS, BLADE RUNNER, or RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK on the big screen cannot be underestimated. I loved Harrison Ford when I was a kid. I wanted to be Han Solo.

[J. D.]: Who are your idols? Any directors, writers, or actors that constantly inspire you throughout the day?

[Joey]: You mean besides Johnnie and Ka-fai? Oh yeah. It's tough to know where to start though. Especially with directors. David Cronenberg, Takeshi Kitano, David Lynch, Oliver Stone, Spike Lee, and the Coens for their uncompromising vision. Sam Fuller, Mario Bava, and Sejuin Suzuki for making so much with so little. Michael Mann and Martin Scorsese for sheer unparalleled craftsmanship. John Carpenter and Peter Jackson for keeping genre films alive. Dario Argento and Takashi Ishii for keeping genre films perverse. Tsui Hark for his energy. Takashi Miike and Kamal Haasan for their insane diversity. Carl Franklin, Kathryn Bigelow, Danny DeVito, Mani Ratnam, Paul Verhoven, Wong Kar-wai, David Fincher... I mean, I could go on and on, and I'm still keeping pretty contemporary. If we start talking about Don Siegel, Anthony Mann, F.W. Murnau, Akira Kurosawa, or Sam Peckinpah we'll never stop. It's harder to follow the work of screenwriters, since, ironically, you can't always judge the quality of their contribution by the movie. I felt Kevin Andrew Walker's script for 8MM, for instance, was far superior to the finished product. He's fantastic. David Peoples, whether he's solo, or with Janet. Wai Ka-fai is endlessly inventive. The Coens consistently kick ass. David Mamet... actually, a lot of the directors I admire write, or co-write, their own material, so I'm obviously a fan of their stuff.

[J. D.]: Who would you love to work with in the future?

[Joey]: Any of the aforementioned, of course. Anyone with passion. Anyone who truly loves cinema.

[J. D.]: What's your favorite film??

[Joey]: Oh man. Ask every day and every day you might get a different answer. SUNRISE seems like the greatest film ever made, but so does HIGH AND LOW. Then again, I've can't count the number of times I've revisited DEEP RED or BULLET IN THE HEAD. Or gasped at the perfection of RAISING ARIZONA, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, or RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Other days, only something like THE NAKED SPUR or SWORD OF DOOM will do. When I was ten, SUPER NINJAS was probably the coolest thing I'd ever seen. I don't think I can provide a definitive answer on this one. Sorry. It really is an impossible question.

[J. D.]: When did you realize you wanted to be a filmmaker?

[Joey]: It's all I've ever wanted to do, for as long as I can remember.

[J. D.]: It's going to be a tough time trying to top off this past year, don't you think?

[Joey]: Yeah, that's true, but what's the point in worrying about it? It's a tough business and life is unpredictable. All I can do is my best.

[J. D.]: So what's next for you in your rise to the top, eh?

[Joey]: Who knows? I just hope to keep working! I'm currently working with a director on a dramatic Indie to be lensed in India. A very different kind of project for me. My no-budget, 15-minute DV western is going out to festivals. I want to do another one soon, if not something more ambitious. There's the possibility of another project with Johnnie and comapny, which I'm hoping will happen. Beyond that, I'm just going to keep writing, hustling, and praying.

[J. D.]: Any last words for aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters out there?

[Joey]: FULLTIME KILLER is my first produced credit, you know. I think it'd be a little premature for me to start doling out advice. Maybe in another year or two.

[J. D.]: Thanks for your time and Good luck! Can't wait for Fulltime Killer Part 2: The Return of O!

[Joey]: O AND CHIN VERSUS THE WORLD CRIME LEAGUE. "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

[J. D.]: Damn I can't believe he pulled a ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE EIGHT DIMENSION reference on me!

Joey O'Bryan

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