Q. Hello Jason, it's a big pleasure to have you with us for this interview. Congratulations on your ‘Best Music Video’ award at last September's edition of the “Rome International Movie Awards” (click HERE to read the winners).
Your new project is “It’s Christmas”: in a few words, what is it about?
A. Hello! I am extremely excited and thank you very much for the opportunity to do this interview. It was an honor to participate and be among fellow artists that represented their craft and country in September. Beautifully written and performed by my sister, the amazingly gifted Ms. Jasmin Brown (IMDB), “It’s Christmas” (IMDB) is about the spirit of Christmas and the fulfillment of family.
Q. What can you tell us about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? Was it difficult to find the right collaborators and, above all, a cast who could translate your cinematographic vision into acting and images?
A. The shoot was awesome and quite easy going. It was not difficult to find the right collaborators at all, given the theme of fellowship in the video, because all the cast and crew consisted of family. Before filming the video, we broke bread and prayed together, and that ultimately set the tone for the whole video. No acting was required because we all knew each other. It made the communication and atmosphere on the set intimate, fun, and instrumental in capturing moments that were beautiful and genuine.
Q. What can you tell us about your filmwork prior to “It’s Christmas”?
A. There is a film series I have been developing since 2012, and the overall ambition of the series spans seven stories. The ideas and inspiration for the series come from industry titans like Marvel Studios, and from the serialized way they tell their stories. The first story I filmed is titled “A Fanboys Tale”. It’s a documentary / art film which focuses on some of the quirks and unique perspectives of the fanboy culture, in correlation to an extraordinary film event (the first Marvel’s "Avengers" film); documenting the days in the life of fanboys and their aspirations. The second project in the series is titled “Enblackenment”. Originally filmed to be part of “A Fanboys Tale”, “Enblackenment” is a short film that serves as a prelude to it, that explores how a fanboys’ overwhelming enthusiasm is met with the unexpected realities of his roots.
In retrospect, although there were many mistakes, as an aspiring filmmaker the goal was to tell those stories the best way I could with the resources I had. Those films were very personal to me and were not easy to make at the time, but I would not change anything about my experiences in bringing their stories to life for others to enjoy. I believed in them for what they were and what they represented, so I stepped out in faith, and entered both projects into film festivals around the U.S. Overall, they gained positive and constructive feedback. “A Fanboys Tale” was awarded Best Documentary at the 2018 Imaginarium Film Festival in Louisville, Kentucky and both films garnered worldwide distribution through Amazon Prime Video in 2019.
I could only hope those films would resonate with people the way they did. I encourage anyone with a dream to never give up on it, and to preserve the integrity of it, so they may persevere in their ambitions to realize it. I have conceptualized, collaborated, written, produced, acted, edited, marketed, and ultimately invested in those projects. Those experiences have only made me grow as a filmmaker, imagine bigger opportunities and greater possibilities, and have kept me humble and hungry to learn more about the process of filmmaking and building my own legacy in the arts as a whole.
Q. How would you describe yourself as a director?
A. As a creator, I feel I have similar aspirations in the ways I choose to illustrate as a concept artist, and how I approach filmmaking as a director. Among many things, I like to be creative in my process in developing conceptual ideas for film projects. Being spontaneous allows myself, and the cast and crew the freedom to improv, explore, and have fun in the process of filmmaking. Lastly, I find joy in being collaborative. It brings together numerous creative and artistic mediums, from all who contribute to using them, to fully realizing a vision as a unit. I love to tell stories that are uplifting and inspiring because I believe they are good for the soul. Those components inspire me and feed my ambitions in becoming a filmmaker full-time, keeping me invested in an art form that is constantly evolving.
Q. Directors (and indeed actors) who inspire you?
A. Whoa, where do I start...When it comes to directors, anyone who has the patience, perseverance and the passion to create a film inspires me. There are so many greats that direct in other mediums like Television, Video games, Animation, and even YouTube...then there are the all-time greats that inspire me the most, which I mentioned above in my bio. For film, just to name a few, are Guillermo Del Toro, Ryan Coogler, Peter Jackson, Christopher Nolan, Ang Lee, M. Night Shyamalan, J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele. For independent film, Darius Britt and Chassidy Jade. For television, Miguel Sapochnik and Misha Green. For video games, Hideo Kojima and Cory Barlog, and for animation, Jay Oliva and Joaquim Dos Santos.
Actors I admire, to name a few, are Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Daniel Day-Lewis, Tom Hanks, Angela Bassett, Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Jonathan Majors, Lupita Nyong’o, Eddie Murphy, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Regina King, Meryl Streep, Gary Oldman, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro.
All these brilliant artists have made great contributions to the arts and its legacies past, present, and future. Their beautifully unique visions and voices represent an evolution of the medium and great change in the industry, thus, creates boundless inspiration for me and others that aspire to do the same.
Q. Your favourite movies? And of course, films you really deplore?
A. Hmmm, favorite movies…I have so many. I love all genres in film, because any one of them can move you if the storytelling is done right. As far as favorites, to name a few, are "The Star Wars Trilogy" (1977-1983), "The Lord of the Rings Trilogy", "The Indiana Jones Trilogy", "Jurassic Park", "Terminator 2", "Hellboy 2", "Black Panther", "Inception", "Life of Pi", "Signs", "Get Out", "Coming to America" and "The Lion King" (1993).
I really don’t have any movies I deplore, because even those that I feel aren’t that good at all, I can still learn from them and find some redeeming qualities within them. Although, I will make exceptions for “The Last Airbender” and “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation”, because given the amount of rich source material both films could build from, I was truly sad to see how awful they turned out to be “Ha-ha”.
Q. Where can people see your work?
A. "BrownFamilyTree Productions" is the name of my independent film media company. Its official website will be launched in 2021, but for now, my work can be seen on the official "Filmfreeway" website (HERE). Subsequent film websites and other social media links are also available through my filmfreeway link.
The beautiful and timely quote at the end of “It’s Christmas” was graciously written by it’s author, Ms. Jasmin Brown. Ms. Brown is a professional musical vocalist, and an advocate of poetry as well. Her work can be read, seen and heard HERE.
While on this filmmaking journey, I can gratefully say I am not traveling it alone. Here are the links to some of the other gifted artists I have collaborated with, and have graciously helped me along the way:
1. “A Fanboys Tale”
Ariel Cal (Digital Artist): www.artstation.com/arielcal
Sergio Cal (Traditional Artist)
2. “Enblackenment”
Jay Balthazard (Multimedia Artist) https://youtube.com/c/JayOrbit
3. “The Adventures at Comic-Con”
Toni Junard (Multimedia Artist) https://tjunard.wixsite.com/theinverse
4. “It’s Christmas”
Donnell Freeman (Multimedia Designer)
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Q. Hello John, it's great to have you here with us for this interview. Congratulations on your ‘Best Screenplay’ award at last September's edition of the “Rome International Movie Awards” (click HERE to read the winners). First of all, why don't you introduce yourself to those of us who don't already know you?
A. I am a poet, novelist, playwright, and, now, screenwriter originally from Philadelphia where I attended Jesuit schools - Saint Joseph’s Prep and Saint Joseph’s University. For most of my adult life, I have been living in New York City and working as a technical writer.
I have a Masters Degree in Irish Literature from the Catholic University of America. For seven years I volunteered as Salon Producer for Irish American Writers and Artists Inc.
Q. Now what got you into screenwriting in the first place and did you receive any formal training on the subject?
A. I have written novels and plays for years but had never written screenplays until last year. I simply never had any screenplay ideas. Then I came up with a comical story about a fisherman who lets his local fame go to his head. At first, I thought it was an idea for a skit and then realized it would work better as a film. So, I began my first screenplay.
I talked to screenwriter friends and read a couple of books but had no formal training, really. During the pandemic I took a free online course, An Introduction to Screenwriting, from the University of East Anglia. However, I had written a complete draft of two shorts and a complete draft of "To Love, and Bear" by that point.
Q. The screenplay “To Love, and Bear” is based on your book: in a few words, what is it about?
A. "To Love, and Bear" is a teen coming-of-age drama adapted from my novel, The World. It’s about a sixteen-year-old scholar-athlete who wants to be a literary Artist, falls in love, and seeks a relationship with the beautiful blonde diver, Claire Larken. However, the Beauty, Claire, proves fickle and rejects the Artist. The protagonist’s experience teaches him about desire and suffering, and what it truly means to be a man and an Artist. He pursues a mainstream relationship with Claire only to learn deeper lessons about his role in and relationship to the world.
The title comes from a phrase used at the conclusion of Shelley’s "Prometheus Bound".
Q. Could you take us through the whole process of you writing a book, from first idea to final draft? And what differences did you find in writing a book and a screenplay?
A. First, I create the boulder and then I sculpt it. I generally write rough drafts and execute several rounds of edits and revisions on each section until I am happy with it. My first draft might be extremely rough, composed with the notion that much of it might be discarded during the editing process.
If a piece is autobiographical, then I write the first draft as close to my memory of the way an incident actually happened as possible. Then I fictionalize it as I edit and rewrite.
Often during the years of writing a novel, the work takes on a different shape than it had when first conceived. Sometimes the work and the characters tell the author what they want to be.
Q. Over the years, how do you think you have evolved as a writer?
A. I find I am more at ease with the process of drafting, editing, rewriting, and polishing a work now. My creative and technical writing experience has accustomed me to the process of getting a piece ready to be published.
Recently, I have noticed a greater tendency to be patient with the creative process so as not to push a piece into the next phase before it is ready. Rushing a work into its next phase can turn it into something formulaic or conventional.
I am able to answer questions like, “What happens next?” with, “I don’t know” and have full confidence that I will know.
Q. What can you tell us about your work prior to “To Love, and Bear”?
A.
I have written three books: the novel, "The World", the short-story collection, "Dreams and Dull Realities", and my new novel, "Worlds" (published in May 2020.)
I have had five full-length and five one-act plays produced in Manhattan. My new play, "Boann and the Well of Wisdom", is scheduled to be on stage in New York in June 2021. My other full-length plays include "In the Wilderness", "Sons of Molly Maguire", and "In a Bucket of Blood". "Sons of Molly Maguire" was produced in Dublin’s Liberty Hall in May 2017.
My fiction has appeared in "The Medulla Review", "The Irish Echo", and "Danse Macabre". My poems have appeared in such journals as the North American Review, the Grey Sparrow Journal, and The Razor’s Wine.
Worlds was a finalist in the 2018 "William Faulkner - William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition" in New Orleans and the 2002 "New Century Writers’ Awards".
My first screenplay, "Catch Anything?" won Best Script at the "Indie Short Fest" in Los Angeles in July 2020. My other short screenplay, "It Takes You by Surprise" has been a finalist in several contests in the U.S.
Q. Writers who inspire you?
A. James Joyce has been a major influence on my writing since I was a teenager. His "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" was a big influence on "The World", the novel on which "To Love, and Bear" is based. His "Ulysses" and Thomas Mann’s "Buddenbrooks" were very influential in the composition of my new novel, "Worlds", as were Dante and Chaucer.
My playwrighting has been influenced by "Brecht and Sartre", Sean O’Casey, Yeats, and Eugene O’Neill’s early experimental plays.
Q. Your favourite books? And of course, books you really deplore?
A. "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" and "Ulysses" by James Joyce are probably my two favorites. This year I reread Thomas Merton’s "Seven Story Mountain", a non-fiction coming-of-age-story, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
When I was doing research for "Worlds", I read "The Alchemist" by Caleb Carr to get a feeling for the atmosphere of 19th-century New York. The novel offered interesting information but really annoyed me with its cheap tricks to get readers to turn pages. It seemed like characters were forever rushing into the next chapter saying, "Come with me! There’s no tie to explain!".
Q. Where can people see your work?
A. You can visit my production company website (HERE). I'm on Facebook (HERE and HERE), Instagram (HERE) and Twitter (HERE). My books "The World", "Dreams and Dull Realities" and my new novel "Worlds" are available on "Amazon" (HERE, HERE and HERE).
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