INTERVIEW WITH IAN MARTIN
DIRECTOR OF "THE EUROPEAN KID"

By Rooftop Films on 10/30/2008

THE EUROPEAN KID (Ian Martin | 22:03 | Comedy)


One night, the European kid turns up unexpectedly and wrecks havoc on all the relationships in the house.

Q&A

Rooftop Films: Tell us about your film.

Ian Martin: I tell people that "The European Kid" is about a young man who is forced to have dinner with a family who hates him. I don't know if that's really what it's about but my hope is that explanation will get them to watch the film.

RT: What was your inspiration?

IM: Growing up, I had a lot of friends who were immigrants or whose parents were immigrants. It's something I've always been kind of proud of: "I'm friends with immigrants." I guess that's the genesis of the idea.

RT: Is there anything you'd like to share about the film that might not be immediately apparent (your conception of the film, backstory, production methods, etc.)?

IM: The house in the film is actually five different houses edited together to appear as if it were a single house. We shot in the homes of family and friends and we wanted to piece together the perfect-looking house as well as not overstay our welcome in any one volunteered location.

RT: Any interesting stories about the production? Any particular difficulties or serendipitous events or pleasant/unpleasant surprises?

IM: We were fortunate to have a very smooth production. Probably our biggest challenge was banana continuity.

RT: Do you personally have any animosity towards the tight jeans and over spiced food of the Europeans?

IM: No. I love tight jeans and spiced food.

RT: Are you a full-time filmmaker? If not, what else are you up to?

IM: I also write. I recently had a short story published in Open City Magazine, issue 24, and I've been working on a novel for about two years. I'm hoping I'll be able to finish it before another two years pass. I also wait tables.

RT: What is your current/next project?

IM: We're putting together a feature that will shoot this spring in Chicago. It's called An Abandoned Werewolf Novel and it's about a married man whose life falls apart when he reconnects with an old college friend.

RT: If you've been to a Rooftop show, how was the experience?

IM: I couldn't make it out to New York but a friend of mine attended and she said it was a lot of fun.

RT: What excites you about having your short film on Rooftop Films at IFC.com?

IM: Many things. I'm glad that we're online and more people will be able to see the film. I'm glad that we're alongside other Rooftop Films because I feel Rooftop works really hard to get a good selection. I'm glad that we're somehow associated with IFC because they help put out some really exciting stuff.

RT: Do you have any questions for the viewers? We hope they'll post comments!

IM: I'm always curious about the people viewing films online. Can you tell me about yourself?