“It’s sort of like a gay CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, but with more heart. It’s about a gay guy in West Hollywood and his endless capacity for humiliation, a well intentioned thirty-something too in thrall to his compulsions to be the person he could be.” Show creator Ben Kawaller on THIS ISN’T ME which screens in the Episodic Competition of SxSW 2020 Film.
Welcome to the amazing SxSW and congratulations! Are you planning to attend SxSW and what is it about Austin, either the festival or the town itself, that excites you the most?
We are! And the barbecue! Whenever I am in the South I feel I have to eat ribs as much as possible. It’s one of my less self-destructive behaviors.
How did you first hear about the SxSW and wishing to send your project into the festival?
We’d heard of SxSW just by being in the industry. I submitted the project right after it won Best Comedy Pilot and I won Best Comedy Actor at Catalyst Content, which gave me the confidence to feel like we had a shot here.
Tell me about the idea behind your project and getting it made!
The pilot I wrote before this was a more traditional sitcom set on the Supreme Court. It was an incredibly difficult and ultimately unsuccessful endeavor, and after that I felt I needed to write something that would require no research — the more self-absorbed the better. It’s always been my dream to turn my character defects into a TV show, and now here we are.
Who are some of your main creative inspirations?
Larry David. I want to be Gay Larry David. And of course the golden years of The Simpsons.
How did you put this together from a technical viewpoint? What sort of cameras/lenses did you use and/or did you have any creative challenges in making it?
We shot this on an Alexa with a director of photographer, Joe Picard, who really knew what he was doing. One of the more difficult parts was shooting me driving from the inside of the car. We ended up cutting all of that anyway.
After SxSW, where is it going next? Anywhere you would love to show it?
We’ve spent the past year playing at festivals; I think the only one we’re still out to is Series Fest. We would love to be a part of Series Fest.
If you know of anyone around you wanting to become a filmmaker/creator, what would you suggest to get their start?
Find people you trust who know how to do the stuff you don’t know how to do. And befriend someone wealthy.
And finally, what is your favourite short film of all time?
Given that ours is a comedy pilot, I’m gonna answer with a TV show: Seinfeld. Seinfeld forever.
This is one of the many films playing at SxSW 2020! For more information on this film, screening times and info on the entire SxSW experience, point your browser to www.sxsw.com/film!