On October 25, 2010, the Vermont International Film Festival featured an evening of short films, shot and produced entirely by Vermont residents. While not exactly known for its cinematic output, the state quietly harbors a surprising number of extremely talented filmmakers who got an opportunity to exhibit their latest works on the big screen.
Among the seven shorts to be shown at the Vermont Film Fest was Motel, the debut film by William Peters. The 13-minute short tells a humorous story of two hapless travelers who are swindled by “foreign triplet motel barons,” who turn what should be the simplest of tasks into a nightmare. Peters answered a handful of questions about making a quality film with a short budget, as well as disclosing his ambitions to carry on the legacy of the venerable director of classics such Porky’s and Black Christmas, Bob Clark.
Read the interview below, or click here to view Motel.
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You shot the Motel short film with $700. What were the biggest challenges of filming with such tight finances?
The biggest thing you need to realize when directing a no-budget film is that you will be doing a majority of the production yourself. Directing. Operating the camera. Adjusting lights. So obviously you need your script to accommodate your lack of production help. The last thing you want to do is write a film that requires a dozen actors and shots that take a day to set up.
There were five people involved while on set of this film, including the actors. But it really simplifies the whole process and teaches you to shoot within your means. I would have loved to have an explosion of some kind, although I’m not sure it would have helped the film. It would have been cool, nonetheless.
From the acting to the camerawork, the quality of the film completely belies the low budget. Can you give us some insight into who was involved and explain how you came to work with them?
You may not have any money, but you probably have talented friends that can act and will help you out, and that’s exactly what happened with Motel.
Michael Mooney, who also co-produced, is a great acting talent and friend who spent countless hours helping me with everything from finding a shooting location to casting. He brought in Ben Watts for the role of the clerk and it was immediately apparent he was our guy. Ben did a tremendous job at bringing that character to life. Jeffrey Hatin also did a fantastic job with his role, and the acting in this film is what made my job much easier. Working with these actors has definitely spoiled me.
Your film debuted at the Vermont International Film Festival and was enthusiastically received by the audience. What next for Motel? Are you hoping to tour the film festival circuit, and do you think the response it received in Burlington will help?
As a filmmaker you’re always nervous as to how an audience will respond to your film, especially a comedy. Is it as funny as I think it is? But the response at the Vermont International Film Festival was great and really energized me to want and get Motel shown in as many festivals as possible. We’ve submitted to a handful of festivals around the northeast and out west, as well as screenings at some colleges, so the experience has been very positive.
Moving beyond Motel, what is next? Do you have any forthcoming projects in the works?
I’m bidding for the director’s job on Baby Geniuses 3. If I don’t get it, I’ll probably make a few more shorts before attempting a feature (Baby Geniuses 4). Seems to be the way things go.