Peter Stebbings On His Sophomore Effort 'Empire of Dirt'
Here Stebbings recounts why he made the film…if his computer doesn't die on him.
I don't usually blog. I don't tweet. I've never Facebooked. Guillermo del Toro's advice is "stay off the Internet if you want to get anything done." Well, I have 13% power left on my Macbook and I left my power cord at the studio, but here goes...
I believe I was quoted recently in the Canadian business site Playback pontificating about why the summer blockbusters were in peril. I claimed the stories sucked. "Story, story, story and less spectacle, spectacle" I went on and on. And now the reviews are starting to trickle in for our little movie, Empire of Dirt, and they're fair, but not effusive. I might order up a serving of humble pie soon. The hype is great however. My lead actress is on the cover of NOW (Toronto's Village Voice) and we got a slug above the Saturday Star and front page of the Entertainment section last week. A huge piece that shows us in very good light. I'm thrilled with the attention we're getting, I only wish the critics felt as strongly.
8% power, what's wrong with my machine?
Enough time in the indie world will teach you nothing comes easy. This will be my sophomore picture, always a hard act to follow. My debut, Defendor, had a darling reception at TIFF 2009. That whole project started with me, I wrote it, I directed it. Sony Pictures picked it up. Empire of Dirt is probably the most illogical follow up I could think of.
So why did I do it?
I won't lie, I asked myself the same question. I'm a middle class white guy telling a story about three native chicks. The answer is I love making film. And here was an opportunity to make an art house movie in the vein of Fish Tank and Wendy and Lucy. Two movies that really resonated with me.
But there's also an answer more complicated than that. I was excited just to be offered a job. Jennifer Podemski, our producer, approached me while I was still in the edit suite with Defedor. I had no idea what doors would open, so I took the first thing that was offered. But there was something to this story, to these three native characters that I'd never seen before. An opportunity to tell a story about native folks that steers clear of cliche.
I worked with two newcomers. Shay Eyre, Chris Eyre from Smoke Signals' 13-year-old daughter. And Cara Gee was cast as my lead. She'd never done a movie before, had one episode of television under her belt, and now she's one of TIFF's Rising Stars. I have always maintained that this I know: the performances in Empire of Dirt are exquisite. And it looks beautiful. I had reservations about the story before I did it, and for that I take full responsibility. My screenwriter, Shannon Masters, was ready and willing to mold the movie as I saw fit. Her voice is distinct and her talent runs deep.
When the window of opportunity arouse, now or never, make the film or don't' make it all and we went for it.
In the end I'm very proud of EOD and the team. Especially my cast which includes lovely work from Luke Kirby (Rectify). I'm learning how to take criticism and I'm surprisingly sanguine. I'm ready for the ride, whatever that is. Our TIFF premiere is upon us, I've barely had a moment to think, and now the movie enters the world… and i have no idea what to expect.
2%, I just got the "reserve power" message. I'm not a fast typer.
More soon.
[Photos: Empire of Dirt (top); director Peter Stebbings]
