Keith Bearden is a prolific writer and director coming off of his new coming-of-age comedy, Antarctica. We caught up with him to talk about the movie and what inspired him to write it.
The Knockturnal: What inspired you to make Antarctica?
Keith Bearden: There were too many coming-of-age movies about boys, and not enough with the smart, cynical, funny, slightly off women that I’ve known my whole life.
The Knockturnal: How would you describe the movie’s style of comedy?
Keith Bearden: Dry, dark, slightly surreal. Someone called it a cynical feel-good movie. Another called it “Lady Bird on acid.”
The Knockturnal: How did you frame the shots for this movie?
Keith Bearden: Obviously, this is all a collaboration with my DP, in this case, a very talented young woman named Madeline Kate Kann. Framing for both me and Madeline is always based on what feeling you want to transmit to the audience. Who and/or what is important in the scene? Do you need to know how they are feeling? Is the audience a voyeur right now or are they right with the character and what they are going through? Is the moment about the relationship between characters or what they individually are experiencing? For example, when Kat (Chloë Levine), one of the leads, has a long, painful car ride with her Mom (Clea Lewis), some of it worked better in a two-shot because it made you sit in the awkward moment. We had coverage in close-ups, but it doesn’t need to be like bad TV where you cut on every line.
The Knockturnal: How do you describe the experience working on this movie?
Keith Bearden: For the most part, making Antarctica was a wonderful experience. Everyone who worked on it said it was a really good vibe. It was a short shoot, and a low, low budget movie, so it was very stressful, but everyone was on board. Often crew just sort of goof off when they are not needed, but when we were shooting everyone was rapt and watching my monitor. Also, Kimie and Chloë are everybody’s two favorite actors, so that didn’t hurt.
The Knockturnal: How did you feel working with Chloe Levine and Kimie Muroya?
Keith Bearden: I love my stars. People throw a line of bullshit about loving people they work with, but we all got along great and are good friends still. Chloë is quiet, intense, so smart, but also really fun. She could dip in and out of character in seconds. There’s a scene in the movie where you see her horrified, just staring into space. About three seconds after the image in the movie, we’re both laughing. And Kimie was a firecracker. Never a dull moment. You turn around and she’d be napping, or breakdancing…you could never tell what she’d do. She does a scene where she rolls off a bed and crashes on the floor. I didn’t tell her to do that, but that’s Kimie!
The Knockturnal: Did you base their characters on certain people you know?
Keith Bearden: Not directly, but yes, all of them. People I knew growing up (the “History Teacher” is a slight exaggeration on a real teacher I had), people I dated, friends’ children. My niece Jodi and her bestie Ariel were a big influence on the two main characters. For me, it all has to start with reality, and you take it from there. I can’t think of a situation or person that doesn’t have a grain of real life in it.
The Knockturnal: What do you want people to take away from the film?
Keith Bearden: You know, whatever people want to take away from the movie is great. If you think it’s just funny, or can relate to the characters, or appreciate the political angle–it’s all fine. At one of our preview screenings, there was a woman who really got wrapped up emotionally. She didn’t laugh at all, but she yelled at the screen when bad things were happening to the main characters. At the same screening, there was a guy giggling through the whole movie. Obviously, people connect in different ways. I guess the general takeaway is obvious: It’s not easy to be a teenager in the USA, especially as a young woman, and the systems in place don’t always have your best interest in mind. It wasn’t when I was a teen back in 1908, and it isn’t now.
The Knockturnal: Could you describe the work for your first film?
Keith Bearden: This isn’t my first film! I made tons of shorts and Meet Monica Velour, a slightly bigger movie with Kim Cattrall and Brian Dennehy. Kim really gave her all and was great to work with. Brian was a tough old bird who didn’t really listen to me but got naked, and really liked the movie (and me) after he saw it. RIP Brian Dennehy. Classic movie actor.
The Knockturnal: Can you tell me more about your work as a film journalist?
Keith Bearden: I wrote reviews for years, and interviewed some amazing film people. Werner Herzog, John Sayles, William Shatner, Kevin Smith, Jonathan Demme, John Carpenter, Carol Kane, the list goes on. It was like film school for real talking to these people. I’m a big horror/sci-fi nerd so I wrote a lot for Fangoria, but also Time Out NY, Movie Maker, The Seattle Weekly, The Stranger, Slant, on and on. I have a closet full of magazines from that time.
The Knockturnal: Do you have plans for your next movie?
Keith Bearden: I do! I’m trying to get a sci-fi/action/comedy made–a bigger, more popcorn movie but still with a good edge. It’s a female Han Solo type character. People who’ve read it really like it. I wrote it because a young woman who helped inspire Anatactica watched Barbarella and said, “I thought it was going to be my favorite movie ever but it was lame.” And I said to myself, “I’m going to write a sexy female sci-fi heroine that will be her favorite movie of all time!” (And yes, she loved the script). So fingers crossed.
