Malcolm Ingram – Clerk

By starrymag | April 4, 2021

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

 

 

Q) What made you decide to direct the film Clerk?  

A) Well, I have been friends with Kevin [Smith] for a long time. Like I’ve known him since 1994 and he actually like—he’s helped me out a lot with my career. He gave me money to make my first movie in 1997. So, we have a relationship that goes way back and a milestone like this, 25th year in the industry, I just felt that was a perfect opportunity to kind of go back and take a look at this kind of incredible career that Kevin has created for himself.

Q) What was one of your favorite moments during filming?  

A) I have a couple. Like, Stan Lee was incredible. You know that was just very special. Richard Linklater was somebody that really special and I really wanted to talk to so that was a personal victory. But I think my favorite moment in the movie, like my favorite, I loved interviewing Scott Mosier. I love Scott Mosier and I very much wanted to kind of do his part of the story justice. So, that was great and that turned into my favorite bit. That part of the documentary when they talk about who Kevin would be in The Breakfast Club and who Scott would be – that was totally organic. When I was with Scott like we just totally riff because he made a joke and then me and Scott riffed on it. And when I interviewed Kevin, I asked him that question and the way that it edits perfectly, it just shows so much of their friendship. Literally they have a conversation between themselves that was in different rooms at different places and neither really knew what these men was saying, but it was said perfectly.

Q) Getting to work with Kevin Smith prior to Clerk, how has he influenced your career as a director?

A) I think the most important thing I learned from Kevin is that you cannot sit around and wait for permission. If I have a story that I want to tell, tell it. Find a way to tell it and don’t wait around for somebody to offer help. Kevin is fierce and that is something that I’ve respected and it’s something that very much I’ve has influenced me personally, I would say that would be the one thing.

Q) When can fans expect to see Clerk available to watch at home?

A) We are all figuring it now. This is the World Premiere. I know that we are planning a little mini tour in November. We’re going to premiere it in Austin at the Paramount Theater on November 3rd just to have the premiere they were supposed to have and then, I mean…Right now we’re kind of looking at distribution, which I’m staying away from. They’re figuring it out. Hopefully, we’ll find a good home for it as soon as possible. So were like—we’re definitely looking forward to sharing with people. That’s what we’re focused on now.

Q) What do you hope fans take away from the documentary?

A): That I didn’t f*** it up! [laughs] No, I hope that the fans get a sense of kind of what I did. Through Kevin’s career, he has had a pretty impressive influence on things. He’s left his mark on pop culture and I hope that once people watch this little journey we go through they kind of get a new appreciation. You know, Kevin has been able to transform himself many times, but he always stays true to himself and he stayed true to his crowd. I think that it is very admirable and hopefully people enjoy it. With the documentary I wanted to tell Kevin’s story, get as much information in and have as much interesting people from his life to tell the story. So, I hope people walk away satisfied, but they’ve got the Kevin Smith story.

Q) How have festivals like SXSW helped you and other filmmakers and artists in promoting your work and getting your name out there?

A) Film festivals are really important. I think that especially nowadays when Fiasco releases are just so unlikely. I think festivals kind of give you a new, great way to connect with an audience. It’s a great intermediary between like really seeing it on demand or through a cable outlet. It’s kind of wonderful to kind of get this – it’s a privilege to get to play film festivals and SXSW is great and I’ve been lucky to play there a bunch of times. A lot of cities and a lot of towns have really wonderful film festivals and, sadly, they’ve been really hurting right now during the pandemic. But I mean film festivals are something that—it’s really wonderful to see a community that supports its film festivals. I think it’s a very important part of the of the filmmaking community.

Q) Are there any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

A) I’m trying to figure it out right now. There’s a documentary on this Canadian filmmaker Bruce McDonald that I’m kind of working on who’s kind of my—as what Richard Linklater was to Kevin, this guy Bruce McDonald is to me? So, that’s one thing, that Canadian filmmaker. I’d like to tell his story.

Q) You have also been very active in directing films that highlight the LGBTQ+ community. In what way has your own experiences being a part of that community helped you with directing these projects?

A) Well, I think that the key to making anything is have a passion for it. And I think that I really found my voice in making these social issue queer documentaries that I had a lot of passion for. So, I mean, they really taught me how to be a good filmmaker. Basically, I told stories that I had a great passion for and that kind of helped form the project and make it hopefully as good as it can be.

Q) Aside from directing you also worked on various podcasts, the most recent with Jason Mewes on Smodcast Network’s “Blow Hard.” What has been a benefit of getting to step away from the cameras and work in such a different form of media?

A) I loved podcasting until Trump became president. And then I was just kind of like I can’t. I literally—but if you actually look at my podcasting career when Trump became president, I quit. I just didn’t want to alienate people. Podcasting was a lot of fun until Trump became president and then I just, I hung up my hat.

Q) Which Kevin Smith film is your favorite and why?

A) I guess it depends on the day. I mean, it literally changes. Like what’s my favorite Kevin Smith film? I’d probably—maybe Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. I just thought it was very audacious. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a movie he made to make himself laugh and I just think like he could have made any movie at that point. Like he just made Chasing Amy and he just made Dogma. He just made some music, some very serious movies and he just wanted to have fun. And Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is just a very fun movie. That movie has some of my favorite lines in it like the whole Good Will Hunting scene or Jay in the opening “f***, f***” scene. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back has some of the most memorable stuff in it and Jay is incredible in that film.

Q) Fun fact: I actually saw that film the night before I started my freshman year of college, like moving day. I saw that and that premiered the night before I went to college. I own the soundtrack. I own the DVD. I’m not ashamed of that. It was so funny.

A) There were a lot of funny bits in that film, like the whole line “You were the bomb in Phantoms!” Like I said, there’s so many little f***ing things in there that were funny.

Q) I think one of my favorites was when Jason is talking to Justice and he think he’s being so slick and saying “Jay and Justice, sitting in a tree”—I was dying! I always saw Jay’s character as he doesn’t care that he embarrasses himself and that’s what makes him hilarious. I was cracking up that whole movie.

A) The funny thing about Jay is that he started off being very much like that character, but he’s not like that character at all. Jay’s a dad now and you know Jay is not—that character is a performance and he doesn’t get enough credit for it. Like he’s putting on that performance and like nobody does Jay better than Jay but that’s not him. If you met Jay now, like he’s all about his daughter, video games and Legos. That’s Jay’s world right now. And his wife.

Q) What was the greatest advice you were given when you were choosing your career path?

A) Don’t wait for permission. If you have a story to tell, go make it. That’s the best advice I was given. Don’t wait for somebody to give you an opportunity, go out and take your opportunity.

Q) What would you like to say to people who are fans and supporters of your film work?

A) Thank you. People who support me, thank you so much. It’s a privilege to have an audience and you just want to kind of keep people interested and entertained by what you do so hopefully I keep getting the opportunity to do that.