The acclaimed director of George Washington talks to kamera.co.uk's Hannah Patterson about his artistic and economic choices.
kamera.co.uk: What inspired you to want to tell this story?
David Gordon Green: Hoping to find a dignity and entertainment in people who aren't often represented in films. I wanted to find a new way to tell stories and shoot pictures.
k.c.u: Much of the cast is made up of unknowns and non-professionals. Did working with non-actors, particularly children, affect the manner of your direction? If so, how?
DGG: The cast didn't have a lot of preconceptions about what acting was. I found it helpful. They weren't trained speakers with precise pronunciations and gestures. To them, acting was being, so all of my direction was pulled from asking simple questions about their feelings, beliefs, philosophies and relationships.
k.c.u: The mood and atmosphere of the film is created by a very specific style of film-making. Where some directors may have gone for a hand-held, grainy approach, you chose a broad canvas and a lush aesthetic. What prompted you to make this choice?
DGG: I like pretty pictures and nice music. I like natural light and sweeping landscapes. To me, this film was a chance to make ugly things look beautiful. To find beauty where no one expects it. It's obvious that a waterfall or mountaintop is scenic, but what about the burnt out building with the sun burning onto a rusted old train car? To me, that is delicious.
k.c.u: The pace of the film is unusually measured, particularly in comparison to much of today's cinema, which often doesn't allow time for a story to be told or a character revealed. Was this a deliberate counter-balance on your part?
DGG: I wanted to slow down the pace of this film to let the beats unfold and the glances say things the dialogue could never touch. I hate snappy dialogue and fancy editing. I like films you can take naps to. Films to dream to and to dance to.
k.c.u: George's aspirational attitude, and the unlikelihood that he will ever achieve his goal to become president of the United States, seems to be critiquing aspects of the American Dream. Was this intentional?
DGG: Why is it unlikely that he won't become the president of the United States? Who's to say? I'm not critiquing anything. I'm looking for the unexpected. George is a smart kid. He's extremely hopeful and ambitious. He gets anything he works for as long as he keeps being smart about it and makes the right friends and doesn't bump his head too hard along the way.
k.c.u: The film has been a great critical success both in North America and at festivals around the world. How has this affected your artistic and economic choices?
DGG: The less money a film costs, the more creative freedom you have as a filmmaker. I don't like a lot of people looking over my shoulder telling me what they think is good or bad. I have a close team of people I work with whose advice and ideas I am guided by. We'll make films we love and have a good time doing it. I hope others enjoy our work as well. I know my material will intrigue some people and frustrate or bore other people, but I've found that love and hate aren't that far apart and both are interesting.
k.c.u: Do you anticipate revisiting a similar style and subject-matter your future projects?
DGG: Not for a while. I'd like to try new things on different sides of the world.
