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One on One with Michael Dunn
By Cynthia Stewart
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Michael Thomas Dunn is poised to shake things up in Hollywood. The independent film maker spoke candidly with me last month about several topics, including his upcoming feature film. He also shared some insight about his career and goals. Below is the transcript from the interview.
CYNTHIA: I noticed that you've directed, acted and written for film and television. What position do you prefer to be known by?
DUNN: "Its hard to really classify me as any one thing. I enjoy writing and directing, but even acting is fun for me. I try not to take anything too seriously."
CYNTHIA: Did you expect to be so successful when you were younger?
DUNN: "Well, I think you are getting a bit carried away. I'm just getting started, I have a long way to go. I have much larger plans than just being an independent film maker. Don't get me wrong... I'm excited that things are starting to work out, but I believe I have a lot of work ahead of me."
CYNTHIA: Where do you get your inspiration? Your films typically distort colors, what is the purpose this of artistic vision?
DUNN: "I may be a director, but I'll never be an artist. I don't even think I have much talent... I certainly wasn't the best film maker back in Film School. I don't even think I'd make the Top 10 out of the 30 students there [at the film school].
As for the colors, I like to bring back the classic styles. The Standoff had an intentional film-noir look to it. Midnight Conflict tried to blend contemporary music video style imagery with the look of a tinted silent film. Out of Time was a full-blown throwback to a 1920's silent film. Alone and Restless will have some of these elements, plus a few new tricks.
CYNTHIA: For example?
DUNN: "Well, I don't want to give too much away about it [Alone and Restless]. It is the first screenplay I wrote in a non-linear fashion. I think the movie will suprise those who are familar with my style. Most people usually associate me with action movies, which is fine by me. I plan to make more action films after Alone and Restless wraps."
CYNTHIA: What do you do when you get writer's block?
DUNN: "I've been lucky. So far, I've never gotten writer's block. I think one of my strengths is that I never stop dreaming, most my ideas come from my fantasies or nightmares. I wrote a horror screenplay based on a bad dream I had when I was just a kid. The screenplay for the TV movie I wrote is based on a fantasy of mine when I was in high school. Being a screenwriter really gives me an outlet and actually has made me more of a dreamer."
CYNTHIA: You had a turbulent life as a student? You bounced around schools, advancing through school years in a matter of months and still managing straight A's in the process. What do you think of school in general?
DUNN: "That was a long time ago. I actually wish my school life was a bit more normal in retrospect. I didn't spend a single day in Eighth Grade, I was advanced directly to Ninth when I was only halfway through Seventh. I had a hard time adjusting to High School, everyone was suddenly older than me and I didn't know anyone at the new school. It was very difficult to make new friends and I was initially an outcast. I think the experience made me stronger, but it was tough to go through."
Check out Part II of the Interview (Listen to it!)
Return To Michael Dunn Intro
© 2000 WriteLine Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
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