00:00This is Tim Wasper from Festtrek Concert TV.
00:28I'm here at the Regal Cinemas Union Square in New York City for Dances with Films New York.
00:33Okay, it's a daughter who is, you know, going through puberty and is brooding and trying to figure things out
00:42and is dealing with a father that is a certain personality type slash disorder slash behavior that is inappropriate, abusive.
00:53And but when you're in that, I know from experience, when you're in that situation, you don't realize that you're in that situation when you're a kid because that's your norm.
01:02So I started to realize it wasn't normal around that age.
01:06And that's where in the movie, she's starting to realize something's up with dad that's not okay.
01:12And I'm not going to, you know, is she going to put up with it anymore?
01:16And it's coming to that point where you realize like your parent is not being the responsible one.
01:20And now you're the responsible one.
01:22And that flip is, you know, it's so it's a coming of age story, of course, in that way.
01:27That's her perspective.
01:28Yes, you are correct.
01:29In real life, they do not change most of the time.
01:34You always hope they do.
01:36You always say, hey, maybe you want to try this or that.
01:40And then then unfortunately, they don't usually.
01:44And but they it's a narcissistic personality.
01:47So they don't realize what they're doing and they're only thinking of themselves.
01:51So then that's that.
01:54And you're just kind of in the you're they're butting heads the whole time because they are very different people and different ages, different generations.
02:02And the car itself is the environment.
02:04It's also another character.
02:07For me, it's the representation of toxic masculinity, for sure.
02:10And I dealt with this car thing growing up as well, where it was a priority over my sister and I and the obsession with it.
02:21And, you know, it's a control thing to having things that you care about and keep pristine.
02:28And it's so important.
02:30And so that's definitely a part of the story as well.
02:33What if we get pulled over?
02:35When's the last time you saw a cop around here?
02:38And you really think that I should be driving?
02:40No.
02:41I'm fast.
02:44Hit it.
02:53I hate driving.
02:55Relax.
02:56It's fun.
02:57Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
03:00Can you try and keep it on the road?
03:02I'm doing my best.
03:03I'm letting you drive this car.
03:06This car.
03:07I don't care about your stupid car.
03:10It's all over.
03:13No.
03:15That's it.
03:16Lesson's over.
03:18Yeah, the only thing I'd add to this, you were talking about audience expectations.
03:21And because you have these, like, in a way, sort of stereotypical characters in a sense, because you have the young daughter.
03:35And then you have, like you said, the physicality of the dad is an imposing figure.
03:39But you assume it's going to go somewhere.
03:41And you assume that things are going to happen.
03:45But I think that, and I'm not going to reveal too much, because everyone should see the short.
03:48But we kind of wanted to sort of flip that on its head a little bit and have a character that, you know, it's a coming of age story.
03:57And overcome those situations.
04:00I understand.
04:00And what she spoke to actually sort of, they're actually similar characters.
04:03And I never realized this.
04:04So the character in my film, Where's My Package, I wouldn't say he totally suffers from, like, a narcissism of what he wants out of the world.
04:14I think that because it's such a zeitgeist moment of all of us wanting to get our packages on time, to have things served to us, there's, like, a built-in neuroticism and entitlement that I think we're all going through.
04:29So I think this is a shared insanity for everyone.
04:33And I think that's why, or at least I hope, but that's why so far people are really relating to the film.
04:38And my character's perspective is, I want what I want.
04:41I ordered it.
04:42And why aren't I getting it?
04:44And why isn't the universe giving me what I'm supposed to get?
04:47And how come when I call customer service, they don't respond to me in a way that's rational, normal, sane?
04:53And I'm getting back what I feel is not filling my needs.
05:00And so it's a story about somebody who needs something desperately, maybe needs to get there for a certain reason that's very important to them.
05:08And what does it cause in our souls to not get our shit?
05:12Can I curse?
05:13Yeah.
05:13Sure, then not get our shit.
05:15Because we want our stuff.
05:17And what kind of maniacs are we becoming because we're not getting it?
05:20All these delivery services, they're all the same.
05:22Not one of them gives a damn about you.
05:24Oh no, the system's down.
05:25I'm just wondering if any packages came in today.
05:27If anything does come in, right there.
05:29Just, pow pow.
05:30Welcome to Logistics.
05:32How may I help you?
05:33I've been going through the whole customer service rigmarole.
05:36Yeah.
05:36Two days ago, we're three stops away.
05:38Then we're at the warehouse.
05:38Here at Logistics, we make sure that everything that you've ever ordered gets to you when you need it.
05:44Where the fuck is my package?
05:46Right.
05:47And so the reason I made this film is because I probably was sitting there one day
05:51and looking at my package that I ordered.
05:54It was in Missouri.
05:55It's in Ohio.
05:55And it starts to feel like a conspiracy.
05:57And then I'm calling and I'm getting angry, but I shouldn't be angry.
06:01We had lines in the film that I took out where it's like, it's not your fault, but it is your fault.
06:06Like, I mean, you want to yell because there's an apathy that comes back.
06:09I mean, this for me is, it's just an incredible playground to explore because my question is, what are we doing?
06:17And if I can provoke that response where somebody is really looking at their own behavior in the system itself,
06:23then I think I've done my job as a filmmaker.
06:25And so it was just so easy to create a character who may or may not be me that suffers through this
06:34and goes into a descent into madness trying to get his package.
06:37And then the question easily comes to the filmmaker.
06:39How far would you go to get it?
06:41I may not break into a warehouse.
06:43I'm not saying that happens.
06:44It might.
06:44I may not do the crazy things that he does.
06:47But I certainly can imagine it.
06:49And I felt the desire to do it.
06:52And I have shown up outside of the FedEx facility.
06:54They sent me in the middle of nowhere to get something.
06:56They told me to go there.
06:57And some guy comes out and doesn't even look like he worked there.
07:00And he's like, who is this construction looking guy?
07:02There's no outfit.
07:04And then he's like, yeah, here's your thing.
07:06I'm like, thanks.
07:07It's a little mangled, but at least I'm whole again.
07:10And so it's easy to make this movie.
07:12It was easy.
07:13We are finding ways to get them all of their stuff.
07:17I refresh the page over and over and over.
07:19Don't worry, sir.
07:20You're going to get all the help.
07:21You're telling me it's supposed to be here tomorrow?
07:23Well, the math isn't mathic.
07:24You have a problem.
07:25Free them all, brother.
07:27Free them all.
07:29Family is also hilarious.
07:30Even when it doesn't function, when it's dysfunctional.
07:32And I feel like everyone's family is dysfunctional in a specific way.
07:36It's just different levels.
07:38And when we're saying, like, when we meet people, they have a great relationship with my parents.
07:41I've never had any tension, blah, blah.
07:43I'm like, I'm like, are you like a unicorn?
07:45Like, that's, I'm like, are you okay?
07:47I got actually concerned about them because they had a great, you know, perfect childhood with their parents.
07:51But, yeah.
07:53So, like, and also, like, it's funny.
07:55It's sometimes, like, and it's, the tension is, it's fun.
07:58Things that happen are funny.
07:59And even though definitely in ours, you know, it's, there's addiction issues and there's definitely emotional and mental abuse.
08:11But you have to laugh at it and, you know, look at why people behave that way.
08:18And it's, you know.
08:19It's no family.
08:19It's perfect.
08:20I mean, the thing is, is that every person that sees drug medicine is going to identify as some part of it.
08:25Yeah.
08:25You know, I had.
08:26It's universal.
08:27Right.
08:27Yeah, it's interesting when you're dealing with that.
08:31And you're trying, I'm trying to be understanding as well with making this film.
08:34I'm trying to also understand how I grew up as well.
08:37And I've been forced to face that more as an adult with, you know, things happening and big life events.
08:43And, like, you know, it's, like you said, you can't necessarily do anything about them.
08:49You can't change them.
08:50And if they're not willing to change, you have to walk away sometimes.
08:53And it's the healthier thing to do.
08:55And so, yeah, I guess, like, the film kind of represents that moment.
09:01Like, she's so young.
09:02But, like, yeah, she basically has to be like, yep, well.
09:05But she'll remember those things 20 years down the line.
09:08That's the thing about memory.
09:09Yep.
09:10She does remember those things 20 years down the line.
09:12I do.
09:13I do.
09:13And so does my sister.
09:15Yeah, she even, like, she was, like, when I told her about the film, she was, like, and she was younger than me.
09:22And she was, like, oh, she's, like, he made you drive his car, his pride and joy, that car.
09:29We didn't have a crappy minivan.
09:31We could have driven it instead to get her.
09:33He's, like, oh, she's, like, of course.
09:34It's the psychology of it where he made you drive that car just to put more pressure on you and think it's so cool.
09:40But at the same time, he's just making it so much harder on you.
09:43And that's, like, totally, like, the mind F that he would, like, you know, do.
09:47So she's, like, oh.
09:49The filmmaking is therapy for me, too.
09:50Like, I, that's why, I think that's why, like, I say my, like, I don't have a therapist.
09:56So, like, this film will do.
09:58Maybe, you know, it helps.
10:00And everyone helps other people, too, that have discussed their similar issues they've had, too, with me.
10:05A lot of people.
10:06So it's nice.
10:08It's nice to have those conversations with people.
10:18What is up your ass?
10:26So you're just going to ignore me?
10:31Yes.
10:33It's real mature.
10:39That's it.
10:40Lesson's over.
10:40Stop the car.
10:44Pull over.
10:45No.
10:46God damn it, I said pull over.
10:47I'm not letting you drive.
10:48I'm your father.
10:49That means I'm in charge.
10:50You don't call the shots.
10:51Well, I'm not drunk, and that makes me in charge.
10:53Oh, my God.
10:54At every second of everything you've said.
10:55I mean, it's like, but, you know, like, I mean, there's such a jarring moment, especially for your film.
11:01I think that there's a moment in everyone's life where you have that moment where you become your parent's parent.
11:07And it's jarring, and it's especially jarring in your film, which is brilliant, in that moment when it happens when you're 12 or 14.
11:15It happens sort of prematurely.
11:16It usually happens in your 20s, your 30s, your 40s.
11:18And then starting to see your parents as people, too, and the flaws, and starting to understand the flaws of yourself.
11:26And I think your film really brilliantly exposed all of that in a very short amount of time.
11:29So when I say it's a descent into madness, it's as much as my film is about getting a package, it's really about it.
11:35A little bit about addiction, a little bit about, you know, choosing to enter and stay in the matrix or leave it, right?
11:44It's a little bit of three-dimensional.
11:45It's a little bit of, are we alone in this madness?
11:48Is it just me?
11:50In my film, it's not.
11:52It's everybody with examples of things that show it.
11:55And, yeah, no, I'm fascinated when character, I mean, it's necessary for me to show flaws in people because that's what's interesting because it's not a perfect experience.
12:07Culture is something that is created.
12:09That's why each culture is different and somehow works, but extremely doesn't depending on which culture you're in.
12:15And our current one in Western culture, this shit is f***ing insane.
12:19And, you know, what causes something like your terrible thing that you had to go through makes for sometimes great drama and incredible comedy.
12:33You're calling the shots now, huh?
12:36Miss responsible.
12:38What a joke.
12:42Twelve.
12:43Twelve.
12:44And I'm letting you drive this car.
12:47This car.
12:49You should be grateful.
12:51Well, I'm not.
12:52And I don't care about your stupid car.
12:56Because if you can't laugh, like, there is no healing.
13:00And to me, all of it is absurd.
13:02All of it is kind of funny after the fact, right?
13:06And in my case, it seems like all of my work is it seems like a silly comedy.
13:12But I love to have an undercurrent, a subtext, that if you really look, like my last film was here last year.
13:19We did very well with it, called Bitch, I'm Early, which is two women race to the office to show each other up to see who will be the better worker, maybe get the promotion.
13:28But they're two Latina women, so they're the same and just a generation apart.
13:32And they're basically willing to kill themselves or kill each other to get this thing.
13:36And the undertone is like, undercurrent is like, for a system that doesn't care.
13:40And I find comedy is a way to cut through somebody and really make them think after the fact.
13:46That's why I love things like, you know, playing trains in automobiles when John Candy has his moment at the end.
13:51And it retroactively says this was working on you the whole time.
13:55And I think the more absurd for me, I love cinematic magical realism.
14:00I love taking things to extremes and then having grounding factors that make you and moments that make you come back and then jerking you right back to the extreme because I'm trying to create a contrast that makes a bigger point.
14:10And if you don't walk away with that bigger point, that's OK.
14:13As long as you had a great time, that's also OK.
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