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2. What gave you the inspiration to make ALL GROWN UP?
When I was first getting into punk I remember my mom saying “oh it’s just a phase you’ll grow out of it in a couple years.” A couple years later I was even deeper into it and she said “oh you’ll grow out of it when you graduate high school.” The summer after I graduated high school I went to England for the Holidays in the Sun fest (when it was still HITS). Then it was “you’ll grow out of it when you go to college.” Nope it was still there! “It’s ok, when you get a real job you’ll get out of it.” So I moved to Providence and started working for Rhode Island PBS. “Well surely when you graduate from college you’ll realize that it’s time to grow up.” I graduated from college and said “I think I want to make a movie called All Grown Up about older punks and how it’s NOT JUST A PHASE.” Haha! But really that sort of kicked it off and got me thinking about how it seems the whole world thinks that punk is just something that teenagers do to rebel against their parents, the establishment, or whatever there is to rebel against and that’s the total opposite of reality. I think that some kids who are first getting into punk might feel as though it’s not something that they can continue doing after high school or after college or whatever because the way that the media and the outside world portrays it is so negative that it makes kids feel like there’s no future in punk – when really for most of us the only future is punk. So I guess you could say my main inspiration for All Grown Up is really in the younger punks. Hopefully through this release some 15 year old kid out there – who has his parents and teachers telling him to grow up and stop this phase – will show them this movie and be able to say “I fucking told you so – I knew I wasn’t the only one!”
3. Since the movie is totally financed by yourself, do you feel that this has given you total freedom to tell your story?

In a way yes but in a way no. Because I’m financing it out of pocket it gives me the freedom to do whatever I want with it and have it say whatever I want but it also has put limits on the production and promotion. All of the money comes from me working as a lifeguard 75-80 hours a week and the majority of that gets eaten up by the costs of equipment, travel, living, and the government raping me for taxes. I wish that I could have done a lot more in production (see question #13) and I would have if I had the money – but it was just impossible. As for promotion, generally when a movie gets produced the big companies (or even little ones that have some money) will have a publicist and a PR department. All I have is a copy machine and MySpace. Don’t get me wrong though, I wouldn’t have it any other way! Even though I’m limiting myself by doing it this way it means more to me and hopefully it will mean more to other people as well when it’s released.

4. Do feel that other movies have been compromised because of corporate sponsorship?

I don’t know if it’s because of corporate sponsorship but I think that some other movies have been compromised because of the biased and negative views of the directors/producers. I’m not saying that my movie isn’t biased because it definitely is but it doesn’t put anybody down or show anyone in a negative light. I think it’s impossible to make a movie that everyone will like because everyone has different tastes. Some people think it’s ok to produce products that are anti-establishment through the establishment and that’s ok. If that’s the way you want to go more power to you – exploit the exploiters before they exploit you! I prefer to keep it DIY.

I don’t know if it’s because of corporate sponsorship but I think that some other movies have been compromised because of the biased and negative views of the directors/producers. I’m not saying that my movie isn’t biased because it definitely is but it doesn’t put anybody down or show anyone in a negative light. I think it’s impossible to make a movie that everyone will like because everyone has different tastes. Some people think it’s ok to produce products that are anti-establishment through the establishment and that’s ok. If that’s the way you want to go more power to you – exploit the exploiters before they exploit you! I prefer to keep it DIY.I don’t know if it’s because of corporate sponsorship but I think that some other movies have been compromised because of the biased and negative views of the directors/producers. I’m not saying that my movie isn’t biased because it definitely is but it doesn’t put anybody down or show anyone in a negative light. I think it’s impossible to make a movie that everyone will like because everyone has different tastes. Some people think it’s ok to produce products that are anti-establishment through the establishment and that’s ok. If that’s the way you want to go more power to you – exploit the exploiters before they exploit you! I prefer to keep it DIY.
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He's been playing punk rock since before you were born.
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