5 Questions with Ben Kitnick
A lighthearted comedy about a doomsday cult, “Exit Statement,” by director Ben Kitnick, examines what happens when a cult leader gets really irritated with one of his followers. We asked Kitnick how the project started, what the biggest challenge was, and what comes next for him…
1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interesting in filmmaking?
I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona playing with the family camcorder. Around 6 years old I learned that a distant cousin was the director of the Criterion-deserving Cool Runnings which, in hindsight, sparked the realization that people actually made these things I consumed (still never met the guy). The next 20 years have been a whirlwind of life lessons reminiscent of the Jamaican bobsled team’s journey.
2) What’s the backstory here - what was the initial idea and how did it evolve from there?
I thought of the idea 4 years ago but waited until I felt established enough to secure a quality cast. I’ve been in New York for a few years mostly working on documentaries, but my first love was always comedy. I wrote the script over a few days and shortly after approached some of my favorite improvisers, all with the intention of them leaving their mark on the dialogue. I really think the majority of my job is in the casting and was thrilled to work with these actors.
3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And generally what part of the creative process do you enjoy best, and the least?
We filmed over perhaps the most chaotic week of my life. I was in Haiti working on a documentary alongside my primary cinematographer and close friend Saxon Richardson. He’s LA-based so when he had a few days in New York post Haiti, we decided to fit in Exit Statement. Sick and sleep deprived, we went upstate and shot the film over 24 delirious hours.
I love working with actors on set. The collaboration is the most enjoyable part. I’d say my least favorite part is pre-production when I’m eager to shoot it already.
4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?
I really enjoyed seeing Zia Anger’s My First Film at Metrograph. I don’t get to the theater too often so that performance was a reminder of the vitality still only possible in a communal theater experience. I also recently rewatched Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond The Pines which I think is severely under-appreciated. It’s an earnest, admirable big swing and I think the film really earns it.
5) What’s next for you?
I’m currently churning away on editing the Haiti doc and developing a new short that’s almost entirely visual, a departure from my dialogue-focused sensibilities. I’m also working on a couple feature ideas including a feature version of Exit Statement.
—