5 Questions with Zoe Katz
The gloriously absurd, “A Very JNCOS Movie,” directed by Zoe Katz, finds a group of young men wearing gigantic JNCOS trying to stay safe on a construction site. We asked Katz how the project started, what the biggest challenge was, and what comes next for her…
1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?
I grew up in San Diego doing a ton of local theater and musical theater. After high school I worked as an actor in LA for several years until I found my real passion- making crazy surreal films with Barbie dolls and action figures. I bought the ugliest, grossest dolls and toys I could find at flea markets, and made my first series “Mohammad’s Music” on my kitchen table. I then created a second show “Dead Girlfriend”, a mixed media series also done with figurines in place of actors. Through making twenty six episodes of this show, I learned how to write, direct, shoot, edit, and basically become my own no budget production company. Since then, I wrote and directed a sketch show “Free Period” for the Disney Channel, and have created and directed various projects for Super Deluxe, including “Bid’s Basement”- the first ever scripted live stream variety show done entirely with dolls and figurines.
2) What’s the backstory here - what was the initial idea and how did it evolve from there?
I’ve always been obsessed with JNCO Jeans. As a kid, I saw teens in the rave scene sporting them and was totally fascinated by the sheer magnitude and ridiculous-ness of the pants. Cut to: a few years ago I found a pair at a vintage store, tried them on as a joke, and ended up buying them with the hopes of getting some of my friends to wear them for a dumb video. But the JNCOS weren’t big enough! So I went to jncos.com and bought the largest pair they sold, AKA the “Crime Scenes” which are 50 INCHES WIDE at the bottom of each leg opening. When they arrived in the mail, my friend tried them on and I laughed so hard I cried. I was in love! Ironically, that very day, I got an email from JNCOS saying they were going out of business and everything must go. I took that as a “sign” and bought eight more pairs of JNCOS and went totally crazy and made a series of six videos with these large pants (If you’re interested you can watch them at click4hotties.org/jncos). Through making this series, I eventually got the attention of JNCOS themselves, and they started supporting and promoting my videos. My fantasy was to now have a mountain of men in JNCOS, so I made my grande finale film, which turned into “A Very JNCOS Movie”.
3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And generally what part of the creative process do you enjoy the most, and the least?
The biggest challenge was safety. We shot this on an actual construction site, with real power tools that are incredibly dangerous, but thankfully had no issues. Because I am the entire crew, we were able to shoot quickly and move from scene to scene with no issues. Most of our actors are professional dancers, and were incredibly easy to work with. Playing around with the performers is one of my favorite aspects of filmmaking, as well as the editing process. I love editing. Even if I didn’t get what I needed at the shoot, I always know I can make up for it with funny editing and music. The part I enjoy the least is scheduling the actors.
4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?
I recently saw “Border” a Swedish fantasy film directed by Ali Abbasi that I absolutely loved. This is one of the only films I’ve seen in recent years that actually surprised me, and has one of the most unique plots I’ve ever seen. All I can say is that it’s about a very unusual woman. If I tell you more it will spoil the story, but check it out on Hulu if you’re interested!
5) What’s next for you?
I’m writing my first feature film, and am continuing to pitch my crazy shows all over Hollywood. I’m also about to finish my first documentary that I made with my creative partner Kent Boyd (the lead in A Very JNCOS Movie) which centers around an eccentric teenage dancer as he embarks on a quest to get an agent at a national dance convention.
—
http://www.zoekatz.com
Instagram: @zoekatz
Twitter: @HavinFunOnline