5 Questions with Joe Bonacci

The absurd comedy “Cat Stickers,” directed by Joe Bonacci, is about the annoyed tenants of an apartment building who keep finding cat decals everywhere. We asked Bonnaci how it started and about the improvisational process of his cast…

1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in comedy?

I got into comedy because I've always loved editing and performing. I took a bunch of improv classes and UCB while also editing tons of content for other comics along the way.  Some of the web stuff I've been in has been Fixing Breaking Bad, Broad City, Ed Hawkin's Yule Log and the interactive web series "The Job Interview." I studied directing with Adrienne Weiss and over the past year I've co-hosted several comedy shows at Vital Joint in Brooklyn.    

2) What’s the origin story here? A real cat sticker bandit? Dark thoughts you personally had?

I'm kind of always looking for props, so when I stumbled upon these cat stickers online I instantly saw the fractured man who would find solace in their powerful gestures. The cats would obviously delight this man and blind him to their destructive nature. There would never be a single second he would consider the stickers possibly for children. They were made for him and him alone. 

3) Can you talk a bit about your improvisation process. You’re working from short scene descriptions? How many takes do you do? How much directing is involved, or is it just letting the cast run free?

I tell the performers how long the take should be around and what points we need to hit; then we improvise around 3-5 takes.  If we've hit those without laughing then we can move on.  I usually will have beats for the intro and middle of the scene but I like the outros to formulate in an organic manner. I have many outtakes I like because every ending is a different interaction.   A lot of the directing I do is done in casting.  As a director and editor everything kinda just meshes together, like when i'm directing and performing, i'm also editing the entire piece in my head. 

4) What’s the funniest film, new or old, you’ve seen recently?

I just re-watched The Little Hours for the 3rd time. I love that movie.

5) What’s next for you?

I really love faux-horror so I'm creating more of that right now.  I hope to get into longer format content this year.