5 Questions with Jeanpaul Isaacs ("The Courtesy")
1) Can you talk briefly about your background, and how you first got interested in filmmaking?
Filmmaking has always been a huge part of my life. At first, simply as an observer, watching movies and going along for the ride. It wasn't until halfway through my junior year of university when I decided to pursue filmmaking as a career. It was a decision that felt like jumping off a cliff because I felt so far behind but it turned out to be the best decision I ever made. It's surreal to think about all the places, people and experiences that I've come across since picking up a camera with intention. My interest in filmmaking came from the emotion I felt watching other people's films. I want to tell stories that do the same for others, simply put, I want my work to be meaningful.
2) What was the initial idea for this project and how did it evolve from there?
The Courtesy was inspired by the viral clip of Eliah Louis, a ten year old boy, hiding from a cop car. It's just a tragic showing of the mental health of children of color when it comes to police relations. I saw the clip and it made me frustrated, angry and ultimately inspired to create, to be reactive.
It was about a week later when I came across a viral clip of a white man beating two officers on the side of the road and then stealing their cop car that I came up with the idea for "The Courtesy".
What if I could recreate these two viral clips and connect them with a fictional thread, what if that thread was the "cop car"?
One clip shows an incredible amount of courtesy by police towards a man causing harm to them while another clip shows a boy, at just ten years old, knowing he doesn't have that privilege.
The Courtesy is an experimental short film that starts off as a thriller only to reveal that there is a relevant and social layer at play. It was my goal to heighten what these two viral clips are showing about the society we live in today and to continue the conversation about police relations.
3) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And the easiest part?
The biggest challenge in making this film was the production, the re-creation of both viral clips. My producers Isaiah Mcneill and Saajan Doshi did an incredible job of figuring out the logistics of actually making this possible. I didn't want to cut corners in what you saw on screen and they both were just as passionate in making that happen as I was.
The easiest part was finding people who would be on board for this. From the cast to the crew, everyone was so collaborative and down to make this short film happen. I'm so grateful to so many people. It's really hard making a film and in this instance I had so much support.
4) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?
The Host, a movie about family disguised as a monster film. I love it because it's about overlooked people doing the impossible, what's not to love about that.
5) What’s next for you?
In terms of narrative projects, I'm working on figuring out my next short. The idea is there, I'm just allowing myself to let it marinate before I start putting words to the page. My foot is on the gas and I don't want to take it off.
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IG: @jp.isaacs