4 Questions with Ronald Metellus ("Pull Up With a Stick")

1) What was the initial idea for this project and how did it evolve from there?

I wanted to make some funny, surreal shorts about golf in the vein of Alex Winter’s MTV sketch show “The Idiot Box.” Instead of parodying the whole idiot box, I’d just focus on The Golf Channel and act as if they had put me in charge of their new streaming service.

Shortly after that — or maybe months after, it was 2020 — I went down a rabbit hole of VHS-era golf instructional videos; stuff like Jim Fink’s “World Of Golf” and Lee Trevino’s “Golf For Swingers.” The conceit of an instructional seemed more manageable than shooting enough sketches to comprise a fake streaming service. You can definitely see those other sketches seeping into the montage editing though.

Once I had a decent edit, I reached out to my friend and VFX artist Wayne [Behle] to help me match the chintzy effects of those golf instructionals. He did that and more — speeding up the pace with glitch transitions and zooms. When I saw his edits I was like, “oh right, that’s what I was going for at the start.”

2) What was the biggest challenge in making this film? And the easiest part?

Striking the right tone with my voiceover narration was tricky as these kinds of instructional videos don’t share a singular tone. The voice varies from golfer to golfer. I had to ask myself, “how would I address amateur golfers if I were one of the most sought after names in the sport?” Turns out, I’d just use a slightly louder version of my regular speaking voice.

Considering all the variables, filming went really smoothly. I didn’t want to shoot on a golf course because they were too crowded at the time for [cinematographer] Charles [Steele] and I to post up on one tee box for three hours. At the time, I was going on walks at the Palmyra Nature Cove, which was low traffic and could pass for a beachside course. Still, it’s pretty nerve-wracking to hit golf balls in a public park when people and — to a much lesser extent — camera equipment could be harmed. By the time we shot — around sunset — the park had largely cleared out and my ball-striking did not pose a serious threat to our camera.

3) What’s a film you’ve seen recently, new or old, that you really loved and why?

Ildikó Enyedi’s “My 20th Century” was so much fun. I try to take a patient approach to films on the Criterion Channel, but that wasn’t necessary at all — you’ve got Thomas Edison, as a supporting character, starting electricity fights and leading light bulb rallies within the first twenty minutes of the film.

4) What’s next for you?
I think I’ve figured out a way to film the golf sketches that didn’t make it in this short. I’m also working on a more earnest tutorial about tropes in satire writing that should be helpful.

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ronaldmetellus.com | Instagram: @superflyronald | Twitter: @ronaldmetellus