• Via @courtenaymmkay “whatcha doing today?” Signing mountains of merchandise for http://www.jayandsilentbob.com – Christmas rush is coming…
• Via @movieinsiders “Check out this Amazon deal: Dogma(Bluray) $7.99 http://bit.ly/28a7fM ” That’s a pretty sweet deal and a packed disc.
• Via @dvdmike “Dave: getting in the ASC” HUGE congrats to Baby Dave Klein (my eyes), invited 2 join the American Society of Cinematographers.
• Via @timmcknightUK “does Jason Mewes have twitter?” Yes, but be warned: it’s a lot of “Mmm..coffee” and “Love the Puggle” Tweets. @JayMewes

Hit up the official twitter page for detailed tweet sessions on some recent couples times with the wife, and his thoughts on attending the recent “Twilight: New Moon” premiere with his daughter. WireImage has the photos.

CLERKS: ‘I’m Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today’.

Friday 22nd July, 2011
Tickets: http://www.jack-roe.co.uk/stdcgi/taposcgi/prilon/book?perfcode=1204
Event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=218463174851171

This is first in a series of ‘Quote Along’ style screenings from the PCC and we’re kicking it off in style with Kevin Smith’s groundbreaking debut, CLERKS.

For one-night-only we’ll be transforming our bar into the QUICK STOP, inviting audience members to perform the ‘BERSERKER’ live on stage and asking everyone who attends to come dressed as their favourite Kevin Smith character, with the best costume winning a very special prize on the night.

So come on down, get yourself a seat and get ready to scream ’37!’ at the screen at just the right in what is sure to be another great PCC film event night!

If you’re a fan in the UK, we can’t see why you would not want to be there that day. Get your tickets via the links above, as we’re betting on a sell-out.

…Earlier this year he did two new things: first, he started offering additional podcasts, both from himself and others. It was mainly the rotating cast of close friends of Smith, many of whom have appeared on previous SModcasts, doing their own podcasts, and putting together a Smodcast podcast network. And, I’ve actually become hooked on those as well — even though I never thought I’d care what Smith’s friends had to say on anything (though, ironically, on a recent episode of one of these podcasts, the Tell ’em Steve-Dave show, the hosts came out supporting John Mellencamp on his recent confused anti-internet statements, with Walt suggesting that anyone who downloads unauthorized content should have their computers destroyed on the spot). The second thing he did was he took SModcast on the road, with a series of live shows at various venues (including the Improv in Hollywood). Yes, this was basically still him sitting around, chatting with Scott Mosier about whatever he felt like chatting about… but people were paying to see them do it live.

Once again… giving away the infinite goods for free… and realizing he could sell the scarce good (seats/access). In fact, as expected, the infinite goods help make those scarce goods more valuable. The reason why people want to go see Kevin Smith literally have a random conversation with a close friend is because of all those free Smodcasts they listen to.

And now he’s taken even that to another level. After the success of some of the other podcasts and the live shows, Smith set up a Smodcastle theater in Los Angeles, where he not only will regularly perform Smodcasts, but has a whole host of other podcasts being recorded as well. Hell, he’ll even host weddings there for a large fee — where he’ll turn your wedding into a podcast where he’ll interview the bride and groom before officiating their wedding. Seriously.

See TechDirt for the whole thing, a highly recommended read.

CLERKS on NETFLIX

CHASING AMY on NETFLIX

JAY & SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK on NETFLIX

CLERKS on HULU (FREE!)

CHASING AMY on HULU (FREE!)

It’s been great to see how well these films have held up over the years — Kevin recently tweeted that he began negative cutting on “Clerks” an astounding 18 years ago. And now, you’ve got two ways that the film can be spooling on your computer or mobile device screen in mere seconds. Ah, technology.

Chris and Dave chatted about RED STATE, his probable involvement with HIT SOMEBODY, that still untitled father/son sci-fi space comedy, and CLERKS 3.

AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID KLEIN

BY CHRIS GRAVES

CHRIS GRAVES: For those who do not know, what is your background and how were you introduced to the world of View Askew and Kevin Smith?

DAVID KLEIN: Kevin Smith, Scott Mosier and I all met at the Vancouver Film School. Kevin dropped out to save the rest of his tuition to make Clerks, while Mosier and I finished the program. Shortly after that program ended, I was in Seattle working as a camera assistant and Kevin sent me the script for Clerks. Nobody else was going to let a 20 year old, inexperienced punk like me shoot a movie, so I took the last 500 bucks I had in the bank and bought a ticket to New Jersey.

CG: What inspired you to become a director of photography?

DK: When I first started studying film, I thought I wanted to be a director. But shortly after getting to film school and learning what it was that different types of filmmakers did, I understood that I was always thinking in terms of what a cinematographer does, not a director. I was thinking in terms of camera movement, lighting and composition to tell the story, not authoring performances. I had also had a small amount of experience shooting 35mm still photography and 16mm motion picture films, which naturally let me in that direction also.

CG: You’ve acted in a lot of Kevin’s movies as well. Did you have a favorite appearance? And would you act again if asked?

DK: No and no. That ship has sailed.

CG: Can you describe your working relationship with Kevin? Is there a certain process that the two of you go through on every project?

DK: We have a true, unspoken language when we’re on a set together. Adam Siegel, one of the producers on Cop Out, noticed after seeing Kevin and I work together for a few days that “Klein cares about everything Smith doesn’t” which is somewhat true, but that simplification doesn’t give Kevin enough credit. He has really cared about what his films look like for quite a few years now.

We basically start every film by sitting together and going through the entire script in order to put a shot list together. Some scenes that we’re really familiar and comfortable with, we skip. Some we get very specific with. Because of our approach to Red State, although we had a shot list for the entire movie, we rarely referenced it. But we always attack the scene with the same intent even if we’re not actually following our predesigned shot list. He is one director that leaves me completely alone when it comes to lighting. Which, again, is not to say that he isn’t interested in the way his films look, he is. But in terms of how I’m using the lighting to help tell the story, he leaves that all up to me.

CG: Where did you come across the term “dutch rudder” which was refered to in ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO?

DK: In college, baby.

CG: Will the public ever get to see the often mentioned WILLAM BLACK short film that you shot with Scott Mosier back in film school? If not can you shed any light on what that short was about and why it hasn’t been released to this point?

DK: I doubt it will ever come out. It’s a short film owned by the film school, so there might be a lot of nonsense in getting it put out somewhere. I selfishly hope it doesn’t get out because it was one of the first things I ever shot, and it looks like it. But I was quite proud of a dolly we created for a scene where the camera and the actor were on the same platform that could spin around 360 degrees for 4 or 5 rotations. i had recently been influenced by Talk Radio and was stealing a shot from that movie.

CG: What format do you prefer, digital or film? And do you think there will come a day when film is completely phased out in favor of digital or something else entirely?

DK: I still prefer film. The latitude, resolution and grain are what I love about film. There’s also a way that these things work together that makes film the format I always want to use. But, digital is getting much better and I’m a huge fan of the Red One MX sensor. I think it’s definitely one of the best digital cameras out there and in a Lustre DI suite, it pushes around and color grades more like film than any other digital camera I’ve had my hands on. The day where film is phased out is coming, but it won’t be phased out by something better, it’ll be phased out by something cheaper. And that’s kind of heartbreaking.

CG: Do you have any desire to write and/or direct your own feature someday?

DK: No. I don’t have anything to say as a director right now.

CG: What was your experience like on the movie VULGAR? How does Bryan Johnson’s style of directing compare to Mr. Smith’s?

DK: That was a long time ago. All I can say about Vulgar is that I was a cinematographer who didn’t know what I was doing, but thought I did. Which is a very dangerous place for an artist to be, because you make arrogant decisions. I think a lot of that movie looks good, especially considering the budget – but a lot of the look of that movie comes from a place that was self serving and not necessarily best for the film. Arrogance sometimes comes along with youth and inexperience – but I’ve learned a lot since then.

CG: What can we expect from RED STATE, Kevin’s upcoming political horror film, in terms of the look and mood? Old school 70’s grain or crystal clear modern day cinematography or somewhere in between?

DK: I think it’s somewhere in between. We shot the entire film handheld, and I gave the lighting a singular voice that, I hope, matches a handheld camera. The lighting isn’t as refined as some of the work we did on Zack and Miri or Cop Out – it’s a bit more simple than that. But I think there’s a elegance to simplicity sometimes, just like there’s an elegance to a well operated handheld shot – which I hope we have a lot of. The look of the movie was facilitated by a number of factors, two of which were budget and time. When you don’t have the budget to take the time to light a film the way you see it in your head, you have to come up with something else. So the look of Red State comes from a creative place, but there were other factors that pushed it further in the direction it ended up going. I’m very proud of the work and happy with the way it turned out. I’d say it’s got some grit to it but there’s nothing in it that feels forced to me.

CG: Will you be involved with HIT SOMEBODY and Kevin’s untitled sci-fi father/son space comedy?

DK: Absolutely. Where Kev goes, I go.

CG: Do you have any new projects coming up besides RED STATE?

DK: I’m currently prepping season 4 of True Blood. I’m an alternating cinematographer on the show this season, so I’ll be shooting 6 of the 12 episodes.

CG: And finally, can we expect to see you behind the camera for CLERKS 3 somewhere down the line?

DK: Where Kev goes, I go.

Much thanks to Dave and Chris for the interview — It’s been fantastic seeing Dave’s work progress over the years, and a testament of loyalty on both he and Kevin’s part that the two continue to work together today.

Chris has done some fantastic work for us over the years, and tells us that he’s lined up a few more great exclusives that we’ll be sharing in the coming weeks. Thanks to Chris for his continued contributions — Be sure to check out the full series of interviews if you’re new and missed any from the past.

First off, let’s talk about the style and look. The “Clerks” Jameson takes etines popular Jameson style and adds some cool, yet subtle touches.

Of particular note is of course the “Clerks.” font which appears on the outsides of each shoe. The folks at Etnies have also taken that font for their own logo which appears across the tongue. The deep black color fits very well with the look of the shoe and makes them stylish for every wardrobe. Other than the text, the design is very subtle and basic, which should make for a pretty versatile shoe that can fit with any wardrobe style.

Last, but certainly not least, the insides of the shoe, when placed together, feature a glimpse at an iconic moment from the “Clerks” film, of Jay and Silent Bob against the stores. Obviously you won’t see this while wearing them, but you’ll know it’s there — And it’s an extra conversation piece if you wanna show them off to your pals. Make sure you’ve got on clean socks and fresh feet first, of course.

How about the comfort level? Well, we’re happy to say these shoes not only look good, they feel great. Jamesons are one of etnies’ most popular and comfortable shoes, so this line was the perfect fit for adopting as a custom Kevin Smith shoe — Their trademarked STI foam makes these the most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve ever walked in. Construction is durable, making it feel like these things would take some abuse pretty well — But let’s face it, these things are too cool to abuse too much. They’re best reserved for special occasions. Once they’re gone, it’s not like you’ll be able to nab yourself a replacement pair.

These beauties are available in very limited supply (we hear only 300 pairs were crafted) and when they’re gone, that’s it. Even if your size is out of stock, it might be worth picking up a pair just to collect them. They are indeed the first and only pair of shoes custom designed for the Askewniverse.

Watch this space for some exclusive photos of our preview pair later today.

I asked Harvey if we could compete with CHASING AMY back in ’97. I knew we had something special & I figured we could’ve walked with at LEAST an acting award. Said Harvey “Sundance is about emerging filmmakers. You’re already established. You gain nothing by competing, even if you win an award.” But it was @TheJonGordon who put it best, re: AMY competing. Jon had been Harvey’s assistant for years before being promoted to an exec. It was @TheJonGordon who got Harvey to re-watch CLERKS at Sundance, after he’d passed months before & walked out during the third scene. And when @TheJonGordon was made an exec, one of his first moves was to sign me & @SMosier to an exclusive overall deal at Miramax. That deal wound up running from fall of ’95 to the end of ’07 – 12 years. Under that overall deal, I made everything from CHASING AMY to ZACK & MIRI.

So it’s December ’96 & Harvey’s just urged me not to submit CHASING AMY for the competition category at Sundance. He’s urging premiere only. But it was @TheJonGordon who said the thing that made the most sense, re: competing. “You’re a returning alumnus. You can probably get AMY into any of the other sections. If you compete, you hurt a freshman’s potential to show THEIR Clerks.” @TheJonGordon was right. And human.

So if I go to any film festival, I try not to compete. Harvey’s reasoning was right, but @TheJonGordon hit the nail on the head. Competition categories are where dreams come true & lives can be changed with a screening. All my dreams started coming true in January of 1994. And the thought of gilding the lily by competing unnecessarily & possibly robbing someone like me of THEIR shot? That’s too Gordon Gecko for me.

So, years later, @TheJonGordon is my RedState producer – the guy who found the loot & made it happen when nobody else could or wanted to. And there we were, looking at the Sundance paperwork for our RedState submission. And someone else in the room asked “Competition, right?” And I smiled at the guy who’d helped give me & ViewAskew a home for 12 yrs & who sweated RedState into existence and said to @TheJonGordon, “I can’t fuck a freshman.” The 20 year old Kev cried betrayal at this sentiment, but fuck him. So competition was never a consideration.

Later in January, during the festival, “Red State” will mark its public world premiere, where Kevin still plans to auction distribution off like so:

Via @pklain “Will you determine RedState distributor at Sundance by highest bid, marketing strategy, or what?” Biggest balls. And checkbook.

Here’s a new Sundance article in anticipation of the big premiere. Minor plot spoilers ahead:

Ever since Clerks (co-winner of the Filmmakers Trophy at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival), Kevin Smith has been known for his sharp, subversive, comedic writing. He shifts from comedy to horror with Red State and aptly demonstrates that good writing transcends genre.

Red State begins by following three horny high school boys who come across an online ad from an older woman looking for a gang bang. Boys being boys, they hit the road to satisfy their libidinal urges. But what begins as a fantasy takes a dark turn as they come face-to-face with a terrifying “holy” force with a fatal agenda.

Instead of relying on archetypes and predictable formulas, Smith meticulously fashions all-too-real characters, utilizing exceptional performances (notably by Michael Parks) and an intelligent script. His realistic style gives the film an intimate feeling, heightening the terror to biblical proportions. Red State is a shocking new kind of horror film that aggressively confronts higher powers and extreme doctrines with a vengeance.

Festival attendees can now login to the site and add a screening to their calendar. 3 shows are currently on the books: Sunday, January 23rd at 6:00 PM, Monday January 24th at 8:30 AM (both in Park City), and Wednesday, January 26th at 9:00 PM (Salt Lake City).

The comically raunchy universe of director Kevin Smith is a place where low-brow humor rules supreme and no subject, no matter how offensive, is off limits. At age 40, Smith has built a career that consists of nine feature films, several comedy podcasts, numerous comic books and — thanks to his prolific tweeting habit — more than 1.6 million online followers.

Recently, Smith added another wing to his media biosphere: a 50-seat house in the heart of Theater Row in Hollywood. The modest venue, called the Smodcastle and located at the Complex on Santa Monica Boulevard, serves as headquarters for Smith’s new hybrid experiment combining comedy theater and podcasting.

…

…”The coolest thing about this project is that there are people listening in from everywhere,” said Ingram. “In this small, little theater, we’re reaching the world.”

Smith said he intends to keep appearing at the Smodcastle through the making of his movie “Red State,” which is conveniently shooting in L.A.

“I like the instant feedback that theater gives you,” said the director. “It’s so creatively fulfilling and it’s so much fun. Last year, I earned more money talking than directing. It feels way more comfortable. Maybe this was where I was meant to be.”