Gone Fishing with Chris Jones Yet?

Posted in Friends of trippin'
November 10th, 2009 by Devi Snively (The Directrix)

GF021 - Director Chris Jones at the Rhode Island Film Festival, where Gone Fishing won Best FilmI’d heard about Chris Jones months before I actually met him. Gone Fishing, his beautiful short film (which was Academy-Award shortlisted) has been selected to a bijillion festivals, won a million awards and his reputation(s) precede(s) him, for better or worse. I say this merely because I’d heard from a few filmmakers, no doubt tiring of repeatedly losing awards to him, that he was a bit “haughty.”  I’d also heard he was a great guy and super supportive of indie filmmakers.  Such contradictions are no doubt to be expected when one reaches film fest circuit cult status as he has.

Chris also offers film workshops and is author of the Guerilla Filmmaker’s Handbook.

I first met Chris briefly at the Methodfest Film Festival, but didn’t really have a chance to chat with him until I was at the London Independent Film Festival where he gave a great talk following his screening.  After, we had a drink and compared notes about the fest circuit.  I confessed I’d heard he was “haughty,” but that I found him to be quite the contrary – which he misunderstood in the most amusing way (explained in his own words below).  Chris has really become an important figure for indie filmmakers – his blog is wonderfully entertaining and informative.  His candor and insight is so welcome in an industry where few of us have a clue what’s really going on.

Admittedly, Death in Charge, too, has been up for awards that have ultimately gone to Gone Fishing – but in all sincerity I can say I really just feel honored to have our film in such good company.  When he wins, we all win in a way, as you’ll learn if you read his blog.

Chris is a filmmaker’s filmmaker.  Subscribe to his blog, watch his film and buy him a drink at the next fest you should be so lucky at which to screen with him.  He might even give you a nod in his blog as he did me.  Thanks, Chris!

And, now, here’s Chris in his own pithy words…

Q:Who are you?

A:  Chris Jones, film maker based in the UK

Q:  What do you do?

A:  I make movies and write books and run film making workshops.

Q:  What were the circumstances under which we first met?

A:  We met at a London festival where Devi told me she has heard I was a ‘Hottie’. I thought I was in luck, but an American friend explained the American meaning!

Q:  What were you working on then?
A:
I was working on, and still am working on, a bunch of feature projects.

Q:  What are you working on now?

A:  Right now though I am in the final stages of completing a new Guerilla Film Makers Handbook.
Q:  What do you think about film festivals and conventions?

A:  It’s a real mixed bag. I have flown across the world to be greeted by three men and a dog, and also screened for three thousand people. Extraordinary differences.

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