BOB RAY IN THE NEWS

austin film society interview

by Roger Collins

Rock Opera, a feature length comedy about the Austin underground music scene, will have its Theatrical World Premiere at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema on August 27th. The film was written & directed by local filmmaker Bob Ray and came to fruition with the aid of the Austin Cinemaker Co-op. The following is an interview with filmmaker Bob Ray.

What is your involvement with the Cinemaker?

I was the equipment director for the first two years, so I would hunt down and maintain equipment, rent out cameras and run the projector for the Cinemaker screenings. Once I got started on Rock Opera, I passed the torch on to Richard McIntosh (who incidentally was the second AC for Rock Opera). Nowadays, I‚m just a regular member like everyone else.

How has the Cinemaker affected you as a filmmaker?

After being rejected by the UT film school for several years in a row, Super 8 and the Cinemaker became my own personal film school. The ease of shooting Super 8 helped me make the leap from shooting video to film and I learned a great deal while shooting films for the Co-op's mini-festivals. Shooting these films was a chance to experiment and to find out what works for me personally and to develop my filmmaking style. Having your film screened in front of an audience and watching their reactions can be nerve racking, but it also can be pretty kick ass.

What was the Cinemaker's involvement with Rock Opera?

Rock Opera could not have existed in the way it did without the Cinemaker Co-op. A good deal of the crew for Rock Opera came from fellow Cinemaker members. Barna Kantor (Cinemaker Kingpin) was the producer, Gonzo Gonzales and Richard McIntosh were in the camera department, Rebecca Dodd and Jeff Britt helped with casting and grip work and many others pitched in when they could to help complete the film. My original intention was to shoot El Mariachi-style, but my involvement with the Co-op provided me with a crew that made the shoot move along at a quicker pace.

The Rock Opera premiere will be a benefit for the Cinemaker Co-op and will open with live performances by some of the bands featured in the film (bands like Voltage, Pocket FishRmen, Fuckemos, 16 Deluxe). The event is co-sponsored by the Cinemaker Co-op and The Austin Film Society. Contact the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema for ticket information: (512) 867-1839.