The person I chose to interview was Tyler “Danger” Boyco. He is an aspiring Film Director who has worked on masterpieces like the Sasquatch. I would like to thank him for taking time out of his schedule to answer my questions and introduce me to movies such as Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Without further ado, the interview of the decade.

 

1. What does it take to work in the movie industry?

First and foremost, it takes A LOT of patience and determination! If you're absolutely certain you want to get into the industry, I would highly recommend you go to school for it first. 

 

There are a couple of types of film courses. There's technical and analytical. Technical is the hands-on experience working with actual film crews and depending on which route you want to take (camera, directing, writing, etc), you can hone your skills going this way. Analytical is film studies and theory. Most universities have these programs. It's a lot of watching movies and writing essays about them, but they don't particularly help you find work in the field. Technical is what I went through at Sheridan College for Writing and Directing. I went to Durham College for Editing and Graphic Design. I have friends in the industry who have done both, or didn't even go to film school at all and are making a living. There really is no wrong way, it's completely up to you. 

 

But to actually WORK in the industry is difficult in itself. The school gives you the tools to get there, but you have to have a lot of luck and patience. You'll definitely hear the term "it's about who you know" which sucks, but sometimes it's true. I got my first job in the industry through a friend who I met at school (another benefit, networking). You're going to get a lot of rejection, which is very common. Sometimes people don't see you as a fit in their production or don't have it in the budget to hire you, or in most cases you're unknown in the industry. Canadian film is very, very small and everyone knows everyone. It can be very hard to break into when people will just hire their friends! My suggestion is go to school, make friends with the same passion, make movies on your own and build a resume of what you can and want to do, and eventually somebody will take notice!

 

2. If you could work with any director who would it be and why?

Technically, if I'm working with another director, that means I wouldn't be directing myself! If I could work with any director it'd be myself, cause that's my dream!

 

But if you mean current directors, I would love to work with Michael and Peter Spierig again. They directed Saw: Legacy, Daybreakers and Predestination. They are genuinely the nicest guys to work with and that's who you want to be around in this industry, especially when you're starting out.

 

For a director I haven't worked with before, I would love to work with Kevin Smith, who directed the "Clerks" movies and created Jay and Silent Bob. His kind of films are the ones that I aspire to do because not only are they hilarious, but they tell great, realistic stories that you can relate to. I don't know if your parents will let you watch any Kevin Smith movies right now, but trust me they are great.

 

3. How long is the average production of a movie?

The production varies depending on the size and type of film. For instance, a comedy movie with not many special effects or locations, or stunts, could really be done in a month or two. Giant movies like Star Trek would take at least a year in preparation, shooting and doing post-production work (all the special effects and editing). Saw: Legacy took a month and a half to shoot, but I started working with them 2 months before and finished 2 weeks after. The WHOLE team started in June and are currently still doing the audio. So it really varies on the production and style of movie.

 

4. What is your favourite movie?

That is probably the hardest question ever. I personally collect movies and have over a thousand of them, so I can't pick just one as my favourite. There are some classic movies that I will always love (BASEketball, The Warriors, Clerks, The Big Lebowski, Tombstone, Rocky Horror Picture Show) and there are recent movies that I also share the same love for such as Anchorman, Guardians of the Galaxy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Gentlemen Broncos. Some people hold one movie in a special place in their heart, but many more have multiple favourites!

 

5. What movies or shows have you worked on in the past?

I worked on Saw: Legacy, my first feature film. I have also worked on a comedy/crime series called Dirk and Lewis: Super Detectives. I recently just finished directing a short film called The Talk. 

 

6. What are some projects you have planned?

Currently, I am working on a series called "Bluebird" that I am writing, directing, editing and starring in. I am also waiting for the producers of Saw to come back to town as I will be working with them on the next Saw film in the franchise. 

 

7. What was your part in the production in Saw Legacy?

I was the "Director's Assistant" to Michael and Peter Spierig, who co-directed the film. My job was to make sure they had everything they needed for making the best movie they could. Before shooting I helped put together storyboards, watch cast auditions and make notes, made shot lists (what the director's want to see on screen), and kept their schedule up to date. During shooting, my role became significantly larger due to my technical background in editing and writing, so I ended up re-writing 5 scenes of the film with the Executive Producer, Peter Block. I also put special effects onto a clip that will make it into the movie. 

 

8. How have movies changed in the past decade?

I haven't been in the industry that long, but from a consumer's perspective, a lot has changed. Thanks to new technology, movies have never been prettier when it comes to special effects and things you can do now with cameras. Today, you're seeing nothing but remakes of films because with this new technology, it allows them to do things to these stories that they weren't capable of doing years ago. There are also a lot of franchises being made, because unfortunately, film has to be profitable or else nobody can make a living. So if they can spread out a story over multiple movies, or have popular merchandise, that film will be a success. 

Streaming is another big change to the industry. Long before Netflix, film sales started decreasing due to piracy, but now with streaming services, the industry is kind of coming back to life, with just about any movie at your fingertips, legally. The downside to that, for a collector like me, is places like HMV going out of business and not being able to get physical copies of the movies I love. Or being able to see one of my pieces of work in physical form at a store. That was a dream growing up that I fear I won't be able to make happen. 

 

 

9. What is your dream job in this line of work?

My dream is to be able to write and direct films and television for the rest of my days. That's all. 

 

 

10. Why did you want to join the movie industry?

When I was growing up, my dad collected movies and tv shows. He would record everything he saw on his VCR and write them on index cards so he knew where to find them. I think that's where my obsession for movies came from. After a while, collecting wasn't enough and I had to make them. Seeing movies like "Clerks 2" and "Office Space" made me realize I could never handle a regular 9 to 5 job like most people. I wouldn't have that. So I decided from then on I'm going to make it in the industry no matter what!