Interviewing Charlie Kaufman
I'm doing a phone interview with Charlie Kaufman tomorrow, and I'm a bit worried.
How does one interview one of the most inventive writers in the history of film? Kaufman's brain contains more intelligence and wit than I will ever obtain, and so, what kind of questions does a lesser mind ask when interviewing one of its heroes?
Will Kaufman think I'm dumb? Will he be able to detect my young age and the resulting inexperience of life that comes with being young? Will he humor this beginning journalist's attempt to ask thoughtful and interesting questions?
To quote Maxine from Being John Malkovich, "we'll see..."
How does one interview one of the most inventive writers in the history of film? Kaufman's brain contains more intelligence and wit than I will ever obtain, and so, what kind of questions does a lesser mind ask when interviewing one of its heroes?
Will Kaufman think I'm dumb? Will he be able to detect my young age and the resulting inexperience of life that comes with being young? Will he humor this beginning journalist's attempt to ask thoughtful and interesting questions?
To quote Maxine from Being John Malkovich, "we'll see..."
posted by John | 10:52 PM
2 Comments:
Just be yourself. I've met Kaufman in person before - and well, let's just saw his bullshit threshold is very low.
Don't act like a typical journalist. Ya know, the Patrick Goldstein kind who loves to emphasize supposedly Kaufman-esque traits (how "reclusive" he is, for instance).
Nor should you try impress him with some farfetched analysis.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that film's an apolitical medium. Nonetheless, it's important to remember that not every film lends itself to incisive social commentary.
Kaufman's films may reflect the zeitgist of our times, but they're nowhere near polemical. There has been some funny examples of this in interviews with Kaufman, time and again.
Anyway, I'm terribly envious. Good luck!
That's quite a task you have there...
Think about what you really want to get out of the interview.
Looking forward to hearing about it!
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