Classical Animation grad Jacob Medjuck has created quite a path in his career so far, leapfrogging from animation to acting to directing-producing-writing and editing.

Those latter skills came together on the 2008 festival darling Summerhood, an independently produced  film that explores childhood friendships from a more realistic perspective than you’d find in most mainstream movies.

One look at the trailer, and you’ll probably agree.

Oh, and did we mention John Cusack is the film’s narrator? And that Joe Flaherty and Christopher MacDonald make appearances too? How about the fact that Pixar requested a special private screening?

In colouring outside the lines, Jacob has gained a first-hand education in the barriers as well as the emerging opportunities in independent film distribution. While his team struggles to find the best method of getting the film to audiences, Summerhood continues to gain fans – including a crowd of 800 kids in Italy at this summer’s Italian premiere.

Jacob took some time out of fighting the good fight to explain the film’s VFS connections and how he believes indie film distribution methods should change.

Hi, Jacob. Congrats on all the success Summerhood has brought you. In a nutshell, can you tell us why you made this film?

Jacob: Thank you! A lot of people have worked very hard for a long time. To highlight the real success, when you employ hundreds of people over several years, you come into contact with all that the world offers: births, deaths, marriage, divorce, stress, success, and celebration. So I’m learning to take all of our swings in stride, and that has been the biggest success for me on this project, because there will be a lot more “life” to navigate ahead than the journey of each film experience, and I have had to learn to pace myself. It’s too easy a trap to marinate in the massive effort and then stink of the rewards/failures that come.

That said — it lifts me right up to see the film in a theatre with a wild audience. Summerhood really is a film for the people, not a film for the math; where a company says, “trends suggest that people want to see vampire dogs.”  And the film is connecting, likely because it was truly born of frustration.

Why did I make it? I had been animating on “children’s” properties for years – corporate waxed portrayals of families and neutered realities. And nothing out there reflected my actual experiences growing up — wickedly honest, funny, and painful too. I made the film to free my spirit. That was my driving force. And perhaps, even with blurry shots, and thrifty production values – there are people out there who need to be freed from canned life too, and are taking it how they can get it, and some from our film.

You’re a Classical Animation grad who has made a live action film. What’s the connection between what you studied here at VFS and what you’re doing now?

Jacob: GREAT QUESTION. I missed the point for 25 years. As it turns out, a script doesn’t care if it will be animated, live acted, puppeteered, or made into a graphic novel. Story is story is story. And VISUALLY, all the rules of cinema apply across all mediums.  Animation was a perfect education.

How did you get John Cusack to come on board?

Jacob: Persistance. It took 18 months and a day. For a year, I tried making offers myself. In my apartment. In my bathrobe.  I sent letters.  I sent camp-1989-themed care packages, mood rings, Big League Chew, ’89 Playboys, unopened vintage Chicago baseball cards, a mixed tape.  Yielded nothing.

After I shot the film, I wanted to show it to professionals, to show them I had craft, maybe generate some interest in my other projects. So I sent some footage to Michael London Productions (Sideways).  They liked the film and asked what I still needed for Summerhood.  I replied, “John Cusack”.

An hour later the William Morris Agency called and we were negotiating.
 
John was very generous with his participation and did a perfect job, but his “brand” is worth $10 million – and this was a cash-strapped indie flick. So we came to a solution with his agency whereby he could help us, but I can’t put his name on the poster. But his voice is so iconic that everyone can tell anyway, and people can look it up on the Internet, which is fun. So I got what I wanted and feel like I maybe saved $10 million too….

Summerhood has a fairly young cast. What was it like working with kids on a film set?

Jacob: Children are brilliant. Kids just “Are.” Which is what actors everywhere aspire to be. Children are just real little beings. They play. They make believe – so genuinely. They are however also like working with special effects, because of the entourage and coordination required. We only had the young actors for 4 hours during 12-hour days. They needed school and breaks and juice boxes, and all sorts of complicated parameters existed. When you’re only shooting 28 days and all your leads are kids that can shoot for only 4 hours, panic sets in across the team.  It’s a RIDICULOUS prospect. We had to stagger them to fill our days fully. And sometimes an actor would be talking to a broom with a sweatshirt on it that bobbed. Anything to finish on time. Brooms don’t need school. So… next film… more brooms in wardrobe perhaps.

That said I did audition 4,000 kids across the continent to find these leads. These tiny actors poured their giant souls into the film, and I am indebted to them for a lifetime.

What are your plans for distributing the film?

Jacob: The million dollar question. If a tree falls in the forest…  We happened to make a great fun film that won over audiences and festivals and critics – at the exact same time that the independent film distribution world collapsed. Zac Efron made a film with Richard Linklater and THEY couldn’t get distribution. Unreal. They raised money and released it themselves in theaters. What were we supposed to do?? It cost them more money to release it in 57 theaters than we had to shoot our film. The world is on its butt. We didn’t just need a plan; independent films everywhere needed a new model.

While touring the festival circuit an extra year, we built our fan base as I watched the world burn and took notes. And then I came up with an idea. Something radical. We might fail, or we might help a lot of filmmakers. But there are no other solutions yet. We’re going to run an experiment. And a few other films have signed up to be guinea pig with us. The method comes second but as a start – we’re going to help map the land and track the cities to open in first using the “DEMAND IT” feature on the Eventful.com site.

If you want to end the tyranny of movies that pander – DEMAND IT. (Click the ‘Demand’ button at Summerhood.com).

If you want to see SUMMERHOOD with a hot date – DEMAND IT.

If you want Hollywood to make movies YOU want, and not movies THEY think you want – DEMAND IT.

We want to come to your theaters. Tell us where to come.

Side note: True indie films, and not the studio McLatté look-a-like-indies (the ones that are borrowing hand-drawn titles to fake you out) have the poor but indulgent benefit of being driven by emotional people, and not beholden to the ticker tape trends. These are films by the people for the people. Humor that can cut to the bone, with heart that matters. The world is burning down but it’s an exciting time.  Feels like the end of Fight Club, and maybe the beginning of a fresh start for everyone. With star-driven films on the decline and technology letting audiences speak out, it can only benefit the quality of films at every level. Fortunately/unfortunately, it’s time to be exceptional.

What was it like to work with fellow VFS grads on Summerhood? Did you make those connections during your time here?

Jacob: Immensely satisfying. [Film Production grad] Paul McNeill is a great producer, and we met at VFS. What it means to have a great producing partner is this: Paul had my back even when he disagreed with my decisions, and that is rare. Filmmaking can get messy, especially with a tight budget in a tighter time frame with egos crossing. Paul absorbed any brewing frustrations on set and created none. That is the job of a producer. The hot potato of bruised ego has to stop somewhere.

What is funny is that I was in Classical Animation and Paul was in Film at VFS. We met when I auditioned for one of his short films. I wanted to prove that animators were actors too. Everyone at VFS helped out on each other’s projects — it was expected, and invaluable. It was like a little artist colony. And it helped cull my autocratic technique, a lonely style which previously had only lead to failure.  Teamwork, people. Rub it on your chest.

Do you have any upcoming projects you’re working on?

Jacob: The circle of it all… I just got hired to write, and then possibly direct, an animated feature. The story is under wraps but I promise you it’s scathing, otherwise it just isn’t worth it to me. Life is short. Say what you want to say.

And I’ve finished my next script. Hopefully that’ll go out in the new year. It’ll stab you in the heart and then apologize.

Otherwise, we’re really excited and focused on releasing Summerhood, and trying to help put the film distribution world back together so people coming out of school can make films and have them released theatrically. That’s right VFS grads – respect your forebears!

It all starts by sharing the trailer – and DEMANDING to see Summerhood.

Have fun making your films, VFS. It’ll show. Great success to us all.

Thanks, Jacob. Best of luck with Summerhood!

Click here to visit the Summerhood website.