Nick Peron Interviews James Rolfe

Anybody who has their finger on the pulse of the internet cult icons knows James Rolfe as the foul mouthed, controller smashing, Rolling Rock drinking Angry Video Game Nerd. Over the course of just a few years, James has turned what began as YouTube videos poking fun at old (And poorly made) Nintendo games into a popular, thousand time viewed, own it on DVD, Game Trailers series with webisodes coming out almost on a monthly basis.

While everyone here at Micro-Shock love the Nerd, we have taken the time to notice that the man behind the controller is a very talented filmmaker, and we decided to ask him a few questions about some questions about his other projects outside of the Video Game Nerd.

Please keep in mind that in order to get this interview, I was forced to endure hours upon hours of playing the NES classic "Pooyan" (Well when I say forced, I mean I was procrastinating and it was the only game available and I was too stubborn to stop) So I hope you all appreciate this interview!

Nick Peron: As most of our readers are more than likely only familiar with your work over at ScrewAttack and GameTrailers, tell us a bit about yourself in terms
of your background in film production. What spurred your interest?

James Rolfe: Just the thrill of making your own movie, with your own creative control and without any studio backing, is what drove me from the beginning. I started out with a do-it-yourself attitude. I didn't care if the special effects were bad, or the acting was bad. It was all about, grabbing a camera, taking some friends, and running in the backyard to make a movie. As time went on, and I gained experience, the quality of my work improved and that's sort of how it started. What fueled my interest was just simply watching movies and getting inspired. I'm a big fan of classic horror films, slapstick comedy, sci-fi, giant-monster-on-the-loose movies, and action/martial arts.
 
NP: Some of your films appear to draw a lot from the horror and gross-out comedy genre. What are some of your inspirations?

JR: It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, King Kong, Back to the Future, Rocky, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Terminator (1&2), First Blood, Wizard of Oz, Ed Wood, Vertigo, North by Northwest... I could go on forever. As far as gross-out-comedy, probably Evil Dead, Brain Dead/Dead Alive. Riki-Oh. Stuff like that.

NP: Any new projects brewing?

JR: Yeah, way too many. It's hard to have time outside the Angry Video Game Nerd, but there's tons cooking, just waiting to pop out of the oven.

NP: Working as an independent, and being the primary creative force of all the Cinemassacre productions, what do you find the most satisfying about the
filmmaking process? The most frustrating?

JR: The satisfying part is difficult to explain. Its just a great sense of accomplishment. Ultimately, to see your movie with a live audience is the best experience. To make people laugh or generate a reaction of some sort is satisfying. The most frustrating parts outweigh the positive by far. The time consuming process and just the overwhelming odds you face when trying to finish a movie is what makes it a frustrating experience overall. Then trying to get it screened or shown to people has always been an issue. I remember blindly sending out to film festivals without any idea what kind of films they're looking for. But today, with the advent of internet and YouTube, all that stuff. It's been becoming much easier to get work seen. The exposure on the internet is tremendous, but the only problem is that it feels more synthetic. Having millions of viewers is one thing, but being able to screen your work live and interact with the audience is another thing.

NP: Do you feel that your cult-status as a certain foul mouthed video game reviewer could overshadow your other projects?

JR: Yes, its ironic that I produce these videos a lot faster than I normally would for a film. They're all shot within the same four walls. And foremost, they're
not movies, they're reviews of games, but with some cinematic's to spice it up. It's ironic that something that would take the least amount of work, is what made
me a star. I realized the comedy potential from the beginning, but had no idea it would go this far. So its taken my time away from making my other movies,
but it's also generating a bigger fanbase and directing more attention to my other work, so the nerd is something I'm very grateful for.

NP: According to your resume you used to edit films for industrial training videos, did you ever put together one of those "dangers of the job" videos?
You know something like "Highways of Death" or something of that nature? Or was it pretty tame stuff?

JR: Absolutely! That's very funny you mentioned that, because my voice is on all those videos. Not only did I edit them, I'm the narrator. It's only a matter of
time before someone leaks one of those.

NP: You've participated in the 48 Hour Film Project in the past. What was that experience like? Good points, bad points?

JR: Oh, it's crazy. You gotta write, shoot, and edit the film all in under 48 hours. Then they all screen to a live audience and they give out awards. It can be
hectic and stressful, but seeing your creativity under the gun, is a rewarding experience. Just to see what you come out with. And that's why I've done it 4 years
in a row.

NP: Last but not least, something totally random: What's a better defense for ones home: Ninjas, land mines or both?

JR: I'd be afraid the ninjas would turn against me, while I'm having a bad time with Ninja Gaiden on the NES.
I'd also be afraid I'd forget to warn the mailman that the land mines are there. So I'd say neither.

And that concludes our interview with James Rolfe, if you a fan of his work on AVGN and you love independent film, check out his other films at wwww.cinemassacre.com. If you've been too busy grabbing your ankles while doing a dime up in Addica and have no idea what the Angry Video Game Nerd is his videos are available on the cinemassacre site, as well as many (if not all) of them being hosted on www.screwattack.com, www.gametrailers.com, and on YouTube.

Also, check out our review of James Rolfe's short film "The Deader the Better"

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