Surviving the World of Underground Film

It's a sunny day in downtown Oakland, but Dave Langford and Jose Montesinos wouldn't know. When I arrive, they tell me that it's been almost eight hours since they've emerged from the dark, smoky depths of a vacant warehouse where a gang of thugs lay among the cluttered arrangement of torn up furniture. Beer cans, cigarette butts and old skateboards scatter the dirty cement floor, illustrating the theme of a poster on the wall reading, "the fringes of society." I watch Langford and Montesinos pace among the decadence, trying to figure out how they're going to smash in the head of a young degenerate laying in a drugged-out haze on a nearby sofa.

Welcome to the world of underground film.

This is a scene from Langford and Montesinos' latest film, "Number 35." It is the second film they have made together in the last year. These days, it seems like every "Pulp Fiction" fan who owns a video camera has taken to the streets of San Francisco to brag about the genius flick they want to make. But Langford and Montesinos don't fall into this category; they're actually making films; and they're not letting money, crowded, college cinema programs, or discouraging opinions get in their way.

"Everybody can come up with good ideas for scripts, camera shots, and that kind of thing, but if you don't actually do it, it's like having a shell with no body," says Langford, currently a film student at San Francisco State University. "A lot of people want to be film makers, but they're not clear on what it requires."

Many film students struggle with the disenchantment brought about by impacted cinema programs, lack of resources and a viewing public that wants explosions and pretty faces. However, Langford and Montesinos take the reigns and give the finger to all of these defeating elements.

"REALIZE" BECOMES A REALITY

A former film student at San Francisco City College, 26-year-old Montesinos remembers meeting Langford while working at the Embarcadero Cinema where they both had part-time jobs. Both of them say the Embarcadero is a haven for people who talk about making films, but never do. Even so, they say they connected in the midst of the pseudo-professional atmosphere and released their first film,"Realize," earlier this year.

"What impressed me most about Montesinos was that when I asked him what he did, he told me he made films. Nobody had ever told me this before. Usually, people would always talk about their ideas or criticize other films. His seriousness really surprised me," says Langford.

In turn, Montesinos says he was also impressed with Langford's sincerity about the film business. "He told me that he'd already sold a script, and this really got me interested," says Montesinos.

"Realize" is screened at local indie joints like the Casting Couch and the Artist's Television Access studio. The movie, a surreal black and white film, is centered around a young man who "realizes" who he is thanks in part to experiences that include falling in love and chasing a rugged looking youth through the streets of downtown San Francisco. In addition, the main character has bizarre visions of a caterpillar. The movie attracts large audiences at both the Casting Couch and the ATA.

"After it screened, everyone in the crowd was trying to figure it out," says Montesinos. "It was cool. We'd overhear different interpretations and say to each other 'wow, I never thought of it that way.'"

BIGGER AND BETTER

Although the film received positive feedback, it was rejected at four other film festivals because, says Langford and Montesinos, it didn't appeal to a wide range of viewers. "The film industry isn't creative. They're selling a product and they're rehashing the same ideas over and over again," says Langford.

But that's not stopping them. Before "Realize" is placed on the shelves with the other movies in their home video collections, they are at it again. Their latest film, "Number 35," is a full-length production shot with digital technology. Some speculate that the newest production from Langford and Montesinos is bound to turn some heads.

Compared to the $50 budget for "Realize," a movie which contained a small and talented cast and an avant-garde look, "Number 35" will ultimately cost the two approximatley $7,000, has a large cast, and has been shot on location throughout the Bay Area - not bad for a couple of dudes who, at any given time, can barely come up with enough pocket change for a 40 ounce beer.

THE ORIGINS OF "Number 35"

Inspiration for "Number 35" comes as both men are going through trying breakups with their girlfriends. "We wanted to make a story about love because we were both going through things in that area," says Montesinos. But their latest film isn't just a love flick. The main character, Cesario, played by Montesinos, enters a dark world of violence, pornography and drugs to save his little sister. Although the film boldly depicts these three themes, they are brought together to create a world in which all human emotions are present.

"We think that people are really going to love this film, or that they're really going to hate it. We wanted to create a world in which the characters jump from emotion to emotion - a world where darkness lurks in everything, but love prevails," says Langford.

But will their $7,000 production catch the eye of a public that's seen it all and heard it all? This is the question, they say, that plagues the beginning filmmaker's mind. To them, the answer is easy and it comes from the fact that everything has been done before.

"It's easy to show the shocking stuff but it's hard to change the way people think about these situations," says Montesinos. Both believe that Hollywood, with their wild action and glamorous stars are actually providing independent filmmakers with a whole new world to explore. "A lot of our ideas have already been done in a pretty Hollywood way, but we're going to rip the face off of all that."

They say their major source of strength comes from using a new breed of actors. "I'm getting sick and tired of these fucking pretty boys and girls in the movies who we're all supposed to relate to," says Montesinos."We cast people who we can actually relate to, and they have these great qualities that would get them turned down in Hollywood because they don't fit the celebrity stereotype." The cast of "Number 35" looks like your everyday bus crowd.Although this may be a turn off for those who like the makeup and glitter of Hollywood, they believe that their selection of actors and actresses will attract an audience who isn't caught up in the celebrity obsession.

Producing and directing "Number 35" has become a fulltime job for Langford and Montesinos. But between shoots, they find a reprieve in sleeping and carrying out life's daily responsibilities which, they say, include paying bills, watching lots of movies and trying to have some fun. But the thinking process that filmmaking generates never stops for these two.

They also acknowledge the influencing forces in their lives for getting them through rough times in the movie business, like their family, past film teachers, and inspiring movie directors like David Lynch, Tom Dicillo and Jim Jar Musch. Still, when everything seems to be going to hell in a bucket, both look to each other for support. "It's good to have someone there on those bad days," says Langford. Montesinos feels the same way. "A lot of times, we only have ourselves. We'll be having a hard day on the set and I'll be ready to say 'fuck it,' and(Langford)will come along and say 'no man, we can do it like this.'"

And being among the privileged to witness their teamwork, I was all the more impressed. It's around 4:00 p.m. and they're still hard at work in that stuffy Oakland warehouse. As the number of takes for a complex fight scene reaches the double digits, the cast is beginning to grow restless. Nobody's eaten in hours, everyone is running out of cigarettes, and as the guy who went out to get coffee takes his time returning, the possibilities of mutiny appear more real with each passing moment. Finally, Langford and Montesinos are satisfied with the fight scene.

"Okay everyone, let's head outside for the getaway scene," Langford tells the crew. Everyone's relieved to get some fresh air.

As Langford makes sure all of the actors are ready to go for the getaway scene, shot in a busy downtown Oakland intersection during traffic hours, I hear one of the extras asks "Dude, aren't we gonna have to stop traffic so we can run into the street safely?" Langford smiles. "This is guerrilla film making man. We just go out on the streets and do it. If you do get hit by a car, I wanna make sure I get it on camera, because that will look so awesome."

Real stunts, real actors, sex, drugs and rockin' roll...all within a $7,000 budget? Come out of the woods, you Blaire Witch fanatics...that's life in the big city!