Cloris Leachman Comedy "Is That A Gun In Your Pocket" now in VOD!: Interview with writer/d

Women in Comedy got the inside scoop with Writer/Director Matt Cooper and producer Lori Miller on their raucous comedy, now available on VOD.

Women In Comedy: A lot of people see you as a successful artist. When you were first starting out in the industry - what were some of your biggest struggles/obstacles?

Matt: I think the biggest obstacle was access. I literally would sneak onto studio lots and leave my script on people's cars, like John Badham, the director. Now, things are very different. The problem isn't access, since all you need today is a decent cell phone and a laptop and you can make a movie, then post it on many different distribution platforms. There really are no barriers to entry. The problem now is you rarely get financially compensated for your efforts-- it has never been more difficult to make a buck in the film business.

Women In Comedy: Do you remember the first moment you thought to yourself - I'm going to take on a power position in directing/writing/producing? Please tell us about the inspiration to boldly branch out on your own and why it was important.

Matt: My first was 1990. After roughly 4 years of being a screenwriting journeyman, rewriting others, or languishing in "development hell," I turned a script of mine, "A Piece of My Heart," into a play which I mounted at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles. In 1994, I decided to form my own production company, "The Vault," with a partner and "The Last Supper" was our first film. Five years later I directed my own adaptation of "A Piece of My Heart" which was released as, "Perfect Opposites." I think it's important take matters into your own hands if others are not backing or believing in you. The only reason why it took me way longer than it should have to take matters into my own hands was it took that long to realize "I can do this!"

Women In Comedy: Tell us about one of your most exciting memories, opportunities, or recaps of a mentor who took the time to give you a chance when they absolutely did not have to go out of their way to help you?

Lori: Matt Cooper gave me an exciting opportunity in the early nineties when he hired me to Co-Produce “The Last Supper”, which at the time was a huge break and really exciting for me. He has continued to support and mentor me.

Women In Comedy: Who or what gave you the confidence to create this film ?

Matt: I think a lot of that is getting to a certain age, or rather the mindset when you basically say "fuck it, I'm going to shoot my vision no matter what anyone else thinks." "I'm going to leave THIS joke in, because I think it's funny." Or I'm going to have this character say THAT line even though some may be offended by it.

Women In Comedy: Were there any obstacles/adversity or privilege you encountered in this industry specifically on the basis of your sex/gender that you can tell us about?

Lori: I always noticed that there were more men in the room than women when in meetings. Even in a production setting, most of the department heads tend to be men: DPs, Production Designers, etc… There is an expectation that women work in the costume, make-up and hair departments, script supervision, etc. I am sure there are many young women looking at some of the other more male dominated areas of the business, and I hope they pursue those dreams, and stay persistent.

Women In Comedy:Is there anyone in particular in your family or friend circle who was a prominent guiding force, influence, or mentor to you when you first started the journey in the film/comedy industry?

Lori: When I first started in the industry, I met about four of five women who were starting off at about the same time that I was. We all supported each other, and talked each other through different experiences. We became close friends, and as our careers grew, we maintained our friendships, and these networks became both personally and professionally supportive.

Women In Comedy: Do you think it is important for people like yourself in power positions/successful to mentor and uplift minorities? If so, what do you think are the best ways to do this, and how do you do this in your day to day life?

Matt: I think it's important to mentor people whether they are minorities or not. However, I do think it's especially important to mentor people who have less opportunity out of the gate. I mentor a young man from East LA through the "I Have a Dream Foundation." I truly love this kid- he's actually over 20 now, but we still stay in touch. I hope I am a positive influence in a very challenging life. I don't stress the importance of education with him anymore because he doesn't see the utility in that. I am very supportive that he is going for his GED at the moment. I stress the importance of reading simply for his own joy and self-education, and experiencing the wonderful things that life has to offer like love and friendship. I also stress the importance of hard work and the value of persistence.

Women In Comedy: This film has a tagline with the words "female empowerment" - Matt, as a male writer and director, what inspired you to write women's roles and to put this type of tagline on a film?

Matt: In all honesty, I'm not responsible for the tagline. The inspiration for the film arose from real life events I was experiencing in my relationship 20 years ago. I actually began writing this film in 1997 (before Columbine!). Mind you, these events had nothing to do with firearms. As for the women's roles, this may sound strange but I actually really adore women, which I think stems from adoring my mother. Unfortunately, I don't think most men do share my sentiments. I know that generalization may seem harsh, and this may not be the proper forum to discuss this, but how else do you explain so much physical and emotional abuse towards women, and women earning .70 cents on the dollar compared to men, as well as anti-choice legislation. One of the things I tried to do with this film was to show that women need to stand up and support other women. If they do that, we would have reasonable and effective gun control as well as a competent President of the United States. I also wanted to create a character who has lost her identity but finds strength in her own ability. Not by seeking it out, but by having it thrust upon her by external circumstances and finding the strength within herself to "rise to the occasion." Even if that meant losing her husband. In the end, it's what keeps her husband AND her self esteem.

Women In Comedy: Do the men and women in the film have equal talking parts, and did you think about whether it passes the Bechdel test when creating/writing/directing the film?

Matt: Sorry, I had to look up the "Bechdel Test." That seems like a pretty simple threshold to meet! I'm not sure if the men and women have equal speaking parts. It would be an interesting exercise to go through the script and count the lines. This is Jenna's story, and to that end I would think that my lead, Andrea Anders, has the most lines. My number one concern is telling the story I want to tell. I think in order to do that, you ALWAYS need fully fleshed out characters. One of the ways you do that is by having meaningful conversations with others. I think we succeeded with that in this film. Others will have to be the judge.

Women In Comedy: How do you create realistic dialogue for women since so many comedic films create one dimensional, girlfriend/wife/ sex object roles for women? Do you think you did a good job of writing a story that breaks that cycle? Do the female roles in this film uplift and enhance the female comedic voice, and if so, how did you accomplish this?

Matt: I've been told people really like the dialogue in this film. For me, it starts by listening. If you're going to write women, you better listen to some. Also, I do believe that everyone has a masculine and feminine side. In this film, I really tried to channel what I would say and feel if I were on the opposite end of the male voice. I really couldn't tell you if I accomplished "uplifting and enhancing the female comedic voice." I'd like to think so. I think Cloris Leachman might think so, and that would be pretty good for me. I also think there are many funny moments with all the female characters. I've watched the film many times in different settings with audiences. There seems to be a lot of laughter. I think in the end, women will have to answer that question.

Be sure to check out their film trailer here.