His
feature-length directing debut, OLD FASHIONED, broke a limited release box
office record in its opening weekend (Valentine’s Day 2015), hit the #1 Best
Seller/Romance spot on Amazon, and has since amassed a sizable online
following. The film also inspired both a
novel and official companion book, both of which are currently available
through Tyndale House Publishers.
He
grew up in New Philadelphia, Ohio, a small town in the northeast corner of the
state. He earned his MFA in Motion Picture Production from The Florida State
University and was honored with a gubernatorial appointment to the Florida
Institute for Film Education.
He
became a Christian in college after a girl he was dating gave him a Bible as a
gift; he read it and the entire direction of his life was changed
completely. Following a period of
extensive travel and soul searching, he went on to actively participate in both
drama/media and singles ministries in Maryland and Florida, prior to moving to
Los Angeles to pursue filmmaking full-time.
Awards
OLD FASHIONED has won:
·
WINNER - JBM/Best of Fest Award -
Mt. Hood Independent Film Festival
·
WINNER - Best Picture and Best Drama
over $250,000 - ICVM Crown Awards
·
FINALIST – TCFF Indie Vision:
Breakthrough Film Award – Twin Cities Film Festival
How important was
earning the ICVM Best Picture Award?
RIK
SWARTZWELDER (RS): Any kind of award or critical affirmation is always a
blessing, no question. It’s a validation
of your work by professional colleagues and/or journalists and those kinds of
endorsements definitely help to widen your audience and keep interest in your
film alive. But still, the greatest
encouragement (for us) remains the direct connection we have with the everyday
fans of OLD FASHIONED. The nurturing and
supportive community that has evolved around our film continues to amaze and
inspire.
Old Fashioned was
shot in/near New Philadelphia, Ohio (Tuscarawas County). What was the reasoning
behind that decision?
RS:
We were looking at shooting the film in Tennessee, Michigan, or Ohio. I grew up in Tuscarawas County, which is a
beautiful nook of rolling hills and small town charm in the northeast corner of
Ohio. At the end of the day, the
overwhelming community support and sentimental draw for me were just too much
to deny. It’s where the film had to be
shot.
If there was one
thing you’d like viewers of Old Fashioned to take-away from the film, what
would that be, and why?
RS:
It’s so hard to pick just one thing… and it all depends on the viewer,
really. Each and everyone one of us
bring an infinite variety of baggage, experiences, and perspectives when we sit
down to watch a movie. These things
sometimes entrap us and sometimes free us when it comes to what we take away
from a cinematic experience. Not trying
to dodge the question, but I genuinely believe the answer would vary a great
deal from person to person. To give on
universal idea, I simply quote from Amber in the film: “The world has enough
greatness, not enough goodness. That’s
my theory.”
Can you describe your
screenwriting process? Do you have a
routine? Or special place? Or time of day that works for you?
RS:
It depends on the project. When I’m in
my routine, I generally like to write in the mornings. In terms of locale, I can write anywhere,
but… it needs to be quiet and absent of human distraction. The whole “coffee shop” writer thing has
never really worked for me.
In another interview
you mentioned that, as a filmmaker, you’re not only interested in the filmmaking
process, but also in the welfare of the actors in the film. Can you explain?
RS:
When it comes to “faith-based” or “Christian” films, so much of the discussion
centers around content - what we should or shouldn’t watch. I’m much more interested in the process of
filmmaking… and how we should strive to honor Christ in that process. This could apply to interactions with the
crew and cast both, in all kinds of ways.
One example would be the idea of not asking an actor to do anything that
you wouldn’t ask Christ to do (if He were an actor). That’s a pretty aggressively outside the box
idea in our current times, but… I think it’s worth asking. The process of acting is psychologically
tricky business and I think producers and directors should seek to protect the
spiritual realities of their casts (and crews) as well as entertain audiences.
There have been a
number of collaborations involved with Old Fashioned. The novelization with
Rene Gutteridge. A resource book (The Old Fashioned Way) written by Ginger
Kolbaba, and the Facebook page spinoff (An Old Fashioned Discussion about Love,Courtship and Marriage) hosted by Gretchen Eicher. What do you think about so
much activity linked to your film?
RS:
Without a doubt, the biggest blessings of the whole OLD FASHIONED journey have
been around these spin-off communities.
I mean, here we are—more than a year later—and those communities are
still blossoming, and lasting impact and ministry is still happening. It’s humbling to know that a small and very imperfect
film like ours can so engage people at such a deep, spiritual level.
Do you have a
favorite scene in Old Fashioned? Or a scene that you’re especially proud of?
RS:
This one really is impossible to answer.
I haven’t seen the film in a long time now, but back when I was watching
it over and over as we finished… my favorite moments would never remain the
same. A lot of people did a lot of good
work in OLD FASHIONED… just can’t single one out.
Looking back, a year
after Old Fashioned’s release date, how did you grow personally, and what did you
learn professionally in the process of making your film?
RS:
Personally, at a deep level that I’d never approached before (even though I’ve
been a Christian for many years), I’ve come to understand the idea of finding
our “identity in Christ” in ways that have been profound and remarkably
freeing. Professionally, I have a new respect
and appreciation for the challenges of exploring explicitly spiritual themes in
film and the nuance and wisdom needed in releasing those kinds of stories into
the reality of today’s culture and increasingly non-stop cyber-existence.
Do you have any words
of wisdom for new filmmakers? Especially those who would like to make films
that appeal to faith-based audiences?
RS:
Wisdom, I don’t know. Bruised and
bloodied lessons from the trenches? More
than we probably have room for right now.
Just a few thoughts…
Practice. It’s never been easier or less expensive to
make films. Get your hands on some gear
and practice. Make as many mistakes and
fail as much as possible while the stakes are still low and you are off the
radar. Legend has it that Frank Capra
made over 100 “one-reelers” (appx. 10-minute shorts) before he directed his
first feature.
Know
your audience. The “faith-based”
audience can be fickle and the entire process of getting approval from “gate
keepers” and the unique concerns of the genre are ignored at your own
peril. If your goal is to reach this
audience (and it doesn’t have to be, but if it is) you simply can’t afford to
not educate yourself in advance on these issues. Granted, this audience is rapidly evolving…
all the more reason to do the research in advance. In the long run, you will save yourself a lot
of frustration, time, and… money.
Know
the times. Beware of creating your film
in a “Christian” bubble. Even if your
primary audience is faith-based, ultimately the film will live in a world in
which everyone will not likely agree with all of your film’s themes and
ideas. Without compromising or denying
orthodoxy, we should remain aware of “the spirit of the age” and be creative in
how we develop and unfold our stories.
I’m consistently trying to get better at this myself and learn from others
who are also seeking to grow along these lines.
Is there anything
else you’d like to mention? Any projects in the works?
RS:
We are currently considering several new projects and trying to discern which
one to proceed with first. We also
remain very committed to our existing OLD FASHIONED community and want to
continue to engage with them and develop new content that will be a genuine
blessing to them.
If you haven't yet had an opportunity to see OLD FASHIONED, here's the trailer.
Photo Credits:
top - Rik Swartzwelder at Northampton International Film Festival
bottom - Rik Swartzwelder (center) conferring with crew on set of OLD FASHIONED
If you haven't yet had an opportunity to see OLD FASHIONED, here's the trailer.
Photo Credits:
top - Rik Swartzwelder at Northampton International Film Festival
bottom - Rik Swartzwelder (center) conferring with crew on set of OLD FASHIONED
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