A couple of weeks ago, we received an exciting email from a fellow calling himself Mark Steven Bosko. He asked if we would take a look at his controversial new film "PIG." Of course, we jumped at the chance, especially, after visiting the web site pigthemovie.com. Take a look at the trailer available on the web site and you may shudder (I did).

In time, we learned that Mark and his partner, T. Michael Conway, wrote and directed the film on an amazing budget of $28,000.00. Last week, I reviewed an advance copy of the film and was impressed. The duo have made other films, the comically campy "Killer Nerd," and its sequel "Bride of Killer Nerd," but consider "PIG" their first feature (and they do not want me to mention those other films ever again, fat chance).

I warmed up the IM and shot out a message to Mark and Michael around 5:30 PM, on August 1, 2000. They sat before their brand new DV/computer editing studio surrounded by an array of video/computer gear, 4 monitors, cables hanging on the wall, a JVC-GYDV500 camcorder on the desk, a Panasonic 300CLE SVHS camera on the floor, several audio components, boom mikes in the corner, and various headphones (specifics make you feel like you are there, right?). In their 12 X 12 studio located in one of Akron’s oldest artistic communities called Highland Square movie posters for such films as - "sex, lies and videotape," "GoodFellas," "The Professional," and their own film "PIG," adorn the walls.

The digital age has made us voiceless; our conversation was one of hunting and pecking text and proved painful at times. Over a two hour period, we managed to hack out about 8 pages of material. Below are the highlights.

Akron was very hot and humid by the way, about 85 degrees that day with 90% humidity. I was comfortable in my air-conditioned office many miles removed from the heat and moisture of Akron, therm around 74.

EInsiders.com: "Killer Nerd," "Bride of Killer Nerd," something called "Girlfriends" (associated with Michael) and now the more serious "PIG?"

Bosko: Actually, we'd like to forget those projects, but since you brought them up...Killer Nerd and Bride were done purely for commercial reasons. Girlfriends, well, we have no excuse for that. Chalk it up to a bad decision.

Conway: All three films were good learning experiences and a chance to develop our skills when we had the chance and money to shoot a real film.

Bosko: I think R. Rodriguez said that we all have some bad films in us and it's best to get those out of your system early.

Good quote, but why do the bad films always have the best trailers and the most entertaining reviews?

Conway & Bosko: Because that's all there is to them. More work goes into the trailers than the films themselves and reviewers take pleasure in creatively dissecting the flicks.

What made you go in the direction of "PIG?"

Conway & Bosko: We came up with the title first. we're both very interested in the reality/violence genres. Through ride-alongs with the police, we got some great material on small town crime that helped us form the script.

So the title preceded the story for "PIG?"

Conway: Yes, we at one point considered "small town cop," but "PIG" was always more appealing on all fronts. There was the hippie moniker association with Pig, and then the police themselves told us the title was actually their slogan that stood for Pride, Integrity, Guts.

Bosko: "PIG" is such a killer name for marketing reasons, as well.

Conway: Nobody can ignore the word. It creates feelings - good or bad - within everyone.

Were you trying to create bad feelings by picking the title?

Conway: No bad feelings were trying to be created, just strong feelings.

The stronger the better looks like, any second thoughts about the title. "Small Town Cop" would have been too soft don't you think, kind of a snoozer?

Bosko: Using the word "PIG" immediately creates strong feelings/visualizations with most people. Yes, "small town cop" is too vanilla. At our level, we need to make a splash, draw attention, get noticed. Everything helps, including the title. Plus, we just plain like the name.

Tell us about the origin of "PIG."

Bosko:: We were looking for a project to do. A serious project. Police are interesting to everyone. As we began to discuss film ideas, we knew we wanted something that would lend itself to our method (low-budget) of production. The structure of "PIG" would allow for our disjointed shooting schedule, our manner of funding (out of our own pockets). Doing a non-traditional narrative piece was really the only option if we wanted to maintain quality.

Tell me about the non-traditional narrative. What does that mean, and what is the traditional narrative?

Conway: Non-traditional narrative is a story like "PIG" that doesn’t follow conventional storytelling methods. The movie doesn't really move from Point A to Point B to the conclusionary Point C. We wanted the suspense, chaoticness of real-life to be a part of the "PIG" experience.

I noticed in the press package that you describe at one point the characters or actors as real people and the events really happening to them. Later, you say that it is about things that happen in real life. Which is true?

Bosko: It's all true, really. All of the stories related through the onscreen interviews in "PIG" come from actual conversations observed by us in real-life. Whether it was a relative, friend or overheard stranger, the words have been "borrowed" from real people in real life situations. Many of the situations involving the police and their arrestees are taken from experiences we witnessed first-hand during ride-alongs. Even the mentally-challenged young man with the sparkler mimics a real-life occurrence.

Some of the "real people" of "PIG."

Fair enough, but it is a fictionalized account, although it is Blairwitched, right?

Conway: We transcribed true-events into a film script. Obviously, some things were exaggerated for cinematic effect but all the people the viewer meets on screen are "real" people - which is why we didn't select the typical "attractive" actor - that would have killed the authentic documentary feel that is so important to the final product.

Is real life really suspenseful or do you as filmmakers have to fake it in places a little?

Conway: It depends on your point of view. what may seem like a normal situation to a bystander can become pretty suspenseful if you are involved in the situation. By being in a cruiser and looking at the world through the eyes of a police officer, things take on a different, sometimes uncomfortable feel.

Bosko: The boredom of the small town's cop life creates a suspense of its own. What is going to happen next - something horrible and violent and nuts, or nothing, just another 8 hours in the cruiser

Life in the Police car is filled with ups and downs, I guess. How many rides do you guys go on?

Conway: In the preproduction stage of the film we'd ride on an average of 2 nights a week for about 6-8 weeks. No big city crime. all domestic calls, kids drinking, dui's, breaking and entering, toughy-smith fights.

This could happen to you!

What about the criticism concerning the fact that a real cop may not have acted like your protagonist does in "PIG?"

Conway: Give a specific

Well, your website contains a section devoted to feedback, and several times, I noticed writers stating that the cop in PIG was too open and too much was shown--the brutality, for example.

Conway: Fair enough. On a ride along, we got a call to answer a domestic. At the home, the man was resisting arrest. While the police struggled, they struck him several times with their clubs to bring him down. We were there, taking notes, they could have cared less. The protagonist in "PIG" is actually a culmination of several specific officers we met and became involved with, with most of the "Pig's" onscreen character representing one officer in particular. At some points, it appeared as if the officers were showing off for us. They really got off on their "power" if you know what we mean.

Sounds like you have it in for the cops. Ever been on the other side of the law?

Conway: Don't have it in for the cops, simply trying to show a side that may be minimized in a small town setting. Actually, we think "PIG" presents the officers in a fair light. At the end of the movie, I believe most people are empathetic toward the officer. As for the other side of the law - just the typical traffic violations for both.

Yeah, I got the impression that your cop was doing his job pretty well in places throughout the film, and I felt bad for him. All of "PIG" isn't a slam of the profession, is it?

Bosko: No, not at all. Police officers are very proud, and should be. They have shitty jobs. and small town officers get the least respect of all. That's why the movie centers so much on this central aspect of the main officer achieving and maintaining his community's respect.

"PIG" is not "The Blair Witch Project." "PIG" is a polished complete film. The shaky cam in "Pig" is pretty solid by "Blair Witch" standards. How do you think audiences will accept "PIG" in the aftermath of "Blair Witch?" Do you even like the comparisons?

Conway: Initially, the comparisons were favorable largely due to the enormous presence of Blair Witch. But when you truly consider the content of both films, the only similarity is the "reality" theme of the film.

After "Blair Witch," I thought everything else looked fake. I'm hooked on "Taxi Cab Confessions" and other gritty reality based shows, but I stay away from "Survivor" and "Big Brother." Why do you suppose your film like "Blair Witch" seems more real than shows like "MTV's the Real World?"

Conway: The reality of those kinds of programs is forced and hard to accept because of commercial breaks, and the "cadence" of the show. You know something "big" is going to occur just before the end of an episode. That's not very real. In a film like Pig, the viewer is left guessing throughout - much like in real life. You don't know that before you go to sleep tonight something big is going to happen to keep you hanging till morning.

I read that your film was shot mainly in 16 mm, what is it about smaller aspect ratios and lower quality making things seem more real?

Conway: If "PIG" was glitzy and well-lit it wouldn't have the same effect. It is more raw than most. "PIG" is sorta "ugly," which. unfortunately, so is real life.

I reviewed the video released foreign television series "The Kingdom." The process of creating it made an extremely ugly, dirty image, are you familiar with that one?

Conway: sorry - not at all.

Pick it up and let me know what you think (I don't think anyone read my review and even less people actually rent the four plus hour subtitled mess). Tell us about the hunt for the "real people" that populate "PIG." Jim Volkert as the unnamed lead is excellent, where did he turn up, and how?

Bosko: We did the typical ads in newspapers, held two auditions at a Hilton in Akron. Tried to keep it classy and first-rate. Printed full descriptions of what we were looking for, and went through about 100 people. Jim Volkert was originally slated to play "Trailer Husband" in a scene that was eventually cut. We called him back in for a read when the original "PIG" refused to learn how to smoke cigarettes (even though he said he could fire a joint on the set). That guy is now a part-time Santa.

So you call the lead character "Pig?" Why no name?

Conway: Not really. Just as a reference when we are talking to keep things straight. The "no-name" was done intentionally. For several reasons - by not attaching a name, viewers could make him any officer they have encountered. It kept the experience a universal one by not allowing preconceived ideas to come into play just because of a name. When you hear "Gus" or "Fred," you immediately think of someone you know and attach feelings. We didn't want that. Also, the namelessness added to the overall mystery dread, and suspense of the film.

Was it hard keeping things "classy" with your budget?

Conway: No. With the exception of two volunteers, all cast and crew were paid in cash at the end of each day. We provided one catered or restaurant meal each day (anything on the menu), all the snacks and drinks anyone wanted, too. Hot coffee was always around as well as bottled water, pizza, fruit, soda. Pretty much whatever was wanted. Conditions on the set were relaxed and professional. Everyone was treated with grace and care.

Some of the talented "PIG" crew, some of the members wore more than one hat to get the job done

How did you arrive at a pay scale, how did you budget?

Conway: Talent was given $50 a day. Usually, they worked (with the exception of Jim Volkert) less than 6 hours. The crew gave us their prices (ranged from $150-$350). Usually on a low-bud film you always have the deferred plan which means nobody sees the money ever. We thought it'd be cool to give people some money for their time. Plus, it helped build a better camaraderie with respect to passion for the product.

Great, it sounds like a big budget film, run professionally. What is your background on this? How did you guys manage the project, any trouble?

Conway: We are both very detail oriented people with strong work ethics. Over the past several years, we've worked on a variety of projects and held roles from everything from boom pole holder to make-up to camera to writer to clean-up person. We made a lot of mistakes early, and worked on films where the conditions were bad. We knew what we wanted and what we thought was the best way to achieve those results. The only problems arose because we were the only two people passionate about the project so we did it all ourselves. No tasks from driving people around to getting coffee to ordering film to you name it was above us because we knew if we wanted it done right we had to do it ourselves.

Sounds like hard work, you were your own best boy?

Conway: Yes, sometimes. Actually, our sound man, Kevin Hines, was very helpful and played many roles as well.

How did you build a war chest (of money) for the project?

Conway: We didn't really. we saved our money and prepared for the shoot a month before it took place. Sometimes several months if it was a large shoot. The film was a summer movie, so we only had 4 months that we could shoot. We shot some interiors in winter, but had to wait around for the following summer, which was helpful as it gave us a chance to collect more funds.

The makers of "Evil Dead," I'm told, took so long to finish the movie that the actors actually aged in production. Did taking so long to make the film affect the result, negative or positive?

Conway & Bosko: When you are shooting over the course of several years, actors with other jobs show up physically different from time to time. Hair length, facial hair and weight changed sometimes and creative blocking methods, as well as wardrobe and make-up were utilized to cover. on the plus side, taking time for a project like this helps you to "get in the groove" somewhat, allowing for better retrospection on themes and issues within the story as it is.

Conway: There are three scenes in which the time factor was problematic - two, the lead actor showed without a mustache after having one for the entire film. on another, his coif looked like Dorothy Hamill's.

If you had a bigger budget or steady flow of funds, would you have done it differently, and don't cop out on this one.

Conway: Absolutely, every part of the movie would have been affected. We are extremely proud of the end result, but if we could do it over again with a large budget, a million things would change. Moving cameras, crane shots, lighting rigs, more extras, 35mm stock, you name it.

You would have had a whole different movie?

Conway: Essentially. Hopefully the theme would have stayed intact, as would the sense of foreboding, but with regard to "look" yes. As an example, "Bad Lieutenant" is big, but still looks dirty. "Menace to Society," too.

You mentioned Mr. Rodriguez earlier, his bad films to date arguably have came later with lots more money. What will happen to you after "PIG" becomes a hit? Will you get fat and take up golf?

Conway & Bosko: That's a tough call. It's unrealistic to say that one wouldn't "sell out" and make movies that others want you to make, good or bad. Hopefully, we will maintain our vision and continue to produce films bearing our signatures. Neither of us play golf.

We began to tire, the conversation tired also. These guys have a lot more to say including information about the marketing of "Pig" and its theatrical premiere possibly in November. Next week or sometime in the future, I hope that we can learn more. For the time being, I encourage you guys to hit pigthemovie.com and poke around.

Jonathan W. Hickman