Interview with Director/Writer Tyler Lionel Parr (IRONIED)

Tyler Lionel Parr’s short film IRONIED played to rave reviews at the June 2016 FEEDBACK Film Festival. Tyler was the writer, director, and 2 time star of the short.

Matthew Toffolo: What motivated you to make this film?

Tyler Lionel Parr: My motivation came from walking the streets of Toronto. It always pained me to see people who lived on the street, had so little and yet seemed to own the world. It was fascinating to me, on a primal level. How and why did they come to this ‘place’ in life. There was a story, and I wanted to know it.

MT: From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

TP: 2 years and 16 days. I wouldn’t change a minute, no matter how arduous it was.

MT: How would you describe your short film in two words!?

TP: My sincerest apologies but, I’m unable to answer that one.

MT: What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

TP: The ending. As we’ve always heard from many filmmakers, how to end that which has no ending. I wanted to punctuate the truism without spoon-feeding the audience so writing an ending that was acceptable was incredibly difficult.

MT: What were your initial reactions when watching the Toronto audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

TP: I felt relieved. To know that the message, or at least what I wanted to project, was actually landing on a conscious level, And that it scored an emotional response. I couldn’t be a happier filmmaker.

MT: How did you come up with the idea for this short film?

TP: Someone once said to me “there are two types of filmmakers in this world; those who want to make a film and those who know when a film needs to be made, yours is the latter”. I just knew. The same way an artist puts the brush to the canvas or the musician plucks they’re fist cord. It almost creates itself, through you.

MT: What film have you seen the most in your life?

TP: Now that’s a hard question to answer. I would have to say, at this point, There Will Be Blood.

MT: What is next for you? A new film?

TP: Yes. I’m waiting to here back about grants. My next film will be shot in Toronto again, hopefully this fall. My kingdom for a producer…

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of IRONIED:

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.