It was this point in my life that I started becoming more active on the internet, and I discovered various film blogs and sites where people wrote about their love of film, which contenders for the Oscars they were championing. Nathaniel Rogers (of The Film Experience) was one of these people that I discovered, and has since then been a source of inspiration in my writing and future aspirations. Nathaniel does everything that I would love to do in the future. He is a member of the Gurus of Gold, a group of respected critics and bloggers who weigh in on who they feel will be the major players in the Oscar race. In addition to this prestigious honor, he has interviewed people such as Nicole Kidman, Kerry Washington, Charlize Theron, Jessica Chastain, and many others. He also attends film festivals, screenings, and does write ups of films and many other topics all on his incredibly entertaining website. To say he's an expert in the field, is an understatement. (You can read more about Nathaniel here).
A few months ago, he followed me on Twitter (and you can imagine the level of fangirling that ensued when that happened). But when I was assigned to interview someone relevant to my blog's topic, Nathaniel was the first person that jumped into my mind. I didn't expect him to respond to my email, but I knew I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't at least try. However, to my surprise, he happily accepted the opportunity for me to interview him, and more fangirling ensued (unfortunately, we had to do it via email due to the fact that last week Nathaniel was in L.A. attending to some business before the Oscar season really starts).
Q: So, I figured I'd start up with an easy question. How did you get started with The Film Experience?
A: The Film Experience started in ye olden times as a print zine actually called "Film Bitch". After a year of that, I wised up and transferred to the web just as personal websites were really taking off. I hope it doesn't sound immodest to suggest I always fantasized and planned for it to be a big deal.
Q: In addition to your site having a steady following, you were recently added to the Gurus of Gold. How does it feel to have your opinions/views held in such high esteem by your readers and peers?
A: The recognition feels great, though you really can't rely on it because writing is a lonely business and feedback comes randomly. You have to write for yourself first since you're the only audience you know will read every word.
Q: Anyone who knows you or follows The Film Experience knows your enthusiasm for actresses, especially for Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer. But who are some of your favorite actors?
A: It's true that I'm far more drawn to actresses than actors. This is undoubtedly because they're asked to play a wider range of emotion than the men are. Male movie stars are often asked to be merely heroic or stoic or an "everyman" or some such. But there are actors who fascinate me too, usually because they have faces that were meant to be blown up big on the silver screen (Brad Pitt) or because they have in their performances the kind of nuance and subtext and range of emotional expression that's more common in actresses. I'm thinking of men like Jude Law, Ewan McGregor, and Michael Fassbender none of whom ever coast on leading man status but are instead thinking of the character they're playing.
Q: So, if you had to take an Oscar away from an actress and give it to another (anyone, leading or supporting, it doesn't matter), who would it be and why?
A: Once you go down this rabbit hole you never come out again. My all time most aggravating Oscar loss is Judy Garland in "A Star is Born" who delivers a seismic once in a lifetime performance that is everything musical drama ever aspires to be. It's not only the peak performance of a legendary film career but the peak performance of it's whole genre. So if you give me a time machine, I'm taking back Grace Kelly's simplistic against type win for playing a dowdy wife in "The Country Girl".
Grace Kelly shortly after she won her Oscar for "The Country Girl" (source- blog.myheritage.com)
Q: Staying on the topic of Best Actress then, let's fast forward to this year. With these year being so competitive between huge stars like Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Emma Thompson, who do you hope makes it in and who do you hope is left out come nomination morning?
A: And we're back to best actress... I can't understand the fuss over Sandra Bullock's game sadness and physicality in "Gravity" (she's good but it's hardly an actor's film) so I'd much prefer an extreme longshot like Brie Larson in Short Term 12 or Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha, two young actresses elevating hugely successful (aesthetically speaking) indies that wouldn't have been the same without their depth and empathy or their spirited idiosyncractic comic zest, respectively.
Q: You mentioned Sandra Bullock, who (besides your opinion which seems to be a minority this year as oppose to the year she won for) is a frontrunner to actually win the Oscar. She wasn't the first choice to play Ryan Stone in Gravity, that was Angelina Jolie, and then Natalie Portman, both declined the role. Who is someone you would have casted instead of Sandra?
A: I like Bullock but given the simplicity of the character I think the film needed an actress with more depth. The movie wants to be spiritual transcendent so it was begging for an actress with more mystery in her eyes. I personally would've cast Vera Farmiga who regularly builds whole characters from nothing parts on paper. Actors who are hungry for big roles will really tear into their big opportunities.
Q: As I said before, this year is extremely competitive in terms of films vying for those 5 slots. It was recently reported that Nicole Kidman's supposed Oscar vehicle "Grace of Monaco" and "Foxcatcher" (a film you were very excited about) were moved to next year. Do you think this was a wise decision?
A: I always think it's a wise decision to push back films if the filmmakers feel their not ready. And we can't know, not truly, whether these movies or political or artistically driven.
Q: We're at the point in the year where all of the prestige films are slowly coming out to the public. Of the movies you have seen so far, what movie would you give Best Picture to?
A: At this writing I'm rooting for Twelve Years a Slave which is an extremely fresh and potent look at man's inhumanity to man by way of slavery. The acting is incredible but more than that the film has cinematic muscle - just great stuff from all departments.
Q: And finally, what advice do you have for any aspiring writers/journalists looking to write about film?
A: I've made so many mistakes in my career so learn from them. Any creative line of work is tough because there is a ton of competition and managing a creative career requires a different skill set than actually being creative. First, don't keep to yourself. Writing is solitary stuff in process but the more networking you do, the better off you'll be. Erase your shyness. Second, don't get too precious about "doing your own thing". So many people want to start their own sites and blogs but it's really smarter if you're starting from scratch to write for sites that already exists. There's a built-in audience and you can hone your skills and get better feedback when you join a team. Plus your best stuff will be read by more people and it'll help you network.
In addition to his blog The Film Experience, you can check out Nathaniel on Twitter
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