ISFFH Q & A with Director Guilherme Pereira

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guilherme Pereira won Best Action for his film “The Adventures of Sheriff Kid McLain” in the 2013 International Student Film Festival Hollywood (ISFFH) and we had the opportunity to have a Q & A interview with him recently and learn some more about him and where he got the inspiration for his film.

 

ISFFH: Tell me about yourself and what drives your creativity.

Guilherme Pereira: I’m a pretty chill easy going guy. I tend not to get stressed over anything and always look for the bright side of things. Some things that help me to create and stay creative are exercises (I jog once a day and take a long walk every night), watch movies, read and listen to music. I rarely ever go out to bars and I pretty much never go to night clubs. I tend to surround myself with creative and interesting people. I think that I do have something to say to the World and all I want to do is transport the viewer to a completely unknown universe for a period of time. I want someone to forget about all of their problems while watching a movie that I made.

ISFFH: Where do you find inspiration?

Guilherme Pereira: One of the main things that inspire me when I write is music. I cannot write without listening to music. Also, I tend to disguise personal stories into the things that I write.

ISFFH: Who are your mentors?

Guilherme Pereira: I’m lucky enough to have mentors not only in the US but in Brazil, my homeland, as well. In Brazil my mentors are the Grammy award musicians Chitãozinho and Xororó. They are amazing professionals and I have worked with them on different projects, they are amazing and humble human beings. In the US, my mentors are filmmakers Jonathan London, Michael Connors, Tony Soltis, Jonathan LeMond and academy award nominee Michael Paxton.

ISFFH: Tell me about your film and where you got the idea for it.

Guilherme Pereira: My movie ‘The Adventures of Sheriff Kid McLain’ is a family-oriented Western which is told from the perspective of a young child. I grew up watching many kinds of films, but Westerns were always my favorite. My first DVD ever was Tombstone and I’ve always loved to dress as a cowboy. I also grow up with two younger cousins, and I always had to entertain them, one of the things that I use to do was tell stories…. my movie pretty much is an experience that I had with my cousins Junior and Rodrigo.

ISFFH: How do you describe your filmmaking process?

Guilherme Pereira: I love doing pre-work. I like going to the set with a plan A and plan B ready in mind and on paper. I love doing research for costumes, frames… everything. I tend not to leave things for the last minute, I really dislike procrastination.

 ISFFH: Who is the audience you wrote the film for?

Guilherme Pereira: I wrote my film for families to watch with their kids. It’s a family oriented movie, but it also has some aspects that make the movie proper for all ages. It’s not dumbed down for young kids, it supposed to please everyone.

ISFFH: What message do you want people to take away after seeing your film?

Guilherme Pereira: They should learn to be confident and believe that there’s a hero hidden inside of all of us. We should learn to overcome our fears rationally. In the end… all fears are irrational.

ISFFH: What do you consider the elements of a good film?

Guilherme Pereira: A good film starts with a good script and a good script starts with a good idea. It’s all about being creative and thinking outside of the box. Filmmaking is a modern way of telling stories. We as filmmakers are storytellers of this century. Back in the days crowds used to gather around a square and listen to an old man tell a story… today, people gather around in a dark room to watch someone else’s dreams. Film is one of the most powerful things created by men.

ISFFH: What advice do you have for fellow student filmmakers?

Guilherme Pereira:  Never give up. It is possible. I once heard someone saying that “Making a film is not like performing brain surgery. Brain surgery is easy”. I think that this is a very stupid affirmation. There’s no secret to being a filmmaker if you really dedicate yourself and your life to film. Always read about film, always look for information. Read about theory and how to do things. Write every day, even if you think that you don’t have anything to write about. Go out to the movies, search for alternative films to watch. Look at people on the streets instead of looking at your phone screen. More important, never give up on following your dreams.

ISFFH: What are your goals? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Guilherme Pereira:  In 10 years I see myself directing films and with a powerful name in Brazil and in the U.S.

ISFFH: How can people follow your work?

Guilherme Pereira:
Website: www.guilhermepereira.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KidMcLain
https://www.facebook.com/PizzaMeMafia
https://www.facebook.com/gui.pereira
Twitter: @gui_p
Vine: Gui Pereira
Instagram: guilpereira

About the International Student Film Festival Hollywood

Hollywood is the capital city of the entertainment world. The International Student Film Festival Hollywood is the only film festival that embraces all ages from around the world, offering students the unique opportunity to gain the recognition of film industry leaders creating career development opportunities in their home countries as well as the United States. The opportunities provided by the ISFFH not only benefit the students, but the world community by bringing together people of diverse cultures and differing viewpoints.

The International Student Film Festival Hollywood is now accepting submissions for its 12^th annual Film and Video Competition. The Festival will be held in the NoHo Arts District of North Hollywood, CA USA November 7 – 9, 2014. The competition is open to students of all ages and academic backgrounds. Submission deadline is August 15, 2014. More information and entry forms are available on the festival website www.isffhollywood.org. You can also find us on facebook www.facebook.com/ISFFHollywood.