Project Description
Questions & Answers.
NAME: Steven Benedict
JOB TITLE: On POISON PEN, I am one of the three directors.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GO WORK IN THE FILM INDUSTRY IN IRELAND?
When I was eight years old, I saw Steven Spielberg’s Close
Encounters of the Third Kind. I thought that what I was seeing was
happening live somewhere else in the world and when later I understood it
how movies were made, I thought it would be nice to do that for a living.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR CAREER PATH TO DATE?
I have written, produced and directed multi-award winning short films. I have also
been a lecturer at the National Film School in Dun Laoghaire, the National College
of Art and Design, University College, Dublin and the Irish Film Institute. I
also host my own website where you can see my films and also listen to my
weekly podcasts: www.stevenbenedict.ie
WHO INSPIRES YOU?
In the film world and working; Wes Anderson,
Sofia Coppola, Alexander Payne, the Coens, Michael Haneke, Ang Lee,
Wong Kar-Wai, Lynn Ramsey, Gus Van Sant, Martin Scorsese, Steven
Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, Kathryn Bigelow, David Fincher, Pedro
Almodovar, Steve Mcqueen, Woody Allen.
WHAT DOES COPYRIGHT MEAN TO YOU AND YOUR CAREER?
I abide by the US laws on copyright that allows a third party avail of the original
material exlusively for fair use, non-profit and educational purposes only.
After that, the creator of the material should always be rewarded for their
talents and work.
TELL US A FUNNY WORK STORY…
Remember the scene in Catch Me If You Can, where young Frank Abagnale walks into
his new school and pretends to be a French teacher? When I was a second year History of Art
student in college, I signed up to a special session with a renowned director
organized by the Film Society. I arrived late only to be told by the auditor
that the director had not yet turned up and could I possibly keep everyone
distracted for a few minutes while she went off to find him. I started
talking. And had to keep talking. After about 40 minutes the auditor came
back looking very worried: no sign of the director. I casually suggested a
short coffee break and it was only then that the auditor spotted the director
sitting at the back of the theatre. He had come in and, hearing me talking,
had presumed he was scheduled for the second morning session. When the
auditor introduced the director, no one in the class could understand why I
was now suddenly sitting down to do the course with them.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE FILM?
That strongly depends what mood I am in, but here are a few titles I can
watch no matter what. Chronologically:
• A Night at the Opera
• Une partie de campagne
• Pinocchio
• Notorious
• Singin’ in the Rain
• The Red Balloon
• Lawrence of Arabia
• Manhattan
• when Harry met Sally…
• Talk To Her
• Wall-E
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
