Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Issue 3

by Terry Dawes

John Pozer interviewed October 5, 1991, at the Hotel
Vancouver. His first feature length film The Grocer’s Wife was
part of the 10th annual Vancouver Film Festival. He is about
5710" or so.

Terry Dawes: Why don’t you tell us a little something
about your background and where you grew up?

John Pozer: Iwas born in Kamloops, British Columbia,
and I was raised here in Vancouver, mostly over in the Dunbar
area and, uh, that’s about all I can remember about my back-
ground.

TD: Amazing. How about schools and stuff like that?

JP: I went to Prince of Wales High School and, uh, really
I think that was just a concept to keep me off the streets. But
nonetheless, I stuck with it. I did a year at Langara - I really
couldn’t buy into their program. I wentto BCIT; [eventually left
that program of my own free will and accord. Then I went to UBC
and I subsequently dropped out of that program as well. I’m not
a quitter though, atheart. It’s just that when things don’t go right

JP: Well, uh, The Grocer’s Wife is the first film I’ve ever
done where peoples’ lips move and words come out in a synchro-
nous effect. So, I’m quite delighted to have accomplished this in
my short career span in film. But I would really love to see it
dubbed into another language. I think that'd bea very interesting
event, ‘cos that would remind me more of films that I probably
made in my earlier years. No, I started out, I used to have a film
camera when I was twelve or thirteen and I'd annoy people by
doing all the standard tricks. You know, people jumping in and
out of frame and stuff like that. But I made my first real serious
film, which was in Super 8, and it was a pretty serious film effort
for me; I’d always been in Standard 8 but then I made the jump
to Super 8 and I made a film in a course because you could either
make a film or write an essay. So I thought, “Make a film.”

TD: Yeah, better to cop out on the essay.

JP: Absolutely. And I thought the film would be far more
fun but I didn’t think it’d be so much work, though. So, off Iwent
with this little Super 8 camera that I rented. The teacher didn’t
want to see any script or any sort of design for the piece and I went
outand shot this little film. It was called 156 and Counting. It was
sort of a story about a very demented guy. And, uh , you know,
he gets into all sorts of problems. I submitted it through - I guess

you’ve sort of gotta say,

“What's the right thing todo?”
TD: Is this some kind
of deep rooted opinion about ° 9
the education system or was than life ‘
it just your personal...
JP: This is an accurate

perception. I think I could
have a deep rooted opinion.

-Man, film is life

my better judgement- into a film festival
and I got in like, the top five finalists.

«Is film mo re imp ortant When we went to the festival to show it,

they decided not to show the film because
the content was a bit problematical for
some people. They said that they were
going to ban this film from the festival and,
uh so. I subsequently think that I have
calmed down a lot, now that my films are
being accepted into a festival.

And I think that especially about creative art education. I think
it’s very difficult, and it has to be a very carefully orchestrated
program starting with faculties and department heads to ensure
that perhaps some diverse or maybe new and innovative, or
unique personalities of the students and the work they’re doing
should always be supported. There should be very little negative
input, certainly, to guide someone and steer them in the right
path. I think the film that I’ve done may reflect this as well, that
Ihave an interest in control or authority, I consider it a dilemma.
I think sometimes through cinema, you can approach some of
these underlying issues and some of the basic, fundamental
elements of human relationships and bring them into the cinema
and exaggerate them or expose them without really having to
expose them because they’re dilemmas that are basically not
resolved in our everyday lives.

TD: Can you give us some info on your earlier films,

before The Grocer’s Wife?

TD: Why don’t you describe The Grocer’s Wife for us?

JP: Well, you know, that’s one of my toughest questions.
People say, “Describe the film,” or, “What’s the film about?”
and, uh, it’s... was actually delighted when I read the Vancouver
program and I saw that Amnon had decided to call the film, uh,
that the film ‘eluded description’. So that was kind of an
interesting piece because he’s a very experienced film goer and
I’ve always had a problem saying what the film is about. In a
nutshell, it’s about a young man who works at a factory and his
relationship with three women in this small town, a very strange
littletown. The three women are: his love-sick mother, a B-circuit
stripper who comes into the picture, and then there’s the wife of
the local grocer, uh, and all of them take on these different
relationships with him and he’s in a state of confusion over
(because), uh, most of his boring and routine life is sort of thrown
into kilter because this much excitement hasn’t happened to him
in about a hundred years.

TD: OK, I’ve got one last qu

JP: Take your time, Terry.
we’ ve talked to is always late, so...

TD: Oh well, screwit then. Ur
is there any kind of overriding, say, t
could crystallize? Is there something
who see your films?

JP: Well, you have to take the’
see the film, maybe next year or a year
films.” I worked with a couple of differ
is a working out of a lot of my questio
coming to some sort of an understa
maybe a respect for myself as a solitz
relationship with people in close p1
ultimately, it doesn’t affect me. Or
ultimately, it may not be important
obsession to project ourselves into th
happen? What are my goals? What’
going to come in the door?” Youknoy
these obsessions to know and wheth:
your horoscope or you get your tarot
a lot of this, especially with these s
yourself into the future, and, uh, real
is like, I think there’s a big invisible
railroad tracks and you’re walkin’ al
around and it’s gonna hit you or there
that’s gonna hit you again, I mean. S
‘Cos you see this poor guy: he has th
crazy, he tries to figure everything out
verge of just going insane, he’s going t
, some violent thing and... Give him
there might be someone comin’ throug
a solution, he might not have to do th
itself. If you just sort of step back and
for asecond,” instead of this constant,
And I think that’s a big part of it. An
screenplay and making a film, while th
of people involved in the production o
at that point, when you make the filn
it’s kind of like, you leave the family «
make phone calls and you say, “He
new?” “Not much. You know, we’re
two years later after we finish shootin,
those are two years of really isolated.
isolated individual, with my buddy,
We'd be working together, but he’d |
and Id be working over at the Film Bc
completely different areas with comn
in atthe end and say, “How’s itgoin’?
I think there’s an incredible amount
to be in touch with being lonely. I:

Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Iaue 3

AN INTERVIEW WITH

by Temy Dawes

John Poser interviewed October 5, 1991, at the Hotel
Vancouver. Hisfirst feature length fl The Grocer’ Wife was
‘part ofthe 10th annual Vancouver Film Festival. He is out

S10 ors.

‘Terry Dawes: Why don't you tell litle something
bout your background and where you grew up?

ohn Pouee: Iwas born in Kamloope, British Columbia,
14 Twat eased herein Vancouver, mostly over inthe Dunbar
area and, uh, thats about all I ean remember about my back

ground.

TD: Amazing. How about schools and stuff like that?

IP: Iwent wo Prince of Wales High School and, ub, really
think that was just 2 concept to koop me off the stress. But
nonetheless Tetuck with it. Tid a year at Langara- I really
couldn't buy ino their program. Inent to BCIT; eventually left
thatprogram of my own fee willand accord. Thon I went toUBC
and [subsequently dropped outof that program a wll, not
‘quitter though, atheart. It'sjuetthat when things don't right
you've tort of gotta say,

"What's therightthingtodo?”

Ts nome
fo | ale?
nergy comet

JP: Thisiean accurate
peroeption. I think I could
have deep rooted opinion,
‘And think that expecially about creative art eduction. [think
"avery difficult and it han to hea very carefully orchestrated
rogram tating with faculties and department heads to ensure
that perhaps some diverse or maybe new and innovative, oF
‘unique personalities of the students andthe work they're doing
should ayes supported. There shouldbe very itl negative
input, certainly, to guide someone and steer them in the right
path, [think the film that 'vedone may reflec tha wll, that
Thavean interestin control or authority, Ieonsider ita dilemma.
[think sometimes through cinema, you can approach some of
these underlying isues and some of the basi, fundamental
ements of human relationships and bring them into the cinema
land exaggerate them or expote them without realy having to
‘expose them because they're dilemmas that are basically not
resolved in our everyday lives.

‘TD: Can you give us some info on your enricr films,
before The Grocer’s Wife?

JP; Wall hy The Grocers Wi nth fit ve ever
eos rhs porte’ Fp mere sslorieenenatiaeayachre-
noww fet. Sy 1'mauite delighted thnve accomplished thin
Eyeter cor pani fib, Bat Tweed rl love to
‘lbbed into another language. think hate ery nterting
ent, sothat would rem i oe f ig that Tpebebly
tmdelnmy ear yar, No, tared out Taso thar in
‘camera when I was twelve or thirteen and I'd annoy people by
Geingal th standard tsk. You nor, prople jumping in and
‘out of frame and stuff like that. But I made my firet real serious
film, which wan Soper 8, anditwar prety rou fm ffrt.
for meiTdalaye bern ia Standard but then made the jmp
to Super Bad Ta fina core born you alder’
ime film or write an etsy. So I thought, “Make fl.”

TD: Yeah, better to cop out on the essay

JP: Abwolutely. And Ithought the lm would be far more
funbutdidn'tthink t'dbe so much work, though. So, off went
ith this itl Super 8 camera that I rend. The teacher didn’.
‘anttosoe any seriptor any sortofdesiga forthe pice and went
cutand shot hislitefilm.Itwascalled 156and Counting. Iwas
tort of «sory about avery demented guy. And, uh , you know,
hegotsintoallsoru of problem. Isubmitted i through - guess

my beter judgement into a film festival

and got in like, the top five

-Is film more important | When we went tothe festival to show it,

| they decided not to show the film boesuse
| the content was abit problematical for
tome poople. They ssid that they were

| goingtoban thieflm fromthefestivaland,

ing accepted into a festival.

-Man, film is life Sst sat

"TD: Why don’t you describe The Grocer’ Wife for us?

JP: Well, you know, thats one of my toughest questions
“Desribe the fl,” or, “What's the fil about?”
_Iwat actually delighted whon Ireadthe Vancouver
‘rogram and Taw that Amnon had decided to cll the fl, ub,
‘thatthe film ‘eluded description’. So that was kind of a

intersting piece because he's avery experienced film gor and
TTve always had a problem saying what the filmi about. In a
nutshell, it's about a young man who works ata factory and his
relationship with three women in ths small town, a very strange
liuletown. Thethreewomen arerhitlovesck mother, B-circit
ripper who comes into the piture, and then there's the wife of
the local grocer, uh, and all of them take on thee differen
relatonshipe with him and he's in a state of confusion over
(Gecaus), uh, most of is boring and routineif sort of thrown,
‘to klter because the much excitement hasn'thappened to him

about a hundred years.

"TD: OK, Ive got one lat

JP: Take your time, Terry
we've tlle toi alwaye lat

‘TD: Ob well, serewitthen. Us
fnthere any kind of overiding sa,
‘ould erystalize? Is there something
ho see your fst

IP: Well you havew taketh
sethe fm, maghe nxt ear or ye
films” Iworked witha couple dif
ie a orking out of tof my quoi
coming to some wort ofan undert
tmaybe a reapoct for mya a a li
ith people incl
on’ aft me. Or
imay 901 he important
‘htcaton to project ourselves into th
happen? What ae my goal? Wh
ing to come nthe door?” You kao
these obsessions to know and whet
your orescope or youge your tarot
2 lot ofthis epeially with thse
Jourtelfat th fata, and, ah a
ie key Think thore's big inv
Fair tacks and you'e wali’
{round andi’ gonna hit you or ther
{that’s gonna hit you again, [mean §
“Cox you se this poor guy be hae
rary, hotrnstofigurverythingou
‘ergo fut going inane being
‘ome valent thing ad... Cie him
‘here mightbe mone comin’ throu
‘olution, he might not have o dt
ial. Ifyou jutaortof stp back
forasecond,"inteadof hit contant
‘And think tha’ big part of tA
‘eronply and making fil, wld
of eopleinvaledin the productions
‘that pin, wen you make the fils
isbind alike, youleavethefamiy
rake phone cals and you say, “Tl
sew?" “Not mach. You know, e'e
{wo yearalater after we finish shot
those are two years of really oad
elated individual, with my buddy,
We'd be working together, but be'di
andl dboworkingover ath FilmB
completly different areas with coms
inattheondandsay,"Tow’s ign’
[think there's a norodile amount
toe in touch with being lonely.

hae 4