I had a conversation with Jennifer Venditti about her film, Billy the Kid, a coming-of-age story about an American teen. Click here to learn more about Billy the Kid and to view clips of the movie.
JB: Was it difficult to convince Billy and his mother to let you begin this project?
JV: Surprisingly, no. At first there was some hesitation because I was a stranger that had come from another planet (New York City!) but I was clear about what my intentions were, which were to give them a voice and show the world life from Billy’s point of view. His society has alienated him, and I wanted him to be heard. I’m very lucky in that they not only trusted me and opened up their lives and home, but I felt they were very honest and candid with me and have been supportive through the whole process. Ultimately, they gave me a gift by allowing me to be a part of their lives as an uncensored subject to find myself as a filmmaker.
JB: You capture remarkable moments of intimacy with Billy. Did you spend much time with him before shooting?
JV: I met Billy while casting extras in his hometown for another film called Bugcrush (Winner Sundance ‘06) and I spent a week with him on that project as I cast him in the movie. During that week my purpose was to take care of the actors and find more extras for the film, so my main focus was not supposed to be Billy, but I kept filming and interviewing him, not even realizing I was going to make a film about him later. I drove him to the set every day, and promised his mother I would take care of him. We would talk and sing loudly together to music on the radio. We got to know each other and I was very fascinated by him.
JB: This is your first feature and an extraordinary one I must say. Had you been thinking about making a film for some time before beginning this project?
JV: One of the things I do, as a casting director, is that I street scout and enter new environments and discover untold stories. I’ve been filming the people I cast for years. Whether I was dealing with “real” people, actors, or high fashion models, I always knew there were stories beyond the faces and collected hundreds of tapes filled with interviews. It was a natural transition into filmmaking in that although it was inspiring to find these people and cast them in various projects, I knew there were “real” narratives just waiting to be told. One of my gifts is that I have a keen eye that spots something wonderful in the least obvious of places. My instinct is to challenge traditional notions of what we find to be beautiful and heroic.
However, when I thought about making a film, I was waiting for that perfect idea that would be something major and change the world. That kind of pressure is paralyzing! This film came to me in a very organic way, and I didn’t understand at the time that it would ultimately be this film that held the impact and weight that I was looking for in a story.
JB: Do you have plans for another film anytime soon?
JV: Yes, I am working on something now that is more of a hybrid, but I am not discussing specifics. Stay tuned, hopefully coming to a theater near you soon!
