IFH 777: Carving Her Own Path: Kansas Bowling on Confidence, Creativity, and the Magic of 16mm Film

Alex Ferrari 0:07
Enjoy today's episode with guest host Dave Bullis.

Dave Bullis 0:33
In this next interview, I just want to pre, pre note this by saying I'm a little rusty, and it shows I don't know if it was just how bad I sounded, or maybe I'm just that bad. I don't know. But this interview was, like, extremely quick. Wasn't really that in depth. So it is what it is, right? So without further ado, on this week's episode of the podcast, I talked to a filmmaker who was the first graduate of the trauma Institute for the gifted. She made the film. She directed and wrote the film B.C. Butcher when she was 17. Now she's gone on to direct a ton of music videos, which we talk about. She's also in production right now of her second feature film. She shoots everything on 16 millimeters. So she's, you know, throwing it back old school, which, by the way, I actually like, I like, I you know, if you find a style, I say, stick with it. And you know, whether it's shoot you on film or digital, I talk about that too, because I think film does give you certain things that digital doesn't. But either way, with guest Kansas bowling, you know, it's been funny because we've been trying to get a hold of each other for a while now. But see, it's hard because you live such an awesome life, like every time I see your Instagram, you're out doing something really, really cool, a lot cooler than what I'm doing. So yeah,

Kansas Bowling 3:20
So my Instagram just got permanently deleted yesterday. So

Dave Bullis 3:26
Why was that?

Kansas Bowling 3:27
I made a post about a new wave of fascism on the internet, and I got banned for hate speech,

Dave Bullis 3:37
Really? So did they even give you a warning or they just immediately take you down.

Kansas Bowling 3:41
No, they just took me down. It was because it, I was coming in defense of James Gunn, this whole thing. And so everyone call it started calling me a pedophile, because it's like a new wave of mass hysteria where if you don't agree with someone, they're suddenly a pedophile. So now I, yeah, I don't have any form of social media now,

Dave Bullis 3:59
Yeah, because didn't it get banned before? Didn't you like, didn't like your Twitter or something, or didn't you have something, and it got banned once before?

Kansas Bowling 4:06
Oh, no, I just have they'd like, always delete my posts and stuff, but now they just leave my whole account.

Dave Bullis 4:11
So now, what are you going to do without social media?

Kansas Bowling 4:15
Just keep doing them. What I'm doing without social media, I don't know. Nothing really changes.

Dave Bullis 4:21
Yeah, I know what? Well, you know the old saying Kansas, if you don't do it on social media, it never really happened.

Kansas Bowling 4:27
Oh, no!

Dave Bullis 4:29
Yes. So, so see that now. Now we don't know what's gonna happen. See, you're such a cool person, and I'm not gonna be able to keep it to keep up with your life anymore. So, but because, because, honestly, like, and that's what I wanted to get into this interview. You know, you're out doing so many, like, cool projects and stuff like that, you know. I mean, you've directed, like 20 music videos. You directed, you know, directed a feature film, your your your in pre production for the next one. So, you know, let's just get started with, you know, at the beginning, you know, how did you get started doing this whole, you know, filmmaking thing?

Kansas Bowling 5:01
Um, well, I made a feature film right when I got out of high school, just basically because I wanted to make movies, and I thought it would be easier to just make one than to, like, go to film school and everything, and it would prove to be better for me. And I was right, okay, yeah. Just, yeah, I made the slasher, cave woman slasher for Troma when I was 17. I mean, I made it and then gave it to Troma, and then, yeah, and then from that, I've just gotten a lot of jobs and stuff. Like people saw it, like, it's, I mean, within the it's not like a widely recognized film by any means, but within the sort of trauma community it is. So from that I've gotten like, music video offers, like directing and a lot of acting stuff. And, you know, once I do one music video, I usually get another, someone saw it, and, you know, it's just kind of like a word of mouth sort of thing. So that's what got started,

Dave Bullis 6:07
Yeah, you know. And by the way, that is a good idea, by the way, not to go to college, because, trust me, I made the mistake of going to college. And I remember I saw one of your posts one time about that, and I couldn't agree. I could not hit that love button fast enough Kansas, because, yeah,

Kansas Bowling 6:23
Oh yeah, that actually got deleted by Instagram too for hate speech, because it says that because I was, like, encouraging bad behavior or whatever

Dave Bullis 6:35
I see, that's what I remember most about you. Kansas is all your deleted social media posts. I think that's what it is, but we know, but you had a post there, and it just was talking about college and and honestly, I having gone and even worked at a college, I can tell you a lot of the students there, there's a there's a there's a good portion who should not be going to college. The only reason that they're going is because they're told that they have to go what I mean?

Kansas Bowling 7:02
Yeah, well, that's a problem too, that people can't really think for themselves. They're doing what they're told to do.

Dave Bullis 7:09
Yeah, and that's why I need Instagram to tell me these things and delete posts. But, but so you know, as you're going out and you and you're getting these different jobs, you know, like, what are some of the strangest offers that you've gotten?

Kansas Bowling 7:24
Um, I mean, I don't know strangest anyway, people always like trying to get me to be born and stuff. I don't know if they know, of course. Oh yeah, you know, I don't know. I don't know. I feel like that's pretty typical.

Dave Bullis 7:43
No one's ever asked me to do that. Usually people pay me clothes on.

Kansas Bowling 7:48
I mean, for a girl, especially in like, poor world. But I don't know that's I feel like that's not really an interesting answer. I don't people send me, like, really horrible scripts all the times where it's like, the whole thing is just like a giant sex scene. They're like, No, but it's gonna be like, really artsy, I swear. And I'm just like, a you know thing,

Dave Bullis 8:09
Yeah, that that I know what you mean. I like, I have friends who would do stuff like that, and I would just be reading the script, and I'm just like, I'm not even a girl, and you're creeping me out. Like, you know what I mean? Yeah, I couldn't imagine a girl reading this, or an actress reading this and being like, yeah, this sounds like it's gonna be a great scene for a great movie. Yeah. It just seems like a facade for you know what I mean. And it's just, so Do people just, like, send you screenplays like, all the time through email and stuff, yeah. And it's just basically like, hey, Kansas, I want to cast you in this thing. And it just added, you read it, and it's just like, oh, this is just nothing,

Kansas Bowling 8:47
Yeah. I mean, I mean, not all the time. I mean, I get some good scripts too since, mean, you know, I if I'm able to all appear in those and stuff. So,

Dave Bullis 9:00
Yeah, so, so like, what are some of the better scripts that you've got like, So, what are some of like, the better pitches that you've gotten for things to do?

Kansas Bowling 9:07
Well, I'm acting in this one would be called the Electra Complex, which is directed by Jessica Janos, starring me andViolet Paley. And we play these two sex workers in the 90s. It's, it's one of, like, the most well written screenplays. Well, it's actually the most well written screenplay I've ever gotten sent to me, and probably one of, like, my favorite screenplays I've ever read. It's really, really good. So that should be coming soon. We're, we're still shooting that one right now,

Dave Bullis 9:40
And see that that's actually good, you know that it's good that some actually could, you know, you know, you don't get too many crazy offers. And so when you actually read the screenplay, and you said it was one of the most well written screenplays you've ever read, and you know, you what were some of it? Was it just the pros? Was it the characters? I mean, what really stood out for you?

Kansas Bowling 10:00
Well, it's just like a very unique story, because I hate, you know, when you're watching a movie and you know exactly what's going to happen once you find out what the conflict is, you know? Yeah, yeah, it's just, like, a it's unique and it's personal, and it's not trying. It's like, it's very it's subversive, without trying to be edgy, and it's not trying to be anything else that's it's very genuine.

Dave Bullis 10:45
So when, so when you read a script like that, does it? Do you try to take some x, I know you're a screenwriter, too. Do you take that and try to like, you know, I don't want to say, mimic that, but do you try to say, You know what I mean, like, you know, I'm trying to say, like, do you try to bring something like that?

Kansas Bowling 11:00
What you're trying to say, but I, I don't know, I appreciate other people's styles, and I appreciate when people have their own voice. And I'm, I feel like I've been able to develop my own voice. So I don't really feel the need to mimic other people's

Dave Bullis 11:18
Yeah, yeah. Well, me like, you know, yeah, exactly. I didn't want to always work mimic. I, that's a bad I a bad word. I meant more like

Kansas Bowling 11:26
Full inspiration from

Dave Bullis 11:28
Exactly, yeah, you know what I mean, something like that.

Kansas Bowling 11:31
Yeah, no, it's um, I know. I feel pretty confident with my voice and my writing, so I just don't ever find myself doing that.

Dave Bullis 11:41
So you're actually working on another feature film right now, which is your second feature film? Is there any details you go into?

Kansas Bowling 11:49
I just shot a scene with Caroline Williams, which was really exciting. Yeah, I'm, I'm directing this feature. Should the feature should be done by the end of the year. I'm not sure when it'll come out, though, but it's a, it's like a a Mongo movie, which is a forgotten genre. So I'm making a current day Mondo, which I'm very excited about.

Dave Bullis 12:20
So, like, you, like, obviously, you like, obviously, you can't say anything about, like, the plot or anything, right? Um, I mean, I know what you I know you probably can't, but I thought I'd ask. But you know, you're shooting on eight, on Super Eight, you know,

Kansas Bowling 12:34
On 16 millimeter,

Dave Bullis 12:36
Oh, 16 millimeter. I'm sorry, you're right. I so is that something that you want to continue to do is just shoot on 16 millimeter,

Kansas Bowling 12:42
Yeah, of course. I mean, I always like shooting on some I've never shot on 35 before, because I've just been, ever been able to, it's very expensive. Yeah, I shoot, I shoot on Super eight and 16 millimeter all the time.

Dave Bullis 12:59
Yeah, yeah, that there was a 35 millimeter prices are you think they'd be going down right Kansas, like you think that, since you know they might have some extra stock, it might be going down, but, but no,

Kansas Bowling 13:09
Well, I mean, a lot of big movies still shoot all 35 so makes sense? Yeah, you know everyone, no, people don't really realize that how many movies are still shot on film, but a vast majority of them are, I mean, not sorry, not majority, but a large number of mainstream movies are still shot on film.

Dave Bullis 13:29
Yeah, yeah. It's just, you know, when I was going up to, like, these different places, and we know different film labs and stuff like that, you know, couple, even couple years ago, some of them are already starting to get into the digital world. I know what you mean. Like, honestly, when I see a movie like from the 70s and the 80s, it has that certain esthetic look to it, you know what I mean, and and I really do miss that. You know what I mean, yeah, sometimes I think it looks too I think with digital it has a tendency to look too clean, if you know what

Kansas Bowling 13:59
I mean, yeah, yeah, there's a there's a timeless look to film that you can't recreate with digital.

Dave Bullis 14:07
So, so when you're one, so what are some of your favorite movies to watch?

Kansas Bowling 14:11
My favorite movie is F for fake The Orson Wells film, okay. Another one is Don Juan. Or if Don Juan were a woman, Roger Vadim movie, also Midnight Cowboy, the Fauci movie, don't torture duckling. Yeah, those are, like, my top movies,

Dave Bullis 14:38
Cool. You know, I just want to just ask you that, because, you know, you always could do see what the influences of people are, you know what I mean? So, so, you know, as you're making your second feature film, you actually, you know, crowdfunded. I apologize, by the way, I know we're kind of jumping around here. I apologize. It's fine, you know, I just, kind of, I have a list of questions, and I'm kind of going all. All over the place with it. But, you know, and I sometimes don't even ask them, sometimes we already ask it, we already answer it in another way. But so, you know, you actually used Instagram to sort of crowdfund the second movie, because, you know, you were asking for 16 millimeter. Hey, family wants to donate. You know, you'll become a producer on the film. You know, since your social media is now gone, do you think you'll ever get anything back, like, do you think you'll ever go back to fit, uh, Twitter or Facebook or anything?

Kansas Bowling 15:29
Um, I don't know. Maybe I haven't, I haven't really thought about it yet. I'm just kind of, I'm just working on a lot of stuff right now. So I'm not really thinking about it. I'm, I'm like, drinking three music videos right now, when I hang up, I'm actually about to go on my way to drop off some film. And, yeah, I'm preparing for a shoot in Miami this weekend. And then I'm acting in a big project coming up so and then also doing my feature. I don't know it's, it's it's definitely not, like the most important thing in the world. So there's, I don't know. I'm just focusing on my work right now.

Dave Bullis 16:09
So, so what are some of the tips you could give the people for directing? Because you directed like, 20 music videos, you've directed, you know, two feature films now. So, you know, like, what are some? Because, I mean, you you've done more than a lot of people I know, who are, you know, like, you know, that are twice your age, that are in their 40s. You know, you've directed more things. So, you know, what are some of the, you know, tips that you could, that you could sort of give, that the different people listening about, you know, just, just directing actors, directing the camera, stuff like that.

Kansas Bowling 16:37
Um, well, directing is just, really, just about confidence. And if you, if you're confident that you have a distinct voice or vision or whatnot, then you should just be able to start directing, because there's not really much to it, besides just telling people what you want to see, there's really, actually, like nothing else to directing besides that, everything technically. I mean, you can pretty much just learn along the way. But it's just you know, if you, if you see a film in your head, or if you see you know a shot in your head, or whatever, whatever you want to make, music, video, anything. Just go out and make it and don't doubt yourself.

Dave Bullis 17:27
So it's kind of like, you know what the Ferrari brothers said, where most directing is like watching TV,

Kansas Bowling 17:36
I guess. So, I guess I think about that.

Dave Bullis 17:40
So I know I'm sorry I yeah, I know. Sorry. I just kind of threw it out there. But, you know, dude, just like, what you were saying, you know, you see in your head. And for them, they were just basically, you know, watching, you know, watching, watching it on, you know, video village, or what have you, or a monitor. And then basically, you know, just they can control the TV though, you know, stop. Let's try it this way. You know, you don't, you know what I mean,

Kansas Bowling 18:00
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Basically, it's definitely not something you need to go to school for anything just Yeah. It's basically just about confidence, because you have to be in charge of a set and stuff, and you have to be confident in yourself that you know, like, you know what your vision is unique. And, yeah,

Dave Bullis 18:28
It's funny, because we actually have two mutual friends. The first one is Lloyd Kaufman, okay? And I mean, obviously everyone knows Lloyd. It's funny. The first time I ever met him face to face, Kansas, he actually told me I was covered in fake blood. And he's like, Hey, don't touch me. And I thought, and I forgot for a minute I was covered in fake blood, but I thought for a second he just didn't want to touch me, which is normal, you know, and most people have that reaction. And the second person was Alex Ferrari, because you were actually in the Indie Film Hustle Podcast.

Kansas Bowling 18:57
Oh, yeah, yeah. So I was actually that podcast did episode did really well actually,

Dave Bullis 19:06
Yeah, it's Alex is a really, really good guy. And you know that podcast, I mean, it's just going, just going gangbusters. But, yeah, no, I just, I just wanted to mention that because, you know, it's, you know, I met those two through networking. And I'm even met you through the, you know, through the power of social media, the internet, and they're just talking to people. And I think, you know, just, you're sort of going back to as we kind of tie this all in together, because I know you have to go just, you know, going out there and putting yourself out there and trying to network in person. And you know, you know, through email, wherever you can. It does a lot more for you, because by the time you get out of because that doing that, by the time you and versus going to college, you'd have four years of taking classes, etc. You got it again, you got a degree. It's also four years where you're actually not out there making anything.

Kansas Bowling 19:54
Yeah, exactly.

Dave Bullis 20:08
So cool. So Kansas, do you have anything that you want to say to sort of put a period through this whole conversation? Anything? Any secrets of life, Secrets of the Universe, winning lottery numbers, anything.

Kansas Bowling 20:33
Wait, sorry, excuse me. Walk around my house. Look for some inspiration. Let's see, oh, man, I don't know. Still Specter is innocent.

Dave Bullis 20:46
All right, that will be the way we end it with that. And that might be the most profound, prolific thing that anyone has said on this podcast. But Kansas, we're gonna be we'll check you out online.

Kansas Bowling 21:01
I have a website, kansas-bowling.com, and you can see a bunch of music videos I've directed. And there's also links to my first movie, B.C. Bucher Also, I have contact on their public email address and PO Box. Anyone wants to send me some 16 millimeter that would be widely appreciated,

Dave Bullis 21:23
But do not send her bad scripts.

Kansas Bowling 21:27
I mean, you can, but it's not. You're not going to get the reaction you want.

Dave Bullis 21:32
So those are the two rules. I guess I was going to say, no bad scripts and no porn. But so, so, so just no porn, then, okay, yeah, so Kansas, I'm gonna let, by the way, everyone I'm gonna link to everything Kansas and I talked about in the show notes, Kansas. Thank you so much for coming on.

Kansas Bowling 21:52
All right, cool. Thanks so much.