"When I shoot my next film I will have to learn classical way of doing so"

Was your directing debut logical step in your career where you tried, after acting, that you can direct a movie?

It happened to actors who start at very early age and then they tend to go behind camera.It didn´t build in me, it just came with the story, that got me interested. I always liked writing screenplays. I always liked to express myself by writing, I wrote poems, tried to write books and the lust to direct a movie came out of blue, I don´t even know how it came.

You don´t have classical film education and despite that you are top actor.Is the absence of film education seen more  in directors work than in actor´s one?

I think it is more obvious, but my task was much easier since I was directing totally differently, how nobody has done before, if I don´t count Blairwitch. This is partly feature film, partly authentic, partly edited by kids and it is such unique genre that I dared to make it. When I shoot my next film I will have to learn classical way of doing so.

Director must have respect and authority by crew and actors.You have no directing results behing you, no experince so did you feel and laughs behind your back? 

No, not really, I knew well who I drafted into my team. Sometimes I have felt wry smile from people who knew I am directing for the first time and were not part of my close crew. But in my crew there were so many rookies with little experience so it wasn´t so obvious I don´t have any experience. From main stars I picked up my friends Mirek Táborský and Ondřej Vetchý, which made whole thing damn easier. 

Was it difficult to pick up Ondřej Vetchý who is one of our busiest actors?

No, not really, I think it is based on our friendship, so he agreed year ahead when he knew he will be doing it. 

Was it your intention to have so many debutants on scene, so in case you won´t succeed you wouldn´t stand head and shoulder above them all?

No, I didn´t think in terms of “ just in case it will be a flop”. I knew from word go that it will be totally different movie, kind of anti film in many directions so I was more afraid that some “ old school” and I don´t think it badly, could come and try to advice me how and what to do. I would have to explain them that we make different kind of film.It would have been very difficult so that is why I picked up so many rookies.

So you are kind of new film avant-garde?

No, I don´t think so. You know the whole film is so different due to that camera, but the story is classical. I respect classical stories and  when I  respect some screenplay rules,  than film language can experiment. In other cases, I don´t think it can work.

During shooting, did you come to the point that you really didn´t know what to do and you had to hold up your hands and admit your defeat?

No and I don´t want to sound vein. You know I must be modest and admit I was extremelly lucky, all was clicking together the way I wanted to, fantastic, I couldn´t have asked for more.

Now, when you know the world behind camera did your actor´s outlook and attitude changed in a way that while acting, you will understand director more?Is it advantage or disadvantage for actor authenticity?

Anything that man learn  while making film can help him in his profession. 

For me, independence means that I can do it the way I like, which is not always correct

What did you find more interesting, act or direct and what is harder?

Directing sounds more interesting but maybe I say so, cos it´t new to me but I am damn sure it´s much harder job. 

Did you feel more satisfied as director when the movie was finished or the feelings of actor and director can be compared?

You can´t compare these. Take it, now we have technical problems with subtitles and I am in agony, while as an actor I probably wouldn´t have minded it that much. 

Do you think your name helped you during film works that maybe you easily got money or during the casting?

I shouldn´t think so. Maybe it could help me in one way and on many fronts it could have been my disadvantage.It´s really hard to say so. 

Do you have it in your blood to break set rules and make things without knowing them, more instinctively and you don´t mind one bit that you don´t have experience?

I don´t know, honestly. I am very calm person but then come the moments when there is kind of upheaval inside me and there is no coming back. It´s not my life plan, something I would do consciously.It just happens when it comes. 

What do you imagine under the name amateur film and film maker?

Many things. It can be bad label or it can be good label. Hard to say really.

Would you like to be independent filmmaker, have freedom or you tend to be more commercial?

I think word “ independant” means here something different to what that means in America. For me, independence means that I can do it the way I like, which is not always correct. I would like to make good film and I don´t care if it´s independent or mainstream. I know when the movie is good when I don´t get bored by watching it and I don´t care if it´s drama, social drama or crazy comedy. And great film is the one that leaves some emotion in me, not necessarily the message but some feelings. You know, emotions are what I miss in current movies. That  shows me, if the film is good or great. 

I think the interest for your film is quite big, did you expect that or you thought it will be smaller?

I am pleased, I would think since I didn´t expect anything. You know everything that goes around my film is great, It was small miracle what happened to us in July 2013. Thirty one days you walk on the Earth and all is going fine for you and you don´t know why. We had big portion of luck.

Do you have in mind any other plans for movie you would like to direct your way or you want to return to classic way?

I had written screenplay for another movie before I even started filming “ Jedeme k moři”.My next movie will be classical film. 

Will you divide your time among acting, directing and pushbikes production?

My flagship is writing and everything around is a bonus. One can figure out that when he has free time and feels to what he inclines the most. So when I have a free time, I wanna write. I have to do some acting, some commentary job and the pushbikes but I have to do all these duties in order I would have time to write, which is how I figure out I like it the most.