Paranoid Park
Gabe Nevins has gone from being an unknown American high school kid to the star of award winning film Paranoid Park.Based on the novel by Blake Nelson and directed by Gus Van Sant, most famous for Good Will Hunting, the film tells the tale of Alex, an ordinary boy whose life is turned upside down when he accidentally kills a security guard at his local skate park.Moody and atmospheric, Paranoid Park won the 60th Anniversary Award at the Cannes Film Festival this year.Female First spoke to Gabe about going to Cannes and what it was like shooting his first film.
How did you get the part in Paranoid Park?
I went to a casting call last August, just for extras, because I heard about the casting call from a local skate shop and I thought it would be cool to be an extra in a skateboarding movie. So I went to downtown Portland where the casting call was to get my picture taken. And right when I walked in the room to get my picture taken Gus pulled me aside, and by then I didn't know who Gus was or any of the films he did. He pulled me aside and asked me a few questions like what I liked to do in my spare time, how old I was and what school I went to. Then I got my picture taken and about a week later I got a call from his assistant, and they wanted me to come in to read lines or something. I had no clue what was going on. I went into the office two or three times a week for a series of months, and he eventually told me he was thinking about giving me one of the main roles. Then the idea grew on me.
Was it shocking for you to be offered a main role considering you went for an extra part?
Yeah it was really shocking because he first said "We're thinking about giving you one of the main roles" and I didn't want it at all, because I've never been in a movie. So I was like "Err... OK." Because the whole time I was going I would just hang out with Gus and just do whatever, he never told me why I was there. So when he finally told me I was just like "Umm yeah... I don't want it." But I eventually accepted it.
Were you into skateboarding before you did the film or did you have to do extra training for it?
I was into skateboarding before and no, I didn't do extra training. When we were filming on the set me and Jake Miller, who plays my best friend in the movie, would just skate around and mess around. We didn't really have to practice much because we already knew what we were going to do in a way.
How long have you been skating for?
For about five years.
As this was your first film what was it like seeing yourself on the big screen for the first time?
The first time I saw myself on the big screen was in Cannes, and I was just really blown away, it was just weird. Especially when there's a bunch of people watching the film and I was still really shocked that I was in a movie, let alone Gus' new movie. So yeah, I'm still just mind-bogglingly blown away by it.
What was it like working with Gus?
Working with Gus was laid back and really simple. He didn't stress you out too much. He would really let you improv a lot and throw out a lot of ideas, he liked that.
Do you think that approach improves the film and the end product?
I think it does in a way because you start bouncing ideas off other actors and it just creates more to work with.
As you said the first time your saw yourself on-screen was at Cannes, what was it like going there and the film winning an award?
Going to Cannes, right when I arrived, it was just really crazy because there were so many people, so many people with cameras and just so much stuff going on. I was really excited to get out and go exploring with Jake. I actually went to see the short films that the directors had put together and that was really cool, sitting in the theatre and stuff. I'd have to say the whole Cannes experience was just really really, I don't know, cool. You could do anything you wanted and nobody stressed out about it.
Did you see any celebrities or film stars there that you admire?
I didn't see anyone that I personally knew, but i met a couple of famous people. I didn't meet anyone i knew off other films, I just saw them on TV.
How did you prepare for the role when you found out you got the main part - did you read the original novel at all?
Actually I didn't read the book or the script. Like I said I still didn't know what to do, it was my first movie so I didn't know how to go about it, you know preparing or whatever. But the first time we started filming we were at Gus' beach house and it was just me writing in my journal a bunch. Then I did some voice overs my first week. I'd have to say me just doing stuff, and not saying anything, like when I was writing in my journal, was much easier for me to warm up to the camera. Because the first week was a small crew and a small cast it made me warm up to Gus so it made all the other weeks of filming really easy.
You character goes through a lot in the film, as this was your first role did you find it difficult acting all those intense emotions?
I would have to say it wasn't really that hard. I didn't prepare for it, you know getting into the mind of this depressed kid. I don't know, we just sort of did it. We improved a lot, mucked around and we just did it. And it turned out to be good.
What was it like fitting in filming with all your school work?
I had an on-set tutor because I was taken out of school for five weeks. I'd have to get 15 hours of school in a week, which wasn't actually that much, but I was filming every day and I didn't have any time for school. They'd give me five minute breaks for school when they'd be changing the camera so by the time I got to the classroom it'd be over. Then they'd try to count it as time. So I eventually had to just go in with my teacher on the day I got off, which was a Tuesday, and get six straight hours at once of school.
What do your friends and family think about you being in Paranoid Park?
My friends and family are just like, blown away. They really want to see the film, those that haven't, because they're so curious about me being in a movie. They're really supportive. I'd have to say they need to see the film to know what's going on because right now they're just congratulating me and stuff like that.
Do you have any other films lined up for the future?
I actually don't right now. I'd rather finish school and then maybe persue the whole movie business. I'm not definitely sure yet.
Female First - Jacqueline Farrer
Gabe Nevins has gone from being an unknown American high school kid to the star of award winning film Paranoid Park.Based on the novel by Blake Nelson and directed by Gus Van Sant, most famous for Good Will Hunting, the film tells the tale of Alex, an ordinary boy whose life is turned upside down when he accidentally kills a security guard at his local skate park.Moody and atmospheric, Paranoid Park won the 60th Anniversary Award at the Cannes Film Festival this year.Female First spoke to Gabe about going to Cannes and what it was like shooting his first film.How did you get the part in Paranoid Park?
I went to a casting call last August, just for extras, because I heard about the casting call from a local skate shop and I thought it would be cool to be an extra in a skateboarding movie. So I went to downtown Portland where the casting call was to get my picture taken. And right when I walked in the room to get my picture taken Gus pulled me aside, and by then I didn't know who Gus was or any of the films he did. He pulled me aside and asked me a few questions like what I liked to do in my spare time, how old I was and what school I went to. Then I got my picture taken and about a week later I got a call from his assistant, and they wanted me to come in to read lines or something. I had no clue what was going on. I went into the office two or three times a week for a series of months, and he eventually told me he was thinking about giving me one of the main roles. Then the idea grew on me.
Was it shocking for you to be offered a main role considering you went for an extra part?
Yeah it was really shocking because he first said "We're thinking about giving you one of the main roles" and I didn't want it at all, because I've never been in a movie. So I was like "Err... OK." Because the whole time I was going I would just hang out with Gus and just do whatever, he never told me why I was there. So when he finally told me I was just like "Umm yeah... I don't want it." But I eventually accepted it.
Were you into skateboarding before you did the film or did you have to do extra training for it?
I was into skateboarding before and no, I didn't do extra training. When we were filming on the set me and Jake Miller, who plays my best friend in the movie, would just skate around and mess around. We didn't really have to practice much because we already knew what we were going to do in a way.
How long have you been skating for?
For about five years.
As this was your first film what was it like seeing yourself on the big screen for the first time?
The first time I saw myself on the big screen was in Cannes, and I was just really blown away, it was just weird. Especially when there's a bunch of people watching the film and I was still really shocked that I was in a movie, let alone Gus' new movie. So yeah, I'm still just mind-bogglingly blown away by it.
What was it like working with Gus?
Working with Gus was laid back and really simple. He didn't stress you out too much. He would really let you improv a lot and throw out a lot of ideas, he liked that.
Do you think that approach improves the film and the end product?
I think it does in a way because you start bouncing ideas off other actors and it just creates more to work with.
As you said the first time your saw yourself on-screen was at Cannes, what was it like going there and the film winning an award?
Going to Cannes, right when I arrived, it was just really crazy because there were so many people, so many people with cameras and just so much stuff going on. I was really excited to get out and go exploring with Jake. I actually went to see the short films that the directors had put together and that was really cool, sitting in the theatre and stuff. I'd have to say the whole Cannes experience was just really really, I don't know, cool. You could do anything you wanted and nobody stressed out about it.
Did you see any celebrities or film stars there that you admire?
I didn't see anyone that I personally knew, but i met a couple of famous people. I didn't meet anyone i knew off other films, I just saw them on TV.