John Kestner - Interview

---

When did you realised you wanted to be a Filmmaker\Actor\Writer?

I fell in love with the movies as a child, so very early on.  I've always been obsessed with having a job that magically creates an experience for an audience.

Do you remember your first time at the Movies?



Other than snippets of Herbie The Love Bug at the drive-in when I was five or Bedknobs and Broomsticks while drinking orange soda, my first real memory was when my father allowed me to go with the adults on New Year's Eve 1972 to see The Poseidon Adventure when I was nine.  I was traumatized and exhilarated at the same time--and changed, which I felt the movies could do to people back then.  The same happened when I saw Jaws three years later when I was twelve.  You left a theater seeing the world as a different place in the 1970's.

If you should change country where would you like to work?



Probably England.  So much has been filmed there, and I love the country.  And I hear they have great tax incentives for film.

Two films that have marked your life for better or for worse…

The Godfather, because it may be cinematic perfection, and National Lampoon's Animal House, because it may be comedy perfection.

What do you think about Acting/ filmmaking schools?

I went to Film School at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio, and studied literature and film at Ohio University, but the drive and the passion for film was as powerful before and after school, so it depends more on the individual.  You Have you ever hated your ambition?



No.  I've hated how I've screwed up trying to achieve my ambition, but the ambition hasn't let me down.  I still find joy in seeing films and making the short films I've made so far has been the joy of my life so far.  

Francois Truffaut used to think that "Film Lovers are sick people”… was
he right?



Only people who aren't film lovers can think film lovers are sick people.  I can see where normies or civilians would think that film lovers are sick because they are more alive with movies than they are in real life, as if we're detached from reality and disconnected from others, but film has always helped me see and engage in reality with a better understanding and has helped me relate and identify with everyone else.  I'm sure people who've known me thought I had an unhealthy obsession with film, but I can't imagine how remote and unhappy I would've been without the movies!

Close your eyes…if I say “Cinema” what do you see?



I see myself as a kid or a teenager standing outside of theaters like the Cinema East on Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio, the Smoot Theater in Parkersburg, West Virginia, or driving a car into the Skyview Drive-In in Lancaster, Ohio (which is still in operation to this day!).  Heading in to share an experience with a crowd.  

Who’s the Director\Actor\Writer that taught you the most?



Stanley Kubrick, Sidney Lumet, and Billy Wilder as directors.  Jack Nicholson and Michael Caine as actors.  Paddy Chayefsky and William Goldman as screenwriters.

About your job, tell us your biggest dream and your worst nightmare…



My biggest dream would be making a feature film and my worst nightmare would be making a feature film that turned into my worst nightmare!

How important is to have a good Cinematographic Culture?



I would love to get back to the time where a movie came out and everyone talked about it.  Jaws, Star Wars, Blazing Saddles, Alien, Rocky.  You could strike up a conversation with just about anyone back then and share your feelings about the movies.  I haven't seen that in years.

What would you like to improve as a Filmmaker\Actor\Writer?



Everything!  Each script, every scene, every film is a chance to do it better.

A big producer give you the chance to direct\to play (in) the remake of 

one of your favorite black and white Movie (if you have one)… what film 

do you choose?



First of all, NOBODY could remake my favorite black and white films.  They are cinematic perfection.  Casablanca.  Double Indemnity.  Sunset Boulevard.  Some Like It Hot.  You'll never come close to those films.  Instead, I would take the chance to remake a film that didn't do so well but had a great premise.  For example, I'd love to remake a Bob Hope WWII comedy called The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell.  It was directed by the great (and underrated) comedy director Frank Tashlin, but it didn't do that well, and I love the premise: a bunch of sailors stuck on an island find out an American ship went down near them with the entire South Pacific theater's beer supply and they do everything they can to get to it.  So much can be done with that.

Film Industry it’s a tough place and sometimes is normal to feel lost 

and discouraged… who’s the person that keeps you motivated?

Most of my family and friends have given up that I'll ever stop trying to make movies that I'll ever stop and settle for a normal life, so they all now encourage me.  Or humor me.  I can't tell.

Alfred Hitchcock said: "To make a good film you need 3 things: The 

script, the script and the script".  Do you agree with him?



If you don't have a script, you don't have a movie.  There are three distinct phases for a movie: writing the script, filming the script, and editing the script.  Each phase is an opportunity to make something that could change someone's life, but each one has to do with the script.  

What’s your most ambitious project for the future?

As far as my most ambitious project, I have feature scripts that I've spent decades working out that I continue to develop and work on.  

Do you think that sadness or at least melancholy let be more creative?

I think you can use sadness or melancholy to inform and shape your creative output, so it becomes therapeutic and can even give meaning to your darkest days.  I've always said that I only want my tombstone to say: "It's All Material."  

What do you wish to yourself as a Filmmaker\Actor \Writer?

To make something that touches or even changes someone's life.  The movies have done that for me, so if I contributed something that did that for someone else, I would be eternally happy. 

The biggest challenge of being an actor\director\ screenplayer is…

Well... I think that as an independent director/actor who wants to achieve the best final goal.. so I think he must sow a unique and recognizable style as a trademark,I'm working for this..

Choose an Actor, Choose an Actress...and now choose a story you would like to direct or play with both of them:

I'm honest, I don't believe in red carpets, much less celebrities, I like looking for productsfrom the past so I would probably choose an actor and actress that I met as a child, pure for dreaming, therefore, I'm choosing an American sitcom that inspired me ... I'm an Italian with Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman in Cocoa Beach to entertain families from all over the world while watching TV?! eh eh eh! a dream!

Who’s the first Aritst that let you understand you wanted to be an Actor\director\screenplayer?

O h ! I could mention several artists, they would be a mix of American and Italian directors/actors from the Second World War onwards. I mention some illustrious names (Vittorio De Sica director, Alberto Sordi actor) and certainly the golden era of American cinema, I also add Lou Schemer's Filmation when

I was a child..yep!

What really excites you artistically or emotionally?

Just good people in a healthy world, I mean an optimistic finale where right conquers wrong..

Marlon Brando said “Never confuse the size of your Paycheck with the size of your talent”. Do you agree?

If he meant to make art out of common sense, I think I agree with him... obviously.

Have you ever been discouraged by someone about your life\career choices?

Certainly! being an artist is an exotic lifestyle choice, many people or circumstances can discourage you, but don't give up! you are simply maintaining your mission!

Do you think is harder for a woman being a Filmmaker?

I love women! they are mothers by nature, many of them are talented women in art, it was, it is, it will be!

Do you think that Fame and money could easily change your own Vision as a Filmmaker\actor\screenplaye?

No, rather I think that fame and money can establish your authority as a director, actor, writer or artist in general in the service of common sense..

Who’s the Movie star that made you dream for the first time?

Well... I think it was the hero or justice model like Stallone, Schwarzenegger and also the first Superman saga with Christopher Reeve...I was a kid!

Make a wish about your career...

I say "feed it like a child who needs to grow up!" what wish can you have? that is becoming strong! is it true?

Talking about cinema\Showbusiness, how hard is to remain completly honest to yourself as an artist?

As an independent you are not on the inside, you make cinema almost like a pioneer of the past and this could be a pro and a con, you have to maintain your fame by working hard and being consistent.

The Film you have loved the most?

Oh! probably "The never ending story"1984 directed by Wolfgang Petersen I have memories of my parents..

And now, don’t be shy….the one that annoyed you the most?

The sequels of "The neverending story" ..

Your biggest artistic goal is…

Be present on the major streaming platforms as an independent to confirm my style.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I would like to work as teacher.

How important is to be rewarded as an Artist?

Oh! it is very important first of all to be labeled as such in your own country and then to be able to go abroad with a rooted status.

Do you have regrets?

You can always change the way you suffer, it's part of the change, there is no time to waste... only for redemption if you have sinned!

What’s the messagge you wanna express through your art?

The eve of life belongs to God..Do you have to work for Him? Of course you are free to choose whether to do it or not but you are still part of his game.

If you could change country, where would you like to work?

I am an immigrant, from India. I’ve had the privilege of also having lived in Singapore. But one country I feel I would love to work in would be the UK. I am a really big fan of the British view of life. A rather melancholy and satirical view on the human species.

How important is it to have good cinematographic culture?

By trade, I am a cinematographer. To me, a film is a sum of its aesthetic and naturalistic components. But it’s just, at the end of the day, a cog in the machine that is a story. I’ve worked with some directors and they like to put importance on the look of the film and they believe the look originates from the camera department. But as a DP, I disagree. I think the audience is going to forgive a filmmaker whose camera moves are subpar and the lighting is almost flat. If the story is good and if the production design is good. The entire look of the film is based on production design. It builds the story. It is the characters, it is the setting, it is the movie. It’s extremely important to elevate a movie with good cinematography, but the movie is made by the production designers.  

What would you like to improve as a filmmaker?

My only goal as a filmmaker is to have the ability to evoke real emotion. The technical aspect of film is something I’m now quite familiar with. But I want to improve the connection between the creative side and the technical side. Taking the techniques I know, moving past the idea of just using cool techniques to make cool things. But rather taking my technical ability and making it into something deeper and meaningful. More human.

When did you realise you wanted to be a filmmaker?

Growing up, I had only 2 things in my life that I did. Neither was school. It was sports and doing visual effects on my computer. A love for VFX grew into a love for photography that grew into a love for filmmaking.

Have you ever hated your ambition?

I don’t believe in hating anything. But I find that as filmmakers, we are in privileged positions. I look at doctors and firefighters and that’s a job that holds importance. In film, the worst that happens is you mess up a movie. If you have a bad day on set, you’ve messed up a shot. It’s such an easy and carefree job. There’s no need to hate. It’s a fun passion and to get paid doing it is such a privilege.  

Do you remember your first time at the Movies?

I have the memory of a goldfish, so I can’t really tell you what the first memory I have is. But generally it was around the time of the first transformers release that I have memories of movies from.

Two films that have marked your life for better or for worse…

Tie me up, tie me down is one of my favorite movies ever. It changed my perspective on storytelling. Watching it as a teenager who’s favorite things to watch were action movies and detective TV shows, it changed how I saw the broad nature of storytelling. In the mood for love was a movie that taught me about cinematography. Camera movement in that movie is a masterpiece to me. It taught me so much about the emotional impact of camera movement and placement. 

What do you think about Acting/ filmmaking schools?

I went to film school and I think there’s positives and negatives. The biggest positive is having the college experience. Anyone can learn technical film things, but it’s more about what life can teach you about life. That’s where authenticity comes in. For younger people, I feel it’s important to have the freedom to be able to explore their life paths in film schools. That being said, there is benefit in learning the technical things from film school as well. 

Francois Truffaut used to think that "Film Lovers are sick people”… was he right?

Ummm. I think any obsession is a sickness. Appreciation and love for something isn’t one. 

Close your eyes…if I say “Cinema” what do you see?

I see a theatre. It’s dying though. I think the internet is killing a lot of human interaction. Although the same can be said about a lot of different areas of human interaction that are fading away. 

Who’s the Director\Actor\Writer that taught you the most?

Wong Kar Wai with his unique storytelling and incredible visual style. 

About your job, tell us your biggest dream and your worst nightmare…

I’d ideally like to make a movie that is truly authentic and moves people. And I don’t really think I have a nightmare related to this job. 

A big producer give you the chance to direct\to play (in) the remake of one of your favorite black and white Movie (if you have one)… what film do you choose?

I don’t believe in doing remakes. 

Alfred Hitchcock said: "To make a good film you need 3 things: The script, the script and the script".  Do you agree with him?

In that the story is the most important, yes. But there are other aspects that I think can make a big difference. 

What’s your most ambitious project for the future?

Currently working as a cinematographer. So my next project is the most ambitious one for me. And the next one after and the one after and so on. 

Do you think that sadness or at least melancholy let be more creative?

I think every emotion has to be felt to be able to understand how to make someone feel it through the story you’re telling. 

What do you wish to yourself as a Filmmaker\Actor \Writer?

I only wish for a good life and to find peace before I die. If making films can help in that search, I shall hope it can provide me the path to do so. 

When did you decide you wanted to be an actor/director/ screenplayer?

During the 2008 housing crisis, the story of the people going homeless in The US needed to be told, I decided I was the best person positioned to tell it. My feature documentary yHomeless? can be seen on Amazon Prime. 

How did your family react?

Dad: You want to be famous?!

Me: I just want to be happy.

Dad: Well, I guess you didn’t choose to be born!

Do you have a Muse or a Role Model?

My dad was a bad ass trumpet player. I only ever wanted to impress him. 

Who's your biggest fan?

I have to be my own biggest fan. Not many people dig looking at homelessness with humanity.

What brings you inspiration the most?

I’ve learned SO much from homeless people.  

Which actor or director would you like to work with?

I would need to meet them first. If we aren’t having fun, we are doing it wrong. I cast people I enjoy working with and who enjoy working with me. 

Have you ever seen a film that was better than the book?

I am more of a film watcher than a reader. I enjoy the narrowed focus and the choices made in film.  So, my answer is ALL of them. 

What's the movie that taught you the most?

The director Sam Fuller said something like ‘get to the story’. I like that push. I do like open endings. Trainspotting’s “choose life” ending lives in my heart. 

About your artistic career, have you ever had the desire to quit everything?

I was stuck in a career as a university professor until 2015. I have made sure that what  I do now is all that I am. 

On set what excites yuo the most?

I love collaborating. I love working with people to create harmony out of the chaos. 

And what scares you the most ?

I get hit by distracted drivers - more than 6 times so far. 3 times, it really hurt me. In filmmaking, I wouldn’t want anyone to get hit by a car. 

What's your next project?

I have a first draft of a novel that I’m getting back to in order to publish in 2025. And, I’m always looking for funding opportunities for my narrative feature Deuce.

You can steal the career of an artist you really admire, who do you choose?

I would probably have to choose David Lynch. That guy seems to just do his thing. I admire that. 

An actor/director/screenplayer is made of....

Tenacity and focus.

For you Cinema is....

An opportunity to tell a story. 

Do you think Black and white movies have a powerful impact?

My dad introduced me to Film Noir. As a lighting designer (in my previous career), I loved it when actors got to play with the shadows I cast.  As long as black and white has more than aesthetic value, it can give quite an impact.

Have you ever dreamed of winning an Oscar?

In 1993-4, When Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t win for his performance in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Academy Awards stopped having meaning for me. 

Do you think you're gonna win it?

Every time I think I have something ‘in the bag’ (pun intended), it doesn’t end well for me. I am happy and grateful that The Bag is being received as well as it is. 

 What's the absolutely necessary ingredient to be a good actor/director/screenplayer? 

Focus on what's in front of you. Be creative have fun with acting, directing and writing. I use past experiences with writing, and past shows to help me focus on being creative. Personally, I love comedy and everything I do is based on that. Directing is a lot of fun. I enjoy being creative and watching the actors react to one another.

First and last cinematographic crush?

Valerie Bertinelli was my first crush. My last is Demi Moore.

How old you were when you decided you wanted to be an actor/director/screenplayer? 

51, but I played with it at Second City Chicago and actually passed the audition when I was 19, I was not ready at the time to move forward, nor was it a passion, I just liked Impov.

For you a Film is...  

A feeling inside of you that you would normally never do in real life to get an experience that you have never had, or would never have.

What do you feel when you're acting/directing/writing?

 Happy and creative. I love working with the actors and creating something from nothing.

You can go to the Movies with an actor/director/screenplayer that you love. What kind of movie do you choose and with who you're gonna whatch it? 

I"m friends with Christopher Lloyd, I would go see a comedy with him, However in real life. he keeps everything business.

Audrey Hepburn used to say “Nothing is Impossible”, what do you think about it? 

She's right. I have done things in the movies I would never do, I have been a cop, surgeon, pilot, doctor, and Sheldon Mashugana and The Macher which is my new character.

Can you live just of your passion? 

Yes, but I also love working with my other businesses. Commercial insurance is called America's Commercial Agency, Healthcare is called Healthcaresmc and Aptus Health. and senior transport is called Baby Boomer Buddies.

What's more important talent or luck?

In this business, it's not always what you know, it's who you know. The talent comes from within. I have won over 450 film awards and never thought that all my films would win awards but they did. I direct like Spielberg and write like Mel Brooks, this may have something to do with it.

You must go to a desert island but you can bring with you just one movie... 

Back to the future part one. I watched it so many times, I memorized the script.

Have you ever accepted a part/ a movie to direct/ a script to write even if you didn't like the project?

If I did not like the project to begin with, I would not go after that part. Nobody has offered me a part I did not want to do.

What's the best compliment you have received about your Job? 

When people laugh, I'm the happiest. I had a few actors tell me that they had fun, and that's good enough for me.

Are you satisfied about your career? 

Yes, Sheldon Mashugana I heard when I was a kid in Chicago on a radio show called The Loop in Chicago on April fools day, 1976. I met a guy in Dallas called Voices Cary and he said he created Sheldon from that show. I have a friend Jace and he and I always made fun of that. So one day I decided to make Sheldon real.

Do you have a good luck charm? 

My wife Danette, has always supported me.

Which is the worst moment on set ? 

My friend of mine blew up at us, and he was one of the main characters. He was dealing with his mom and she was sick. and took it out on us.

How do you feel when a job you've been part of it's ending?

Satisfied its done and can't wait to see it later.

Have you ever lied to get a part/job? 

No, there is no reason to.

If you should win an Oscar your first taught would go to… 

My cast and family and thank them for what they helped me accomplish. Also, have them hold the statue.  I currently have an award-winning screenplay called Sheldon Mashugana Returns to the Future, based on the true story of the Whoopy Cushion. I am looking for funding for this right now.

The biggest challenge of being an actor\director\ screenplayer is…

As a director, the biggest challenge is surrounding myself with people who believe in the projects I propose, and staying persistent in cases of budget issues, technical problems, authorizations, etc.

Choose an Actor, Choose an Actress...and now choose a story you would like to direct or play with both of them:

Would choose Frédéric Pierrot and Sylvie Testud to act in a story set in the daily life of a French psychiatric hospital, with Sylvie Testud as the patient and Frédéric Pierrot as the chief doctor.

Who’s the first Aritst that let you understand you wanted to be an Actor\ director\screenplayer?

David Cronenberg is the Director that make me want to express myself through Cinema. Watching « Crash » left me captivated by how he handled a complex psychoanalytic subject.

What really excites you artistically or emotionally?

I appreciate that the subject is addressed in a particularly offbeat and creative way. A film is a complex entity, where sound, editing, image, acting, etc. are inseparable.

Marlon Brando said “Never confuse the size of your Paycheck with the 

size of your talent”. Do you agree? 

I don’t feel concerned about that question, as I’ve never made a fortune with my films yet !

Have you ever been discouraged by someone about your life\career choices?

Yes, my mother doesn’t understand why I invest so much financially in a film.

Do you think is harder for a woman being a Filmmaker?

Being a woman makes it more complicated in every field, which makes the challenge even greater.

Do you think that Fame and money could easily change your own Vision as a Filmmaker\actor\screenplaye?

Yes, it allows you to build trust with producers and better pay those around me to succeed in making a film.

Who’s the Movie star that made you dream for the first time?

My first movie star as a kid was Bambi ! 

Make a wish about your career…

I wish to sell my last script and have another director execute it.

Talking about cinema\Showbusiness, how hard is to remain completly 

honest to yourself as an artist?

I have no experience in showbusiness; receiving awards is gratifying, but it hasn’t yet led me to meet major producers.

The Film you have loved the most?

I love "The Godfather" by Francis Ford Coppola because cinematically, it's a masterpiece at every level: every shot is significant, the editing is very effective, the colors and lighting are beautiful, the performances of the actors are exceptional, the storyline always keeps you on edge,  and you can understand the Sicilian immigration in the city of New York, which city I love.

And now, don’t be shy….the one that annoyed you the most?

Recently, I watched some AI-generated short films; everything was very literal, without emotion, without subtlety—a mere illustration of the prompt, uninteresting result. AI can create beautiful images, but the text interpretation was entirely one-dimensional. It’s a poor use of the tool by the artist. 

Your biggest artistic goal is…

 My artistic goal is to raise public awareness of humanistic causes.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I’m a psychologist and I love it as well as being an artist. 

How important is to be rewarded as an Artist?

I was very happy to receive the award for Best Feature Documentary from the Hollywood Gold Awards for my film «  Little Pile of Things 1 & 2 ». We’ll see what happens next, especially with its distribution…

Do you have regrets?

Yes, not having met Leonard Cohen.

What’s the messagge you wanna express through your 

art?

To preserve our freedom of thought.

The biggest challenge of being an actor\director\ screenplayer is…


Getting the best take

Choose an Actor, Choose an Actress...and now choose a story you would like to direct or play with both of them:

Claire Danes and Matt Damon. Some sort of semi bio pic but nothing like Citizen Kane


Who’s the first Aritst that let you understand you wanted to be an Actor\ director\screenplayer?

When I saw Christopher Guest in Waiting for Guffman I immediately understood that some aspect of my life would involve acting.


What really excites you artistically or emotionally?

Music


Marlon Brando said “Never confuse the size of your Paycheck with the size of your talent”. Do you agree?

Yeah. In this industry its really easy to get ripped off, especially if your talented.


Have you ever been discouraged by someone about your life\career  choices?


Absolutely and I am so happy my film has won some awards and my work has been published in so many magazines. 

Do you think is harder for a woman being a Filmmaker?
 

Yeah. That's what it seems like.

Do you think that Fame and money could easily change your own Vision as a Filmmaker\actor\screenplaye?

No. Once I have an idea in my head I'm pretty steadfast about it.


Who’s the Movie star that made you dream for the first time?


Drew Barrymore in EverAfter

Make a wish about your career...

I wish to be more successful


Talking about cinema\Showbusiness, how hard is to remain completly honest to yourself as an artist?

I do my best to keep it real and so far it's been fine.

The Film you have loved the most?


I don't know if there is any particular film I have LOVED the most but I really enjoyed Detroit Rock City back when it came out. 

And now, don’t be shy….the one that annoyed you the most?


Oh my! There are so many. I can't even pick one.

Your biggest artistic goal is…


Just to keep at it.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Racecar driving.


How important is to be rewarded as an Artist?

I think creating the art is more important then getting rewarded for it. 


Do you have regrets?


No.

What’s the messagge you wanna express through your art?
   

A bit of existentialism with some grit and urban coldness.