Mick Lexington
What is the story behind Lipstick Traces?
It's the story of
love and human survival. How the search for love takes one to the
irrational. It's a story of emotional reaction and taking
responsibility for those actions.
What should
people take away, gain, realize after watching your film?
Go see more Mick
Lexington films. Seriously, I have a very defined motivation that
every story follows, and the audience is either going to get it, or
they're not. I'm not going to preach some message like a fucking
evangelist. If you don't get it, it's not for you.
Do you think
films can change people for the better or worse?
The way you ask
the question implies that film has the potential for a negative
effect, and in that, is there a responsibility of the filmmaker,
which I believe one does. But it's not a responsibility for how
someone reacts to your work, but a responsibility to your work. Not
to compromise it regardless of the reception of your work.
How was the
creation of your project at the time of COVID-19?
Covid was the
catalyst for making Lipstick Traces. I had just begun to shoot a web
series based on my novel Mr. Jack. Covid pretty much closed that
production down. I was looking to do something very light and
maneuverable, something I could shoot with a small cast and crew,
work fast and mobile, and Lipstick Traces was born. It was going to
be a very fast and light project, but since then, it's taken on a
life of its own.
What creation
style did you use in the production of your project?
I'm very
intentional in my composition, but I want it to feel organic. I use a
lot of objective camera to coax the viewer into the role of an
observer, which borderlines on voyeurism. Most of my scenes are shot
from an objective point of view to allow the users to sink into a
scene.
How did you
select the actors for your project?
Before I bring someone on, I'll have them read up on the project beyond just the script to find out if it's something they feel they'd be comfortable working on. I also want to know if it's a cultural fit, so I usually will invite them to dinner or something social to see if we can work together.
The cast I'm
working with now is a very solid unit. We are all pretty tight and
have been working together for a couple of years. So I feel like
they're a part of my family.
Why do you
think your film should appeal to distributors?
I don't, but we
have something close to a sixty percent acceptance on the festival
circuit, so I must be doing something right.
At which
festivals will your film be screened?
In October 2022,
we'll be at the Rome Independent Cinema Festival, Amsterdam
Independent Film Festival, London International, and the Swiss
International Film Festival in Aubonne.
If you could
change something in Lipstick Traces, what would it be?
Nothing, it's
fucking perfect.
Which movies
are your favorites and why?
Where do I start?
Nicholas Roeg's Performance for how it illustrates the struggle of
one's duality of existence, are we who we say we are or who we
pretend to be. Fassbinder's Veronika Voss, for the same reason.
Second, A Band Apart by Jean-Luc Godard, simply because it's
beautiful, poetic, and free. Third, Tokyo Story by Yasujiro Ozu it's
possibly the cornerstone for all of my stories, the cycle of
existence.
What topics do
you like to address in your stories?
Existentialism,
why we exist, why we have this inherent need to love, hate, and
survive. I like to peel away the layers of a character's ego and let
their naked soul stand in the wind and the rain. Then you begin to
discover who you are.
What is your
motivation in making films?
It's not so much
of a motivation as a survival instinct. I think, therefore I am,
therefore I make films. I have no idea what the hell else I would be
doing.
Which
contemporary filmmakers motivate you the most?
Contemporary?
That's a stretch. I can't think of anyone that gets me excited, or I
look forward to seeing their work. I find most contemporary
filmmakers are either obsessed with money or gear, both of which are
detrimental to telling a great story. Is Terrence Malick
contemporary? Defiantly not Mainstream. I know he's got a Jerry Lee
Lewis project development, which sounds amazing if it ever gets
finished. I'd go see that.
What projects
do you plan to shoot in the future?
I have a Dramatic Comedy in development, Chasing Rainbows, about a young comedian who finds fame in the shadow of her idol and then deposes her. A little bit of a modern take on All About Eve. That and a few other episodic projects, one of which is Mr. Jack, based on my novel of the same name.
