Curtain Call Creations is a Philadelphia non-for profit that teaches children the fundamentals of theater - from the initial creative process to the final show. Curtain Call, the movie, follows these students (and their mentors) for one year, as they create their original production, Murder at Manchester Mansion. Premiering during the Philadelphia Film Festival, Curtain Call documents both the triumphs and challenges of Curtain Call Creations.

Director James Doolittle, who normally keeps time with intergalactic spacepimps, was kind enough to chat via email with this earthbound Phillyist about the movie and the movie-making process:

How did you discover Curtain Call Creations? What about their program made you choose them as the subject of your first feature-length documentary?
I actually read a profile on the program in the Inquirer, and immediately contacted Maureen Mullin - who's the chief-of-state down there on McKean Street. Besides the intrinsic possibilities of the "heartwarming triumphant uplift"-type affair with the kids and all, my first few meetings with Maureen also clued me into the realities of running such a program, especially in regards to pure economics. So from the get go, I really set out to capture both sides of that coin, always envisioning this feel-good movie that plays up the harsh realities that programs like this run under. For me personally, it was also a chance to work on something that had a clear-cut beginning and an end. A lot of the other documentary projects I've been working on over the years are a bit more character focused, a bit more open ended, none of which have matured into something I can work into a feature at the moment. So to be able to work on something where I knew there existed an end of the tunnel was definitely key as well.

Are there other local institutions or issues you would like to see spotlighted on film, either by you or other local filmmakers?
I think one of the biggest yet least discussed issues facing our area is the rampant sprawl that's really decimating areas north and west of here. It's such a blatantly ugly testament to consumption when you drive up I-476 these days and see what was once pristine countryside littered with cookie-cutters. Damn you, Toll Brothers, damn you all to hell!!!

I've noticed that you're using the website as a repository for clips that were cut from the film for screening time purposes. Was there any portion of the film you were particularly sorry to have to cut? If you had your druthers how long would the movie be?
I had actually always intended the film to be three hours, and for awhile, I was really a stubborn prick in regards to holding onto that framework. But reality set in and I realized that in order to get it seen by someone other than the wife and dog, I'd first need to present something a tad more digestible. To be honest, my initial reservations about trimming it back have all gone the way of hair metal, and I'm extremely proud of the final cut. That said, there's truly a half-ton of storylines and characters that I never got to fully bring to life, but that will happen when you have two-hundred-and-twentysome hours of useable footage at your disposal.

What, if anything, do you hope the movie will accomplish; both locally and nationally (or even internationally)?
Well for starters, I really hope it enables Maureen to keep the program going - and to not just be able to continue it, but to keep it going with full funding. She has a great vision for what this program could be, and I really hope any attention my film throws her way allows her a chance to achieve that. To which, I also hope it leaves viewers with a certain sense of shame, in so much that most of us really don't dedicate our time and money to something that's truly worthwhile, at least not on the level that the artists and parents involved in Curtain Call do on a yearly basis. Selfishly, of course, I also hope it enables me to do something else.

Did you encounter any challenges during production particular to working with students?
Well it was very rare to encounter a kid who was completely open to having a camera shoved into their face by a complete stranger, so earning that trust was a major part of the process for me. Because I was mostly shooting solo with some very lightweight equipment, I definitely think the warming up phase went by fairly quickly, and really allowed me to capture those extremely naturalistic moments where the kids were unaffected by my presence.

Is there moment from the making of Curtain Call that stands out for you more than any other?
I met this one kid - Carla - very early on in the process. She was one of the writers working on the script for the play they produced last year, and to watch her go from this shy, kind-of-unsure-of-herself kid to a confident dynamo was an amazing transformation. There's one particular moment where she really achieves something that I admittedly cry at every single time I watch it, and having seen the film a gazillion times, that's a whole lotta tears.

How did you get started in film-making? What led you down the particular path of the documentary form?
I actually graduated from Penn State with a film degree in '96, and basically worked as a producer on educational films for the better part of the last decade. I've always had a passion for film, and specifically for documentaries. I mean I was in school during the '90s, where it was this constant deluge, year-in and year-out, of great documentaries that we were being exposed to - Roger & Me, Hoop Dreams, Crumb, Paradise Lost, Sick. When I really made the conscious decision a few years back to start working on my own projects, the documentary format was a natural choice for me - especially from a financial stand-point. You can work completely bare-bones, with no funding, no crew, no lighting, shooting on MiniDV tape - and aesthetically, it's acceptable because it is a documentary.

The Manifesto for your production company, Wookified Productions, claims that the company "specializes in videography that allows the common man access to one of the most powerful, most visceral forms of visual art," which suggests that movie-making is currently an elitist art form; do you think that's the case?
I'd normally refer you to my Minister of Propaganda on that one, but considering he's an intergalactic spacepimp and very hard to get a hold of, I'd have to say of course it is - especially on the scale of what's considered acceptable for an audience to digest. You know, the kids I met while shooting Curtain Call - there are adults just like 'em; hesitant, afraid, unsure of whether they have the goods to put themselves out there creatively speaking, especially in a field where we get all gummed up on pretty imagery. I was that for the longest of times, but you slowly realize that if you can master the tools at your disposal - in which case for me is an ancient 1-chip MiniDV cam and a consistently fragmented PC running Adobe's Premiere Pro - you can make something that, in the case of this here film in this here Film Festival, is considered just as worthy of an audience as Bruce Willis' latest attempt at career rejuvenation.

How would you rank Philadelphia as a city for film-making?
As a city for film-making - awesome. As a city for making an acceptable living in the field - eh? To which, I'm openly available.

Do you have future projects in the pipeline?
Besides finally having time to make sweet love to my wife?

Curtain Call will be playing at The Prince Music Theater (1412 Chestnut Street) on Friday April 7th at 9:45 PM as part of the Philadelphia Film Festival.

Photo of James Doolittle and Curtain Call still image provide by James Doolittle