Marcel Dzama: Making Movies with Amy Sedaris & Friends | Art21 "Extended Play"

[AMY SEDARIS]
When you have doubles on set,

you should see their outfits.

They don't get, like, buttons or zippers.

It's, like, poor people clothing.

And I always like it more
than what I'm wearing.

[LAUGHTER]

[MARCEL DZAMA]
What do you mean?

This is a family heirloom.

[SEDARIS] Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah...

[DZAMA] That's what my dad told me, anyway.

[DZAMA & SEDARIS, IMITATING DRACULA]
--"So you don't get sick."
--"So you don't get sick!"

[Marcel Dzama: Making Movies
with Amy Sedaris & Friends]

[DZAMA]
"Take care my friend."

[SEDARIS]
"Take care my friend."

Okay.

[DZAMA] Alright.

Action!

[SEDARIS] Well I'll get lunch next time.

Sorry the enchilada was so greasy.

Ciao for now!

[DZAMA] Making films is an excuse

to just get a group of people
and have this family for a little while.

--Cut!

--It's good Amy!

[DZAMA] I used to make these films on
a Fisher-Price pixelation camera,

that used cassette tapes.

I'd invite friends over

and we'd make these strange
little art movies,

or music videos
and things like that.

[GROWLING AND SCREAMING]

This is chapter three in this film that
I'm making with Amy Sedaris

and Raymond Pettibon.

They start playing a chess game

and the chess pieces come to life

and have a dance off with each other.

There's not that much dialogue
because of all the dancing in this chapter.

When I make a film,
I'll do these half-assed drawings [LAUGHS]

of what the sequence will be.

With Amy, I just set up scenarios
and then let her...

just, whatever comes to the top
of her head, she can say.

[DZAMA]
--"Let me introduce you to my better half."

--"This is my darling wife, Mary Shelly Bellatrix."

[SEDARIS]
--I'd like for you to meet my better half.

--This is my wife,

--mother of my child.

--What's your name?

--Shelly...

[DZAMA]
--Action!

[SEDARIS]
--"I'm a vampire. I'm a vampire."

--Right?

--That's it?

[DZAMA]
--That's after he leaves.

--Okay Amy, take it off.

I met Amy Sedaris
at a kid's birthday party

of a mutual friend of ours.

[SEDARIS]
--You know, I think I need a shave.

[DZAMA] I had done this drawing
for the kid's birthday,

and Amy really liked it.

She said it reminded her of this artist, [LAUGHS]
Marcel Dzama.

[SEDARIS] He keeps giving me art,

but it's really big
and I can't even hang it up.

[DZAMA] We hit it off right away.

[SEDARIS] I love the colors,
I like the drawings,

I like the characters,

the animals, the dots.

[DZAMA] I always enjoyed
her timing in comedy

and just her energy.

[SEDARIS]
--This is what I call my meditation room.

--This is where I eat cheesecake.

[DZAMA] Anything that she says on her own,

that is not written by me,

is ten times better.

[SEDARIS]
--This is a series I'm working on.

--I call it, "Je M'appelle White Series."

--It's all indecisive whites.

[DZAMA] We talked about
doing a collaboration.

It turned into this film idea
of a chess match

between Raymond Pettibon and myself,

and it was Amy Sedaris playing me.

[SEDARIS] What is my character?

I have no idea.

I'm Marcel.

I think it's best not to ask questions.

[RAYMOND PETTIBON]
Visuals tell the story the best.

I mean, I wouldn't have got
dolled up like this if I can interest him…

[LAUGHTER]

[SEDARIS, IMITATING DRACULA]
--You come here!

--David Z., come here.

--You're getting closer.

Is that what you call it, directing?

He's trapped in a seven-year-old body!

That's what's so fun about working with him.

He has that sense of, like,

"We're just putting on some costumes,
and we're going to go have fun."

"And we're going to play."

And then he gets in editing
and figures out what he has.

He's playful.

He's childish.

[DZAMA, IMITATING DRACULA]
There she is, I need my love!

Where have you been all my life?

[SEDARIS]
--Cut! Cut! Cut!

-Cut!

--What is the deal with the lighting?

--We need more light!

--Smokey, what's the deal
with all the extra smoke?

--I can barely see my dancers' crotches.

--You at the end, Twinkles,

--you're cut.

--Rolling!

[MUSIC STARTS]

[DZAMA] And then, after the project is done,

it's kind of this sad farewell.

But then usually after filming,

I really like to spend time alone
and just work on pieces.

[SEDARIS]
--And that's a wrap!

--Cut!

--Excellent!

--Taxi!