A couple of month’s ago I spoke with George Popov, the main driving force behind Rubicon Films and one of their main projects called Sideworld, to discuss his director influences, projects and mixing genres. Below you will find my entire discussion with George in its entirety.
Interview with George Popov – from Rubicon Films
: Hi George, how are you going right now? How is this chaotic world treating you?
George Popov: I’m doing very well, thank you. Considering how it’s treating a lot of other people at the moment, I have no right to complain.
: Where in the world are you from?
George Popov: I live in the UK, born and raised in Bulgaria.
: What projects are you currently working on?
George Popov: Trying to work on a few film projects at the same time. Doing some writing for future narrative films, but mainly the work is focused on our 3rd film in the Sideworld series. As well everything related to growing and expanding the Sideworld brand.
: How did you first get started?
George Popov: It was a gradual process. As a kid I was surrounded by a family of artists: theatre, paintings, music, so it was difficult not to be influenced by that magic. At some point I realised how much I wanted to tell stories that incorporated all these forms of art and film was the way to do it. In terms of practicality, I started writing treatments to all the films I wanted to make when I was about 16, and later went to and graduated Film Production in the University of Gloucestershire in the UK.
: What’s your favourite era of creative work by other artists?
George Popov: It has to be the New Hollywood era from the end of the 60s until the beginning of the 80s. A lot of my favourite films and directors are from that time. Bold, creative, original, uncompromising cinema. From “Bonnie and Clyde” all the way up to stuff like “Blade Runner” and everything in between during the 70s.
I am by no means a “nostalgia fest”, “rose tinted glasses” kind of guy, but it does seem that even today we’re still struggling to meet the standards set by Scorsese, Spielberg, Coppola, Lucas and many more in that period. William Friedkin, Arthur Penn, Hal Ashby, Bob Fosse… I can go on but I shouldn’t.
: Are you more of a horror or sci-fi nerd? What are your go to films to check out?
George Popov: That’s a great question because for me everything started with “Alien”. I watched it at a very young age and I was completely obsessed with it. And then the next one was “The Thing”. Was it the “horror” or the “Sci-Fi”? I don’t know. After that I wanted to pursue anything that had to do with aliens so every time the X-files was on TV, I’d have to stay past my bedtime to watch it. But at the same time later on I saw ET and frankly I didn’t give a sh*t.
So it must have been the horror and the darkness of the unknown in those stories that drew me to them alongside the science fiction. I don’t know if any of this actually answered your question, but I guess that just goes to show that I’m all about the mixing of genres rather than sticking to one thing. Maybe I’m just greedy that way, but usually I want more from my experience. I really try to do that in the films I make as well, and it complicates things, but I can’t help it.
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: Who are your main creative influences and what aspects of your creative work can we find them in?
George Popov: In some ways I mentioned a lot of them already. The experience of some like Alien that attacks both on a visceral, survival level and on a deep subconscious level. Combine that with the character complexities in Scorsese movies and that absolute dedication to what the thematic value is.
The ways that authors like Terry Gilliam, Guillermo Del Toro, Bob Fosse, mix the romanticism of the fantastical with the brutally of the harsh reality. All of these are huge influences for me. And with my first feature film “Hex” onwards, I have definitely noticed a sort poetic melancholy in the atmosphere of the stuff I do. No doubt a lot of that comes from Tarkovsky, Malick, Lars von Trier.
: Who are your go to musical jams to put on while you’re working?
George Popov: Depends on the work. A lot of the time I actually don’t like listening to music while I’m working. A lot of voices in my head already, I don’t need more. However for every film I create a playlist that creates a specific atmosphere and in a way (in my own head) tells the story of the film.
So if I want to go back in the world of the film and “watch it” after the narrative work I’ve done, the playlist creates that setting for me. In terms of what’s my go-to, if you go through those playlists, you’ll find a serious amount of Genesis and Porcupine Tree. I guess that makes me a prog-rock guy.
: What weaknesses have you identified in your current project that you’re going to work on in the future?
George Popov: A lot of time has to pass for me to understand and evaluate correctly the weeknesess in a feature film. If I spot a weeknesess in a current project I try to resolve it before the project is finished. I also try to listen to a certain part of the audience that I know can give good feedback and forming those opinions and picking the ones with value also takes time.
I really hope that the Sideworld films are getting better with each one, but I also understand that different parts of the audience will have different preferences. In terms of the global impact of Sideworld as whole, at moment the goal is to reach as many people as possible. They are the ones who’ll help us improve.
: Let’s talk about some memories that you had when you first started getting creative? How has this changed from childhood to adolescence to creating as an adult?
George Popov: I keep all of my notebooks since I started seriously writing my ideas down and from time to time I like to go back and track the evolution and the improvement in quality. At the same time I guess sometimes I’m affraid if by improving the professionalism and by dealing with so many more non-creative aspects I haven’t in any way stiffled my imagination when I was younger.
So far I don’t think I have and as much I find some of that earlier work pure and adorable, everything that comes after it is pretty much a total improvement. But I am very careful with that and I’ll continue checking myself against that early passion and make sure I don’t get boring or change my priorities of why I do what I do in the first place.
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: What’s the worst nightmare you’ve ever had?
George Popov: I honestly don’t remember. I very rarely have nightmares, and when I do they’re usually as awesome and adventurous as they are terrifying. Recently I did have a deep underwater expedition sort of one where I was trying to fight off a giant tentacled monster with just a harpoon. I don’t think it worked. Obviously “Terrors of the Sea” was in full production at the time.
: Do you have a favourite soft drink?
George Popov: Sometimes I do crave a Dr Pepper.
: Who’s your favourite telepath or gifted character in pop culture?
George Popov: Jean Grey.
: Which creative work would you most like to be remembered for?
George Popov: Haven’t made it yet, but always working on it.
Check out George Popov’s work online
George Popov on Twitter
Rubicon Films on Twitter
Sideworld on Twitter
The Rubicon Films website
