Moustache Shenanigans – Making Super Troopers and Other Adventures in Comedy review

Narrated by: Jay Chandrasekhar
Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
Release date: 03-28-17

Very funny, read by author, learned a lot

This book was honestly awesome.
I started it, and pretty much finished it during the same day. It’s read by the author you hear him laughing as he’s retelling the stories.
It really adds to the book.

What the book includes

Finding out the backstory for a movie and the stories and thinking behind individual parts in the movies they made was really great.
(how the meow scene, initial highway opening scene… even how the idea for Beerfest came about & some of the funny parts for scenes within it… all is revealed in this book)

Plus, understanding the process that Jay went through to become a good director, and his insights into how the film industry really seems to work is just amazing.
It seems like he’s had a really interesting life, and as a fan of the movies, I’m glad to be able to share in some of that.
Also got a few really good recommendations for movies I should watch, that has had an impact on him, such as the move 48 Hours.

Also, what was surprising but very welcome, was the author went into quite a lot of detail about how the film industry works.  How first impressions are made, how to get in good with certain people.  As well as the difference between TV directing and movie directing. Movie directing you can take your time, TV everything is so dependent upon the timing.  And how the Indy Film Festivals (Sundance, Cannes, Berlin, Tribeca etc.) work for determining who and how big distribution companies are going to buy the film for release.

I found out all about his work on the TV show Arrested Development, his other movies.
I now have new found respect for FOX, or rather FOX Searchlight Films.

Learnt about films ‘Foreign Earning Potential’, and how that plays into making a film, and then selling a film and the impact that has on Hollywood and essentially churning out films that are not breaking creative boundaries in their plots or what they achieve.

For example Jay Chandrasekhar states that there are many Super hero movies or reboots of old movies right now because they are seen as decent for foreign audiences. When you’ve got 60% of your revenue coming from foreign markets, and people in Hollywood are aware that many foreign markets are racist, this influences how many black leads they cast, because it will diminish profit making potential.  Take China as an example, that has ginormous negative connotations towards black people, (essentially racist) the Star Wars film where Fin (the black character was put front & centre (as he was a main character) …on the Chinese poster, he is sidelined, essentially because knowing the Chinese market means that a black guy front and centre in China will potentially diminish profits.

Having lived in China, I know this to be true, and if you see some of the Chinese only comments on films like Black Panther you can get a more realistic view of this.
I think Black Panther worked out ok, because Super Hero movies are doing really well in China as the plot is pretty simple, there’s lot of action, dialogue is pretty simple… and it’s something that Chinese can feel more attached to ‘foreign culture’ plus, it’s a level of creativity that is not really available in China.  I think also, that movies usually try to shape people’s opinions, and reshaping the Chinese to not be as racist, can work out well for the entire world.

Even the author, who is of Indian descent stated that he’s been white washed before going on movie posters, which is pretty interesting. (Not just in China, but in German & American markets)

Anyway, what the author Jay Chandrasekhar points out along the way is really interesting, a lot to think about and a few ‘ooohhh….that makes sense’ moments. Plus, it’s pretty funny and you have fun laughing along with him as he reads out his own book.

Recommendation

Really worthwhile book, and you won’t be disappointed spending your credit on this.
I’ve recommended it to everyone who watched Super Troopers, but also those that haven’t, for the insights into the film industry. Really a great listen, I really, really enjoyed this book, and I think many others would too.

Plus, the name Moustache Shenanigans.  Great title.

Notes taken

Shenanigans.

Turns out Christopher Columbus was even more of a dingus than people originally thought.
He also landed in Cuba and thought he was in China.
He actually never went to North America. Only arrived in the Bahamas.

Jay Chandrasekhar went to Colgate university. Small school, party school.  One of the top 20 schools in America and also known as the top party school in America ‘professional party school’.

Films that had an influence on him & recommended by the author:
48 hours film meant to be hilarious.
Reservoir Dogs
This is Spinal Tap

“Fucking nutmeg.”  His story about trying to smoke nutmeg is pretty funny.

‘Unaided awareness’ or ‘Original’.
The film industry concept that Jay describes is critical for distributors picking up a film or even producing a film.

His 1st film Puddle Cruiser was made by their comedy team Broken Lizard, who was unheard of at the time, and a plot line that was more or less original, therefore the marketing needed was a lot more than making a film like Jurassic Park – The Lost World.  (Famous director, already known name from the previous one, big stars etc.) Even Jurassic Park was written by a famous author -Michael Crichton, therefore had ‘unaided awareness’.

The truly original films are difficult to market and therefore produce in comparison, which is another reason why more original films with new actors are not produced because they are more risky in terms of profit making potential.

Jay states that the film industry used to be really creative, telling interesting stories in ways that the producer & director wanted to tell them, but now that the corporations have taken over, the priority is about profit over creativity.
Thus, the lust for maximum profit.

Jay Chandrasekhar’s new filming philosophy – “Shoot as fast as quality will allow.”

Don’t rush the procedure, however keep the flow going.
He is quicker when directing TV as there are quicker time schedules to keep to.