The cost of obtaining soundtrack rights outweighed the entire production costs for this 1994 film.

Pretty cool, no? We’re wondering if there will ever be another successful flick made as cheaply. While “Red State” will certainly easily exceed the “Clerks” and “Chasing Amy” indie budgets, we’re curious to see what happens with that project, especially if Kev and Scott decide to independently fund it.

As of this writing, I was able to chop out an additional twelve minutes. Current running time is 1:48. I think that’ll be it ’til after the screening - which is now looking to be late April, as we wanna have Jim (Venable) do a few score cues (rather than temp-track in music from some other flick).

We’re already looking forward to not only the movie, but seeing all this deleted stuff on the DVD! And now, today’s round of Q&A:

ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO

Any ounce of possibility that Z&M could feed into another flick (sequel or related “world” in the View Askewniverse vein)?

Kevin said: “None.”

I’m just wondering what it’s been like for you, as Jay’s friend, his director, and his co-star, to watch him progress from the energetic but nervous kid in Clerks to the scene-stealing dialogue-machine that is Jay in Dogma and J&SBSB?

Kevin said: “It’s been great. I feel like a proud parent.”

How do you feel he’s progressed from Clerks 2 to Z&M?

Kevin said: “He’s a real, live actor now (contrary to what Neil Patrick Harris may feel). I don’t have to rehearse him to death to get his tone/inflection right anymore; he just gets it now.”

Aside from Rogen and Banks, who gets the most screen time in Z&M?

Kevin said: “Craig.”

It’s pretty excellent news that Elizabeth has been cast as W’s wife isn’t it? Did you know during filming Z & M that she was up for the role?

Kevin said: “The day I got back to L.A., she texted me to say she’d gotten the part. I’m ecstatic for her, as I (mostly) love Stone.”

Do show your friends the entire movie every time you do edits, or just those certain scenes?

Kevin said: “It depends. Mos is the only one who watches the flick with any regularity, but since he’s watched it from end-to-end recently, he’ll just look at stuff I cut down or re-cut now.”

Have you approached any artists yet to put their music in the flick?

Kevin said: “Not yet.”

I was just wondering when we may see some Z&M merchandise available?

Kevin said: “I dunno, but don’t expect a shit-ton.”

Would there be any chance of footage being shown at ComiCon in Hall H?

Kevin said: “Probably a scene or two.”

Were you conciously not trying to include many actors from your previous films as this is a movie set outside the J&SB universe?

Kevin said: “Yes.”

How big of a part does Tom Savini have in the film? And how was it to work with him?

Kevin said: “One scene. It was cool. He’s a nice guy.”

Do you plan to show any other filmmakers the movie for outside professional feedback, like you did Rob Rod and Quentin?

Kevin said: “Edgar [Wright] and Richard [Kelly] would probably be up first, I’d imagine.”

Did you shoot alternate coverage for an alternative PG/non-cable version of the movie?

Kevin said: “Nope.”

Are all of the character names accurate on the IMDB page?

Kevin said: “There is no “Mall Maniac.” And the guy listed as playing him isn’t familiar to me at all, either.”

Is it significant that Jason’s and Traci’s are “unknown”?

Kevin said: “Not really. They just haven’t gotten out yet, I guess.”

Does this early buzz encourage you to step further away from the your past films and open you up to more possibilities for the future?

Kevin said: “The Askewniverse films are done, sir. I’ve no choice at this point but to step away. Next flick’s a big, big step away.”

RED STATE

Did working on this movie give you any ideas for Red State? Maybe cast/crew members, locations, etc. that might work for that movie?

Kevin said: “Kenny, our effects guy, told me that Iowa was instating a 50% tax rebate.”

So, there ya have it! A View Askew production possibly coming to IOWA? Plus, a low swag count for the new flick seeming to go along with Kevin’s credo of taking a different road as far as promotions this time. We’ll be back with more news as it breaks — Kudos to the fans for their continued great questions, and to Kevin for the insightful, spoiler-free answers.

Q: Will composer James Venable be doing the score?

Smith: “I think so.”

Q: Who sits with you when you edit?

Smith: “Nobody. It’s like writing, so I’m alone. Once the Avid gets back to the office, I’ll be burying myself in the editing room again, cutting and slashing and getting the flick ready to show (some of) ya’ll in April/May.”

Q: How much footage do you load into the Avid? Just what you think you’ll need, or everything that was shot?

Smith: “Selected takes from each set-up. But generally, I’ll have Patrick load everything but the takes that may have had a technical error (and I’ll even load those sometimes, if the foul-up doesn’t happen ’til midway through or something).”

Q: As you edit, are you consciously thinking about certain areas that might have problems getting the film an R by the MPAA and planning alternate edits of scenes in case they refuse that rating? Or is that something you’re not going to bother with until you submit it for a rating?

Smith: “The first big hurdle will be getting it to an acceptable running time. If there’s an MPAA battle to get into, I’ll worry about it then.”

Q: As production evolved, did the story change at all to the point where certain scenes were combined or omitted or altered just as a result of seeing things played out in person or on the Avid?

Smith: “There were two occasions when this happened…

1) We were on the first shot of what was to be a long set-up day, with another day of exterior set-ups leading into the scene in question. And the more I thought about it, it suddenly didn’t seem necessary. So one set-up into the scene, I iced it all, compressed some info, and went with something else entirely. Works much better than the other thing would’ve.

2) Right before we did the cast/crew screening, I showed the flick to some of the keys and inner circle. With the movie fast cresting toward two hours in already cut-together scenes, and two weeks or so left of shooting, I was looking for stuff to drop. Milos (our first A.D.) suggested dropping a scene that, while funny, didn’t move the plot forward one iota. It was a good cut. Instead, I wrote a much shorter scene that actually lent something to the characters’ development and dovetailed nicely into the third act.”

Q: So do you have any idea when “Zack & Miri Make a Porno” will be open to general public?

Smith: “In the fall, I think.”

Q: Any idea of when the movie will hit UK cinemas? Any chance of London Film Festival?

Smith: “Hopefully before Christmas (though I doubt it) and no clue.”

Q: Did Affleck and Lee make cameos in this one?

Smith: “Negative. There was really nothing for them to do in this one.”

Q: Did you shoot alot of stuff for DVD extras (Behind the Scenes, making of’s etc.) for when it eventually comes out on DVD?

Smith: “I didn’t, but then I never do. I shoot for the film. Whatever’s left over goes on the DVD. Joey and Zak, however, shot boatloads, I believe.”

Q: Now that Zack and Miri is completed are you going straight into Red State or will you wait a little while?

Smith: “As soon as we can scrape the budget together, I’d like to get going.”

Finally today, here’s the first of what we hope will be many more looks at the production design for the film — A logo from the “Bean-N-Gone” coffee shop where Zack works. We always dig the unique look that the design team puts into View Askew’s films, creating their own little world and making for some nice easter eggs to spot in the background. We’ll see what else shows up in the coming weeks.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, “Gigli”

“…Ironically, the failure of “Gigli” led writer-director Kevin Smith to radically pare down Lopez’s role opposite Affleck in “Jersey Girl,” but the couple play off each other brilliantly in the rarely screened original cut of that film, which Smith plans to one day release on DVD.”

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - Casey Affleck for “The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford” (brother of Ben Affleck, appeared in “Good Will Hunting”)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - Amy Ryan for “Gone Baby Gone” (directed by Ben Affleck, of course)
3 Nominations for Matt Damon’s “Bourne Ultimatum”, for score, editing, and mixing.

Dogma: In Kevin Smith’s religious comedy, the Golgothan is the excrement monster that Jason Lee sends after Jay and Silent Bob. He’s made up of all the evil shit from all over the world, and even has his own action figure that farts when you squeeze it. Unlike the Charmin.

Reaper, E4, 9pm

Imagine a Simon Pegg/Nick Frost-style couple of buddies dropped into a comedy episode of Heroes, and you have Reaper. Tonight’s pilot, in which our champion Sam (Bret Harrison) finds out that his parents sold his soul to the Devil (Ray Wise), also benefits from the direction of the Clerks legend Kevin Smith – it’s great fun, but it’ll be interesting to see how it develops next week without Smith at the helm.

TV Scoop also gives the show a nice little review.

“Zack and Miri Make a Porno” (Fall): Written and directed by Kevin Smith. That’s enough for us.

We couldn’t have typed it better ourselves. Be sure to visit our production page for a complete list of the latest multimedia and press from the film. We’ve just added a few today. See ya next time!

• Kevin estimates that we’ll hear final casting news, at least on his Zack and Miri lead roles, in around 2 weeks, but don’t hold him to it.
• The film will be around a 40 day shoot, shot both in studio and on location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• No digital this time around - Zack and Miri will be shot on 35mm film.
• Kevin has a new potential Miri, who LOVES the script. Kevin gushes over a personal meeting with her, and reveals it is indeed the first time he’s chatted with her — A new female joining the Askewniverse? We’re intrigued.

Wanna know what else is new in Kevin’s world? Don’t miss the full week of blog entries, available over at Myspace and Silent Bob Speaks today. Learn some hints about the possible Fox gig, the status of “Red State” (studios are asking!), and more. It’s a quick, easy read this week, but also full of news.

So much is happening, between potential TV pilots, new casting, a reborn Secret Stash west, and the gang heading to western Pennsylvania…Gotta love it.

Here’s a few random passages from here, and our interpretation of possible hints that lie within:

“I spend most of day buried in my office, writing the second draft of “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.” Even with the new stuff, I wind up taking the page count down to 110.” [NA: Sounds like we’re getting close to a good running time! Won’t be long til the scripts final now.]

“I wake up and do a radio tour for the book and “Reaper”, doing about ten or fifteen radio stations around the country.” [NA: If anyone has any audio captures of these interviews, let us know.]

“…I finally get to see “Spider-Man 3? - a movie in which many people cry, sing, and dance.” [NA: Sounds about right to us - nice assessment.]

“…I head home, talking to Carla about “Zack and Miri” casting en route.” [NA: We can’t wait until some of this casting is finally revealed. They’re doing a fantastic job keeping it under wraps!]

“…I shower and head to lunch with Dawn Ostroff, head of the CW, at Ca Del Sole.” [NA: More Reaper on the way, or perhaps another directing stint for another show?]

As always, the full story is available free, 24/7 via MySpace and Silent Bob Speaks! We’ll pick through the next blog entry with more observations, of course. Until then…

Want more in-depth coverage of the event and the festivities afterwards? Our pal Will at Radio Askew has you covered. For the first time in Radio Askew’s 54 episodes, Kevin Smith himself is a guest, a major guest on this on-location episode, live from Stash Westwood. The show, taped live and uncut at 1 AM in the morning, captures the party atmosphere at the store and features 38 minutes of Will and Kevin discussing a variety of topics. The loglines, direct from Radio Askew themselves:

| LIVE show from the West Coast Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash!
| Kevin Smith and Bryan Johnson in the hizzy!
| Kevin talks SModcast.
| SModcast, mixed at Skywalker Ranch?
| Kevin tells us why he does the VA Poker Games.
| Kevin Smith almost chose Dexter over signing books.
| Kevin’s top 4 TV shows on air right now.
| Another retelling of what happened with BSG.
| Where’s Mewes’ iPhone?
| How did Kevin get his iPhone?
| Will comes off as a homophobe (way to go Will)
| Brief Poker Tournament recap.
| About ‘My Boring-Ass Life’
| Kevin on his Letterman Experience
| Kevin vs. Radio Askew?
| Kevin a Master of All Media?
| Will incorrectly credits Malcolm Ingrim with Ethan Suplee’s alternative Mallrats title.
| Will owes Kevin a handy.
| RUN MING!

Kevin does indeed confirm that pre-production on Zack and Miri happens in November, and filming in January. With cold, snowy temps in Pittsburgh, could THAT be our shooting locale? We’d sure love it as it’s just a 3 hour drive into set for us if that’s the case. Also, we second the nomination for “Dexter” as one of last year’s best shows — The first season was indeed fantastic. Check out season 2, airing now on Showtime. But there’s so much more.

Visit the official Radio Askew site to check out this episode and all of Will’s great work over the years. Like SModcast, it’s a free MP3 podcast that’s done purely for the joy of it, as a gift to all the fans out there. Kudos to Will on the ultimate “get” - A live Kevin Smith exclusive interview!

When we land in La Guardia, I get phone call from Weinstein Company exec Michael Cole who tells me about a meeting he and Harvey took with our potential Zack’s agent. He also drops the bomb, which doesn’t really explode so much as lay there, as Scott and I were pretty much expecting it…

Harvey and Bob are passing on “Red State.”

It’s the first time Harvey and Bob have passed on anything I’ve wanted to do, but if they were gonna pass on anything, this’d be the one to do it on. The only explanation Michael gives me is “Harvey thought it was more of a Bob flick and then Bob didn’t get it. They’d rather just concentrate on ‘Zack and Miri’ at the moment, which we’re all pumped about.”

Naturally, this makes me wanna make “Red State” even more than I did just prior to that phone call. I get excited thinking about having to raise financing for our hot potato of a flick. This represents a turning point of sorts for Scott and I, inasmuch as everything (with the exception of “Mallrats”) has been made with the Weinsteins. It might be nice to see if we can get something done without them. Whether it’ll be nice or not, however, it’s what’s in the cards, as they don’t feel the flick is very commercial. And, in truth, on the surface, it may not be - unless we get the buzz I think we’ll get off the festival circuit. Regardless, it’s not something we’ll have to think about ’til after we’re done with “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.”

Other sites such as The Movie Blog and /film have picked up on the story as well, offering up their own thoughts. What do we think? Kevin’s determined to do it, and he’s got a LOT of friends and exposure out there. With the Weinstein’s passing, and Kevin’s penchant for doing flicks on the cheap like no one else, we’re betting that the crew finds a way to do this on a really small budget with a new distributor. We’ll keep you posted with news on “Red State”, though it seems the main focus will remain on “Zack and Miri Make A Porno” for now. With a possible biz strike hitting at the end of June 2008, if “Red State” does happen, it will likely do so immediately after Z&M, we’re figuring on a late winter or early Spring lensing. So, expect Kevin and Scott to continue their search for a way to make the movie happen.