INTERVIEW: DARREN SCALES (THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACKYARD, DOOM RAIDERS, BEACH PATROL)
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interview conducting began 2/26/2003

I was so fortunate to be able to have Darren Scales as Palpatine for Run Leia Run. Heck, even before I got his recordings of my lines, I knew that his name alone would add credibility to the project.

Scales is an established fan film personality as the director, co-writer and a multi-roled actor in The Empire Strikes Backyard. You never really get a good look at his face in the film, which one could take as a metaphor for his ability to slip into his many roles and functions in his filmmaking world. (If one were so inclined.)

He helmed one of the few fan films out there that everyone recognizes the acronym for (say it with me: TEZ-bee!). Now, Darren is working on a "Baywatch" spoof called Beach Patrol, in a new place, with new people.

Okay—basics. Name, age, location, favorite Star Wars movie.

Darren Scales, age 30, UK but currently serving in the British Forces in Cyprus. Fave SW movie - ANH.

An ANHer! A truly sane person! We talk about the fan film world in general, and he mentions why for Star Wars fan films there is safety in numbers:

Making movies is very hard, but whilst extremely time consuming, I would argue that it is easier to make a much greater looking SW movie with a small cast (TESBY had 10 or so) and great special effects than, say, Lord of the Rings requiring a massive cast (or at least extras)... the SW genre is very attractive for all ages. It also is a great medium that you can accomplish with just two people as in a lightsaber duel or a massive forest fire-fight.

What was the last really good fan film you watched?

Phew that's a toughie! I did like The Formula (although a bit long)... the Mentos fan film always cracks me up, as does American Jedi.

What was the last really good 'real' movie you saw or watched?

LOTR last night! Filming Beach Patrol and other projects, I simply haven't had the time to sit down and watch it properly. I thought that having recently been to New Zealand locations where LOTR was filmed I had better make some time! Oh, and it was a very good movie!

Besides ones you've worked on, what's your favorite fan film and why?

All-time favourite?

Fine, spell it with a U if you must.

Troops, has to be really doesn't it. I just like the superb attention to detail and the style is so true of "Cops".

What would you like to see in a fan film?

Personally I would like to see fan films step out of the virtual arena and build sets and use real locations; there is no substitute.

What would you NOT like to see in fan films?

Non-SW music being used in a serious SW fan film.

Even if Sidious sings and dances?

If you are making a comedy, you can pretty get away with anything, but fan films that have used hard rock music, or scores that are obviously from other films, just put me off.

Moving on to more specific questions. Now, Ghostbusters is my favorite movie ever, so I can't let this alone. Let's talk about the early days of BYP, starting with Blockbusters. Will we get to see it one day? (Hell, there's a LOT of Backyard Productions movies we'd all love to see.)

Blimey, Blockbusters. You know, I don't know if we even still have that on tape.

I won't deny that I felt a little sad when I got this response. I've never even seen this little movie of theirs and I feel like I've lost something close. I feel like shouting at the sky, "The world preserves Citizen Kane and Apocalypse Now for future generations, but not the early work of Backyard Productions?! Why?! Whyyyyy?" (Okay, that's pushing it, but I hope they haven't lost this stuff.)

There are a lot of sketches that we could put out on the Web. Most would need a lot of cleaning up both in language and editing pace. Before TESBY, all our stuff was edited with two video recorders and the audio dub facility. We keep talking about releasing Geriatric Park and Batman Returns Forever, but they are just not up to the standard we would like. Batman, for example, is over two and a half hours long! Don't get me wrong, I would love to get these films out to the world, just give us a little bit more time!

What brought about your move to Cyprus? Will the Backyard gang be getting together again some day, perhaps merging with whatever new friends you make from Lukesfilm?

I am an Officer in the Royal Air Force. I am currently posted here. I will be retuning to the UK in August 2003. The Backyard gang is still together and working very hard. Lukesfilm and BYP on a joint venture... wait 'n' see...

TESBY's ambitiousness, particularly for a comedic fan film, is astounding. How do you decide what is and is not feasible?

Simple, EVERYTHING is feasible!

Okay, you're nuts.

Without that approach we would have never had a film set, expert make-up artists and crew. You have to believe in your vision and make others believe in it through you. Of course there are set-backs and limits with budget, but for TESBY, we did everything we wanted and a whole lot more!

The way I get helicopters and trucks, film sets, etc. can be summed up in one word—CHARITY. Play the charity card and you will get anything. (But be careful, you must come up with the goods or you will be in trouble.) The Doom Raiders premiere raised £2000.00 for UK and Cyprus charities.

What was it like for you to direct a big movie where you kept having to be on camera in one form or another (or another, or another...)? How did you deal with balancing being in the scene and controlling the scene?

This was a challenge! I had three assistant directors, Mark, Phill and Ed. We would go through the storyboard in great detail. I made everything very clear. All shots were numbered and very detailed. There weren't many occasions where there was any confusion.

The worst or most difficult day of filming was when I was Yoda. I was literally chair-bound for about six hours. Mark was directing that day and, while he did a great job, was knackered at the end!

As your projects get more and more ambitious, how has your way of directing and moviemaking changed?

My moviemaking has become far more structured. There is a plot in the production iteslf. Geriatric Park had no script, filming schedule, story or plot. Beach Patrol had a filming schedule, storyboard, production schedule, prop master, associate producer...the works. This has all come about from experience.

With the advent of DVD I have begun to watch these documentaries about how films are made and I look at them and say, "Hey! That's how I do it!"

What filmmakers would you say have influenced your work?

Spielberg, John Woo, Michael Bay, Peter Jackson (for Bad Taste, not LOTR).

I was expecting more obviously comedy-based people. Not that these directors don't know how to have fun with their work. Hmm.

What similarities and differences do you think exist (or existed) between American and British takes on comedy?

On both sides of the pond, there are some greats and truly awful comedies. "The Nanny" for example, that show makes it look like Americans will laugh at ANYTHING. Now "Family Guy" is very British humour in an American show. I am quite fussy about what I watch, but I do like "Friends", "Frasier", "Blackadder"...

Were there any rejected ideas for movies for the Backyard / Lukesfilm gang to spoof?

There was one project called Stairgate which sort of died rather than get rejected. This was going to be a sort of original film but the vision was just not there.

What sorts of things can we expect from Beach Patrol? (N.B. This interview was conducted before the release.)

Babes, surf, sea, a fantastic boat chase at the end! Beach Patrol is a fun forty minutes of pointless rescues and chases. It is a very funny film, with no mercy for the stars of a well known TV series about some beach lifeguards. Trust me, you will enjoy it!

What's it like to be asked to be part of someone else's movie by doing a voice?

I LOVE IT!!!! The more I can do the better. It is great to be involved in someone else's project.

When I tapped Darren to play Palpatine in Run Leia Run, I got him at the worst possible time. He was in the middle of shooting Beach Patrol. But when he provided me the lines... he didn't just give me one good take. He gave me three or so takes of every line, each one a little different. I loved, and giggled in glee at, each and every take. I got to make choices in the editing for what I liked best.

A class act, this guy.

So. Actor, director, visionary. You've got all this under your belt. When do you sell your soul and come to Hollywood?

I make films for fun and the great sense of achievement. I am not interested in making money. This is a bit of a hot-spot for me. My hobby is filmmaking, yet people say "Why don't you go professional and make money?". I used to like owning and driving fast cars, but no one said to me, "Hey. Why don't you go pro and make some money?". I can't stand this film fascination about why fan-filmmakers should have to go "pro".

But we think you're a pro, Daz.

For more perspectives on the making of TESBY, visit their Web site and get the behind-the-scenes book, which is riveting and entertaining.