Transcripts

This is the transcript of my interview of Tom Long, the lead actor in the new Australian film The Book of Revelation (directed by Ana Kokkinos). The interview was done on July 31 in the foyer of the Westin Hotel in the Melbourne CBD. I'd seen the premiere of the film (at the Melbourne Film Festival) the previous Friday. I didn't submit the interview to Beat magazine till recently, as the film isn't released in Australia till September 7. As always, when I played back the interview, parts of it were inaudible because of either background noise or the shittiness of my recorder (or hearing). -Hans.

Hans: How was the part offered to you?

Tom: Well, I’d worked previously with Ana, and we’d had a good experience. But I auditioned for it, along with four or five others.

Was that a new experience? Because a lot of the time parts are cast without auditioning?

A lot are. I think such a role – and because of the subject matter – different people would respond differently. It’s hard to know if people would go there or whatever. It’s pretty confronting subject matter.

Obviously you’d read the script before you went into the auditions. Did you have hesitations about–

Oh yeah. I had a strong reaction when I was reading it. I just got really angry sometimes. You know, I wanted to throw it, the script. So I did, yeah. I did have hesitations. I had to dance and be nude – and also just the subject matter. A man losing his power sort of somehow struck a chord, and angered me as a man. That anger also fascinated me.

[Transcript of the interview I did (30 March, 2006) with Canadian-based Indian director Deepa Mehta about her new film Water. I'd attended a promotional screening and Q&A the day before. The quality of the recording was pretty hazy at times, particularly toward the end of the interview. Note: Mehta's film Fire, which is referred to repeatedly in the transcript, was very controversial in India due to its depiction of a lesbian relationship between two sisters-in-law. -Hans]

I was just talking to [the publicist], and she said the film’s already been released in Canada. Has it been pretty well received?

It’s playing its 25th week. So that’s amazing.

[Transcript of interview (29 March 2006) with former Creed singer Scott Stapp. Stapp is playing two shows in Australia this April to promote his solo album, The Great Divide. The interview had been delayed a few hours while Scott took his son to a game of baseball.]

Hi, how are you?

I’m doin’ wonderful. Thank you for asking. How are you?

I’m doing fine. How was the baseball game?