INTERVIEW: Jason Aron

“Where we’re going we don’t need roads”…

‘Back to the Future’ is one of my all time favourite films…period! I could chat all day about it and why it’s an absolute classic, but firstly I’d bore you and secondly I’m guessing if you are a true fan of great cinema, it’s one of yours as well, so imagine my delight when I got the chance to grab a quick chat with Mr. Jason Aron whose the director of the new film ‘Back In Time’ based on the franchise. Not only has it tones of interviews and stories by the cast & crew of the movie, but it also looks at the fans and how the film has made a huge difference to their lives and on popular culture in general.

Jason thank you so much for taking time out to speak to me as I know you are extremely busy. It’s such a pleasure having you sir.

This is seriously one of the coolest projects I’ve heard of this year. ‘Back to the Future’ is such an iconic movie. Let’s just sum all this up very quickly for people who haven’t heard about your film. Tell them what it’s about and the crowd-funding campaign?

I had the idea after working on a small film that rented a DeLorean as a prop. I couldn’t believe the attention it got and knew there was a cultural phenomenon there. After that I decided to make a film that looked at the cultural relevance of Back to the Future 30 years later. We wanted to examine the best fan stories and along the way managed to get the cast and crew to weigh in on it all. We knew bringing this project to the fans through Kick-starter would be a great way to get this started and that’s what we did. After funding the project two years ago raising $46K, we went into production. However, because the scope of production got so large we had no choice but to do a second Kick-starter campaign as we head into post production and the response has been amazing.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background and how you got into filmmaking?

I’ve been involved with all aspects of film production for about a decade. My first job was making a promotional video for a website. I’ve always been a person who asks why and I think that’s what I bring to film. I have done a lot of sports production after getting a masters degree in sports marketing but love documentary work.

Where did the idea of ‘Back in Time’ come from?

I was working on a short film where the script was a father goes back in time with his son to different eras. While shooting people were stopping their cars in the middle of the street to take pictures with the rented DeLorean. I knew there was something there. After a friend, Brett Culp, funded his Batman film Legends of the Knight on Kick-starter, I knew that was the way I should go about funding and finally going through with Back in Time.

There are other classic movies, so why this movie?

Quite frankly it is my favourite movie of all time. I probably have not seen more than a dozen movies more than once and I’ve seen BTTF 100 times easily. It seemed so right to make a film about how this trilogy has affected people’s lives.

How did you manage to grab exclusive interviews with the stars of the film? You must have been overwhelmed when the big hitters such as Zemeckis, Fox & Lloyd decided to participate.

We did this very methodically. We didn’t come out and run to Fox, and Lloyd etc. We started small and tried to build as much momentum as could along the way. Having the help of our Co-EP Adam F Goldberg was a huge help for s securing a lot of the talent. Having Bob Gale’s belief in us was another huge factor as he helped us along. The actual interview process was amazing. Getting to sit down and talk BTTF with my childhood heroes is something I will never forget.

In the current trend of remakes and reboots, do you believe ‘Back to the Future’ still holds up today and do you believe we’ll ever see it redone?

I believe it holds up today as is because of nostalgia. This was the perfect screenplay and I think if redone today I would see it as a fan but it wouldn’t even come close. It would be a special effects extravaganza and not capture what the original did – a great human story.

Why do you believe it has such a fan base and is so loved?

For me BTTF was always a simple movie that just seemed real. I always wanted everything the Bobs came up with in this script. I wanted a time machine and a hover board – and definitely a sports almanac. Because of how real it felt, the movies worked for me. I think there are elements of every genre in it. Drama, comedy, sci-fi, but not too much of anything. It works well.

After talking to the director and stars, do you believe they had any idea at the time of making the trilogy it would still be so popular today 30 years on?

One word – NO.

The great thing I know about the film is that it isn’t just about the famous faces, but the fans and how fanatical they can be. You must have come into contact with some serious fan-boys?
And girls. People, who own time machines, travel with them, and raise money for Michael J Fox, built golf courses in their backyards with BTTF themes – we’ve seen it all.

The film is being released this coming October 2015 is it not?

Future day – October 21, 2015

Tell us about some of the very cool things you can grab from the Kick-starter campaign when you donate some cash?

T-shirts, posters, signed license plates, a signed model DeLorean, custom prints, signed scripts, and experiences like being an extra on the Goldberg’s. We have over 35 rewards right now, so a lot to choose from.

Tell us your favourite character from the films and favourite scene?

I love Marty, he defined cool. I think my favourite scene is in part 2 in the casino when Biff reveals to Marty that he knows what’s going on, so much drama and suspense.

My favourite is George because Crispin Glover is just phenomenal, but ‘Back to the Future’ on paper does have a strange premise; ‘Old scientist hangs out with high school teenager. He foolishly gets involved with middle eastern terrorists and accidently sends the child back in time were his mother falls in love with him’….sounds more like David Lynch? Ha-ha, how on earth did Zemeckis sell the idea?

They got rejected 40 times before they sold it. Maybe that’s why?? Either way can you imagine life without it?

I certainly couldn’t, life just wouldn’t be worth living without the Mcfly’s. Okay give a shout out to where people can support this movie.

Our official website lives at backintimefilm.com and were active on Facebook and twitter. @backintimefilm

Jason thanks so much man for spending time chatting. It’s very kind of you and best of luck with everything.

Thank you!!!!

Interview by - FOLKLORE
Twitter @folkloreart
@SlaughteredBird