Writer-Director Fede Ponce Talks SEBASTIAN: THE SLUMBERLAND ODYSSEY

Bringing your ideas to life in Hollywood can be an epic journey, full of titanic obstacles and heroic deeds.

Young Mexican filmmaker Fede Ponce is in the middle of his own quest, creating the live-action fantasy adventure SEBASTIAN: THE SLUMBERLAND ODYSSEY, outside the big studio system.

You now can support the Kickstarter campaign here.

Read below our exclusive interview with a passionate Latino that dares to dream big.

What are your biggest influences as a storyteller?

In terms of cinema, I love directors Danny Boyle , Quentin Tarantino, Luc Besson and George Miller. They are smart and incredibly flexible. They bounce from genre to genre effortlessly. I also love Guillermo del Toro, Inárritu and Cuarón.Those three men seem unstoppable to me and I admire them a lot for continuously taking risks and pushing the envelope. I met one of them and was blown away by how down-to-earth he is. He saw the Sebastian Project and was pretty impressed. I have no doubt I will end up working with them at some point. In terms of literature, I am heavily influenced by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Castañeda, Octavio Paz, James Joyce, Mircea Eliade, and my all-time favorite Joseph Campbell.

How would you describe the essence of this story?

The intimate essence of the story is about human connection. It seems like the more technology we develop, the more disconnected from each other we become. We talk about pollution in terms of chemicals that affect our health, but I think it’s time to begin talking about “information/technology” pollution and how it affects our mental and emotional health.

What made you choose the independent route to bring it to life?

We tried the “established” method, went to all the film markets and so forth. But two main things changed our path. Number one: There are way too many scammers and sharks in the industry just looking to rip off artists. It sounds horrible but that was our experience. Number two: Once you actually find people that are legitimate, the creative compromises may end up transforming the entire film into something that is not what you want to tell in the first place.

The trailer looks very impressive. How was the experience of crafting that promo piece?

Thank you! That was done on a shoestring budget and asking a lot of favors. It’s just a proof of concept intended to get people excited and curious about the world, and by no means it’s a representation of the final product. The project was incredibly challenging. The live action production had a boy, a dog and underwater filming equipment, pretty much the 3 biggest “no-no’s”; I brought all those together. The visual fx and compositing was a nightmare as well. I was not setup as an individual to take on that kind of endeavor. I really never thought it was going to take as long as it took me to finish it. To be honest with you, the first two weeks after receiving all the footage I was paralyzed. I just stared at my monitor wondering how on earth I was going to piece this thing together. But then, what you do is you just snap out of it and begin dividing the problem into smaller parts.

What’s your take on the “practical vs. CGI” conversation?

Well, I think it’s not really an A vs. B situation. They both serve an important function. They are tools in a filmmaker’s belt. However, some directors tend to abuse the CGI and so it becomes gratuitous and weightless. Sometimes CGI becomes an afterthought, the infamous “fix it in post” solution, when it should really be considered from the very beginning. Practical FX (for now) still offers something unique to the actors and everyone on set. It also serves to inform the post production process. I think practical is still quite vital and necessary. I am incredibly excited to create some of the creatures in Slumberland as practical costumes. One of my biggest dreams is to work with sculptor Jordu Schell and Mike Elizalde from Spectral Motion to bring my creatures to life.

There are many successful Latinos behind the camera. What do we bring to Hollywood?

I can only speak about my own experience as a Latino immigrant. What I bring to the table is a deep understanding of two very different cultures. In my experience, Latin people value hard work and family a lot. We tend to search for a good life in terms of social connection, not just money or accomplishments. You know, Costa Rican call it “pura vida”, in Mexico we call it la “Buena vida” We dream of long tables filled with delicious food, a place where all the family members can be together. Our idea of a happy life is to be surrounded by friends and family and some good music, not so much the material stuff. We carry music in our hearts, not the keys to a new car. Latin American people have a connection with the old world, with mysticism, magic, superstition and legend. Although we can be modern and worldly, you’d be hard pressed to find a Mexican without a picture of the virgin Mary or a saint in their pocket. To me Latinos bring not only their deep and complex emotions; which we are not shy to share. We are the bridge of America between the modern and the old world. We are hardworking, loyal and passionate as hell. I have had good friends in America, but I have only found friends for life in Latin America. In a few words, Latinos bring to Hollywood a young, profound and fresh way to connect with the world.

The Slumberland Odyssey is the first “Sci-Fan” tale to take the viewer on a mind-bending adventure through two worlds that have seldom been intertwined before. One world is the future, where thanks to the miracle of sentient A.I., humanity has finally united in overcoming war, poverty and disease. With one small price to pay… The citizens of the Earth have forgone their ability to dream. And with just cause, since unauthorized dreaming is now punishable by death. However there is a legend.. a legend of a world that exists beyond the reach of the A.I. A world known as Slumberland.