NB Film Fest “Nobody Walks in LA” Director Q&A

Last week “Nobody Walks in LA,” a film written and directed by Jesse Shapiro won the Audience Award at the 17th annual Newport Beach Film Festival.

The feature film follows two longtime friends who put their lives on hold for one day to mull over their pasts and decide their future while walking around Los Angeles. Both characters challenged each other to point out their favorite and least favorite places in the city. We were fortunate enough to ask Shapiro a few questions about what it took to make this film and his love for Los Angeles.

1. What was the most challenging aspect of making this film?
The most challenging aspect of making this film was raising the financing. Not that I had to raise a lot of money because we did the film on a micro-budget, but asking friends, family and strangers to invest in my creative vision required me to expand outside of my comfort zone. Thankfully, now I have no shame.

2. Where did you grow up in Los Angeles?
I grew up in Studio City until the Northridge Earthquake in 94’ destroyed our house. Then I lived in Los Feliz and Hancock Park for a few years and eventually ended up back in the Valley.  

3. What was the genesis of this movie? How did the idea come together?
I was driving into downtown and the sky was blood orange when the song ‘Smallest Heart on Earth’ came on the radio (which opens the film). It was picturesque and I had this surge of love for LA. I thought, ‘I need to make a love letter to LA’, and show the city that exists beyond the cliches. Soon thereafter the title came to me, and I just loved the idea of having a movie about two people walking around LA all day called ‘Nobody Walks in LA’.

4. What is your relationship with Los Angeles?
LA is like family to me. Sometimes you think they’re stupid and you don’t get along, but in the end it’s all about the love.

5. What is your favorite place in Los Angeles that we might not know about?
Most of them are in the movie so watch it! But off the top of my head everyone should go check out the Downtown Central Library.

6. How did it feel to screen your film at the Newport Beach Film Festival, and what was your experience like?
I loved the festival.  It was a really special experience to have three packed screenings based solely on word of mouth. The filmgoers were so enthusiastic and it was really incredible to share my baby with such great people.  I’m really appreciative they held us in such high esteem and rewarded us with the audience award.  

7.What would you like the takeaway to be from this film?
I hope this film makes people feel good and helps them see LA in a new light.

8. What makes a film great for you? Are there certain qualities that make a film better for you?
I personally love films that make me feel connected to the world and allow me see something from a new perspective. Life is alienating enough I don’t need movies to help with that process. 

9. What films have been the most inspiring or influential to you and why?
I love John Hughes and Richard Linklater films. I like to think of "Nobody Walks in LA" as a mix of "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off" and "Before Sunrise."

10. What’s next for “Nobody Walks in LA"?
We’re going to the Maui film festival June 15-19th and we’re currently in conversations with distributors. Hopefully we’ll be releasing later this year!