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I am Chris Lowell, here with my best friend, Beck Bennett. We’re both actors. We made a movie called BESIDE STILL WATERS. Ask Us Manything.
Hey Reddit,
It’s Chris Lowell and Beck Bennett. Chris played Piz on “Veronica Mars.” He also kissed Emma Stone in “The Help.” Beck is playing a lot of different people on “Saturday Night Live.” He also does AT&T commercials with kids. He has never kissed Emma Stone.
We were freshman year college roommates. We also made a movie called BESIDE STILL WATERS. We’ve been running a Kickstarter campaign to raise distribution funds for the film. It’s gotten really weird: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chrislowell/beside-still-waters-a-chris-lowell-film/posts/808764
Ask us whatever you want.
https://twitter.com/mrchrislowell/status/456457987482464256
EDIT: Alright guys, we can answer questions for about 15 more minutes. Feel free to get weird.
EDIT: That's it for us, guys! If you have any more questions, we'll try to get back to them later. Y'all are awesome.
BeckBennett27 karma
Chris, don't be a major jerk. Ryan's that guy we used to get drunk and laugh at.
3scompany4throomate19 karma
Hey Beck what's it like competing with Kyle in the cell phone provider wars? Are you in his framily? Or is he in your AT&T family plan?
BeckBennett32 karma
We fight a lot. Smacks in the face, punches in the guts. kisses on the mouth. That sort of thing.
bmitc23 karma
I feel bad for him too... Chris, do you still rock the Nokia phone with snake on it too?
MrChrisLowell39 karma
Jason wins the battle. I win the war. Translation: Jason wins the wrestling match. But then, later that night, I set his house on fire.
thetastyhallows10 karma
Hi Chris & Beck! I'm a big fan of both of yours! Chris, I absolutely cannot wait for Beside Still Waters and when I'm feeling down I watch the video of you and Kristen asking each other questions from like 2007 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGzJ4RK0lSI), you are also one of my favourite human beings (I have a list). Beck, you are one of my favourite new cast members on SNL - Boss Baby makes me laugh so hard I cry. Just a few questions!
Chris - My first time ever going to a film festival was the Toronto International Film Festival last year; I saw Kill Your Darlings with a fellow marshmallow friend. Is there any possibility of bring Beside Still Waters to TIFF this year? Also, if yes - can I take you out for some poutine?
Beck - What sketch has been your favourite on SNL so far? How awesome is it working as a feature player with your Good Neighbor, Kyle Mooney?
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions! You guys are both great! <3
MrChrisLowell3 karma
I'd love for Beside Still Waters to play at TIFF! I don't know what the hell "poutine" is but I'm game.
MrChrisLowell9 karma
We've finished the "Epic 90's" Playlist. We've moved on to the playlist I use when I'm trying to get it on. The name of the playlist is "Really Really Good."
MrChrisLowell9 karma
FYI: Beck and I are listening to my "Epic 90's Playlist." It's awesome.
leftcoastenvy8 karma
Chris - What is it like being Zac Efron's older brother? And do you sing better than him?
MrChrisLowell16 karma
Zac was a bed-wetter until he was 17-years-old, so I really just try and support his progress as an adult. In all fairness, he's the better singer.
marshmallowell6 karma
Is there like any chance at all we will ever see the Two Shots for Poe documentary? Or maybe a chance you guys release all the songs you ever recorded? :(
Also, how is the food?
MrChrisLowell7 karma
You'll only see that Two Shots for Poe documentary if Brian McElhaney can pull his head out of his ass and get it finished.
The food is delicious.
MrChrisLowell6 karma
Here's me and Beck, freshman year: https://twitter.com/mrchrislowell/status/456463776577896448
MrChrisLowell18 karma
Piz is actually spectacular in the bedroom. He can go for hours and he's hung like a clydesdale. The only problem is that he's prone to uncontrollably sobbing after coitus.
HBoothe4 karma
What were some of the most unexpected challenges of writing, directing, and producing a movie instead of just acting in it? Team Piz!
MrChrisLowell7 karma
I loved directing Beside Still Waters. When you're acting, so much of your job is out of your control, from getting an audition to your performance. I'll spend days/weeks rehearsing a scene, but when you show up at work there are so many things that can affect your performance: are you feeling rushed on set? Did you get into a fight with your girlfriend on the way to work? At the end of the day, you never really know what you're going to get in a performance.
With directing, there's a sense (albeit, totally delusional) that if you prepare enough, and work hard enough, that you can actually solve this puzzle of a movie. It's a really rewarding thing to feel after so many years of stumbling around in the darkness of the Acting world.
The biggest challenge of directing has been the level of commitment. I've been working on Beside Still Waters for over three years. Making a movie takes a long time, and I'm a wuss.
PurpleRo3 karma
If BizHorse and Paralegal Eagle mated, would the baby have a horse's ass or an eagle's wings?
OneWordPineapple3 karma
What is one question you haven't been asked yet that you would like to be asked, and what is your answer to that question?
This question is for Chris but also for Beck. Thank you
MrChrisLowell12 karma
I've been waiting for someone to ask: "WOULD YOU RATHER FIGHT A HORSE-SIZED DUCK OR A HUNDRED DUCK-SIZED HORSES?"
To which I was hoping to reply with this image: https://twitter.com/mrchrislowell/status/456482496176082944
tejota883 karma
Hi Beck, I was interested in taking classes at UCB and just wanted to hear a little about your experience there. Thanks.
BeckBennett7 karma
take classes there. Its full of really funny peops working on their stuffs. Very accessible as well. If you've got the goods, you can go into the stars.
MrChrisLowell5 karma
I'm taking my first Improv class at UCB this summer. I'm expecting a lot of blood.
George_Hale3 karma
Do you think that now Piz is out of the game? I don't mean in the battle for Veronica's heart but out of the Veronica Mars world? Will we ever see him again if VM would have to come back as a series or with new movies? (Enjoying Enlisted by the way, hope it doesn't get canceled).
MrChrisLowell11 karma
Piz BETTER NOT be out of the game. I'll start mailing anthrax to Kristen Bell again if that happens. (How do you think I ended up in the movie)
goborage3 karma
Upon marriage, Veronica insists that Piz takes her last name. What does Piz do?
EliotJFallows3 karma
Annoying screenwriter question: This seems like quite a personal story for you to write. Do you think it's easy or difficult to express a story that could be so close to you/ your own experiences? Did you face any problems during the writing process?
Looking forward to BSW... I'm a big fan of VMars, Enlisted and SNL, so thanks for doing what you do!
MrChrisLowell4 karma
The first draft of Beside Still Waters was way too personal. Mo (my co-writer) and I couldn't allow our characters to be flawed because we felt like we we'd be insulting our friends in doing so. It was a very important lesson for us to put distance between the story and our personal lives. Once we finally understood that, the characters began to take a real, dimensional shape.
Having said that, I don't know how to tell stories that AREN'T personal. It takes so much time and effort to make a film and, for me, when the going gets tough, it's nice to be able to return to the source as an energy boost. Also, when you're lost in the woods, trying to figure out what should happen to a character, it's to be able to ask yourself "what would X do in this situation." It's nice to have a true-north.
Achaiet3 karma
Hey guys. First of all Chris I love enlisted and my Friday nights are not the same without it. So I was wondering if you guys had any tips for me for college next year.
MrChrisLowell8 karma
Show up early. Get to your dorm first. By the time Beck arrived in our room, I'd already chosen the best mattress, and he was stuck with the shitty mattress next to the mini-fridge and microwave. Heh... loser.
BeckBennett10 karma
Don't join a frat or sorority. Make your own thing. Go nuts. Get the best meal plan.
MrChrisLowell13 karma
Beck joined a frat for about 11 minutes. Then he freaked out and came running back to our dorm. The frat called him for days, but he just kept his phone off. One night, they randomly showed up at our room and realized that Beck was wearing his fraternity shirt. An altercation broke out, which ended when Beck literally ripped the shirt off his body while screaming like a rabid chinchilla.
iampurplesummer2 karma
Absolutely love the music used in the trailer, can we expect a similar soundtrack for the film?
Backed you guys for $25! I want that annotated script!
MrChrisLowell4 karma
The music in the film was of utmost importance to me. I think you're going to be blown away by the soundtrack. Before we started shooting, I made mix-tapes (actual cassette tapes) for each of the actors, with music I think their characters would have been listening to the last time they were at the Lake house.
Also, you're gonna love that annotated script. Mo and I wrote a bunch of good stories. (We also get into several arguments. You'll see...)
MrChrisLowell3 karma
"Remember to ENJOY what you do for a living." I often get so stressed out that I forget how lucky I am to have this job.
katherinedevir2 karma
Salute Chris, you're my favorite actor and "Enlisted" is my new favorite comedy, here's a silly question, are you a ticklish guy? If yes, where? Kiss from France!!
ginacatto2 karma
Hi Chris & Beck,
Do you need any completely untrained BSW-backer NYC based back up dancers for future dance videos? Also, I'm getting together with friends for a bachelorette party in Sept, what's the best way to introduce people to playing whiskey slap? Just slap them?
Thanks! Looking fwd to the movie! Also, also I'm a huge VMars fan & totally enjoyed you in the movie! (sorry you lost the girl)
MrChrisLowell4 karma
These are great questions.
First of all: EVERY dancer in the Kickstarter videos is untrained.
Secondly, I think the best way to play Whiskey Slap is to wait until you've already been drinking a little. Then just say you read about the game in a "Best Bachelorette Party Games" book. Once the game has begun, and you're all having a joyous time, you can reveal the true source.
clairemiller862 karma
Chris and Beck,
I saw BSW at the Atlanta Film Festival and loved it! You should be very proud. It was a very moving story and was beautifully acted/filmed.
Do you have a favorite scene/line from the movie?
MrChrisLowell2 karma
Thanks for coming to the festival! I'm so glad you enjoyed the film!
Beck gets one of the biggest laughs in the film when he says: "We're just two heterosexual men talking about anal sex at a fruit stand."
That scene that overlaps between the boat, fruit stand, and car was one of the scenes I'm most proud of.
GovSchwarzenschntzel1 karma
Chris, how was it working with Emma Stone? Beck, love you on SNL keep it up!
MrChrisLowell4 karma
Emma Stone is one of my best friends. It actually pisses me off how funny she is. We lived together while shooting "The Help." She loves Dr. Pepper. She came to our lake house in Georgia just before we sold it. She's also made a couple cameos in our Kickstarter videos: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chrislowell/beside-still-waters-a-chris-lowell-film/posts/792078
ecirelli8071 karma
Chris - It seems that you have put an extreme amount of effort into launching your movie Behind Still Waters. When you approached this project was it always your intention to try to get this made on your own?
MrChrisLowell4 karma
No, I had no intention of running a Kickstarter campaign for Beside Still Waters. In fact, I was actively against it, because I was terrified. In hindsight, it's been the best decision I could have made, because it allowed other people to get excited about the film and it pumped a bunch of fresh blood into my veins.
cindalyn1 karma
For anyone wanting to start shooting with medium format.. do you have any suggestions on camera and fav film? :) thanks love your work.
MrChrisLowell1 karma
Thanks! I shoot on a Hasselblad 503cc, and I pretty much only use Kodak TX. It's super forgiving film and the grain is beautiful.
tetonalaparisienne1 karma
Chris, is it true you were a walk on for the 2007 Georgetown Hoyas Final Four team?
BeckBennett5 karma
A major blast in my half. We hung out a lot at the house we shot at and basically did what we did in the movie on the weekends.
Chris was really mean though. He's a bad man. Wears big shiny leather boots.
MrChrisLowell5 karma
It's true. I was constantly getting in trouble for frequently beating my actors.
MrChrisLowell1 karma
Every time we screen BSW, I get choked up. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever done in my life and I'm very proud of it. On top of that, it's great seeing Beck steal so many scenes. As difficult as this process has been, I wouldn't have it any other way.
As far as acting is concerned, there's nothing more rewarding than performing on a stage. Nothing.
noemimueller1 karma
when you guys were roommates, what did you enjoy most about living together and what annoyed you most about each other?
MrChrisLowell11 karma
Beck got naked on day one. He later told me, "I was setting a tone."
MrChrisLowell7 karma
Beck also puked on Halloween. I came home the next day and saw all the vomit on the floor. Beck just looked at me and asked: "What are we going to do about this?"
imdertydano1 karma
Hey Beck huge fan of Goodneighborstuff and Theatre of Life. No one can make me laugh like you guys can. Where did you guys meet and do you guys smoke weed
MrChrisLowell6 karma
I can answer this: we all met at college, freshman year. Beck, Nick and Kyle all got admitted to the same Improv team at USC called Commedus Interruptus.
Personally, I think if Kyle smoked weed, we might lose him forever.
ryandevlin26 karma
Would you attribute 100% of your success to Ryan Devlin or just 95%? This post was DEFINITELY NOT written by Ryan Devlin.
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