Exclusive Interview with Casey Neistat, Filmmaker Extraordinaire

When I saw Casey's film: "When to Pull the Emergency Brake," I knew it was exactly the fine New York work I'm here to record.

See it for yourself, truly impressive:



I've also recently admired Casey's recent movie on biking in the bike lane.

So here's an exclusive interview with the increasingly great Casey Neistat:

Subway Subculture: What inspired you to make this film?

Casey Neistat: a great and funny New York Times article by Michael Grynbaum. Reading his report and thinking the story seemed so visual. Better told with pictures than words so I thought why not. He wrote the outline i just had to shoot the movie

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/nyregion/19brake.html


Subway Subculture: Is this your first time getting arrested for a film? How did the police respond when they learned your purpose?

Casey Neistat: the cops let me go. they were upset. they didn't understand. but i apologized a lot. tried to explain it was a joke. then just played really dumb. i wouldn't say i was arrested for a film, that sounds intentional. I was just trying to illustrate a point, a point that is now lost on me, and i guess i was doing it in a way that was not in line with what the NYPD thought was ok

Subway Subculture: Did the fake baby make it off the platform okay?

Casey Neistat: i bought that baby in chinatown for $12. it cried when you squeezed it's little rubber hand. i have no idea where he is currently


Subway Subculture: Your work humorously aims to draw attention to things that will ultimately make life safer for New Yorkers. Have you gotten any responses from the city government?

Casey Neistat: that's sounds way more noble than the reality. i like to tell stories. typically the stories i think worth telling are of the experiences i have in life that stand out in some way. sometimes, infrequently, those experiences are ones that also happen on others and happen in this big fast moving city. i love the idea that others might benefit by the way these little movies are received but i'd be lying if i said that was my expressed goal. my goal is always just to make a good movie.


Subway Subculture: Have you recovered from your physical injuries in the bike lane movie?

Casey Neistat: no injuries sustained

Subway Subculture: What can we, as your NYC audience, look forward to hearing from you next?

Casey Neistat: working on a feature film i shot in Afghanistan about USAF Pararescue men. some of the most amazing human beings i've ever met.


You can check out Casey's website here and learn more about his HBO TV show.
Casey is a winner of the John Cassavetes Independent Spirit Award with sometimes colleagues Josh and Ben Safdie of Red Bucket Films