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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/798
58 MacDirectory INTERVIEW RON AND KOBI SHELY > FILMMAKERS AND MACHEADS What began as a debate with friends over Macintosh running Windows, led to a journey of research, discovery and filmmaking for Ron and Kobi Shely. As admirers of the Oscar-winning Coen brothers, these two brothers from Israel also aspire to become internationally known filmmakers, and are well on their way with their latest venture, MacHEADS. This documentary revels in the cultural phenomenon that is Apple — more specifically, the passionate people who eat, drink and breathe all things Mac. The trailer for MacHEADS, available for viewing online since January, has garnered worldwide attention and the Shely brothers are thrilled by the positive buzz from the ever-evolving Macintosh community, which is clearly evident in their film. MacDirectory > What inspired you to make MacHEADS? Kobi Shely > When Macintosh made the announcement that they would run Windows, my friends and I had a heated discussion over this. So I called Ron and said, I think this a story we want to explore. I had to find out if there had been a movie made about Mac users, not just the products. I researched articles on the cultural and philosophical aspects of Mac, even several in MacDirectory with stories from various countries. Words such as passion, devotion, community, and leadership emerged over and over. In MacHEADS, we tried to answer the core question: How is a community formed around a brand and how did this phenomenon begin? I wasn't satisfied with the usual answers about design and the brand itself. I knew there was something bigger. During the filmmaking it became obvious how strong and independent the community is. There is a community and there is Apple. Although they correlate, in many ways it's very separate. There's a lot of film about Steve Jobs and Apple technology, but we wanted to focus on the people who use these products. MD > How did you come up with the name MacHEADS? KS > We played around with different names—iCult or Mac-cumentary. Then I thought of MacHEADS—it's about the people and that name says it all, and our movie trailer took people by surprise. The worldwide response has been overwhelming—not just by Mac users, but also those amazed by the phenomenon of Mac devotees. MD > Did being brothers cause any problems while filming? Ron Shely > I appreciate Kobi's talent and vision and we've worked together before and did a short film called Intervention that's been shown and honored at a number of festivals and we've done a number of video clips together. There've been some conflicts, but we've learned a lot about brotherhood and partnership. After this experience, we know why we love the Coen brothers' films so much. There's something in our bond that eliminates the ego that is often part of the creative process because we know each other so well. MD > Was it difficult finding cooperative people to interview for MacHEADS? KS > That's a mixed answer. There were many cooperative people, but I didn't try to reach many key Apple executives beyond Guy Kawasaki, since I was most interested the community—the cultural and social bonds that surround Apple because of the products. MD > Have there been any negative responses to the idea of this film? KS > As filmmakers, we want to stir emotions. There are many sides of any story. We've posted a YouTube reaction to our trailer on our Web site entitled, "This Has Gone Too Far." We're happy to get people talking and savor all responses—especially the good ones. MD > What sort of technology did you use making MacHEADS? RS > One of the first people we interviewed in the film, Taylor Barcroft — a true Mac enthusiast — was disappointed when we appeared with a Panasonic DVX 100. He thought we should be ashamed that we weren't using HDV. But the film looks amazing thanks to our incredible director of photography, Alon Grego. In editing, we blew the film to 35 mm and used Avid Xpress Pro for the final cut. We plan to begin screenings in the spring. MD > What Apple products do you personally use? INTERVIEW BY ALISON ASHLEY FORMENTO GUY KAWASAKI > PHOTO BY ALON GREGO