Ep660: My Kind of TOM: An Interview with Filmmaker JER SKLAR

Ian talks with filmmaker Jer Sklar about his feature film debut, Tom of Your Life!

The dramedy stars newcomer Baize Buzan as a hospital nurse who discovers a newborn boy that ages four years every hour of his life. She takes him on a road trip to learn the secret of his condition, in the process grappling with past mistakes; a private detective; and a traveling companion whose midlife crisis happens only a few hours after puberty.

True to the get-it-done spirit of indie filmmaking: in addition to writing, directing, editing, and providing many of the songs for the film with his band The Blackstrap Molasses, Sklar co-stars as the adult version of Tom.

In this wide-ranging interview, Sklar talks about his crazy moviemaking journey, which led from Highland Park, IL to Los Angeles, then back to film school in Chicago (oh, and executive producing projects with Chris Rock in between). He also talks openly about generational divides; navigating Windy City politics to make his movie; and the lightning-bolt moment that made him upend his comfortable but passion-free life.

Tom of Your Life is now available on Amazon Prime (and other On Demand services), and will have its Chicago premiere this weekend at the Music Box Theatre.

Show Links:

• Watch the Tom of Your Life trailer.

• Catch the film's Chicago premiere this weekend at the Music Box Theatre.

• Keep up with Jer's Chicago-based production company, Satori! Studios.

• Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!