Kevin Smith: Red State

Twenty years ago, Kevin Smith was inspired to become a filmmaker by the film Slacker. This year, Smith celebrated his 20th year in filmmaking by making the horror film Red State and announcing his retirement. What's the next 20 years going to be like for him?

Having burst onto the indie film scene with Clerks, Smith describes how he got Red State made and why distributed it himself, his desire to be a comic book writer, the inspiration he gets from Quentin Tarantino and Wayne Gretsky, and his love of podcasting and connecting with fans online. He compares his broadcasting talents to the cinematographic abilities of Steven Spielberg. (Red State will be released in the fall, but there will be a special screening in Los Angeles on April 9 at the Wiltern Theater, with Kevin Smith in attendance for what will undoubtedly be a lively Q & A!)

Banner image: Filmmaker and comic book writer Kevin Smith promoting Red State at Midtown Comics Grand Central in Manhattan, where he signed autographs and posed with fans for photos, March 4, 2011. Photo: Luigi Novi