Print-Friendly Version

Interview by: Jarrett Kertesz

Patrick O’Brien is many things to many people. He’s worked for progressive agencies such as Attik, Riot! and RDA as a director 3D/interactive designer and isn’t afraid to balance commercial work — see his recent IBM or Microsoft fare — with eclectic, experimental work. The best way to describe him — and he might object — would be a combination of David Lynch, Ween, Johnny Cash, John Waters, Elvis and Evel Knievel. Definitely someone to watch in the coming years.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Yes I can. I am six foot two. Three hundred pounds and a troublemaker. I am a good kisser with sensitive nipples. I enjoy long walks on lunar beaches and three breasted women. I was raised in Maryland in the neighborhood where the snipers were killing people. It is a nice neighborhood normally.

Tell us about “Deep in the Heart (of Nexus).” Anything to do with Henry Miller?

Deep in the Heart of Nexus — you mean the Sexus, Plexus, Nexus trilogy by Henry Miller? No, the film gets it name from the old song about Texas, ya know?

“The cowboys cry

Ki-yip-pee-yi

Deep in the heart of Texas”

Actually, I was living in Greenpoint, Brooklyn at the time. Nearby, my ex-girlfriend was sharing this amazingly orange, crazy looking apartment with some a-hole. She and I would occasionally get together and party. Photos of some of those first parties, involving her nude with a walker turned into an idea for an un-scripted get together where she would play the role of a crippled woman getting ready for the day ahead. We did everything really slowly…camera work, her movements…partially because things tend to look like crap when they move quickly on DV. Anyway, I showed up with a walker and my camera equipment and we improvised this little story idea. Eddie Pak, Suction.com, an old friend did the films website as a favor and Shawn Killebrew and I cut the thing in a few hours one night. Incidentally, I’d still like to add a shot at the end of the movie involving a more personal view of my ex’s anatomy. I probably will for the 2003 TransFattyDVD.

For some reason it reminded me of “Capricorn” or any of his other early novels. Maybe it’s the apartment you shot it in and the music (Patsy Cline?).

The song was originally going to be a temp track until we found something better…but it stuck…so…

Do you think you may explore more situations depicting people in vulnerable positions? Do you feel drawn to subjects that might make you or other people uncomfortable?

Well…the next big thing we are working on at Trans Fatty is a nine-minute animated cartoon called: “The Man with the Smallest Penis in Existence and the Electron Microscope Technician who Loved Him.”

Chester Gaylord, the main character, is in a lot of vulnerable situations through out the film. So yes, vulnerability is a theme we like to have fun with.

How does your commercial work fit in with your experimental work?

Everything informs itself. Some of the things I am asked to produce in the name of a commercial entity are fascinating to me. I remember being asked to do a 3D test for a large tampon company. Lemme tell ya, it was pretty funny to me because even after I became known for the Squarepusher video, I always thought, some day some one will ask me to animate tampons, and sure enough…anyway — I’m not sure why I’m rambling on about tampons except to say…one mans tampon commercial, is another mans Matrix.

continued on next page