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Keith Black is persistent.
The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based math teacher and moviemaker e-mailed me with "an intriguing and humorous pitch regarding my short comedic film, 'Celebrity Sex Tape,' which uncannily predicted Mel Gibson's recent career redemption." I was intrigued, given Gibson's extended 2012 vacation in the Twin Cities.
I told Black that with no Minnesota connection — he's not from here, he wasn't coming here — I couldn't write about him. Black kept pressing. I said that if his short played in town I could write something.
I didn't totally believe Black when he said "Celebrity Sex Tape" would show at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Uptown Theater. But a manager at the Uptown Theater wearing a name tag that read Patrick confirms Black's short is playing Saturday, free of charge. Here's the trailer: bit.ly/2m2tDEb.
Q: What is this movie about?
A: It's about a nerd who is so desperate for stardom that he tries to enlist a famous actress to co-star in a sex tape with him. The twist is that he has old-fashioned romantic values so, of course, it's going to backfire.
Q: Are you going to get in trouble on your day job, math teacher, for this movie?
A: Why? It's a PG-rated comedy. It has no sex or nudity. But it does have a lot of romance. My movie has a positive message that you don't have to make a sex tape to get ahead.
Q: Is this your first movie?
A: No, I've made several movies. I also made the award-winning "Get the Script to Woody Allen" and am working on a feature called "Driving Me Crazy," which will actually be Mickey Rooney's final film. We shot Rooney's scenes shortly before his passing.
Q: Why do you think you predicted Mel Gibson's redemption?
A: Call it a hunch, maybe I'm psychic. I just knew Gibson was going to make a comeback.
Q: Is Mel Gibson going to think your movie is funny and if he doesn't, are you worried about him coming after you?
A: Yes, Gibson will think it's funny. He's legendary for his sense of humor and playing pranks. I think he would get into the spirit and the message of the movie.
Q: Why is being famous so important to you?
A: It used to be but not anymore. I was like the character in my movie who only wanted to get famous so he can get love. I guess it's kind of based on my personal journey as a filmmaker. Nowadays, I'm much more interested in entertaining than in being famous.
Q: From where does your money come since you clearly have funds to waste?
A: That's what everyone says when they watch my movies: This looks like a multimillion-dollar film. How do you do it? I made "Celebrity Sex Tape" for $2,000 by cutting corners in my life. I ended my subscription to JDate and started taking dates to early-bird specials. My life — hustling to make movies during my summer breaks — is like a comical reality show.
Q: Putting "Sex Tape" in the title gets you what?
A: I chose that title because it's the inverse of what [happens]. It's clever. It's funny. It's a sex tape without the sex. That's the joke.
Q: You got Sally Jessy Raphael to do a spoof commercial for your movie. (See bit.ly/2mgEHK1.) I assume she is a neighbor or family friend?
A: No, I never met Sally before; she only agreed to do this because she believes in me.
Q: Living in Brooklyn you must have lots of famous friends.
A: The celebrities that I've met in Brooklyn do not live here but come here to work in response to the quality of my projects. Everyone from Rooney to Dick Cavett to Celeste Holm. It's flattering that all these celebrities thought so highly of my projects — because I'm able to pay them very minimal fees. I still can't quite believe it sometimes. How many "regular Joes" have acted alongside Oscar winners?
C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on Fox 9's "Jason Show." E-mailers, please state a subject; "Hello" does not count.
