Sonderman
is the writer/ director of The Passenger, the first feature length
film of the creative group Thought Collide. The Passenger is the
fifth film endeavor for the award winning director. Sonderman, ever
eager is discuss Detroit, took time out of his weekend shooting
schedule to answer thedetroiter.com's famous four questions. (As
told to Sarah Bristol.)
(Click
here, for Sarah's feature on week one of filming.)
WHY
DETROIT?
Detroit is the greatest city
in the world right now. It's a city for artists because it a blank
canvas. Places like New York, L.A., London, you know what to expect.
It's not like that here, with Detroit there is no expectation. It's
a sleeping city about to wake up.
WHY
MOVIES?
I have always loved movies.
The medium requires a lot of people. I like that you have to enroll
other people in your vision. I'm taking a big risk at life doing
this. I look at life like survival - surviving. Getting up, going
to work, paying your bills, and repeating that pattern. By making
movies I get to live my life and provide that opportunity for others.
WHAT
IS THE FUTURE OF DETROIT?
Booming metropolis! In 10 years
it will be a booming metropolis, if not sooner. I think it will
have a very urban downtown not a suburban feel. This will only happen
if people don't focus on the past or the problems. The focus has
to be on the "new city," right now.
WHAT
IS THE FUTURE OF FILM IN DETROIT?
I'm really excited about films
in Detroit. There are great pockets of film makers, like a band
we are all doing our own thing and that works. Michigan has the
third largest film industry in the country, although most of it
is industrial. We just need the creative people who have the balls
to take a risk. The nature of the film industry is like any other
business. You want to go where it is cheap and Detroit provides
that opportunity. There is also a real opportunity for indie films
because people are hungry for it. They are tired of just surviving.