Hollyshorts Filmmaker Interview: NO PLACE LIKE HOME

An Interview with Mick Betancourt, director of No Place Like Home



What is your short film about?


No Place Like Home is about a man who runs away from home and comes back defeated, to find a much different home than he left.


How did you get the idea?


It was an idea I had for some years and finally wrote when Marlen McGuirt, the producer, approached me asked if I had any shorts I wanted to do. I sat down and wrote it over a two week period and gave it to her. She had only known my comedy work so when she read it, she said, “Mick, I read this 10 times, and I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but, I just don’t think it’s funny.”. That’s when I knew I really wanted to work with her. It’s a really intense drama and for her to be that honest was awesome.


What are some of the films and filmmakers that inspire you?

Nolan’s Dark Knight just blew me out of the water. The Hustler with Paul Newman, Piper Laurie and Jackie Gleason is my favorite movie of all time. The Apostle was amazing.



What made you originally want to get into film?

Storytelling. Pictures. Words. All of it. The first dream came watching movies, the second has been making them.

What was the most challenging thing about making your short?

It was the first movie (short) I ever directed. I threw up right before the first scene and I didn’t think I was nervous. Also, the level of actors we got was ridiculous. So talented. So I had to be honest and work with humility. It was great.



How did you go about selecting your cast?

It was a very organic process. I sent the script out to the people we wanted. Some weren’t available so we had casting sessions. Tamara Hunter was so focused and brought in amazing actors. We actually got our lead out of her sessions. The rest of the cast wound up becoming available and wound up being the first peope we went out to for the other roles.

What do you hope your short film achieves?

I hope that everybody that watches it is moved in some way. I never answer the “what did you want this to mean?” or “ what happens next?”. I want the audience to fill in those blanks.


What is your next project?

I’d like to direct The Rackets, based on the novel written by Tom Kelly



This film will be screening Sunday, August 10th at 1:05pm in the Hollyshorts Film Festival.  Cast members Beth Grant, Jack McGee, and Brian Thomas Smith will all be on hand for the screening.  To learn more about this film, log on to their official website.

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