How did you make this video?

My buddy Kato and I were joking about how all dancers make the same face at auditions; that hiphop, aggressive, bad-ass face. We were like "Dude, let's put flyers up for a class in 'Dancer Face!'" We'll teach you how to have better auditions instantly!" (Laughs). We emailed it to friends, and my agent (Tony Selznick) who said "Dude, you gotta do a short film!" I thought 'yeah, I really should.'

And then?

I thought about it in the shower, and it happened; 'Oh my God, that's it!' I did the whole thing right there while showering. That night, we tossed a black curtain on my wall, stuck my camera on a tripod, and threw together some crappy lighting. Then I monologued for an hour and a half. It was all pretty funny, but to keep the internet attention span I cut it down to 20 minutes... then 10 ... then 5, and now it's at 3.

How did you decide on that length?

Tested audiences. 'Come check this out!,' I watched when they'd lose interest and try to walk away. At 10 minutes, they said 'nope, shorter; I'd never keep watching if you didn't ask me to."

Hardest part?

People have different tastes in comedy; what some like, others don't.

How long was the whole process?

Conceptualizing and shooting was all in one night. Then two days of edit, feedback, edit, feedback, etc. Then mass emails. All in all, about a week.

Costs?

Nothing outside of owning a camera and Apple computer - Apple's the best, especially for music or video. Fairly cheap; for about a thousand bucks you've got everything you need for making movies in one machine.

What makes Apple so good?

They're user-friendly, solid - they don't break, and they're virus-proof. Most computers slow down eventually; not Apples. For five hundred bucks you can find a similar window-based computer, but it won't last the same way.

What program do you use?

"iMovie". It comes with the computer; all you need is a digital camera, or a friend to borrow one from. For advanced graphics or editing, you'd need better software but you can do a lot with the basics.

What has “Dancer Face” done for you?

It’s expanded my fanbase. I tag my site address at the end (www.robertjameshoffmanIII.com) so whoever gets an email knows who made it. Word spread on its own.

Does your site have feedback options?

Every page has a fanmail button. I get way more than I can respond to!

How many films have you made?

I've been making them since I was 12 - of course, now they have to be up to a significant caliber to make the website. The best ones grab your attention and leave you wanting more.

Which is most popular?

'Dancer Face' seems to be everyone's favorite; that character's so full of life. The overly-effeminate passionate braggart - gotta love him.

What was your most memorable early short film?

At 16, an elaborate war story. (Laughs) I was jungle boy wearing a dancebelt; my friend Tyson was a soldier. I'm tracking him through the forest, finally we meet and have a gory fight. He slices me open and pig guts fall out. (Laughs) It was well done for what we were capable of.



Do you use your films to seek work?

My manager (Michael Baum) tells casting directors, executives and producers to go to my website and see my stuff, or sends them a DVD. Many have become fans that way. Also, I used the character in "Dancer Face" when I auditioned for 'Wild and Out'.

How?

We were asked to do a 30 second rap, 3 characters, and improv as any celebrity they threw at us. I didn't have time to invent a new character, so Dancer Face guy was one of mine. Because of the video, I had the complete character and monologue done. I thought they'd try to banter with me, but they let me go off. Essentially I just did the monologue from the video. Having "Dancer Face' up my sleeve really helped

Any new ideas?

'Emotion Dancer'; a guy similar to James Precious, Dancer Face Founder. Maybe even James with a new talent. He interprets his emotions through dance every second he's speaking.

Has ‘Wild and Out’ influenced your comedic direction?

It's built a bigger fan base; my site has grown exponentially. It helps with confidence too; people know who I am and expect me to make a joke; used to be they didn't know how to take it, now I can pretty much say what I want. Stylistically - I'm pretty involved in my own brand of comedy, those videos are my passion.

What would be your dream for them?

I'd like to think if my videos are good enough they'll become a phenomenon and result in my own thing, maybe a variety show. Right now I'm actively pursuing just entertaining the hell out of people

Back to MuvTV page, click here>
To view “Dancer Face” click here>
Robert’s tips for newcomers, click here>
Robert’s success story, click here>