'Childstar'

I was totally engaged watching this, but at the same time it’s unsettling to see a film about the ill-effects movie-making can have on a child actor when said film naturally stars an actual child actor. Luckily the behind-the-scenes footage on the DVD makes it clear that Mark Rendall lives with a great deal more balance than his character. In fact, it seems director/co-writer Don McKellar was the one who really suffered during the shoot, which is fitting as the final product was as much about the ridiculous lives of all people who make movies as it was about the under-eighteen set.

I probably enjoyed this film more because I’ve been on film sets as a background performer (read: “extra”) and a volunteer production assistant. I’d suggest anyone who’s interested in how films are made get a job as an extra for a little while. It’s the only place you can see so many people panicking about an impending deadline (beautiful sunsets are renamed “We’re losing the light!!!) while so many other people are leisurely doing absolutely nothing (there’s a reason for the term “extra”).

Beyond enjoying the jabs at the industry, I enjoyed watching an industry friend of mine get taken hostage during Taylor’s film. Heck, just watching him fly a plane was a fun, even if it was only for a few seconds. But when you know actors who are still trying to break big, that’s what the ‘slow’ button is for.

Quick Links:
‘Childstar’ on IMDB

Get In-Depth:
First Weekend Club Discussion Board Q & A with Don McKellar