Aaron Ruell
Aaron Ruell
Derek Aaron Ruell, is an American director and photographer. He is most recognized for his performance as Kip Dynamite in the indie movie Napoleon Dynamite...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth23 June 1976
CityFresno, CA
CountryUnited States of America
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Being an actor really, really strengthens me as a director. There's just a certain type of understanding that comes from having been there and knowing how much is really being asked of actors that helps me.
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You know, this sounds so random, but I would rent out all the rooms in the Madonna Inn - it's in San Luis Obispo, California - and have one final bash with all my friends and loved ones.
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My introduction to the Madonna Inn came as a young boy when we would take summer vacations to a nearby town. My dad would take us into their gift shop bathroom, which was a huge waterfall that functioned as the men's urinal. So as a kid, this was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.
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There are a lot of hardcore 'Napoleon' fans, and they do the research and find photos of what I look like when I'm not 'Kip-ified.' Those fans recognize me. It happens maybe once a week, where someone will come up to me and be, like, 'Dude, you're Kip.' And I'm, like, 'Yeah, my name's Aaron.'
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It's just this little comedy about this group of guys, and their local hangout is a pool hall, and it's starting to get taken over by this big corporate, evil kind of guy. And it's just about them trying to save the day and their little pool hall in the process of it all. It's called 'Think Tank.'
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It's allowed all of us to do what we were doing before, which was making small movies, but now we get paid for it. It legitimatized all of us after the film became such a success. I'm directing my first feature that I also wrote this spring called 'Warm Blue Day.' There are a couple of movies that I'm acting in this fall. I'm also a photographer, and I've got three gallery shows left to do this year. And when I'm not doing that, I'm directing commercials.
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We were contacted by some reps and asked if we'd be interested in going around to colleges, meeting the fans and answering questions. It's great to be able to meet so many different fans of the movie. I knew the film was big, but I don't think I really understood how big it was until going out on tour to different parts of the country and being able to see the effect the movie has had on people. I've met fans from the age of three to 78 - it's awesome.
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With the work that I do as a director, I've got dialogue, camera movement, and character blocking to help create a tone to the piece. In photography, those elements are somewhat void so that tone becomes a bit more subtle but still equally important.
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All of our clothing came from thrift stores or Wal-Mart, and we did our own stunts.
That's my lady? She actually has a very big husband.
money
There was no money for a set photographer.
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People are always saying 'Dude, he sounds like Kip,' ... That's because I frickin' played him.
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Jacob extended a nice invitation, and I accepted. I never really thought of the fan side of it. Sometimes the recognition does get old, but I'm proud of that little movie and what it's done. And I have to play the 'I'm Kip' card to get me anywhere.
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The mindset that I have on every project I take on is, 'How do I make this interesting enough for me to want to stop and look at it?' So in that regard, what I do behind the camera, whether it's still or motion picture, is the same.