September 25,1978 GAYSWEEK 12

Claudia Weill

A Conversation with Sandy Trimble

Photographs by Walter Friedman

festival ciel popoli

She strode into the anteroom where GAYSWEEK'S photographer and I sat waiting. "Stride" is the perfect verb to describe the movements of this talented woman, Claudia Weill (pronounced "while"). She advances with haste and pride, her steps quick and determined.

After a round of handshakes, Claudia asked us into her office. During a five minute picture-taking session her subtle command of the situation becomes obvious: "Shall I sit like this?" "Should I pick up the phone?"

The final shot shows Claudia holding the clap-stick that had been used during the filming of Girl Friends. "There's our cover," said GW's photographer. "Really? The cover?" asked Claudia. "Do I really get the cover?" "Yes," I said. "Good, that's good. Hey, that's great," she said, her eyes twinkling.

On that note, the interview began.

When did you first conceive of Girl Friends?

I started first conceiving of Girl Friends in 1975. When I started working with Vicki Polon, who did the script.

Did you have any idea at that time that the project would develop into a full-length, feature film?

Not a clue.

Why did you choose Melanie Mayron to play Susan?

I had seen her in Harry and Tonto and I really loved her. I always thought she was fabulous.

I saw a lot of really good people'nobody that I was crazy about for the .part. I just always thought that she was great. Finally visited her family in New York and I met her and asked her then.

So she was your first choice?

Yes.

One thing that I found particularly en.........dearing about the film was that Susan's story seemed so authentic-that there are so many Susans out there trying to make it. Did you model her after anyone in particular?

All of us. Vicki, me, Jan Saunders, who produced the film with me, Suzanne Pettit, who edited the film with me.

It's not autobiographical at all but the territory is one that we know well. We have lived through it. You know? It's close to home in that sense.

How did you and Vicki Polon come to collaborate? Had you worked together before?

She worked with me on documentaries. She'd been making films on her own and started writing. I read her first screenplay and was really impressed. So I asked her to do this one.

Another facet of the film that impressed me was the warmth among the women-I found the last scene especially touching. Do you think that male filmmakers have failed to understand the closeness that exists between women?

Yeah, I love that scene

I don't think they've failed to understand it; I don't think they're particularly interested in it. I don't think it's a subject that-well, it's hard to say-well, I mean

I don't think you have to live something to communicate in film about it."

certainly Julia is about that. It tries. Turning Point tries to deal with it. It's a bit of a soap opera but still a beautiful. film. You know, I thought Shirley MacLaine was incredible.

So some male filmmakers have turned their attention to the subject. But in the past I think it wasn't a subject that men were particularly interested in. I think. that they are capable of understanding it.

I don't think you have to be female to understand it.

I don't know what two men are like when they're alone. And what that kind of male friendship is. But that doesn't mean I don't think I could...

Portray it?

Yeah. I mean I would want to work closely with a writer who I thought could portray it and I certainly have some feelings about what it might be like. I'd certainly strongly consider the reactions of two male actors playing such a part: "Would this feel real? Would they really do this with each other?" I don't think you have to live something to be able to communicate it in film.

I read that the actual shooting took only six and a half weeks. Is that some sort of record for a theatrical film?

It's low. Very low. When you don't have enough money, it's not easy.

Did you feel that it was hectic? Oh, it was frantic.

I noticed in the credits for Girl Friends that about half of the people involved were women. Was it important to you that a large number of women be involved?

It wasn't a conscious decision. I just looked for the best people. People who are your friends, people you want to be surrounded by.

It wasn't like I thought "we gotta go hire a lot of women"; It wasn't a conscious choice. You just look for the people you want to work with. A lot of them happened to be women.

Was there ever a point during the project that you felt discouraged enough to want to give it up?

Every other day. But then, you know, I was so fortunate to be working with such a wonderful group of people whose energy and enthusiasm kept me going.

Where did your original grant come from? AFI-American Film Institute.

Were there other sources?

National Endowment for the Arts, and New York State Council for the Arts. CAPS-Creative Artists Public Service I went to them, too.

Funding organizations were really terrific. Very supportive. I was really lucky that way. I could never had made it without them.

And then there was Stan Plotnik, who helped me raise private money. His help was invaluable. Really amazing.

Had you been to other studios before bringing the project to Warner Brothers?

I showed it to a few people but not offtcially to anyone from the other studios.

You're going to be doing two more projects for Warner Brothers. Can you say something about them? Do you know what they are going to be?

I don't know yet what they are. I've been so frantic with the release that it hasn't given me a chance to focus on the fact that I could possibly be doing. another.

You've never attended film school. How,

"You just look for the people you want to work with. A lot of them happened to be women.'

then, did you become involved in filmmaking?

I was a painter. And then when I went to college I ended up studying-as a kind of side thing-still photography. I was majored in history and literature. Then I got a job working as a general flunky and still photographer on a film. And I just fell in love with the whole process-it was

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