Rick Bedrosian

Director of

I Could Eat

A complete interview with Rick

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the director Rick for taking the time to answer our questions.

Whole team of Liverpool Indie Awards is wishing you the very best in all your future projects. We hope to see more of your exceptional work in the years to come. Thank you once again!

Can you tell us about your submitted project and what inspired you to create it?

I’m a lifelong, full-time musician as well as a foodie and an international tour guide. I made my first film as a very young kid on Super 8. Making travel films centered around interesting food, locations and music seemed like a natural thing for me to do.

What was your creative vision for this project, and how did you work to bring that vision to life?

Knowing that food and music unites people of all races, I decided to grab my guitar and take the 7 Train from one end of Flushing, Queens to the other, stopping at as many different restaurants as possible. There are something like 140 nationalities in Queens, each with their own distinctive restaurants and grocery stores.

How did you collaborate with the rest of your team, such as producers, writers, and cinematographers, to ensure the project's success?

My budget was minuscule and my films are unscripted so I did the research myself, eating my way through the borough many times that summer. We returned (myself, my DP and one assistant) that fall to make the film.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during the production, and how did you overcome them?

The film was made over the course of two days so it was a challenge, eating all those meals. Staying energetic, enthusiastic and hungry was not easy, especially as the days wore on. Having a couple adult beverages seemed to help.

Can you discuss any specific moments or scenes in the project that you are particularly proud of, and why?

During the Mama’s of Corona segment, I really hit it off with Irene (the owner) and we’ve become great friends. Also, being able to communicate with chefs that didn’t speak any English!

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently, and what lessons did you learn from this experience?

I wish that I had found a way to have had a bigger budget so I could have captured more restaurants and ethnicities. The people that I encountered were wonderful.

Can you describe a project that you are particularly proud of and why it stands out to you?

’m really proud of this project because I began with a blank sheet of paper and created a series that people really seem to like. I’ve won many awards already.

What advice would you give to aspiring directors looking to break into the industry?

Learn as much as you can from the greats and then also from directors that are in your sphere. Then take all that knowledge and filter it through your brain. There’s only one you and you can bring your unique personality to the screen. But first, LEARN FROM THE PROS. Don’t be too cool for school!

How did you approach working with actors to bring out the performances you wanted for the project?

Since this is “Reality TV” of sorts, I’m not working with other actors. We are totally unscripted except for post-production voiceovers which we use to introduce episodes, set up new scenes, tie scenes together and to conclude. The people that I interview are often not used to being filmed so they often need some quick coaching.

How did you approach sound design and music for the project, and what was your collaboration like with your composer or sound designer?

Since I’m a songwriter, I use a lot of my own music. We did use some stock music for this episode but little or no stock music in subsequent episodes. All original music (or public domain) by me or my friend Fernando Perdomo.

How did you handle feedback or criticism from your team or audience, and what changes did you make as a result?

It’s hard to believe but so far I have not received any criticism regarding, I Could Eat Pilot Episode!