Susan Dynner: An Interview with the Director of Punk's Not Dead

The now empty theater has the same feel of a concert venue. We talk of shows past and bands we love.

Although this easygoing discussion can happen when two fans of anything are put together, in the punk scene, it is essential to the whole makeup. In this moment, it is obvious Susan Dynner is perfect to represent punk, because not only is she a talented film maker, she is a huge fan.

Susan's love for punk started when she was 15. Her friends went along to see Minor Threat in concert; she fell hard for the scene. Ideas of politics and social reform were a huge draw. "Back then we had Reagan and the 'me generation' and now there's an unjust war and terrorism can happen in the US punk is still very relevant. Especially to the kids just now discovering it," says Susan.

While going to shows, Susan started taking pictures of such legendary bands like Black Flag, the UK Subs, Government Issue, Minor Threat, and many more. "I never asked for any money for my pictures. I would use a rubber stamp to put my name on them and give them to the band," says Susan. The pictures were later used by many bands for album covers and merchandise.

"One day I went into a record shop and I saw a Government Issue shirt with a picture I took," says Susan. "I told the owner I took the picture for the shirt and left there with one." Susan has spent the rest of her life in the punk culture.

Susan attended film school at the University of Wisconsin and then moved onto an 18 year career in the film industry. She has worked as the Vice President of Creative Affairs for Charlie Sheen and Nick Casavettes' Ventura Films. Recently she co-produced the independent hit movie Brick (2006).

Punk's Not Dead is part of an incidental wave of movies documenting punk rock that has been coming out in the last few years. "We started working on the movie over four years ago, before Punk Attitude or American Hardcore," says Susan. Punk Attitude's focus on the history of punk rock altered Punk's Not Dead. Susan tells how she didn't need as much on the past to get the point of the movie.

Susan has taken Punk's Not Dead through the film festival circuit including Cannes International Film Festival. She has released the DVD version through the movie's website punksnotdead.com" which will feature give aways like signed guitars and more from artists appearing in the movie.

The inspiration for the movie came from seeing an ad for Inland Invasion: 25 Years of Punk Rock that was going to take place in California. "They had everyone from the Sex Pistols and the Damned, to Bad Religion and Social Distortion, alongside pop punk bands like New Found Glory and Blink 182. Yet it was all under the umbrella of punk and sponsored by Levi and Budweiser. It was obvious punk had changed," says Susan.

Susan wanted to examine where punk had gone and how punk still remains true to itself. She also wanted to show that punk's notorious image was false. "We would walk down the street and people would walk around us, that really did happen," says Susan. Despite the preconceived notions, "Some of the smartest and most articulate people with forward thinking ideas are punk."

In the movie, famed punk rocker Henry Rollins tells how the punk scene was a 'pen pal network' of bands exchanging tapes and offering to let others crash at their house so they could them live. Susan, like many punk rock fans of the time, has let many a band crash in her front room. This is how Susan knew many of the bands who appear in Punk's Not Dead. One of the first bands to be interviewed were the UK Subs who were staying the night at Susan's house, "they were a captive audience and had no choice," she says.

One of Susan's first calls was to Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat and Fugazi fame. "After not talking to him for 20 years, he never said 'what do you want or need" he was just instantly friendly,'" says Susan. "Friends who I hadn't talked to in sixteen years contacted me to help out." Bands she had never met hopped on board thanks to her friends vouching for her.

"We had people trusting us and giving incredible access," said Susan. "We got to film at the Addicts' house and showed the first time Keith's ("Monkey" Warren, lead singer of the Addicts) son saw him all dressed in the make up."

With all the trust and access given, Susan felt obligated to the bands. Despite many offers from large studios to help fund and distribute the movie Susan refused. "No one could come in and tell us there needed to be more Green Day and less UK Subs," says Susan. Additionally, making the movie independently kept to punk's D.I.Y. or do it yourself roots. The ad campaign has relied on this ethic using the internet especially MySpace to advertise and sent postcards to concert venues, tattoo shops, and record stores.

Some of the bands who gave her the most access were the new wave of pop punk bands such as Sum 41 and My Chemical Romance. "I expected to be much harder on them, but after talking to them my conception of them has changed," says Susan. "They seem so sincere in their drive, who am I to judge? They had their own struggles."

Even with new found respect for the new generation, there is still at least one glib moment at the movie at their expense. During a montage of many of the bands on stage leaping together in unison, a song from Swan Lake is played. Susan hopes they don't feel betrayed since she does respect what they do, but the bands are guilty of jumping around together. The movie is not just geared to punk's faithful; Susan attests that at most screenings half the crowd know little to nothing about punk beforehand.

We decide to leave the vacant theatre for the after party down the hall, before we even get to the food and drinks Susan is stopped by a woman. The woman leans close to talk over the noise and says, "I never really got punk music but after watching your movie I feel I understand it better." Susan lights up with a big smile and gives me a look of "you see".