DIRECTOR ISAAC OLSEN GIVES DISTRIBUTION A SHOT >>>

Given all the handmade technical innovation the young Isaac Olsen displayed in his first feature, Quiet Shoes, I dubbed him "our city's own Orson Welles" in an earlier Volcano article. Now I may have to revise that title, since Olsen pulled off a nearly spot-on impersonation of Martin Scorsese during our interview last week.

From what I've seen of the man through his work and in person, this normally reserved filmmaker still does not shy from venturing beyond his comfort zone. Olsen's next project, I Hunger, savors the moody visual flavor of German Expressionism, a style of acquired taste the director realizes may not find many fans.

Olsen jokingly refers to the film as a "classic in the making." Then comes the self-deprecating coda: "It's got a very specific destiny as an oddity, sought out by the same people that might see The Human Centipede but will be very disappointed to see I Hunger."

Though shot entirely in the town of Flint, Michigan, the project has assembled a cast from multiple countries. Olsen anticipates a "small-scale but calculated release" at an unspecified local venue in Summer 2012.

Confident as a director, Olsen recently began tackling the role of film distributor. He admits, "It's something I'm very bad at, which is the self-promotion end of making a movie."

Eventually Olson sees his production company, Schnelluloid, serving not only his work and those of other filmmakers, but many talented artists from this area. His first "clients" come right from his own family - aunts and uncles in the band Girl Trouble, and a younger brother who plays in Red Hex.

While Olsen gets used to the businessman persona, his home really is behind the camera, where he now puts, as he calls it, "very fine, subtle shading" on I Hunger. "You don't want to miss this ... it's going to be the Tree of Life of Tacoma," he promises us.

Forget Welles or Scorsese - I guess I have to start calling Mr. Olsen "Malick" from now on. For a peek at the I Hunger trailer or to contact Olsen about distribution, visit schnelluloid.com.

Hear Olsen express his love for Germans, hatred of painting metaphors, and more during my interview with him this week on Volcano Radio, which airs Thursday from 8-9 p.m. on www.nwczradio.com and is available as a podcast at weeklyvolcano.com and volcanoradio.com directly following.