VE: So, you and Bradley Scott started Bifocal Pictures, which has worked with clients from IFC and Animal Planet to Merge Records and, of course,Volcom Entertainment. And you’ve also been working on the Brian Walsby Manchild series. My question is, how the hell do you have time for all this shit?

CC: We started Bifocal Media as a record/video label is 1997. Our first release was an artsy fartsy video called "The Actuality of Thought." There was a lot of live music on this video so it was widely distributed by all the big indie distributors of the time. We released some records and a few more film projects and eventually other labels started commissioning us to do video work. This is when we started Bifocal Pictures. This lead to us working with tons of clients ranging from Volcom to Donny Osmond. We started publishing books and t-shirts of Brian Walsby's comic art in 2005.

We were already fans of his so this was a no-brainer. We've published 5 books for Brian and we've worked with him on limited edition t-shirt designs for the Melvins, the Descendents and Valient Thorr.  If you guys have more work for us...we'll take it. No need for sleep.

VE: You’ve directed several of Valient Thorr’s videos over the years, including the In Heat DVD. You’re kind of the go-to video guy for the band. How did that relationship develop?

CC: I've known these guys since the mid 1990s. Lucian Thorr was in a Bifocal Media band called The Ladderback and Eidan Thorr plays drums in a Bifocal band called The Kickass. Lucian Thorr and I lived together for several years and he was the best man in my wedding. I've spent quite a bit of time traveling with those guys. I guess if you've got a friend who does film work, it makes sense to work with them.

VE: How did the treatment for the "Sleeper Awakes" video come about?

CC: Without giving too much of it away: I just like the idea of a chain reaction that runs its course throughout the entirety of a program. Brad did a short film years ago in which a yawn leads to the death of a businessman who's wasting his life. I suppose that may have sparked my interest in this sort of theme.

VE: What was the inspiration for Eidan Thorr being such a slouch in the video?

CC: While Eidan is no slouch when it comes to being a professional musician; he also knows how to party. I think this comes across in this video. I've seen him sleeping in an upright position with a ½-full drink on several occasions.

VE: The nature of the video requires a lot of stunts. In fact, if I may quote an email I think it perfectly exemplifies what I mean. In an email you said, “I'm still trying to sort out how we're going to drop Dr. Professor safely from the utility pole. I'm assuming a couple of mattresses will be the solution." Were you working with a stunt coordinator? Were there any issues filming some of the more “dangerous” scenes? Have you no value for human life!?

CC: Anything for a good shot! Actually, we talked about this scene for months as I was worried about safety. They assured us that they would track down lots of soft things to land on. For this particular scene we had a busy street corner location. Valient Himself said he had to run and get the mattresses. Five minutes later he showed up with one twin mattress that looked like he'd been sleeping on it since the 80s. I tested it out from the bottom rung of the ladder and almost broke my shoulder. Two days later, we almost got hit by a train while shooting a solo on the tracks. Safety was not #1 on anyone’s priority list. I think that will show when this thing is made public.

VE: Do the guys usually come prepared to the shoot knowing what they have to do, or do you find that you have to go over everything with them?

CC: I'm usually obsessive about the details and I make sure everyone has a shot list with all of the locations, days, and props required. The VT guys are really good about tracking down their own props - the list varies from kitchen utensils that have drumsticks as handles to and old boom box that Eidan takes a bath with. They actually take ownership in the video and have a lot to do with how everything turns out and how prepared we are. Of course this all goes out the window after a few beers and whatever else might make it onto the set.

VE: In Double Crossed and this video you enlisted the help of local fans to be extras. And did I also hear that you brought back Lane, the super Thorrior?

CC: A couple of the guys from the "Lame Band" in the Double Crossed video make cameos in this one.

VE: What kind of chips did Valient Himself require for the shoot?

CC: He went with Cheetos for this one. I think he did this in spite of the fact that everyone knows...This man needs potato chips for survival.

VE: What was it like filming him naked for the shower scene?

CC: Total boner. Actually, we couldn't really see the front package for this shot as everything was filmed from behind. The leotard scene was way more traumatic to shoot as it was quite sheer. You could see his entire penis right through that thing.

VE: What was your favorite part of filming this time around? Does one shot or moment stand out for you?

CC: The train almost hitting us was a classic memorable moment (after we knew we were safe). The easiest parts to shoot were the controlled sets where we were in control of the light, weather, people etc. It's the guerrilla style outdoor stuff that makes me anxious. A few days before the shoot a tornado ripped through my neighborhood. We got a few shots with them playing in front of these enormous uprooted trees. That was nice.

VE: The song “Sleeper Awakes” is largely about living now. What are you going to do today to live in the now?

CC: I'm just trying to stay creatively active and keep churning out stuff that might be around when I'm not. I've got a kid on the way in July, so I guess that's a good start.