Without a net

Director/comic book writer Kevin Smith and his alter ego, Silent Bob, have made waves through the movie industry for 10 years.

Now, Smith is shifting gears in the movie-making biz, veering away from the Jay and Silent Bob saga into films like his latest "Jersey Girl" and his upcoming version of comic book classic, The Green Hornet.

"I'm definitely intimidated by 'Green Hornet' because it's not a case about me trying to please my audience anymore," Smith said in a conference call. "The chairman of Miramax was really good about pulling me into it, though. It's really just a matter of being afraid, but using that fear because out of fear great art comes."

The movie and comic book characters Jay and Silent Bob formed a cult following for Smith 10 years ago with the release of his satire on consumer culture, "Clerks".

His four other films, "Mallrats," "Chasing Amy," "Dogma" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," all hold a few interconnecting elements, most obvious of which is Jay and Silent Bob. However, after the duo's grand finale of an exit in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," Smith has decided to veer away from the "dick and fart joke dialogue" of his previous films.

"I wanted to see if I could work without a net," Smith said. "'Clerks' was the only other one I've ever done. But since then, all my other movies have all leaned up against each other."

Though Jay, played by Smith's longtime friend Jason Mewes, was not slated to be in the movie, Smith did write a part for Mewes. At the time, however, Mewes' alcohol and drug problems made Smith decide against letting his friend join the film.

"I'd reached a breaking point," Smith said. "I'd spend six months during the production of the film cleaning him up, only to see him fall back into it again during the editing process."

Fortunately, Mewes has stayed completely sober for almost a year, and Smith is looking to put him in "The Green Hornet."

"People expect the moon to turn as black as sack cloth and the four horsemen to ride when Jason Mewes starts cleaning up, but you know he's done really well," Smith said. "I called him up and told him I wanted him to be in 'Green Hornet.' He said 'I knew it! You want me to play the Green Hornet!' I told him no, but I did want him in the movie."

After "The Green Hornet," Smith wants to remake the Chevy Chase comedy "Fletch," and then onto the "Clerks" cartoon movie.

"As to when that's going to happen, well, it's really a matter of me sitting down to write it," Smith said. "Then I just have to hand it off to the animators. I don't know how to direct animation. I can't draw for shit."

For independent filmmakers though, he does have some advice: "Don't try to figure it out - don't try to figure out what's marketable," Smith said. "I made 'Clerks' because it was a movie that I identified with and could make me laugh."

The addition of digital video, a cheaper and more convenient medium than the old 16mm film, has made movie-making more accessible to the independents.

"Just because a camera gets into somebody's hands doesn't mean it's going to be a wonder to behold," Smith said. "But folks out there who have to tell their own story and are passionate enough about it can definitely do something now."

As for any other upcoming projects, Smith said that despite the success surrounding "The Passion of Christ" he said he learned all he needed to about religion in "Dogma."

"Though, in retrospect, I think I should have gone with the bloody Christ instead of the buddy Christ, since that seems to be such a big hit," Smith said.