Quick Snaps: A Drink and Chat with Geoff Marslett about 'Mars'

If you missed my Fantastic Fest 2010 Guide: How to Drink Like an Austinite, than you might not know that I'm a craft beer enthusiast. I am also a member of Black Star Co-op, the world's first cooperatively owned and worker managed brewpub. I stopped by the pub this week to try out featured beers from Jester King, a new brewery located between Oak Hill and Dripping Springs.

A fellow member at the bar struck up a conversation about our agreed-upon favorite -- the Wychmaker Rye Pale Ale -- and told me he was one of the earliest members of the co-op. With almost 2,500 members, being one of the early charter members is pretty impressive. However, he said that he's been so busy working and promoting a movie that he'd not been able to visit the newly opened pub until now. Of course I had to ask about his film -- an animated romantic comedy. His name? Geoff Marslett.

Marslett premiered his animated film Mars at this year's South by Southwest Film Festival. Mars was developed in a graphic novel style, using a unique animation process Marslett created for this feature film.  Jenn Brown interviewed him in this SXSW Spotlight and also reviewed the movie. Mars is on its way to New York for a one-week run from December 3 - 9 at the reRun Gastropub Theater in Brooklyn. Tell your New York friends to get tickets early for this small 60-seat theater as Marslett and other members of the cast and crew will be in attendance this weekend.

Marslett was celebrating his birthday at Black Star Co-op, and is seen above enjoying a Dogfish Head Raison d'Etre with his buddy and kitchen team member Johnny Livesay. Livesay not only convinced Marslett to become a Black Star Co-op member in 2006, but he also introduced the cooperative concept to Black Star founder Steven Yarak who wanted a bar owned by its regulars.

Marslett and I talked about the challenges of independent film distribution, demographics -- and beer of course. He is optimistic that Mars will be making its Austin theatrical release in January 2011. Here's hoping that Mars screens at an  Alamo Drafthouse theater so we can enjoy some more Jester King or Dogfish Head beer during the screening.

[Photo Credit: "Johnny Livesay of Black Star Co-op and Geoff Marslett" by Debbie Cerda, on Flickr]