This past summer, one of my all-time favorite people in the world (Paul Greene) tweeted out the fact that he had just finished filming a wonderful Christmas film called Buttons starring Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury. Of course, I was intrigued because those two are absolute legends as far as I’m concerned, and I anxiously awaited more information. Recently, that information arrived, and Paul introduced me to the wonder that is Tim Janis. This movie is his brainchild, and recently, I was able to interview this incredible artist, director, composer, musician…and the list goes on. In anticipation of tomorrow’s (December 8th) one-time showing of Buttons (check the links at the bottom for the link to purchase tickets), I am honored to share our recent chat.
RH: Tim, it is so good to connect with you. I’m glad Paul got us connected.
TJ: Nice to speak with you too, Ruth. And I’m glad he worked it out for us to chat.
In fact, until Paul started promoting Buttons, I was unfamiliar with your work. But I’m definitely a fan now.
That’s great, Ruth. I just love Hallmark movies, and I think Paul is amazing in every movie he does. So to have him and Abigail Spencer as a part of Buttons was just awesome. I think when you and the fans see his part in the movie, there’ll be a few tears. It’s beautiful.
When I first heard about Buttons, I did some research and realized this has been a project of yours in the works for quite a while.
Yes, five years. As we’ve been working through it all these years, we have kept tweaking it, and even this year, we just finished filming in July. As a film, you just want to make it better and better, and you keep having new ideas and new inspiration. So we molded it over all this time. At certain points, we thought we were finished, but we knew we needed to fix this or change that. You know, we’ve probably made two movies and cut it down to one.
Where did the idea for Buttons come from?
Well, kind of two places. I was at church during a mass, and I got inspired with the story. So I went home and wrote that down. And the second part, since I’m a musician, I wrote a song called “Keep A Smile On Your Face.” I sent it out to Los Angeles to Dick Van Dyke’s agent. And Dick Van Dyke called me directly and wanted to record the song. So that’s really how the whole process got started.
With Paul
When Paul came on board, I understand that you already had filmed part of the movie.
Yes, that is correct. We had been filming for several years, but this past year, we really ramped it up quite a bit. That’s when Angela Lansbury came on board. Abigail Spencer, Paul Greene, Robert Redford’s narration. So this year was a big filming year.
I saw all the buzz about your Carnegie Hall concert last week.
Oh, yeah, it was so amazing. I told Paul that we needed to do it again. He was such a great guy to hang around with for those couple of days. And the performance was just fantastic.
I can imagine. I was so excited for him, and it looked like everything turned out beautifully. I’m sure it was a bit surreal for him at times. I was a music major in college, and Carnegie Hall would be an amazing place for any musician to perform.
Yeah, it was cool. Sort of like the Cadillac of performance halls. I know that might sound old-fashioned to say, but even though it’s the height of performance venues, you’re treated really well. You don’t have to worry about anything or do anything but perform. And as fancy as it all is, we have a really great group of people, so everyone’s very supportive of one another. It’s kind of like five hundred people involved in this show with all their dreams coming true. Everybody’s super excited and really happy to be there. Both the audience and the performers. While the Carnegie could be intimidating, it’s really become this musician-friendly environment, which I think is another surprise. And it just makes the experience feel wonderful.
Now I know that this event and the movie Buttons are helping to support autism, if I remember right.
Yes, that is correct. For the film, there are two components that came together. We’re raising money for Kate Winslet’s Golden Hat Foundation. Margret Ericsdottir is the co-founder with Kate. Her son is nonverbal autistic. She is a caretaker for her son, and that’s what started her journey. The goal of the foundation is to shine a light on the abilities of those living with autism. So I actually worked with Margret’s son, Keli, and we both wrote a bit of music. And I worked with him for the film. So we’re just continuing this mission to shine a light.
And we’re also working with Avril Lavigne, the pop star, and she’s been promoting the movie. We’re raising money for her foundation which helps those living with Lyme Disease. So it’s a sort of partnership between these two foundations.
That is amazing. Being a former music teacher myself, I have fond memories of working with autistic children through music. To this day, autistic children always have a very special place in my heart.
One of my friends said that those with autism are the angels on earth. At the Carnegie Hall event, Margret gave a speech and said that Keli describes that getting to know him and others with autism requires patience. They communicate differently. But when they finally broke through and Keli was able to communicate with them by using a pointer pad where he had to point the letters out, the first thing he said was, “I am real.” He was ten years old, and they started communicating with their son and realized how much was going on inside of his mind. Because of his limited motor abilities, he can’t express himself like we do. But he’s a person in there and a very talented person.
So we have to educate people that those with autism deserve a place in our society. Then things can be structured so they can attend public school. In fact, Keli’s parents are Icelandic, but they moved to America so that he could attend public schools, and I think his grade point average was 3.9. It would have been easy to never have given him a chance as an autistic child, thinking he couldn’t do these sorts of things. I mean, he needs all kinds of help. He needs help getting dressed and working with the pointer pad. But as we have learned, these kids have these incredible abilities. I think autism needs to have a lot more awareness about what it is and then educate the parents as well. Since the kids need a lot of support, the parents become the full-time caregivers. And so they’re usually pretty busy, and any help we can give them will only make things better for the whole family.
I’m always grateful to see the kids whose parents do get involved in these situations. It’s heartbreaking when they don’t, but I think you’re right that education can change that. I’m very glad that you’re able to highlight this foundation. I know the movie is out tomorrow, and I’m so glad it came near enough to us to go see it. My whole family is going.
That’s great news, Ruth. Where do you live?
The Seattle-Tacoma area in Washington State.
Oh, that’s great. I partnered with the USO up there, and we gave out 1,800 tickets to men and women in the service. So there are some theaters that will have a booth set up for the USO at the theater. I’m not certain which ones, but keep your eyes open in case you see that.
That is just wonderful, Tim. And I know that the Hallmark fans are well aware of Buttons. Paul has seen to that.
Yes, he has, and I hope that Hallmark fans will come out and see it.
with Dick Van Dyke
So why did you choose to go the route of Fathom Events to release Buttons?
Well, first of all, I feel like the big screen is a wonderful place. I’ve already had the opportunity to watch Buttons on the big screen, and it is just so awesome. The theatrical model of Fathom Events is kind of neat because they’re owned by Regal, AMC, and Cinemark. So I feel like our foot is in the door. This time around, our promotion is as good as it can be. I know we have only this one showing, but the opportunity for encore performances does exist. What I would like to do is that if we do well enough this year, we can come back next year and play it again through Fathom Events.
Avril Lavigne wanted her song, “Head Above Water” to help promote the movie, and so she’s got a special segment she’s promoting through her social media. Fathom Events allows you a pre-show and post-show. A half hour before the movie, there will be a mixture of music artists singing for our pre-show. Our post-show is a ten-minute show of Gene Kelly’s wife talking about Gene Kelly. Our movie is sort of an homage to the MGM musical.
So next year, maybe we can get Avril to do something for the pre-show or post-show or maybe some other people involved. And maybe these shows can become a little Christmas special that’s attached to Buttons. For me, I’d rather see it like a fundraiser and a time for artists and people to share a Christmas message and make is an annual event where each of our families comes together. That felt right to me. I wasn’t interested in VOD and streaming or even television. You know, I saw The Greatest Showman four times in the theater. When I watched it on my computer, while it was still a brilliant movie, there’s something wonderful about being in the theater. I’d love for Buttons to be an annual event for fundraising and for artists to express themselves. And that’s where I am right now. We’ll see what the future holds.
Buttons
behind-the-scenes
I get exactly what you’re saying, Tim. I think the only issue is that some people are not near a city where they can see it. They have expressed sadness about that, so at some point, hopefully, they will be able to see it. But I know that people don’t go to theaters as much as they used to, and you do miss something.
Exactly. I like the idea of a shared experience. There is something special about going to a local theater and being surrounded by some of the people you actually know in the community. That’s what I experience in so many of the theaters where I go. And with Fathom Events, it is as close as you can get to that kind of experience. We’ll see what the future holds, but for now, the sky’s the limit. I can see this being a part of a much larger vision if it happens organically. You have to start with it in your heart.
I totally get it. And I think that’s just amazing. I am certainly looking forward to it. As I told Paul, I would have loved the movie anyway, but having him in it is an added bonus for me. And not only is Dick Van Dyke in Buttons, but later this month, we’ll see him in Mary Poppins Returns. So if people watch both movies, they will see him twice this month.
Exactly. To have both him and Angela Lansbury in the film is just amazing. They have done it all, and it’s great that they are such a big part of this movie.
Thank you, Tim, for making the time to chat. And my whole family and I are so excited to see Buttons tomorrow.
My pleasure, Ruth, and thank you for all your support.
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The moment I began speaking with Tim, it was as though I was chatting with an old friend (and it was our first conversation!). I didn’t notice any awkwardness whatsoever between us, and it seems as though the more we interact, the more we realize that we have much in common with each other. I know Paul said I’d really like this guy, and there is no doubt in my mind that he and I have begun what will hopefully be a long and mutually beneficial association. I am deeply committed to this movie being an overwhelming success for Tim and all involved, and I am exhilarated to consider the possibility that he is beginning a new tradition that will inspire, educate, and foster genuine connections between people all over the world. Community is something that has been lost so much in this digital age in which we live, but it is people like Tim, who are eager to remind us of the benefits of authentic communication and interactions.
I think the thing that impressed me most about Tim was the fact that he is remarkably humble. Considering his immense success and the way in which he has built his career from the ground up (read his biography on his website if you want to know the real story), he could easily make the decision to become cocky and self-assured. However, Tim is a normal, unassuming fellow with a massive heart and unquestioned talent. Moreover, he chooses to use that talent for the welfare of all, not merely for self-edification. And that is a quality that has absolutely placed me in his corner. Forever.
I hope that everyone checks out the link for Buttons below and purchases tickets for December 8th (that’s tomorrow) and makes the effort to support what is bound to be a new Christmas classic. Additionally, consider visiting Tim’s links below and following him where applicable. Perhaps more gifted musicians exist in this world, but I daresay you would be hard-pressed to find one as multi-faceted and successful as Tim, who is as down-to-earth, modest, and devoted to shining light in a culture that is often far too dark. I am grateful to know Tim, and I can hardly wait to see what his next venture is!
FOLLOW BUTTONS
Website (For purchasing tickets and additional information)
FOLLOW TIM
