Late September 2019 saw a Facebook group come together to open the gate that guards Area 51. Brian Moreno, comedian and writer, was among those present. He had also hired a crew and cast to film the event.

His new movie Dreamland: A Storming Area 51 StoryMoreno is accompanied by Giff Pippin, Andy Kozel and Natasha Pearl Henson. Moreno discusses the origins and details of what happened during those fall days in Nevada.

When we connect by phone, Brian is optimistic the movie will be well received and divulges some of his filmmaking processes, his affinity for the term “alien,” and why he thinks being on stage and making movies is similar to cannabis horticulture.

Chronic News: For most of your professional life, you have worked as a comedian. What gave you the inspiration to make a film?

Brian Moreno My first dream in the entertainment business was to become a director. It was funny to be a comedian. secondary.

As most teenagers, I believed I would be an actor who was famous and groundbreaking. When that doesn’t pan out for you as quickly as it does in your mind, I started to spread my wings and get into comedy and comedy just took over. When you’re a working comedian and traveling, it’s really hard to do anything else.

I’d had some success making short-form videos and knew the only way I’d get respect as a filmmaker would be to actually make a film. This is what it looks like Dreamland—a run-and-gun type shoot—with a story that was only in my brain, you’re not going to get funding for it unless you have some sort of proof-of-concept. And I didn’t. The idea was mine and I made it into a movie.

You say in the trailer you “Ended up making a movie you didn’t intend to make.” Do you feel that way with the final product?

That’s a line in the movie I think about all of the time. Because I had seen the movie, it was a scene I felt overwhelmed by. [the footage]If I wanted to, I could make movies. I didn’t know if it was going to be the movie I envisionedBecause it’s a good documentary. As much as it is a comedy and a documentary, it’s a feel-good documentary, and you don’t find many of those.

Because this is a comedy, people are going to look at it differently, but I think to tell a story like the one we did, it’s not even about the storming of Area-51, it’s more about different colors of the rainbow coming together. The story is not driven by the storming in Area-51.

Area 51, in this way is more of an backdrop than any other.

Yeah, so that’s why if you’re into aliens, UFO-ology, or Area-51—or none of that—there’s something in this movie for you.

Since ancient times, aliens have been associated with you. Where did the fascination you have with aliens come from?

It is something I always try to convey to others. The reason I became fascinated with aliens wasn’t that they existed. What attracted me to the word “alien” and why I always had an association with “alien” is because it means “foreign” or “different.” I always felt foreign or different compared to my surroundings, so that’s where the “alien” moniker came from.

The alien topic and theme kept returning to me as I learned more about the universe and the secrets of it. A lot of people think I started out as an alien lover—and as much as I Am an alienhead and UFO-lover—it all started out with the word “alien” just meaning “different.” That’s what I felt I related to the most.

Those are my thoughts. Dreamland I believe is one of the most comprehensive UFO documentaries—that’s also entertaining—that’s ever been made. Most of what I attempt to convey in humor or as part of my storyline is intentionally humorous. This allows each individual character to represent one color of UFOology.

There are the people who are in total disbelief, there are people who just kind of dabble, there are people who think there might be a little bit of life out there but don’t exactly know what, and there are people who are hardcore believers. The parallel I try to make in the movie is that the people who believe in the UFOs and aliens and the space beings—there’s a parallel to what they’re doing and anyone who is religious. You can believe whatever you want, but if you put your faith into religion, you’re putting your faith into something that’s unseen, not understood, and can’t be explained. Many of those UFO-lovers believe blindly. Whatever your views on aliens and UFOs may be, the character should still apply to you.

For most, the best way to get into the movie is through its characters and less from the alien-ness.

Absolutely, and I think people will pick up on that immediately because of the Blair-Witchean way I open the movie, where it almost seems like it’s found footage.

There are however, PeopleAnd there are Criticism. It seems that all test audiences have seen the film and seem to be able to understand it. [and get the humor]But will the critics get it? I don’t know. It’s a really great question.

I am a cinephile and in terms of genre, this movie is cinéma vérité, which is basically the art of making a movie so that the audience feels like they’re a fly on the wall. That’s how this was made.

As much as it’s anxiety-inducing not knowing how the film will be received, at the same time, it’s got to feel pretty cool that it’s in its final form.

It does, but also—and maybe this is what made me a decent comic—I’m always thinking about what’s next or what I could do better. Yes, it is fun. Taking those moments to see that fact can be very rewarding. IsVery important. I don’t know if I do that enough.

Talk about those moment when you realize you have something valuable.

The last night of shooting was over, and I knew that I would make an entertaining film. After I got the news footage to add, [the edit]I could tell for certain that he was right. [the film]Distribution was a worthy cause

Three elements make up this story: The roadtrip, the news footage, as well as the interviews. After I got all that properly layered, I realized I could make a movie that tells the whole story. It only took me two years.

How similar or different is ‘Brian Moreno’ in the movie to Brian Moreno in real life?

I think the best way to describe it would be to compare it to the ‘Brian’ who is on stage as a comedian to the ‘Brian’ that’s in real life.

When I’m on stage and who I play in the movie—it’s pretty close to real—but there are aspects of oneself that when the camera goes on or the stage lights come on you, you tend to highlight or suppress. So there’s a character aspect to it, but I would say a lot of it is me just ActingIf it makes any sense to you, so is mine.

For this to be a real documentary, one of the things I really had to hit on was that there wasn’t a script and I wasn’t really coaching the players. I allowed the players to play within the framework of the universe that I’d built. So whomever it may be that you’re watching in the movie, they’re playing a character of themselves because the camera is on and these are the choices that they are making. What is “real” anymore? I don’t know.

 In terms of “reality,” how did psychedelics and cannabis play a role in your creative process and the making of this film, and how were both referenced WithinThe movie?

I’m a longtime believer in what cannabis can do for the creative process. However, this film was more dependent on the last night’s mushrooms.

It was very chaotic and the crew didn’t know what to do. I explained this to them. It was stressful to get set up the first night because it meant that there would be no time for sleep. [to Area 51]It was difficult and it took us so long to get there. The entire day was shot with all of us sober except for a few who I had to conceal the alcohol. I had brought weed and mushrooms with me because I knew if I could have a bonding experience with everyone on the crew, the testimonials that they would give from day one to day two would be a one-hundred-and-eighty-degrees difference.

My crew thought we were filming a movie so they could relax. You can see the rest of our footage here. [cannabis and mushroom-fueled] experience that we all had together…I don’t talk to some of the cast and crew anymore, but I know that’s a memory they’ll never forget. The next morning when they got interviewed, you can really see the difference in not only perspective—which I think mushrooms help with—but you can see the difference in the way they would speak about an event that was a bust.

Let me be clear, a lot of people are going to be like, “Oh, that event was a bust.” Yes, thIs isAlthough it is a story of failure, there are many small successes that can be found within this overall failure.

It was the mushrooms, and the weed that I believe brought the crew together. It’s why I think everyone should trip mushrooms at least once a year—because it helps clear out the ego. You can see that the greatest difference between day one and day two is in the testimonials of cast members. When you see that transformation, it’s actually a beautiful thing, and is some of the subtext within this documentary.

Filmmaking aside, you’re also a cannabis plant-dad these days, is that accurate?

Absolutely. I’ve been attempting to grow weed ever since I was picking out little stems and seeds back in my college years. The thing about cultivation is it used to be so difficult and there used to be so many obstacles to overcome to be able to grow your own weed—and grow it well.

Now, in states that are legal—and this is one of the reasons why Amazon is pushing for legality—there’s a huge market for all of the cultivation equipment and gear. I’m big into gardening and horticulture and believe anyone who enjoys partaking [in weed] should try growing a plant or two in the summer because It’s a really cool plant to see grow. It would be unbelievable if you said it was from aliens.

Are there any similarities between growing buds and making movies? Is any one of these skills transferable to other areas?

Absolutely. With biology and growing you have to remember that sometimes there are so many factors out of your control—just like in comedy, just like in making movies. The universe will take its own course. Trusting the universe and letting go of control is a must. Trust your instincts, trust other people—you have to Always Learn from your failures

There are only a few things I think I’m good at in this world: Telling stories, growing things, and making jokes. All of those things take a lot of thought, time, and effort, and it’s all very much like planting a seed. Water it and let it go. You then come back to it. A few leaves can be taken and fertilizer applied. You can then let the plant rest for a bit more. You can’t obsess over it because then you’ll suffocate it. It’s very similar to the birth of a seed, an idea, joke or movie.

Follow Brian Moreno at morenothealien for updates https://www.dreamlandarea51movie.comFor more information about how to watch, click here Dreamland: A Storming Area 51 StoryStarting September 13th.