By now I hope we’ve all successfully recovered from election withdrawal. For many, election coverage was like a drug, and we obsessively scoured the blogosphere for poll numbers and Palin-esque scandal while simultaneously posting over-exposed election buzz on our Facebook pages (am I alone here?).

Justin Scot certainly felt some of that election adrenaline building up back in 2007, and he was inspired by how many of his peers were energized and active in the campaigns. When the writer’s strike hit and his acting gigs slowed down, Scot channeled this energy and co-founded The YOUnited Foundation, which uses the power of film to combat apathy and create stronger activism in American communities. Much more impressive than creating a Facebook club, no?

The bi-partisan leg of YOUnited, Donkaphant, is hosting its 3^rd film fest as a spotlight event at the 2009 LA Film Festival. Their chosen film is “The Youngest Candidate”, a much-hyped documentary gem directed by Jason Pollock. And all of you election junkies should rejoice because Election ’08 nostalgia practically bleeds from the film’s Shepard Fairey-designed movie poster and theme of youth activism.

In the midst of planning the film’s premiere and saving the world one apathetic community at a time, Justin Scot had time to answer some of Evil Monito’s burning questions:

EM:  Occupation and Position?

SCOT: Co-Founder and Executive Director of YOUnited Foundation. Actor, producer and filmmaker

EM:  What neighborhood do you closely identify with?  What makes your community so unique?

JS: I live in Santa Monica and love it. There is such a community feel and I can use my bike as my means of transportation to just about anything. I live near the beach with my dog in a little bungalow in a beautiful neighborhood… it’s great. Plus the summer music at Santa Monica pier and the farmer’s markets give me the ability to forget that I spend most of the day fighting traffic in Hollywood.

EM: What is at the heart of The YOUnited Foundation?

JS: The objective or problem we battle is apathy. At this time, especially seeing the embarrassing numbers of people at the polls, voter apathy is our fight. Even in the presidential election, we had an unprecedented number of young people registering, but when it came to them actually voting the youth movement wasn’t there. I am hoping that with our films and NGO support, we can change that.

EM: If you could interview one unsung hero, who would it be? Why?

JS: My father, Frederic Comins, Jr., is the most brilliant and compassionate man on the planet. As I build YOUnited, I always think about the way he might handle a situation whether positive or negative. I go to him with most of my questions and always receive the best advice. He is a man I emulate and hope to become more like, as I get older.

EM:  Where are your favorite local spots to eat?

JS: I am a big fan of Delphi on Westwood. It is a quaint Greek restaurant with great food and a wonderful atmosphere.

EM:  What’s the greatest item that you found at your local garage/estate sale?

JS: I recently did some hunting around on eBay (didn’t make it to the garage sales) for props for my short film. I found a great book about World War I, a coin from the Philippines from the 1920s, and some old baseball tobacco cards. I ended up giving the stuff away as keepsakes for the actors in my film. They loved it…the coin was the coolest.

EM: What’s your favorite youtube video?

JS: The second kid in the orange sweatshirt- How does he move like that?!

EM:  What songs are at the top of your playlist at this very moment?

JS: I am a big fan of the Avett Brothers. Also, anything my younger brother writes. Okay- maybe I am a big family person…

EM:  What is your current bedside read?

JS: Love all things James Ellroy. I just finished the Dudley Smith Quartet

EM:  What new creative projects you are building on right now?

JS: I just wrote, produced, and starred in my short film, The Farm. Set in the depression era, the film parallels the housing crisis of today to that time period. I am a big believer that a films message should make the audience ask questions. That is why I started YOUnited Foundation- to inspire and motivate young people through film to make change in their lives and communities.

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“The Youngest Candidate” premieres Thursday, June 25th at 7pm at a special screening within the Los Angeles Film Festival.