Full Transcript for Ep 138 - Michael Ridley - Jurassic World, Knee High, Remote, and More

00:05:40.040 make it back to Denver that day because of the snowstorm. So we were 60 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:44.160 snowed in in Colorado Springs. So we were paying for hotel rooms in Colorado 61 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:51.319 Springs plus vacation home in Denver at the same time, so heartbreaking snowed in 62 00:05:51.560 --> 00:06:00.160 right up next to the mountains. Yeah, don't listen to me. Um. 63 00:06:00.600 --> 00:06:03.600 We actually, um when we got done in Colorado Springs the next day, 64 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:10.879 when it was clearing up, they still have the interstate opened up yet, 65 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:15.360 So we took a back road and we actually drove all the way up 66 00:06:15.399 --> 00:06:19.399 along the mountain ridge and it was a beautiful drive, just just gorgeous drive 67 00:06:19.480 --> 00:06:25.959 with fresh snow and so it's actually like, and I'm guessing it was beautiful 68 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:30.160 and sunny right after the blizzard and everything. Yeah, yeah, that is 69 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:36.360 a dream. I love that. So, um, what got you interested 70 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:45.279 in filmmaking and acting? And it was actually film in theater that kind of 71 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:50.560 you know, crossed my radar the same kind of hilariously crucial time, you 72 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:55.120 know, like I think, like all any jest dates in the same way 73 00:06:55.160 --> 00:06:58.240 that does for probably all little kids, where you know, you're eight years 74 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:00.279 old and you're putting on terrible plays with your friends or your parents and your 75 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:04.920 friend's parents and uh, you know, usually as far as I've seen a 76 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:10.199 lot of you know, your friends and your peers' interests will pivot to something 77 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:15.000 a little bit more practical, like a hobby or sport, and I eventually 78 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:17.879 would do some of those here and there as well. But my interest in 79 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:23.680 performing, so to speak, never really went away. It became more technical. 80 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:29.279 Um. But I watched a lot of Feeder like Feeder on tv PPS 81 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.879 Theater when I was a kid, and that was where my first productions of 82 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:40.759 Death of a Salesman, Media, The Glass Menagerie, all my sons and 83 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:45.639 I have. I had this this epiphany when I was watching The Glass Menagerie. 84 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:47.279 I was like seven or eight years old, where I was like, 85 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:50.120 I knew right then and there that whatever this job was, that it was 86 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:54.800 going to be my job. And I wanted to play Tom in The Glass 87 00:07:54.800 --> 00:07:59.199 Menagerie so bad, which now several years on, is so funny to picture 88 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:03.199 like a seven or eight year old playing Tom and in that show just getting 89 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:09.959 horribly drunk on stage every night. Between that and just the litany of movies 90 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:16.040 that I was exposed to, I started to create this catalog in my mind 91 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:24.560 of performances and technical feats that I saw on stage and on film that stuck 92 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:28.560 with me in a huge way. Like I from a performance side, like 93 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:35.639 movies like like a woman under the influence, there will be blood Taxi driver 94 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:41.039 and then like the spectacle of Jurassic Park. And then you know, as 95 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:46.240 I got older, I started to really gravitate toward like the movies of Kelly 96 00:08:46.279 --> 00:08:52.440 Reichert, one of my absolute favorite filmmakers. And this is me shamelessly begging 97 00:08:52.600 --> 00:09:00.879 to work with Kelly Reichert one day. Um. Yeah, like just her 98 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:07.600 entire catalog of films, Lynn Ramsey, Ava DuVernay, Spielberg, Francis Lee. 99 00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:13.559 Yeah, and the performances of people like Viola Davis and Demion the Cheer 100 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:22.279 and Jessica Chastain, Katherine Hepburn, general Rolans part Gable. My interest was 101 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:28.159 almost always technical, even from like a creative standpoint, and so I started 102 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:35.600 to get older. That was those things, those those things that I was 103 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.360 like, those performances that I was taking notes on, and those films that 104 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:43.639 really stayed with me, or those plays that left a huge impact on just 105 00:09:43.720 --> 00:09:46.679 I guess the way my brain is wired for my brain is wired as an 106 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:52.679 audience member. In a very roundabout way of answering your question, those are 107 00:09:52.840 --> 00:10:00.559 essentially moving parts that got me interested in this in a general sense, Okay, 108 00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:05.279 now you're involved with a couple of films. We've actually had the filmmakers 109 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:13.519 from both of these on Remote and Knee High as we had the team from 110 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:18.399 Remote on and we've had Marissa Van and Bruce James Bales on from Knee High, 111 00:10:18.519 --> 00:10:24.080 just tremendous Iowa filmmakers. How did you get hooked up with the Iowa 112 00:10:24.120 --> 00:10:31.559 film community and those those filmmakers specifically? So, I was working on a 113 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:35.440 project in Des Moines that never really got off the ground, and Marissa was 114 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:39.679 the ad for it, and she and I kind of latched onto each other 115 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:48.879 pretty immediately, and I forced her to be my friend, and kind of 116 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:54.120 it worked out pretty

serendivitously. Actually I met her and I was really really 117 00:10:54.240 --> 00:11:00.960 drawn to her her problem solved, these skills and her patients and just guard 118 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:05.600 gantuin creativity that she has, and we met and vowed to work on good 119 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:11.360 things together forever. And I've been in that in a few years since, 120 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:13.159 I have been able to work on great things with her hand, with Bruce 121 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:20.240 James Bales and all the Deft Voice John Hennessy Baker, Nick Ford, Spencer 122 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:28.080 Smith and including those two films, Like I think in particular, something like 123 00:11:30.039 --> 00:11:37.840 remote. It was such an interesting idea that I couldn't have predicted in my 124 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:43.720 wildest dreams to I've been able to do with those guys, just because as 125 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:48.000 far as I was observing the type those types of scripts, they weren't really 126 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:54.200 being made at future length. They were really being reserved for shorts or for 127 00:11:54.799 --> 00:12:01.639 studio features. And so when I think it was Bruce who actually reached out 128 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:05.759 to me and said, I'm I want to hook you up with this director 129 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:11.080 Matthew Tribble, who saw the short version of Nihi which Marrissa wrote, interrupted 130 00:12:11.879 --> 00:12:15.960 and based on your work in that he wanted to meet with you and have 131 00:12:16.039 --> 00:12:22.240 you auditioned for his film that I'm gonna be working on. And with that 132 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:24.360 in mind, the fact that he gravitated toward Mercy's taste and the fact that 133 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:26.759 he'd be working with Bruce, so that probably would have said, oh, 134 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:33.639 I'm doing it immediately, but he was like matt Tribble was like, I 135 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:37.440 really I see something in your work here and I would love to have you, 136 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:41.720 you know, just read for this in the most cursory way. And 137 00:12:41.799 --> 00:12:50.720 when I read the script in full, it was like the most exciting kind 138 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:56.480 of I don't know. It's like the exciting kind of ministery, not really 139 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:00.679 a who'd done it type of thriller that you don't see nowadays, especially in 140 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:07.919 independent film. And it was on one hand really exciting and on the other 141 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:13.039 hand really fortifying that they want to have me work only with them. And 142 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:16.399 it was on that film that I got to meet a man who's a I 143 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:20.960 think a really good friend of yours. Frank boy Ye. He gets mentioned 144 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:26.360 on the show quite a bit. I'm gonna we're gonna start building

him for 145 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:33.720 a sponsorship dollars or something here listening to the episode where you interviewed um Marissa 146 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:37.879 just recently actually, and it just it made me so happy. I love 147 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:43.159 that guy. He's just cool and so, I mean, you could go 148 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:46.159 on and on about how talented he is, but he's also just a genuinely 149 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:52.080 good man and a smile and will light up every room that he's in. 150 00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:56.600 And it was kind of funny one day when we were working on remote. 151 00:13:56.600 --> 00:14:03.120 I think we're like, we couldn't have been two weeks in and I don't 152 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:05.679 know how it came up, but we were talking about Batman and we were 153 00:14:05.679 --> 00:14:09.919 really in the thick of it and as he is wont to do, and 154 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:13.720 I mentioned that I was a really huge fan of the character Dick Grayson Nightwing 155 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:20.799 and who's the Robins character? A Robin esque character, and then the next 156 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:24.759 day he came into set with a little night Wing figuring for me and I 157 00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:39.440 still have it. That's that was how I got That's how basically how I 158 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:45.000 got involved in that tone and I made some incredible friends on it. I 159 00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:54.399 learned so so so much about working on working on a film in Iowa in 160 00:14:54.440 --> 00:14:56.679 the summer, which was something that was a little bit new to me. 161 00:14:56.360 --> 00:15:03.679 The humidity index is off the chart, especially when we're working in a couple 162 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:07.600 of scenes where we're working in enclosed spaces where you can't have any ventilation and 163 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:11.799 we were just dying. So hydration was the name of the game. Yeah, 164 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:20.360 that's that's Iowa, Yeah, which I love. I've kind of grown 165 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:24.159 up traveling through Iowa bunch because a lot of my families based in the Midwest, 166 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:28.559 and I've always thought it was beautiful, and ever since I've gotten the 167 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:35.759 opportunity to work in Iowa, I've also been given the opportunity to see it 168 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:39.240 a virtually all times of year, like we shot the Knee High short film 169 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:45.240 in the thick of winter, right around the end of November. Yeah, 170 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:50.159 that's right, because we were here for Thanksgiving shooting and it's a different kind 171 00:15:50.159 --> 00:16:00.919 of cold out here too, yeah, which extremes Yeah, exactly. It 172 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:06.879 definitely. It prepares you for probably just about anything filmmaking wise, because if 173 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:14.120 you're going to

be outside in any conditions, after doing something like either of 174 00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:15.440 those two films, you're just like, oh, I got this, this 175 00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:19.799 is fine, this is nothing. You know. It was a refreshing change 176 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:23.120 of pace to be able to shoot to shoot Knee High, which we just 177 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:30.399 finished in October, like a little more temperate time of year. When for 178 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:34.960 the amount of the film that takes place outside, which is a good chunk 179 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:41.440 of it, I would say it's it's refreshing when like the the fresh air 180 00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:48.200 that you're exposed to isn't burning you alive or freezing you to death. Yes, 181 00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:55.159 not that I'm am with Knee High. Did I see an IMDb? 182 00:16:55.399 --> 00:17:00.799 Were you involved with writing it as well or the story idea or so. 183 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:07.920 It's actually pretty interesting. Marissa initially pitched the film to me in as a 184 00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:14.079 features as it stood but with the caveat that she wanted to shoot the short 185 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:19.200 first, right, and she wrote everything right down to the nail of we 186 00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:22.799 want to be able to make this short so that it essentially is like a 187 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:27.599 training wheels experience for what the feature of end up being, just to you 188 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:32.079 know, sharpen our teeth to make sure that we can do this the way 189 00:17:32.119 --> 00:17:37.960 we want to. And she pitched it to me initially in the most barebone 190 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:40.680 sort of way as she was driving me to the airport one time, actually, 191 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:44.960 and I was like, I'm absolutely in. And then after we made 192 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:53.759 the short, there was a little bit of there's just this not a disconnect, 193 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:59.119 but like there wasn't a whole lot of satisfaction with the idea of just 194 00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:03.880 adapting the short work into the feature. And we weren't sure what the feature 195 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:07.799 story was going to be there, you know, if we didn't want to 196 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:12.559 strictly adapt the short into like the final feature, and you know, we 197 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:15.279 spit balled it on it for a few years. I came at her with 198 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:19.039 a few ideas, and she came at me with a lot more, and 199 00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:25.920 then formally, like about a year and a half or so ago, I 200 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:29.599 kind of just threw the idea her way of what if it's not at all 201 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:33.519 affiliated with the timeline that I should say, the structure of time that the 202 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:38.119 short takes place in it takes place maybe some time after in the conflict is 203 00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:47.240 semi related, but just a little bit. I'm different enough to where these 204 00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:52.680 characters feel like they've grown for us basically, And she was like, interesting, 205 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:53.680 let me get back to you on that. And because it's Marissa, 206 00:18:53.759 --> 00:19:00.640 and she gets her strongest surges of inspiration in like immediately, over the course 207 00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:07.000 of a few days, she wrote this outrageously incredible script in just a handful 208 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:15.519 of days that didn't really have much to do with the short except for the 209 00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:21.359 family dynamics that it explores, and then in the end it was a completely 210 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:26.039 different movie. And she credits me with like a story by credit because of 211 00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:34.119 that idea, I think, but I did not write that. She's being 212 00:19:34.200 --> 00:19:38.599 very genuine because it's she is a person. But no, that is that 213 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:42.920 movie is her script. It's her writing, and some of them she's ever 214 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:48.400 done actually awesome. I am so looking forward to seeing that. I did 215 00:19:48.440 --> 00:19:52.400 see the short and so impressed with every so impressed with everybody that worked on 216 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:59.519 it, and so I'm just anxiously waiting to see the features. So a 217 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:04.480 mind, glad you liked to short as well. I'm the most obnoxious cheerleader 218 00:20:04.599 --> 00:20:11.079 for that crew in that cast, because everyone showed up and left me floored 219 00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:18.160 every single day. We had the most incredible cast um, some returning and 220 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:25.720 some new, and then obviously the deaf boys were our crew. And yeah, 221 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:30.160 I'm just immensely proud of all of those guys. And you know, 222 00:20:30.200 --> 00:20:34.000 I'm still pinching myself that I got to make it with them. Cool. 223 00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:41.160 Um, that sounds enough. Jesus, that was awesome. That was awesome. 224 00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:48.519 Um, those guys in Marissa, they deserve all the praise they get. 225 00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:53.799 Just tremendous filmmakers. Tremendous. Uh. So we've been talking about Remote 226 00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:59.000 and Knee High. What other past projects have you worked done? They kind 227 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:03.920 of want to give a shout out to or or mentioned what should people check 228 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:08.960 out? Didn't they want to see your catalog of work? Ah, that's 229 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:15.759 a good question. I did this movie called July Rising a few years ago 230 00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:22.680 that, for a number of reasons, the pandemic included just really never reached 231 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:29.160 the

audience that I hoped it would, especially for the amount of excellent work 232 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:33.440 that everyone put into that movie. And I would love if more people saw 233 00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:37.640 that and gave their constructive feedback on it. Yeah, I would really love 234 00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:41.160 that. It's a Chauncey Crail film and it's it was a really special experience. 235 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:48.519 We shot it in Lake County, California, right before and during the 236 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:56.000 wildfires in twenty seventeen that were up in northern California. It was an idyllic 237 00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:03.799 experience for me. Very cool. So that's called July Rising. Yeah Rising. 238 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:08.680 I think it's available to stream on Amazon and to be I think it's 239 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:12.000 free on to be cool. I will have to check that out. I'm 240 00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:18.279 out on to be quite a bit now lately, so watching it, I 241 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:23.680 love to hear your thought. Awesome, I will well, Um, now 242 00:22:25.319 --> 00:22:30.440 you primarily act. Do you also do any directing or anything behind the camera 243 00:22:30.680 --> 00:22:36.440 or is no? I wish I had that talent threshold. Um. It 244 00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:45.000 was when I was really young and I was watching people like um, I 245 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:47.319 think it was Who was the first actor that I saw, Oh, it 246 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:52.519 was Jodie Foster. She was the first actor that I saw who really put 247 00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:59.559 work into directing and not just learning on the job, but also getting like 248 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:07.079 a traditional education and like just putting in a lot of time to kind of 249 00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:11.920 refine her craft both as an actor and as a director and as a writer 250 00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:15.200 and producer. And when I was I think the first film myself hers was 251 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:18.880 Home for the Holidays film with Holly Hunter and Clari Days that she directed, 252 00:23:19.880 --> 00:23:22.839 and I was like, oh, one day, I can do that too, 253 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:26.039 I can absolutely do that. And then I realized as I started to 254 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:33.039 watch people like Marissa work and people like some of the theater directors I've worked 255 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:40.559 with, it's been just so glaringly obvious to me that I cannot anyway. 256 00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:49.079 Jodie Foster has a tremendous masterclass on directing on a masterclass dot com. Yeah, 257 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:53.160 just amazing. She actually it shows her going through the process of going 258 00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:57.519 through the script with the writer and talking about the different decisions they make during 259 00:23:57.519 --> 00:24:03.039 pre production and just a tremendous class. So I think I need to check 260 00:24:03.119 --> 00:24:07.160 this out. I think one of my friends is a Masterclass membership. I'm 261 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:14.519 gonna have to Jodie Foster has a tremendous one out there. Um so being 262 00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:17.680 an actor. Later on, I'm going to ask you your advice for Hartley 263 00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:22.440 and filmmakers. But right now, let's just specifically talk actors. What advice 264 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:29.759 can you give to actors out there in the indie film scene? Um. 265 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:36.920 On one hand, while I am, I feel deeply unqualified to give any 266 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:41.559 kind of concrete advice for anyone. I mean because it is you know, 267 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:45.400 it's obviously you know very well, it's it's it's just unpredictable enough to not 268 00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:51.079 be able to say one way or another what the right choices are, especially 269 00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:56.680 when you're just starting right. But as far as experience goes, I think 270 00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:00.079 that from a creative standpoint, practice is best friends. So if you can 271 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:04.839 find a way as an actor to practice every single day, whether that's finding 272 00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:11.279 a piece of a text like a monologue or from a book and doing just 273 00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:15.359 relentless repetition and character work on in a lot of dramaturgy, find some way 274 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:21.000 to make sure that you're constantly keeping those muscles engaged, then at the very 275 00:25:21.079 --> 00:25:25.400 least, when you walk into an audition room or you know, do one 276 00:25:25.480 --> 00:25:30.960 virtually, you won't ever feel like you're unprepared, which is always helpful. 277 00:25:30.359 --> 00:25:38.039 And then from a practical perspective, just I think casting platforms like Backstage are 278 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:45.720 really trustworthy. They're really audition etiquette centric in a way that gets you all 279 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:53.039 the practice that you could need in auditioning. And as someone who actually likes 280 00:25:53.079 --> 00:26:00.240 auditioning and a little bit of a sadist that way, it's it's helpful when 281 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:03.680 even when you walk into a room for something that maybe you know you're not 282 00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:07.400 going to get, you still get the opportunity for two minutes to say, 283 00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:12.440 okay, so I have this part like it's mine, and then yeah, 284 00:26:12.599 --> 00:26:17.599 just make sure you have a mentor or a set of mentors or peers that 285 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:19.799 you can trust, like a professor or a teacher, someone who can be 286 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:26.960 a resource for everything from being a reader in an audition to potentially pointing you 287 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:33.759 in the direction of auditions or classical training. If that's

something that is helpful 288 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:41.279 for belay your brain is wired. Now you mentioned auditioning, which made me 289 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:45.759 think of a question here for you. Do you do a majority of your 290 00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:49.319 auditioning in person or do you do a lot of the self tapes that you 291 00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:56.279 send in or is it a combination of the two. So it used to 292 00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:59.039 be a combination of the two, and I'm sure you've seen a lot of 293 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:03.519 this as well, probably more of it than I have. But after the 294 00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:06.960 start of the pandemic, the lay of the land did kind of change, 295 00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:12.480 at least for film, and that it just became more obvious that it was 296 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:18.480 more time efficient and cost efficient to have a lot of auditions done over zoom. 297 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:30.119 And in terms of film auditions now it's gone back to a certain degree 298 00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:33.640 in person. But the majority of the film auditions that I've done, at 299 00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:36.880 least in the last year and a half have been over zoom, and then 300 00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:41.880 the majority of the theater auditions I've done have been in person. Does that 301 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:48.960 answer your question yet? Actually, for the feature we're doing, all of 302 00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:55.440 our auditions were actually just self tapes that people had sent in. And the 303 00:27:55.559 --> 00:27:57.519 reason being is, I mean, we were casting in pretty wide net. 304 00:27:57.599 --> 00:28:00.880 We didn't want to try and make people drive the distance to where we're at 305 00:28:02.359 --> 00:28:07.319 to try an audition in person. So technology has made that a lot easier 306 00:28:07.480 --> 00:28:11.119 that we can. We have people from Minnesota and Nebraska, you know, 307 00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:18.200 and then all parts of Iowa that were able to audition for this. But 308 00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:23.519 I get asked the question quite a bit advice on making self tapes to you 309 00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:27.400 know, what's the best way to do as self tape, and you know, 310 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:32.519 how do you set them up? And so I was just kind of 311 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:37.440 curious if you had any advice for creating your own self tapes to send into 312 00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:42.559 films or for film auditions. I mean, besides like the technical things, 313 00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:45.079 you know, as long as like you have appropriate lighting and sound like those 314 00:28:45.079 --> 00:28:52.000 are your best friends. But the probably the most important thing is just to 315 00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:56.440 make sure that, like you have this really rare opportunity with self tapes to 316 00:28:56.519 --> 00:28:59.440 make it as perfect as possible. You can do it just as

many times 317 00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:03.279 as you like, which is a perfectionist nightmare, I gotta say, But 318 00:29:04.920 --> 00:29:11.559 you just make sure that you know before you send it that it looks exactly 319 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:14.240 the way that you want to look like you send it and you have no 320 00:29:14.359 --> 00:29:19.119 regrets about anything from a performance standpoint or from a technical standpoint. But that's 321 00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:22.279 actually what I was going to ask you, Like, do you think that 322 00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:25.759 at least for the feature that you're casting, that you get a good idea 323 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:29.960 of what they're bringing through the self tapes? Yeah, we felt that we 324 00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:33.079 got a pretty good idea, and we've done self tapes for some of our 325 00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:40.000 previous projects, so we've kind of had experience with that. It's kind of 326 00:29:40.039 --> 00:29:45.240 interesting the self tapes that we receive that you know, a simple YouTube search 327 00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:49.039 I could have could have fixed a lot of the issues with their self tapes 328 00:29:49.960 --> 00:29:56.000 because we get some that are kind of a strange angles and very busy background, 329 00:29:56.039 --> 00:30:03.440 so it's very distracting. U oh, and then I love a place 330 00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:07.039 where you have a clutter background, and you think, because I doing what 331 00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:18.039 was I think? You know, yeah, wow, my place was a 332 00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:22.960 wreck that day. Yeah. I didn't really think much about I've heard a 333 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:27.079 lot of you know, advice early on in my career about simple backgrounds and 334 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:30.960 just playing backgrounds, and I didn't realize the importance of it until we started 335 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:37.680 doing audition tapes and it is distracting, you know, um ceiling fan running 336 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:41.599 in the background, and it's like, yeah, it's really distracting away from 337 00:30:41.119 --> 00:30:45.200 watching this, and you know, just little things like that. So my 338 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:49.839 advice two actors out there is just keep the background simple. Just we want 339 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:53.559 to see how you are. We don't want to see everything around you. 340 00:30:55.880 --> 00:30:59.400 But then you know, straight on and you know, straight on angle, 341 00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:03.640 no angle ups. You know, it's just keep it simple and we get 342 00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:07.359 a good idea of the voice inflection and how they're bringing the character. And 343 00:31:07.400 --> 00:31:11.880 it's interesting to see, you know, we don't give them a whole lot 344 00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:14.599 of information. We kind of give them the base about the character ahead of 345 00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:18.880 time, and it's really interesting to see how they interpret the script the sides 346 00:31:18.920 --> 00:31:22.400 that we send with the little information that they have with the character, and 347 00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:26.880 it's it's really interesting to see what each person brings to that character. And 348 00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:30.319 that that really helps with our decision is because we want to see what the 349 00:31:30.319 --> 00:31:33.319 actors bring. I mean, we want to get That's why we bring certain 350 00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:37.400 actors onto our project is we want to see what you bring to the table, 351 00:31:38.119 --> 00:31:41.839 you know, not just a puppet for what I want. It's I 352 00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:48.119 want to see how the talent that you bring in your ideas for the character. 353 00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:56.440 One with us was when we were doing the auditions for A Most Forgettable 354 00:31:56.480 --> 00:32:00.319 Man, we got a self tape from Dylan Yeager. And we've talked about 355 00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:05.480 Dylan on the show before, so it's no surprise, but just a tremendous 356 00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:15.200 actor, but he kind of invented the character um and when we got it, 357 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:20.079 it was like, man, that that's that's Howard. You know the 358 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:22.400 character's name was Howard, and when he sent it he had just done so 359 00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:25.640 much of that character was better than what I had even had in mind. 360 00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:29.200 It was like, that is Howard. He read the script, and that 361 00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:31.400 is the character that he pulled out of that script, and that's perfect. 362 00:32:31.480 --> 00:32:36.559 And so anyway, I've kind of gone off on a tangent on that, 363 00:32:36.640 --> 00:32:45.359 but always one of the it's probably one of the most exciting parts of like 364 00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:52.240 a really anxiety inducing process and auditioning where you have those moments of kind of 365 00:32:53.559 --> 00:32:59.319 serendipity where someone comes in and they interpret a shade of the character of the 366 00:32:59.359 --> 00:33:01.920 script that you've never even read yourself. Maybe you're the writer or maybe you're 367 00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:07.519 the director, but it's like it's like a I don't know, it's like 368 00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:10.519 it really is one of those electric moments where you're like, oh, not 369 00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:14.160 only like are not only do you obviously have the part, but now there's 370 00:33:14.200 --> 00:33:20.160 an entirely new color added to the script that wasn't there before. And it's 371 00:33:20.680 --> 00:33:24.680 I've always found it really exciting. I always I love seeing the auditions of 372 00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:29.920 a lot of my peers who go in and obviously kill it from you know, 373 00:33:29.960 --> 00:33:35.359 like a preparedness point of view, but also come in with a

point 374 00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:38.839 of view on that particular character that maybe the casting director who's been watching these 375 00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:45.039 tapes or these impersonal auditions again and again and again hear the words like they're 376 00:33:45.079 --> 00:33:50.400 brand new and that they've never seen them before. And I don't know, 377 00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:53.519 maybe that's really indulgent, but I think that's really exciting. It's definitely something 378 00:33:53.559 --> 00:34:00.119 to strive for. Yeah, I love the casting process that it's it's like 379 00:34:00.119 --> 00:34:05.240 I said, it's so interesting to see what each actor creates for that character. 380 00:34:05.400 --> 00:34:08.360 And um, another reason we use a lot of self tapes, especially 381 00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:15.079 on in this latest feature, is one of the people that had a decision 382 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:20.199 in the casting is one of our producers who lives in Hawaii. You now, 383 00:34:20.280 --> 00:34:22.280 so, um, kind of hard for him to get all the way 384 00:34:22.280 --> 00:34:28.960 back here. So so we just went the self tape route and then reviewed 385 00:34:29.000 --> 00:34:36.519 them. So so, yeah, we take advantage of technology when we can. 386 00:34:36.760 --> 00:34:44.000 So, UM, yeah, it has and I think we've I think 387 00:34:44.039 --> 00:34:47.000 we've lined up a tremendous cast for we start shooting our feature in August, 388 00:34:47.679 --> 00:34:54.159 and um, thank you, thank you. So it's really excited and yeah, 389 00:34:54.159 --> 00:34:59.559 that the cast is just amazing. That we've assembled and and there are 390 00:34:59.559 --> 00:35:01.639 a lot of tough decisions in the casting process. That's the part I don't 391 00:35:01.639 --> 00:35:07.199 like is it's like, yeah, there's so much there's talent out there, 392 00:35:07.400 --> 00:35:13.480 and telling somebody they didn't get the part just breaks my heart basically. So 393 00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:22.320 that's telling somebody it's yeah, yeah, I was. I was a softball 394 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:28.840 coach for seventeen years, and it's that. Yeah, we had a travel 395 00:35:28.920 --> 00:35:32.440 team as well, and uh yeah, not everybody made the team. So 396 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:37.320 it's that absolutely. I hated that part of it. Just broke my heart 397 00:35:37.360 --> 00:35:42.000 to sorry, you didn't you didn't make the team, but you on the 398 00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:51.360 black side, you did get the practice in heartbreaking that you needed. I 399 00:35:51.400 --> 00:35:59.079 don't cry as much after the process now. So um, So, what 400 00:35:59.159 --> 00:36:06.480 other projects are you currently working on. I am about to start working on 401 00:36:06.519 --> 00:36:10.719 a really interesting film with Cole Needham in Los Angeles, who's from Iowa. 402 00:36:10.800 --> 00:36:15.800 Actually I met him right around the exact same time that

I met Marissa and 403 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:22.559 Bruce and all those guys. And he's just insanely cool dude, a good 404 00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:29.840 friend of mine. And finally i'd beat him down enough and he hired me 405 00:36:29.920 --> 00:36:37.880 for something. Ideally will be working on this spring. It sounds like you're 406 00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:45.280 a very persistent persons to be friends. You'd beat Cole into submissions. So 407 00:36:46.719 --> 00:36:52.519 with Marissa like it, I think honestly, and I've said this to a 408 00:36:52.519 --> 00:36:57.840 bunch of people who are getting a feel for how she is as a creator, 409 00:36:57.880 --> 00:37:00.039 But I'm like, it's impossible not to want to be her friend. 410 00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:06.000 Like she's as a person, she's incredibly magnetic, but also she's just just 411 00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:12.679 one of the most intelligent writers that you'll ever meet. And she's so generous 412 00:37:12.719 --> 00:37:17.239 with the feedback that she gets and will incorporate it with as little ego as 413 00:37:17.239 --> 00:37:22.199 possible, and the result is that, like, she produces brilliant work. 414 00:37:22.280 --> 00:37:27.239 It's why she's like one of my favorite filmmakers. So when I sniffed that 415 00:37:27.280 --> 00:37:31.239 out on her, I'm like, please be in my life forever. She's 416 00:37:31.280 --> 00:37:36.440 like, all right, I guess I keep. When we had her on 417 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:39.320 the show, it was just amazing talking with her, and yeah, it's 418 00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:46.519 just great person, great filmmaker, just great all around. So I'm gonna 419 00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:52.000 have to hit Merissa for sponsorship dollars now too, So yeah, absolutely, 420 00:37:54.159 --> 00:38:04.400 you know, I'll sign it right up now. Frank mentioned this to me, 421 00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:07.960 so you can blame Frank originally, but then, um, as I'm 422 00:38:07.000 --> 00:38:15.800 scrolling through your IMDb, there's one film that kind of stands out, and 423 00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:20.639 when I'm scrolling it down past and it says one hundred and fifty million dollars 424 00:38:20.679 --> 00:38:27.679 budget. Yeah, so it says that you were in Jurassic World. Is 425 00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:35.039 that correct? Yeah? Yeah? For a second, what did Frank have 426 00:38:35.199 --> 00:38:44.320 possibly Yeah yeah, he texts me, Yeah, he was in Jurassic World. 427 00:38:46.280 --> 00:38:52.320 Yeah. Definitely something that I still, even in what small capacity I 428 00:38:52.480 --> 00:38:55.679 was, is definitely something that is a token of pride. I tell everyone, 429 00:38:55.800 --> 00:39:01.239 especially people who do not care, well, we care here. Yeah. 430 00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:12.280 Yeah, So how was your experience on that set such a dangerous question 431 00:39:12.320 --> 00:39:17.599 to ask? It was, I didn't have I words fail me a lot 432 00:39:17.679 --> 00:39:22.719 when I tried to talk about anything even I think, you know, in 433 00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:25.480 relation to movies like me high or remote, and they just I'm useless. 434 00:39:25.519 --> 00:39:31.599 When I talk about Jurassic World, it was. It was so incredibly special 435 00:39:31.760 --> 00:39:37.599 in all the ways you might imagine it was. And then, as a 436 00:39:37.639 --> 00:39:42.519 die hard fan of those films, I was raised on them, it was 437 00:39:43.360 --> 00:39:46.119 a pipe dream to be able to see a fourth movie be made. I 438 00:39:46.119 --> 00:39:50.880 remember for a while it looked like it wasn't going to happen actually, and 439 00:39:50.920 --> 00:39:54.719 then when Colin Trevarro was hired, it kind of felt like out of nowhere. 440 00:39:54.800 --> 00:39:57.719 It was like, I have to do this. I don't I don't 441 00:39:57.719 --> 00:40:00.760 care if I have to, like if I have to beg to be a 442 00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:05.960 PA for there, for even one of their units, whether it was Hawaii 443 00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:08.519 or New Orleans. I was like, I'll do anything. And then, 444 00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:15.039 you know, one very geeky thing led to another end. I was able 445 00:40:15.079 --> 00:40:21.920 to work on it a little bit and it was it was just mesmerizing. 446 00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:27.239 The attention to detail on that set was The production designer was Edburrow, who 447 00:40:27.280 --> 00:40:32.159 I actually think was the production designer for Jurassic Park three, and he and 448 00:40:32.320 --> 00:40:40.320 Colin Trevarro and Frank Marshall put in so much work into making that set. 449 00:40:40.800 --> 00:40:44.320 At least the set that I was able to work on in New Orleans, 450 00:40:44.480 --> 00:40:52.119 the most intricate and property like ip honoring set that you could ever imagine. 451 00:40:52.719 --> 00:40:58.960 The set that I worked on was the main street of Jurassic World that stretches 452 00:40:59.039 --> 00:41:01.119 from you know, like if you've seen the film, that's from the lagoons 453 00:41:01.719 --> 00:41:07.920 all the way to the innovation center, and there was just clearly a lot 454 00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:14.480 of work put into the design and the aesthetic and the little things that even 455 00:41:14.519 --> 00:41:17.719 the like you might notice on the third or fourth watch of the movie. 456 00:41:19.480 --> 00:41:27.719 And then from like the creative standpoint, from a sentimental standpoint, working with 457 00:41:27.760 --> 00:41:34.280 somebody like Colin Trevarro, who had not done the film nearly of that scale 458 00:41:34.880 --> 00:41:37.679 prior, I think he'd only directed one feature of safety, not guaranteed to 459 00:41:37.760 --> 00:41:46.199 have him come on and so visibly be a fan of this incredible world that 460 00:41:46.480 --> 00:41:52.400 Michael Crichton created him. Then that Steven Spielberg and David Kepp and Joe Johnston, 461 00:41:52.480 -->

00:41:58.880 and I think Peter Buckman, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, the other 462 00:41:58.880 --> 00:42:00.920 writers addressed apart three, all the work that had been put into these movies 463 00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:05.679 up till now. He was clearly such a huge fan of and took such 464 00:42:06.480 --> 00:42:09.280 intricate care of that set to make a good movie and also an incredible experience 465 00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:14.119 for those who worked on it. So it was it was a dream. 466 00:42:14.239 --> 00:42:19.719 And then, Son, were there things that you said, well, I'm 467 00:42:19.760 --> 00:42:24.320 not done with it yet. Were there you know, you kind of mentioned 468 00:42:24.360 --> 00:42:29.719 the attention to detail. Were there other things that you saw or witnessed on 469 00:42:29.800 --> 00:42:36.840 set that you feel will help you on independent films or stuff you're able to 470 00:42:36.840 --> 00:42:40.599 take away from that that you can use in your career. Oh. Absolutely. 471 00:42:40.639 --> 00:42:45.679 I think at that point I had not I had not worked on a 472 00:42:45.719 --> 00:42:52.920 set that large in my life, and sawing new prior to going to work 473 00:42:52.960 --> 00:42:54.360 on it that I was like, yes, this is going to be an 474 00:42:54.400 --> 00:43:04.000 incredible experience as as someone who's a huge fan of this film and you know 475 00:43:04.079 --> 00:43:06.960 this set of characters. But I also knew it was going to be a 476 00:43:07.000 --> 00:43:14.559 huge, hugely important educational experience for me. And the first thing that I 477 00:43:14.679 --> 00:43:20.559 noticed after our first day was just having a lot of patience is really important 478 00:43:20.679 --> 00:43:23.280 on really any set. As you obviously know, there are so many moving 479 00:43:23.320 --> 00:43:28.159 parts that at any given point, something could fallout from underneath you, whether 480 00:43:28.159 --> 00:43:31.679 that's a location or a cloud or a plane, any number of these things 481 00:43:31.719 --> 00:43:38.039 that just can hold up production for anywhere from a minute to an hour, 482 00:43:38.159 --> 00:43:42.159 like anything can possibly happen. So as long as you're a patient and you're 483 00:43:42.280 --> 00:43:47.920 constantly in communication with everyone at every level, then you're you should be good. 484 00:43:49.119 --> 00:43:51.400 If you can roll with the punches in that respect, you should be 485 00:43:51.400 --> 00:43:55.840 good. And then probably most importantly, just make sure that you're taking care 486 00:43:55.880 --> 00:44:00.800 of everyone. Make sure that all of the casting crew is taken care of. 487 00:44:00.400 --> 00:44:05.199 Working on that movie. Our first day, I forgot how hot it 488 00:44:05.280 --> 00:44:08.599 was, but we were shooting in the middle of June in New Orleans in 489 00:44:08.639 --> 00:44:13.280 the middle of the day, and that is a heat that they write books 490 00:44:13.280 --> 00:44:20.920 about it. It was I mean this, I so distinctly remember the smell 491 00:44:20.960 --> 00:44:28.119 of sunscreen. That sets just smelled like sunscreen, and everyone like, when 492 00:44:28.119 --> 00:44:31.480 you're working in those kind of extremes, like anything can happen. Dehydration is 493 00:44:32.159 --> 00:44:37.519 the most likely culprit for anything and everything that could go wrong, And so 494 00:44:37.840 --> 00:44:44.400 that crew had just they worked like a well oiled machine to make sure that 495 00:44:44.519 --> 00:44:47.119 not only was everyone hydrated, but that they were comfortable and that they were 496 00:44:47.559 --> 00:44:51.719 enjoying themselves and that they weren't being forced to stand around for too long. 497 00:44:52.599 --> 00:44:58.320 And it was it felt like one of those rare experiences on a film where 498 00:44:58.400 --> 00:45:00.719 the crew is really huge, and the principal cast is really huge, the 499 00:45:00.760 --> 00:45:05.719 background cast is really huge, and yet everyone felt like they were being spoken 500 00:45:05.760 --> 00:45:10.519 to by the same people. They're working towards the same goal, and that 501 00:45:10.679 --> 00:45:16.280 is a kind of tact in a working environment that I hope to bring to 502 00:45:16.400 --> 00:45:21.199 every set, no matter where the money comes from or how a little of 503 00:45:21.199 --> 00:45:27.239 it there is. Wow, what an amazing experience though I had open it 504 00:45:27.440 --> 00:45:32.519 was it was so cool, very cool, very cool. So now you've 505 00:45:32.519 --> 00:45:37.280 been mentioning kind of sprinkling in some of your films that you like and everything, 506 00:45:37.320 --> 00:45:42.960 BOT we always like to ask this really tough question to make you narrow 507 00:45:42.960 --> 00:45:47.360 it down. What are three of your favorite films at this time? And 508 00:45:47.440 --> 00:45:51.760 we always have to add at this time because we know it can change. 509 00:45:52.159 --> 00:45:55.119 Mind changes from day to day. So what are your three favorite at this 510 00:45:55.199 --> 00:46:04.880 time? Good question, you go first? Now wait a minute, Okay, 511 00:46:05.119 --> 00:46:09.159 Um, I've had I've been asked this recently several times on the on 512 00:46:09.199 --> 00:46:14.000 the podcast. But let's see. It always starts off with Star Wars, 513 00:46:14.280 --> 00:46:21.159 the original nineteen seventy seven Star Wars. UM, and then number two is 514 00:46:21.199 --> 00:46:25.320 still Oh Brother, Where art Thou? The Coen Brothers film, and UM 515 00:46:25.519 --> 00:46:30.800 three is My Rotating Doors. Some days it's uh, What Dreams May Come 516 00:46:30.000 --> 00:46:36.440 the Robin Williams movie. Um, sometimes it's Good Will Hunting another Robin Williams 517 00:46:36.440 --> 00:46:43.039 movie. Uh. Sometimes It's greatest showman. Um, I like Constantine, 518 00:46:43.239 --> 00:46:46.039 the Kennon

Reeves, I'll like the John Wick movies. Uh, so what 519 00:46:46.119 --> 00:46:51.440 do I go with today? Um? I don't know why I asked you 520 00:46:51.440 --> 00:46:59.920 to go first. I think I'm gonna say, uh, what dreams make? 521 00:47:00.239 --> 00:47:01.880 I'm gonna That's what I'm gonna use today for my number three. So 522 00:47:02.079 --> 00:47:09.800 there you go, your turn. That is a beautiful film. I love 523 00:47:09.880 --> 00:47:14.519 that. Who directed that? Yeah? That wasn't Roger Donaldson? Who did 524 00:47:14.519 --> 00:47:20.599 that? See? This is the bad thing on this podcast. Mike gives 525 00:47:20.599 --> 00:47:22.920 me a hard time all the time because it's like, these are my favorite 526 00:47:22.960 --> 00:47:28.320 movies. I constantly have to look up Okay who did that movie? Um? 527 00:47:28.480 --> 00:47:34.280 No, no, you you're good. I am absolutely horrible remember those 528 00:47:35.239 --> 00:47:39.679 What Dreams May Come? But the director was Vincent Ward, and that Vincent 529 00:47:40.519 --> 00:47:45.079 I was just talking about him last night. He I mean you probably know 530 00:47:45.159 --> 00:47:50.440 too. He wrote a draft of Alien three back in the late eighties that 531 00:47:51.400 --> 00:47:54.000 never got made. But have you seen the concept art for the script that 532 00:47:54.000 --> 00:47:57.320 he wrote her? No, I haven't. Did you read any No? 533 00:47:57.960 --> 00:48:01.320 If you ever get a chance, Um, it's available online, you should 534 00:48:01.320 --> 00:48:07.280 read it. His script for Alien three was one of the most interesting and 535 00:48:08.960 --> 00:48:17.239 horrifying and probably impossible to make for that period of time, films that I 536 00:48:17.239 --> 00:48:22.639 couldn't even dream up it was. I'm going to give you the footnotes, 537 00:48:22.679 --> 00:48:28.320 but basically, it's like it was set on a planetoid satellite in space made 538 00:48:28.400 --> 00:48:35.119 entirely out of wood that was occupied by these monks basically, and when the 539 00:48:35.280 --> 00:48:40.719 Silaca from Aliens crash lands on this satellite, they think that it's an omen 540 00:48:40.760 --> 00:48:45.679 of God basically, and they think of it as a sign of good. 541 00:48:45.679 --> 00:48:49.599 And then obviously, when you know, the Xenimore shows itself, they think 542 00:48:49.599 --> 00:48:52.119 that it and Ripley are both an omen of the devil. Basically, I 543 00:48:52.199 --> 00:48:59.719 think basically a lot. But it was so interesting. It was such a 544 00:48:59.760 --> 00:49:06.760 hard left turn from uh, James Cameron's film, and it would have been 545 00:49:07.599 --> 00:49:13.079 I mean, you know, feelings about what Alien three eventually was, notwithstanding 546 00:49:13.119 --> 00:49:17.079 I actually really do like that movie. But sorry, David Fincher, Um, 547 00:49:17.199 --> 00:49:21.960 it would have been a much different movie, a very interesting one. 548 00:49:22.039 --> 00:49:24.920 So you should give that scripted. I'm going I'm going to give that script 549 00:49:24.920 --> 00:49:30.000 to read there. So what are you what are your three favorite at this 550 00:49:30.039 --> 00:49:38.360 time? Then you're not getting you have some really good picks. I gotta 551 00:49:38.440 --> 00:49:42.159 say, it's been a minute since I've watched What Dreams May Come. I'm 552 00:49:42.199 --> 00:49:45.440 gonna have to revisit that one. But three of my favorites, i'd have 553 00:49:45.480 --> 00:49:52.400 to say Blue Bayu is number one. Justin Chong film came out in twenty 554 00:49:52.519 --> 00:49:57.000 twenty one that he wrote and directed and he started in with Felicia de Canada 555 00:49:57.639 --> 00:50:01.800 and it's just absolute beautiful. It's one of the most beautifully shot up movies 556 00:50:01.840 --> 00:50:09.400 I've seen recently. Um, causeway to Lila Nuchebauer film that came out in 557 00:50:09.440 --> 00:50:19.760 November on Apple TV plus. I'll see this is difficult. Um, I'm 558 00:50:19.760 --> 00:50:27.480 gonna say it's a toss up between women talking and The Menu. Have you 559 00:50:27.519 --> 00:50:30.760 seen the Menu? I've heard a lot about it, but I have not 560 00:50:30.880 --> 00:50:36.360 seen it. So Matthew Tribble's brother, Daniel and I are friends, and 561 00:50:36.639 --> 00:50:40.559 he went to go see it before anyone that I knew, and he just 562 00:50:40.840 --> 00:50:46.760 sent me this really long video right afterwards where he was like, I don't 563 00:50:46.800 --> 00:50:50.320 know what I just watched, but it was an incredible experience and you have 564 00:50:50.440 --> 00:50:54.400 to see this film. It was it was the most um, it was 565 00:50:54.440 --> 00:51:00.639 the most amount of like advertising, which as little detailed about the actual movie 566 00:51:00.719 --> 00:51:05.800 is possible. I had to do this and I was not disappointed. But 567 00:51:06.400 --> 00:51:09.679 I will say as like, so, yeah, that's a tie with women 568 00:51:09.679 --> 00:51:14.239 talking, but if I had a name of fourth. I just recently rewatched 569 00:51:14.679 --> 00:51:17.639 The Man from Uncle Kai Richie's filminga. I have not seen it. I 570 00:51:17.719 --> 00:51:21.239 am a Guy Ritchie fan, but I have not seen that movie. So 571 00:51:22.920 --> 00:51:29.119 it is such a good time. Now the men you, I'm gonna have 572 00:51:29.119 --> 00:51:35.840 to ask because I I've mentioned this on the podcast before. I've lost my 573 00:51:35.920 --> 00:51:42.320 movie picking privileges from time to time with my wife because um, there was 574 00:51:42.360 --> 00:51:46.400 a period of three nights that we were watching movies and the first night I 575 00:51:46.519 --> 00:51:52.159 picked Swiss Army Man, and the next night I picked the next night I 576 00:51:52.239 --> 00:51:58.159 picked Killing of a Sacred Deer, and I cannot remember for the life of 577 00:51:58.199 --> 00:52:00.880

me what the third movie was, but it was on the same lines. 578 00:52:00.599 --> 00:52:05.480 And after that third movie, my wife said, you've lost all movie picking 579 00:52:05.519 --> 00:52:15.599 privileges for whiles She's not. I really enjoyed those movies. I thought they 580 00:52:15.639 --> 00:52:20.119 were good. I love Killing Your Sacred Dear, But yeah, she wasn't 581 00:52:20.119 --> 00:52:22.840 really a fan of it. I give her a hard time about that, 582 00:52:22.039 --> 00:52:27.880 but she picks most of my movies now, so well, I don't know. 583 00:52:27.960 --> 00:52:29.920 I have to say, I have to say, while I do, 584 00:52:30.199 --> 00:52:34.400 I am on your side with both of those picks. I really, I 585 00:52:34.440 --> 00:52:37.480 really did. Really, Wow, I'm losing my mind. I really enjoyed 586 00:52:37.760 --> 00:52:43.480 The Killing a Sacred Dear. I thought it was so interesting and demented. 587 00:52:43.840 --> 00:52:50.480 And it was right after I think I saw the Favorite first Yogos Anthimos's okay, 588 00:52:51.000 --> 00:52:53.760 most recent, and I went back and watched it. Just couldn't stop 589 00:52:53.800 --> 00:52:57.639 thinking about it. And I recommended it to three of my friends and I 590 00:52:57.679 --> 00:52:59.880 was like, you guys are gonna love this, and they're like, we 591 00:53:00.119 --> 00:53:02.280 can't wait. In the very next day, they were like, we're never 592 00:53:02.320 --> 00:53:07.639 listening to your movie recommendation. Yeah. Wow. We didn't like it. 593 00:53:08.320 --> 00:53:13.360 He liked it. It was just horrifying to watch, and I was like, 594 00:53:14.400 --> 00:53:17.000 I mean I should have I should have read the room a little bit 595 00:53:17.000 --> 00:53:21.679 more, but I mean, you can't run him off. I really like 596 00:53:21.800 --> 00:53:28.079 yourgas Plantamus. I watched The Lobster as well, and well, on the 597 00:53:28.119 --> 00:53:34.039 same line, is gonna be quirky, but I enjoyed it. So he's 598 00:53:34.119 --> 00:53:39.480 someone who he strikes me as somebody who when he writes, he's not afraid 599 00:53:39.519 --> 00:53:45.880 of um absurdism in natural settings, like from everything from The Lobster to The 600 00:53:45.920 --> 00:53:52.760 Favorite. He will will really write and enforce some of the strangest things, 601 00:53:52.800 --> 00:53:57.840 like from dialogue to like certain character choices, and his actors always commit to 602 00:53:57.880 --> 00:54:01.039 them. The Lobster is one of the most interesting movies I remember seeing. 603 00:54:01.119 --> 00:54:04.440 I think it came out in the same year Jurassic World. That actually, 604 00:54:05.119 --> 00:54:09.800 and I was just transfixed by it after I saw it, because again I 605 00:54:09.840 --> 00:54:15.679 think the first of his features I saw was the Favorite. But yeah, 606 00:54:15.840 --> 00:54:21.400 so interesting. I think he's making a new one now with Emma Stone and 607 00:54:21.519 -->

00:54:25.679 someone else I can't remember, slipping my mind, but I look forward to 608 00:54:25.719 --> 00:54:31.280 it. I'm just kind of curious if what would you think if I don't 609 00:54:31.280 --> 00:54:35.360 know, if many filmmakers be able to get away with releasing a movie like 610 00:54:35.440 --> 00:54:38.280 Killing Him a Sacred Deer where it's okay, we're not gonna have any emotion 611 00:54:38.360 --> 00:54:43.320 in the dialogue at all, You're just gonna say these lines straight. I 612 00:54:43.400 --> 00:54:45.000 mean, I don't know. If I don't know, if I'd be able 613 00:54:45.000 --> 00:54:47.079 to get away with that, I'd probably show up at a festival and people, 614 00:54:47.480 --> 00:54:52.760 what in the hell is this? But you're Grysa Lanthamos definitely gets away 615 00:54:52.800 --> 00:54:59.079 with it, and I really enjoy the movies. Yeah, that's a really 616 00:54:59.079 --> 00:55:02.079 good point with that. I mean particular, I think I read it at 617 00:55:02.119 --> 00:55:07.840 the first time I watched it as the those with every word that's spoken, 618 00:55:07.920 --> 00:55:12.719 like Colin Ferrell's character whose name escapes me, every single word that he says 619 00:55:12.800 --> 00:55:15.480 is supposed to be interpreted as sort of like a blank canvas. You read 620 00:55:15.559 --> 00:55:20.480 him as exactly the type of person that you come into the movie with your 621 00:55:20.599 --> 00:55:25.039 preconceived notions to think he is, basically, And I haven't read that script 622 00:55:25.079 --> 00:55:32.000 obviously, but I'm curious if maybe from an actor's perspective, if it was 623 00:55:32.119 --> 00:55:37.079 if that's like really exciting, if maybe going into it that gives you a 624 00:55:37.119 --> 00:55:43.960 lot of freedom to be as weird and experimental but within like a safe and 625 00:55:44.000 --> 00:55:50.440 analytical space. And I'm just not realizing. I think I need to rewatch 626 00:55:50.480 --> 00:55:55.760 that movie. There you go, I'll check out the Aliens three script and 627 00:55:55.840 --> 00:56:00.440 you go rewatch that movie again. So, yes, it is a very 628 00:56:01.119 --> 00:56:04.880 it's a very interesting one. I'm gonna I'm gonna put a cap on that 629 00:56:04.920 --> 00:56:10.000 for now. So who are me your acting influences? Who do you kind 630 00:56:10.000 --> 00:56:20.320 of look up to our draw from? Uh? I mean I have watched 631 00:56:20.320 --> 00:56:24.880 so many of like I think some of the most influential performances have like from 632 00:56:24.880 --> 00:56:35.280 a one consistent actor have been from Viola Davis, General Rowlands, Isabel Lupair, 633 00:56:36.599 --> 00:56:45.639 Juliette, then Montgomery Clift, James Garner, trying to think loss my 634 00:56:45.760 --> 00:56:52.280 Uncletia. I'd like these these people who have made really really bold choices in 635 00:56:52.360 --> 00:56:59.719 films of of varying degrees of size um at varying points in their career, 636 00:56:59.719 --> 00:57:02.239 like chat Stain in particular, as somebody who I've been. I think the 637 00:57:02.239 --> 00:57:06.719 first film at first I saw was in two thousand and nine. It was 638 00:57:06.760 --> 00:57:10.760 a film called Joline, and I was immediately I was like, this is 639 00:57:10.760 --> 00:57:15.119 one of the most magnetic people I've ever seen on it screen before, and 640 00:57:15.159 --> 00:57:19.760 so I made it a point to watch every movie I could have heard that 641 00:57:19.960 --> 00:57:22.480 I had heard was coming out in succession. And it wasn't long after that. 642 00:57:22.519 --> 00:57:28.039 I think it was two two years later when she was in like six 643 00:57:28.079 --> 00:57:30.599 movies back to back to back, and every single movie that she was in 644 00:57:31.280 --> 00:57:37.679 she was making the most diagonal choices compared to the last character that she played, 645 00:57:37.719 --> 00:57:42.519 and it was it was like watching a magic trick, honestly on screen, 646 00:57:42.599 --> 00:57:45.400 and like, I'm I'm obviously not the first person to think this, 647 00:57:45.480 --> 00:57:51.079 and everyone who watches her work and observe it. But to have that kind 648 00:57:51.119 --> 00:57:57.599 of courage, even when you are not really an established name, to really 649 00:57:57.719 --> 00:58:01.840 swing big and to make really studied and careful choices, even if they are 650 00:58:01.840 --> 00:58:08.000 big or very very small, is huge to me, and I aim for 651 00:58:08.039 --> 00:58:13.320 that in every job I do, whether it's in film or on stage, 652 00:58:14.360 --> 00:58:21.119 and in particular, like Tatiana Maslani is as an actor who I would kill 653 00:58:21.199 --> 00:58:27.079 to work with her on stage, she is she kind of represents like some 654 00:58:27.239 --> 00:58:31.760 of the strongest skill in every department that you could possibly imagine, like have 655 00:58:31.880 --> 00:58:39.159 you seen the show or Finn Black. So I won't even try to explain 656 00:58:39.400 --> 00:58:45.519 what that shows about except to say that she played upwards of six characters, 657 00:58:46.159 --> 00:58:52.559 emphasis on upwards, and distinctly plays these characters in such a way where you 658 00:58:52.599 --> 00:58:55.239 can tell where one of the characters she's playing is impersonating another one of the 659 00:58:55.320 --> 00:58:59.960 characters that she's playing. That was the way. It was sold to me 660 00:59:00.119 --> 00:59:04.400 by my friend who was a really big fan of the show. That's how 661 00:59:04.400 --> 00:59:07.880 she sold me on it. And I started watching it and she's just mesmerizing. 662 00:59:08.000 --> 00:59:15.239 She's incredibly pore. But as I've droned on quite a long time with 663 00:59:15.320 --> 00:59:19.400 this question, well it's I think you're you bring up an interesting point. 664 00:59:19.719 --> 00:59:25.199 I really respect those actors

that each role is different for him, especially like 665 00:59:25.199 --> 00:59:30.400 you said, when you have six movies all coming out in succession like that, 666 00:59:30.199 --> 00:59:34.639 Um, because there are a lot of actors that will come out and 667 00:59:34.800 --> 00:59:38.840 it's it's them playing this character, but it's they're exactly the same when they 668 00:59:38.840 --> 00:59:42.960 play this next character, and they they're exactly the same when they play this 669 00:59:43.079 --> 00:59:47.000 next character. And I'm going to use an example. I like Ryan Reynolds. 670 00:59:47.519 --> 00:59:52.639 I'm a fan of his. But the more and more roles I see, 671 00:59:52.679 --> 00:59:58.119 the more and more I see, well, this is just this one's 672 00:59:58.159 --> 01:00:00.880 this character is Ryan Reynolds. This Ryan Reynolds, because it's the same smart 673 01:00:00.920 --> 01:00:06.239 alecky, quick witted type character, you know, the Deadpool character. And 674 01:00:06.280 --> 01:00:09.840 then you start he seems to start to become that in his other roles as 675 01:00:09.880 --> 01:00:15.199 well. UM, I hope he can he can kind of get away from 676 01:00:15.239 --> 01:00:19.119 that because I really, I really like him. But I mean, too 677 01:00:19.159 --> 01:00:22.920 many of those films are you the same type of character just in a different 678 01:00:22.519 --> 01:00:29.559 role, I think, and get a little old, but well, I 679 01:00:29.639 --> 01:00:36.840 mean a lot of that too falls into where like the kind of the chokehold 680 01:00:36.920 --> 01:00:43.039 that typecasting has on a lot of accord, or you look a certain way 681 01:00:43.119 --> 01:00:49.119 or you sound a certain way, and the powers that be kind of refuse 682 01:00:49.320 --> 01:00:54.320 to see you outside of those boundaries in those parameters, and it's it is, 683 01:00:54.800 --> 01:01:00.960 it's almost like an Olympic sport to try and break that moment sometimes like 684 01:01:00.280 --> 01:01:08.239 with like with the case of Jessica Chastain, She's this remarkably nuanced and Juilliard 685 01:01:08.280 --> 01:01:14.519 trained actor who from very early on was aware of the kinds of roles that 686 01:01:14.559 --> 01:01:19.480 she was being paid the most attention to in audition rooms, the ones where 687 01:01:19.719 --> 01:01:23.599 the casting directors where she would notice when she had their attention versus when they 688 01:01:23.639 --> 01:01:32.760 didn't, and she put a lot of work into actively refusing to even enter 689 01:01:32.800 --> 01:01:38.400 those rooms sometimes in favor of taking these riskier auditions or these riskier meetings where 690 01:01:38.840 --> 01:01:43.079 she really had to fall on her word and say, like I really I 691 01:01:43.119 --> 01:01:47.360 can do this, and then by virtue of the work that she was able 692 01:01:47.519 --> 01:01:51.079 to do, in the work that she put in, she created a value 693 01:01:51.119 --> 01:01:54.800 of work that stood against typecasting. And with someone like Ryan Reynolds, who 694 01:01:54.800 --> 01:01:59.679 I love Ryan Reynolds's I kind of grew up on his work. He's some 695 01:02:00.119 --> 01:02:05.400 who have you seen the movie Buried? No, I haven't. That's actually 696 01:02:05.400 --> 01:02:08.000 on my list to watch because that I think that is from what I've seen, 697 01:02:08.039 --> 01:02:13.639 that is a different role for him. Yeah, it's and it's not 698 01:02:13.639 --> 01:02:15.880 even just that it's different, but you can tell, you can tell by 699 01:02:15.880 --> 01:02:21.639 the work that he does that he's I mean, it's a it's a brutal 700 01:02:21.679 --> 01:02:24.360 movie, I will say, but that he's clearly enjoying the work that he's 701 01:02:24.400 --> 01:02:31.400 doing. And yeah, I'm a huge fan of it as well. That's 702 01:02:31.400 --> 01:02:35.239 why I really love him. But it's just the more I see, the 703 01:02:35.280 --> 01:02:38.920 more it's like, Okay, I like that character, but now this he 704 01:02:39.039 --> 01:02:42.239 did the same thing in this role, and now he's doing the same thing 705 01:02:42.239 --> 01:02:45.320 in this role. But you make an excellent point there that you know when 706 01:02:45.320 --> 01:02:49.840 somebody like Ryan Reynolds comes in, I don't know if this is a case 707 01:02:49.920 --> 01:02:52.840 or not, because I'm not privity of that information. That's way above my 708 01:02:52.880 --> 01:02:57.000 pay grade. But you know, he could walk in and want to do 709 01:02:57.119 --> 01:03:01.000 something different, but the power is a begat. No, we hired you 710 01:03:01.079 --> 01:03:07.679 to do Deadpool in this character, we want Deadpool type attitude and get kind 711 01:03:07.719 --> 01:03:08.760 of stuck in that. I don't know if that's the case with him, 712 01:03:08.840 --> 01:03:13.440 but I could definitely see that. Like you say, it's kind of a 713 01:03:13.519 --> 01:03:19.400 chokehold on the typecasting. And so I don't know who said it. I 714 01:03:19.559 --> 01:03:22.360 need to someone needs to fact check me on where this quote comes from. 715 01:03:22.960 --> 01:03:29.280 But there there's a whole notion. It's like film or I guess Hollywood at 716 01:03:29.360 --> 01:03:35.480 large is not unimaginative, it's anti imagination in a lot of respects where it's 717 01:03:35.519 --> 01:03:40.800 that argument of you, you aren't going to see fresh ideas or fresh opportunities 718 01:03:42.480 --> 01:03:47.440 unless you present it to the people with the funds, with the resources and 719 01:03:47.960 --> 01:03:54.480 kind of push this new idea onto their desk in a way that it almost 720 01:03:54.480 --> 01:03:59.119 seems profitable for them, whether it be monetarily or creatively. And that does 721 01:03:59.280 --> 01:04:06.079 fall into the you know, the actor's sphere where you really have to not 722 01:04:06.119 --> 01:04:13.800 as much convinced, but

sell this idea that you're more than just your last 723 01:04:13.880 --> 01:04:17.039 role, who can show up in, say a new line. And honestly, 724 01:04:17.079 --> 01:04:21.719 that's where I credit someone like Marissa, who is the most imaginative person 725 01:04:21.760 --> 01:04:28.679 I know, for probably changing everything of what I thought was possible, at 726 01:04:28.719 --> 01:04:32.320 least at this point in my career. She saw beyond what I was being 727 01:04:32.440 --> 01:04:35.800 seen for which I was. I was again, I was auditioning for everything 728 01:04:35.840 --> 01:04:40.559 I could get my hands on, big small, across both mediums, and 729 01:04:41.719 --> 01:04:45.920 I just there was so many times where there were these these characters that had 730 01:04:45.960 --> 01:04:48.400 so much nuance in depth to them, and I was like, I would 731 01:04:48.519 --> 01:04:53.760 kill I would kill to just have five minutes in that room and I wouldn't 732 01:04:53.760 --> 01:04:58.519 be seen for them. Or I would go in and the casting director or 733 01:04:58.559 --> 01:05:00.599 the writer if I was lucky, would say, Hey, instead of that, 734 01:05:00.639 --> 01:05:03.360 would you instead of this character? How would you feel about, you 735 01:05:03.400 --> 01:05:09.519 know, reading for the this character's bully or this character's love interests that like 736 01:05:09.679 --> 01:05:14.239 through them and through their jerkishness, I don't want to swear on your podcast, 737 01:05:14.800 --> 01:05:24.039 through their through their two dimensional terribleness. Basically, the main character gets 738 01:05:24.079 --> 01:05:28.039 their character development. They they are the vehicle for this this character to grow 739 01:05:29.039 --> 01:05:35.079 and it was obviously incredibly frustrating, and Marissa came in and just said, 740 01:05:35.119 --> 01:05:39.800 Hey, how would you like to read for? How would you not even 741 01:05:39.840 --> 01:05:42.199 like to read for? How would you like to play this character as this 742 01:05:42.239 --> 01:05:45.679 young guy who was a young father trying to save his family farm. And 743 01:05:45.719 --> 01:05:49.760 it was it was things that at least in film at that point, I 744 01:05:49.760 --> 01:05:56.320 had never been I had never been given that opportunity. Those kinds of rooms 745 01:05:56.360 --> 01:06:01.480 weren't necessarily open to me at the time, And I think it takes it 746 01:06:01.559 --> 01:06:08.320 takes imagination on both sides to change the type of characters that an actor comes 747 01:06:08.320 --> 01:06:13.599 in in place. Yeah, I think it's really interesting that you pointed out, 748 01:06:14.119 --> 01:06:17.800 you know, Big Hollywood for being an industry built on imagination. They're 749 01:06:17.840 --> 01:06:26.960 so unimaginative. And I also see the point that it's moviemaking and investing in 750 01:06:26.960 --> 01:06:31.920 movies is such a risk based business. But the people in Big Hollywood are 751 01:06:31.920 --> 01:06:39.639 in the most risk adverse people there are, because it's well, we don't 752 01:06:39.639 --> 01:06:44.159 want to invest in this new idea. We want, you know, something 753 01:06:44.199 --> 01:06:47.360 like Marvel again. We want this ip that already has this based audience and 754 01:06:48.000 --> 01:06:55.239 it's actually independent film. That is what's rooted in true imagination and rooted in 755 01:06:55.320 --> 01:07:00.199 true risk. And it's all the independent filmmakers out there that are the true 756 01:07:00.239 --> 01:07:05.400 soul of filmmaking. I'm starting to sell I don't know, no, no, 757 01:07:05.400 --> 01:07:11.199 no, but it's just no, no, no, no, It's 758 01:07:11.320 --> 01:07:15.320 very true. It's like I think, how I guess you know, it's 759 01:07:15.320 --> 01:07:20.119 a whole other conversation, of course, but Hollywood has just a sphere of 760 01:07:20.199 --> 01:07:27.039 influence is kind of built on the concept of imagination makes incredible things. Obviously, 761 01:07:27.039 --> 01:07:33.519 it's very idealistic, and it's it's maybe how like the fundamental tenets of 762 01:07:33.760 --> 01:07:38.599 that I'm calling Hollywood. I'm talking about Hollywood like it's a production house. 763 01:07:38.920 --> 01:07:44.480 It's so much more broken up and diversified than that. But it really there's 764 01:07:44.519 --> 01:07:48.280 this notion now that it's like taking any huge risk, whether it be in 765 01:07:48.320 --> 01:07:57.360 casting or in budgets or um like certain themes, anything, stories, you 766 01:07:57.480 --> 01:08:00.519 name it. Like, there's this idea that anything that's even sort of off 767 01:08:00.559 --> 01:08:08.400 the beaten path is at risk of cutting into the bottom line. And it's 768 01:08:09.320 --> 01:08:12.840 you know, demoralizing on the best of days. But you know, there 769 01:08:12.880 --> 01:08:17.760 are some that you know, come through and take risks in really special ways. 770 01:08:17.800 --> 01:08:23.079 That both, you know, affect an actor and things that don't like 771 01:08:24.159 --> 01:08:30.319 I remember a few years ago I auditioned for White Side Story, the one 772 01:08:30.319 --> 01:08:33.800 that was directed by Steven Spielberg, because he had opened before beautiful roles of 773 01:08:33.880 --> 01:08:40.640 that film to be cast in an open call, and they ended up casting 774 01:08:42.159 --> 01:08:45.399 I believe three of the four leads with people that were a little bit more 775 01:08:45.479 --> 01:08:50.119 established. But the female lead of the film, who played Maria, was 776 01:08:50.439 --> 01:08:55.560 cast if after not having shot a single frame of film in her life. 777 01:08:55.960 --> 01:09:01.600 She was just remarkably talented and is if you've seen the movie, remarkably talented. 778 01:09:01.840 --> 01:09:08.840 And it's that kind of risk taking on behalf of the studio, and 779

01:09:08.960 --> 01:09:15.000 people like Steven Spielberg, who takes risks like that both creatively and thematically a 780 01:09:15.039 --> 01:09:20.560 lot, I would say that changes everything. It's those little holes that are 781 01:09:20.600 --> 01:09:29.920 poked in the larger machine that make a huge difference. So now, earlier 782 01:09:30.680 --> 01:09:35.039 we asked for your advice for actors specifically, Now, what advice can you 783 01:09:35.079 --> 01:09:44.560 give to Hartley and filmmakers in general. None, there's no advice. I've 784 01:09:44.720 --> 01:09:50.560 actually talked to a lot of my peers on sets all over the world actually 785 01:09:50.560 --> 01:09:56.479 that I've told them that the crews I've worked with in Iowa have been some 786 01:09:56.520 --> 01:10:00.479 of the best I've worked with in the entire world. They are some of 787 01:10:00.520 --> 01:10:09.720 the most creative and some of the most genuinely good and kind people who want 788 01:10:09.960 --> 01:10:19.159 to get constructive feedback and make good quality films that are genuinely excellent experiences to 789 01:10:19.199 --> 01:10:23.680 make. And you don't always get that. It's a lot of times, 790 01:10:23.680 --> 01:10:28.319 you know, you might be working on a set for twelve thirteen hours and 791 01:10:28.680 --> 01:10:31.800 it might not always be fun. Sometimes the weather is terrible. Sometimes you're 792 01:10:31.800 --> 01:10:35.640 standing around for far too long. Sometimes you know, you name it, 793 01:10:35.800 --> 01:10:40.600 X, Y, and Z. And the crews and sets that I've worked 794 01:10:40.640 --> 01:10:47.479 on and with with and on in Iowa have faced all of those obstacles and 795 01:10:48.720 --> 01:10:55.560 produced just incredible working experiences. So I have nothing software, they have everything 796 01:10:55.600 --> 01:10:58.479 to offer me. The only thing I can say is just like, keep 797 01:10:58.520 --> 01:11:01.520 on keeping on, keep up the good work, keep highloting women's stories, 798 01:11:01.640 --> 01:11:10.520 queer stories, and um yeah, keep it up, awesome, awesome, 799 01:11:11.359 --> 01:11:15.239 um again. I can't wait to see Knee High and I can't wait to 800 01:11:15.279 --> 01:11:24.560 see Remote. Um. I've seen a little bit of both, and they 801 01:11:24.760 --> 01:11:31.000 the kind of the technical precision in both Remote and Knee High is just it's 802 01:11:31.039 --> 01:11:38.760 like it reminds me every time I'm you know, struggling with like, oh 803 01:11:38.760 --> 01:11:42.000 my god, Like I'm just going through the same repetitive beats in these auditions 804 01:11:42.000 --> 01:11:44.960 over and over and over again. I'll watch like a little bit that I've 805 01:11:44.960 --> 01:11:48.039 gotten to both of those films, Um, and I'm just reminded. I'm 806 01:11:48.039 --> 01:11:55.039 like, oh, yeah, this is why I do it. So I 807 01:11:55.079 --> 01:11:59.920 can't wait either. So how can people reach out to you? See your 808 01:12:00.119 --> 01:12:06.079 work, follow your career, stock you. I mean, at this point, 809 01:12:06.079 --> 01:12:10.199 all you need to do is stock either Marissa or Bruce, James Bales 810 01:12:10.439 --> 01:12:15.640 or Frank Knowing, and you'll find things I was able to work on with 811 01:12:15.680 --> 01:12:21.640 those guys. But just just keep an eye out for um Knee High and 812 01:12:21.760 --> 01:12:26.279 for Remote and for this other movie I did called Nat and Mariah in Venice, 813 01:12:27.520 --> 01:12:30.960 and yeah, just go see them. Keep an eye on them, 814 01:12:30.960 --> 01:12:35.319 and if they are in the realm of possibility for you to see, just 815 01:12:35.439 --> 01:12:42.520 seek them out. I'd be hugely appreciative. They're good movies that a lot 816 01:12:42.560 --> 01:12:45.720 of a lot of people worked incredibly hard on. Well, thank you Michael 817 01:12:45.760 --> 01:12:51.119 for coming on Cinematic Hartland. It's greatly appreciated and good luck with everything you're 818 01:12:51.119 --> 01:12:56.680 working on. Thank you for having me. That concludes this episode of Cinematic 819 01:12:56.720 --> 01:12:59.920 Hartland. Love to hear from all of you out there. Just visit our 820 01:13:00.039 --> 01:13:03.279 website. I likeike films dot com and there you'll find our email address as 821 01:13:03.279 --> 01:13:08.039 well as all of our social media links. Again, that's I likeike films 822 01:13:08.079 --> 01:13:11.039 dot com and while out there, I urge you to sign up for our 823 01:13:11.039 --> 01:13:14.520 mailing list keep up to date on all the latest happenings where I like ike 824 01:13:14.560 --> 01:13:18.159 Films as well as Cinematic Heartland. Now, whatever you do, wherever you 825 01:13:18.199 --> 01:13:19.680 are, keep creating