Docs/Narrative films
You can’t say it enough: humans base their decisions on emotion rather than data.
Which is what makes watching other human beings on screen so effective. When it’s done well we can’t look away because we so willingly put ourselves in their shoes. It’s literally the foundation of storytelling.
Letting a good story find you
THE IDEA: In the lead-up to the tenth anniversary of 9/11 we were approached to tell the one story from the World Trade Center attack that seemingly no one had heard: while all eyes were on the collapsing structures, transpiring behind everyone’s back was the largest-ever land/sea evacuation. The goal was to spotlight everyday heroes and the resilience of human beings.
What a life-changing experience this turned out to be! The stories we found were so uplifting, and immersing ourselves in the subculture of the New York City “harbor people” was absolutely fascinating.
THE IMPACT: The piece premiered at the Newseum in Washington, DC, where event host Dan Rather became entranced by Vinny, the party boat captain with a heart as big as an ocean liner. Beyond that, this pieces has millions and millions of views on various YouTube channels. There are even videos of people watching and reacting to the piece.
Watch the full movie (11 min.) here. Have tissues handy.
Honoring magic
THE IDEA: Use the making of an elementary school production of The Wizard of Oz as a backdrop to explore how little humans navigate life when they’re not yet teenagers… but definitely not kids anymore.
To capture the full story, we spent many months following our main characters through every facet of their lives in the run-up to the play: at rehearsals, in the classroom, on the soccer field, at the dinner table, in their bedrooms. What unfolds is pure magic: kids discover what they’re made of. Families come together. Art and humanity prevails!
THE IMPACT: This piece has never found the audience it deserves, which is frustrating because everyone who watches it loves it. It’s probably the piece I’m most proud of.
Watch the full movie here! You’ll be glad you did.
Searching for alchemy
THE IDEA: Well, here’s the cast: Jimmy Fallon, Lucy Liu, Sharon Stone, Tom Arnold, Illeana Douglas, Tony Hale. What could go wrong?
Plenty. I co-wrote the screenplay for The Year of Getting to Know Us with my buddy Patrick (who directed the film). We’d adapted two Ethan Canin novels to craft the story of a young man trying to overcome his past, and Patrick did the heavy lifting of finding financing and a producer.
THE IMPACT: While there are a few moments that sparkle, the end result leaves much to be desired. I learned many things in the process, including: 1. In the world of low-budget, independent filmmaking there is little room for error; 2. Casting isn’t, actually, everything, and; 3. Premiering at Sundance is mostly about who you know.
Watch the trailer here.
Letting content dictate form
THE IDEA: A Few years after Nanette Burstein had directed the groundbreaking documentary The Kids Stays in the Picture, we got a chance to work with her for an AMC series called Autobiography. The concept was simple: let notable personalities tell their own stories, and use heavily-treated found imagery as the visuals.
We got lucky, because our subject was the never-dull Dennis Hopper. His legendary “fuck it all” attitude was our guiding spirit for layering as much digital atmosphere as possible into the old archival photos, which was a dream to do.
THE IMPACT: Both the series and our episode were very well received (and Hopper loved it), but sadly Autobiography wasn’t renewed for a second season.
Watch the “From Hell To Texas” scene (4 min.) here.
Revealing reality with “reality”
THE IDEA: Back in the mid-2000s, when the first wave of reality TV shows had run its course, we sold this idea to AMC: If you’re famous for “nothing”, how far will you go to remain in the spotlight?
We found three characters attempting just that—Tonya Paoni and George Boswell from Big Brother, and Chadwick Pelletiere from Road Rules—and followed them everywhere. At home with their families. On casting calls in the jaded world of casting directors. On the set of ultra-low budget films. We traveled to the Playboy mansion and to an absolutely real event called The Turkey Testicle Festival.
THE IMPACT: Reality People did a decent job of revealing the true character of three very different people all striving to escape their former, very normal lives. I searched for data on how the AMC ratings were but wasn’t successful.
Watch Tonya’s section (18 min.) here.
Trusting your collaborators
NOTE: This one is ancient history—so much so that the master tape is damaged!
THE IDEA: Adapt a short story—Sweet Talk, by Stephanie Vaughn—and find some half decent actors to work with. Wow, did I strike gold: five years before they would become Carmella Soprano and Father Phil Intintola on The Sopranos, Edie Falco and Paul Schulze agreed to do the film.
THE IMPACT: While this piece did “okay” on the festival circuit, the real impact was the valuable lesson I learned: when you have talented collaborators like Edie and Paul, stay out of their way and let them do their thing. They’ll make you look good.
I’ve used this “trust” lesson on literally every project I’ve worked on since and it’s never failed me.
Watch selected scenes (8 1/2 min.) here.
Marrying content and style
NOTE: More ancient history—but quirky and fun.
THE IDEA: Two Days in Wisconsin was born through a grad-school exercise: “write a scene where someone is doing something they don’t want someone else to know about”. I’d already fallen in love with the location: two rusting gas pumps in East Hampton, New York. Where the French lessons came from, I have no memory.
But this is a great example of the content of a piece driving the visual style: it made complete sense—and was so much fun—to shoot it like a 1960s French new-wave film.
THE IMPACT: This piece KILLED it at festivals, winning many awards. It took me around the world! Had I managed to have a finished feature film script under my arm, my life may have taken a different trajectory. I have no regrets though.
Watch the full movie (14 min.) here.