Lance Weiler talks about his new interactive project, Pandemic.
[PREMIERE SCREENING: Monday, Jan. 24, 11:30 pm — Library Center Theatre] My biggest surprise was the miracle of locations we were able to shoot in for free in our “no budget” New York City movie. They were of course all simultaneously open for business, and part of shooting in this vein means that you have to be willing to work in a stop-and-start fashion. First we had asked if we could shoot a day in the stationery store. Then that day turned into two, three, five, seven days… They always said yes, and it always surprised me. Especially after some […]
[PREMIERE SCREENING: Monday, Jan. 24, 6:15 pm — Eccles Theatre] The surprises began during the initial writing process. I started typing the script not knowing where it was going — not at all in fact. I was just following impulses. Characters emerged from the ether that I did not expect, and a plot emerged without forethought — at least not the kind of structured forethought of an outline or the weeks of pondering and planning that I so often engage in before I begin to write scenes. Truthfully, I had no idea that the keys I was hitting would turn […]
[PREMIERE SCREENING: Monday, Jan. 24, 6:00 pm — Egyptian Theatre] The biggest surprise for me in making this movie is the emotional power of the finished product. As someone with a strong documentary background, making this movie opened my eyes to how powerful the dramatic narrative arc can be when you get it right. We took so many risks on so many levels that I guess I’m still amazed that all the pieces have come together and that the end result gels so beautifully with the music. The performances are a big part of this too — they’re really raw […]
[PREMIERE SCREENING: Monday, Jan. 24, 5:30 pm — Library Center Theatre] The biggest surprise for me was how hard it was to cast the role of Michael. During the months of writing and toiling over every beat, I never imagined that the success of our film would come down to finding a miracle child who would wow audiences the world over. Gun Hill Road is the story of a Latino father who returns home after three years in prison to discover his teenage child Michael exploring sexual identity and an alternative lifestyle in ways he can’t possibly comprehend. Casting the other two […]
[PREMIERE SCREENING: Monday, Jan. 24, 9:00 pm — Egyptian Theatre] One of the biggest surprises while shooting Kinyarwanda on location in Rwanda is something that we may have just taken for granted. Frankly, it could have been a surprise in the U.S., in a community not familiar with low-budget or independent filmmaking. The community, many of our crew, and local officials seemed to have a really strong grasp of the work of big budget films — situations where, as a solution, money is often thrown at a problem. Many were also very familiar with the other extreme: people picking up […]
[PREMIERE SCREENING: Monday, Jan. 24, 3:00 pm — Eccles Theatre] The biggest surprise associated with the making of Take Shelter was, without question, Jessica Chastain. When traveling the festival circuit with my first film, Shotgun Stories, I was fairly outspoken about the fact that Michael Shannon is one of the greatest actors working today. When casting Take Shelter, a film that is anchored by the relationship of a married couple, the biggest question I had was: “What actress could go toe-to-toe with Michael Shannon?” Then the universe delivered me Jessica Chastain. When thinking about this role my executive producer, Sarah […]
Below, Jamie Stuart sits down with writer/director Tom McCarthy and actor Paul Giamatti to discuss their very-well-received Sundance premiere, Win Win, and the difficulties of dramatizing virtuous people.
When first-time Sundance filmmakers ask me for advice on attending the festival, I always tell them, “Get to know the volunteers.” Park City can be a difficult place to navigate. Seasoned vets already know the tricks for making their way around, and sage guidance from the volunteers can be the only for newcomers to level the playing field. But there’s another reason I recommend people get to know the volunteers. And that’s because they’re really interesting people. While a lot of festivals rely on recently graduated local students whose ranks turn over every year, Sundance has a cadre of volunteers, […]
A storytelling pandemic. By Lance Weiler.