WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:08.839 You are listening to the IFH podcast Network. For more amazing filmmaking and screenwriting 2 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:14.839 podcasts, just go to ifahpodcastnetwork dot com. Welcome to the Bulletproof Screenwriting Podcast, 3 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:18.399 Episode number three forty seven. It is a miracle every time you make 4 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:22.480 a movie, and a bigger miracle if it turns out well. Mark Forrester 5 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:27.839 broadcasting from a dark, windowless room in Hollywood when we really should be working 6 00:00:27.879 --> 00:00:32.960 on that next draft. It's the Bulletproof Screenwriting Podcast, showing you the craft 7 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:37.439 and business of screenwriting while teaching you how to make your screenplay bulletproof. And 8 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:42.640 here's your host, Alex Ferrari. Welcome, Welcome to another episode of the 9 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:47.079 Bulletproof Screenwriting Podcast. I am your humble host, Alex Ferrari. Now, 10 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:53.240 today's show is sponsored by Bulletproof script Coverage. Now. Unlike other script coverage 11 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:58.880 services, Bulletproof Script Coverage actually focuses on the kind of project you are in 12 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:02.200 the goals of the prout project you are, so we actually break it down 13 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:06.400 by three categories, micro budget, indie film, market and studio film. 14 00:01:06.519 --> 00:01:10.280 There's no reason to get coverage from a reader that's used to reading tempole movies 15 00:01:10.439 --> 00:01:12.760 when your movie is going to be done for one hundred thousand dollars and we 16 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:17.560 wanted to focus on that. At Bulletproof Script Coverage, our readers have worked 17 00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:22.159 with Marvel Studios, CIA, w MEE, NBC, HBO, Disney, 18 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:26.159 Scott Free, Warner Brothers, The Blacklist, and many many more. So 19 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:32.159 if you need your screenplay or TV script covered by professional readers, head on 20 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:38.840 over to covermiscreenplay dot Com. Today on the show Guys, we have Golden 21 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:46.439 Globe winner for Best Director Mark Forrester, whose films like Monsters Ball, Stranger 22 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:51.799 than Fiction, Finding Neverland, The Kite Runner, and a couple of blockbusters 23 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:55.799 you might have heard of, Quantum of Solid, James Bond and World war 24 00:01:56.159 --> 00:02:02.359 Z. Mark is a fascinating filmmaker because it really brings deep characters and story 25 00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:07.759 structure to whatever film he is doing, whether it's something like Monster's Ball or 26 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:12.960 something as complex as World War Z. And in his new film A Man 27 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:17.039 Called Auto starring Tom Hanks, he brings that in more Now, there are 28 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:21.680 no killer zombies in this one, and there's no spies, but it is 29 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:25.719 a heartfelt story that I absolutely fell in love with, and Tom Hanks is 30 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:30.479 remarkable in it, and it really will kind of shake you when you watch 31 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:35.199 it. But Mark and I had a great conversation about his career and his 32 00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:38.039 new film as well. So without any further ado, please enjoy my conversation 33 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:44.120 with Mark Forrester. I like to welcome to the show, Mark Foster. 34 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:46.319 Hey you do, Mark, I'm good, Thank you, Alex. I'm 35 00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:50.599 very good by friend. So my first question we're going to jump right into 36 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:53.800 it, is how did you get started in the business. You know, 37 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:58.879 I grew up in Switzerland and the mountains and Davos and you know, surrounded 38 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:02.879 by just the nature and not much My parents and had a TV, and 39 00:03:02.919 --> 00:03:08.520 I always had to play outside to entertain myself versus being entertained, and that's 40 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:12.479 sort of inspired me to become a storyteller. And the first time I saw 41 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:14.520 a movie in the theater, I said, that's what I want to do. 42 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:20.199 Now. How did you get involved with Monster's Ball because that was such 43 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:24.639 an impactful and crazy movie. You know. I made a movie called Everything 44 00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:30.840 Put Together and the premiere at Sundance and the writers saw that movie, and 45 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.280 at the time producers saw they all saw it and they said I would be 46 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:36.360 right for it. And they were trying to get the movie made for like 47 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:38.919 eight years, and they birth first I couldn't get it made and it was, 48 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:43.840 you know, originally Sean Penn directing with Robert de Niro, Sean Penn 49 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:47.000 and Marlon Brando, and it was too expensive. When they first thing, 50 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:51.439 they asked me, look, we've been waiting to get this finance for all 51 00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:53.280 this time. We would make the movie with you, but can I make 52 00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:57.879 it for three million dollars? And I made the Sundance movie for fifty thousand. 53 00:03:57.919 --> 00:04:00.879 I said, three million dollars, that's I can do that. So 54 00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:05.360 that's how it started. So when you're when you were directing Hallie and Billy 55 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:10.000 Bob in that film, uh, like, didd you see what was going 56 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:15.159 on with Haley's performance at that point, like because she was amazing. You 57 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:18.600 know, I didn't predict that she would win an Oscar at the time of 58 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:25.279 shooting, but I definitely saw when I saw performances she was extremely powerful, 59 00:04:25.319 --> 00:04:29.839 extremely raw and vulnerable and and that's what we discussed and that we wanted to 60 00:04:29.879 --> 00:04:32.120 go for and that it felt real. And you know, because Hallie, 61 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:38.279 you know, it's such a you know, glamorous and beautiful human to really 62 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:41.600 make it believable in the part I felt she worked extra hard on it. 63 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:46.879 How what advice do you have for directors who want to pull those kind of 64 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:49.800 raw and you know, to you those kind of emotions out of an actor, 65 00:04:49.879 --> 00:04:54.560 What did you do to make her feel comfortable enough to be that vulnerable 66 00:04:54.600 --> 00:05:00.360 on screen? You know, ultimately you you you know, you discussed part 67 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:03.879 in depths in your vision in depth, and you communicate your vision and I 68 00:05:04.439 --> 00:05:11.279 feel once you connect with an actor to make them feel comfortable and understand the 69 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:14.920 visions you have, that's the key thing. I mean for the most vulnerable 70 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:17.839 scene between the intimate scene between Billy Bob and her, you know, there 71 00:05:17.879 --> 00:05:23.680 was a close set of course and and closed everything that they felt totally protected 72 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:29.560 and safe. Now you you made the jump from Indie to slightly larger budgets, 73 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:34.480 just slightly from Monsters Ball to the James Bond. How did you handle 74 00:05:35.079 --> 00:05:42.079 psychologically the jump from fifty three million to a couple hundred million. I mean 75 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:46.399 there were a couple of movies between, true, yes, there was so 76 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:49.639 so you know, I had, like I think financed like four four or 77 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:54.279 five movies in between. So did the budget increasing? They went bigger, 78 00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:58.439 and you know the one the Kiturner was the one month before the Bomb movie, 79 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:01.199 but still it was only like the twenty five million dollar range. And 80 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:05.160 it's it's like the same saying if you have like a you know, your 81 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:12.720 small sort of boutique shop or boutique you know, custom made shoe shoe store, 82 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:18.199 and then suddenly you become CEO of Macy's or something, and and it's 83 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:23.199 a different saying. You suddenly have so many more people, so many more 84 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:28.279 questions. You're shoot in seven seven seven countries all over the world. You 85 00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:32.680 know, there's two one million dollar budget and and history of a franchise that's 86 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:39.000 one of the most or the most successful franchise in history. And you suddenly 87 00:06:39.079 --> 00:06:43.240 it's suddenly when you start reflecting all this, thinking, I hope I'm not 88 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:46.279 gonna you know, this is not not going to go that that ship is 89 00:06:46.279 --> 00:06:49.240 not going to sink, because otherwise my career is over all, right exactly, 90 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:51.759 So what does that feel like being on the set for the first day 91 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:56.839 of shooting Quantum of Solace and you just sitting there like, okay, there's 92 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:00.240 a million people running around trying to get this and going how did that feel 93 00:07:00.279 --> 00:07:03.040 being on the set on a Bond film. It's such a legendary franchise, 94 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:08.480 you know. To begin with, we started on purpose. The movie very 95 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:12.639 intimate, was not some of the big, big action sequence and big sets, 96 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:15.120 so that it felt very familiar to me. I knew the territory, 97 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:19.560 I knew how to how to do those those scenes, and from that we 98 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:26.399 started growing. But you know what feels like before you're always under the radar, 99 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:30.800 nobody really cares. And then suddenly Bomb moved me, and suddenly you 100 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:35.519 have the world press attention on you, and that that is actually the biggest 101 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:40.000 pressure, and that I didn't you know, so you don't, you don't, 102 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:44.800 you don't think about that that suddenly everyone and everyone will right about you, 103 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:47.680 and before that nobody really cared. How did you deal with that psychologically? 104 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:50.759 And how did that affect if it affected at all your creativity or your 105 00:07:50.759 --> 00:07:54.839 process? I mean, the process of the movie was a tricky one because 106 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:58.120 there was a writer strike going on at that time in two thousand and eight, 107 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:01.079 so we had a sort of unfinished screen and then the strike was from 108 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:05.360 October to February, so it was very tricky. It was often just standing 109 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:07.439 Craig and me in the trailer trying to figure out what you're going to do 110 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:13.279 next. So that was the even more pressure. I think if we would 111 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:18.079 have a completed script that everybody said, this is fantastic, that's just going 112 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:20.839 to shoot it, it definitely deflates some of the pressure. But if you 113 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:26.600 have something that's not completed and you are suddenly stuck in that position and you 114 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:30.600 have a release date in place, only five weeks to cut the movie, 115 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.919 it's it's kind of intense now. I mean, obviously you also worked on 116 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:39.240 World War Z, which is another small independent budget. How did you deal 117 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:43.399 with the stress of heading up such big productions? I mean, as a 118 00:08:43.399 --> 00:08:48.799 director, it's just so many people in so many departments, and you're still 119 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:50.360 trying to be creative and still be intimate with your actors. How do you 120 00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:56.240 handle that stress? You know, I'm like, it's interesting. I had 121 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:00.200 like the World was Z. It's for the Israel sequence when the zombies time 122 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:05.279 over the wall, and remember that sequence. So when I drove in the 123 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:07.759 morning, I had a driver drive me to set in Malta. We shot 124 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:11.720 it in Malta and we came to set and we pulled up and he looked 125 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:18.120 at two thousand extras and helicopters in the air and buses and every hand's going 126 00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:22.039 on. And I Friday, a driver literally had an anxiety attack just looking 127 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:28.039 at it and then not helpful now, and I was like, oh, 128 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:31.879 whoa, what are you doing today? And so you just go out and 129 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:33.840 you just have to focus and you can't. You have to blend out all 130 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:37.159 the chatter. And I think that's one of the key things for the director 131 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:41.039 in general. You you know, you have so many voices always in general, 132 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:46.320 from the financial studio, actors, producers, whatever, that you really 133 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:48.519 stick to your vision. You when you hear the chatter, you take some 134 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:54.000 stuff you like, but ultimately you have to stick to your vision. And 135 00:09:54.039 --> 00:09:56.759 I think it's part of your art in that to be able to stay calm 136 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:03.039 and blend it out. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsor, 137 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:11.279 and now back to the show now. As directors, you know, 138 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:13.960 there's always that day that you feel like the entire world's coming crashing down around 139 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:18.679 you. I'm assuming you have that every day, but there's more than there's 140 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:20.960 that one day on any production that you don't know how you're going to get 141 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.799 through it. So what was that day on any of your productions and how 142 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:28.799 did you overcome it? I think you know, I would say when we 143 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:33.919 were shooting Western China, the chitro our line producer forgot too. It was 144 00:10:33.960 --> 00:10:37.159 before digital. It was still stoodent a film and our line producers forgot to 145 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:41.879 order film, so so we only have short ends left, you know, 146 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:48.080 short ends. So basically where we're shooting these scenes, and there was a 147 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:52.000 six minute dialogue scene and they only have like two minutes of film, so 148 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:56.279 I couldn't tell the actor, you can only we're going to peace mail this, 149 00:10:56.440 --> 00:10:58.879 and she's doing it in pieces. So the actor is like the actors 150 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:03.279 that playing six minutes of roles and actually the how are on it, but 151 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:05.440 there only two minutes of film in it. So at the end I knew 152 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:09.759 there was no film in it, and then I pick basically next time, 153 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:11.879 I just shoot the middle and then the end. But sometimes the actors didn't 154 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:15.720 understand why do you do so many takes and this? If I we got 155 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.559 it, then it was so great, and but they were away and that 156 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:22.399 was super stressful. Is thinking you have these great performances, but you don't 157 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:24.480 have to own film and just telling them, oh, you know, we 158 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:28.559 don't have any film in the camera right now, which is like out wasn't 159 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:33.240 wasn't the right thing to do now on your new film A Man called Auto, 160 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:35.879 which, by the way, I saw and I absolutely loved. There's 161 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:39.559 such a beautiful film, and Tom Hanks is this newcomer. Tom Hanks is 162 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:46.679 fantastic, by the way, discovery a real discovery, without question. How 163 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:50.120 did you get involved with this project? And also like it seems like you're 164 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:52.720 going back to your roots a little bit. It's a very intimate film, 165 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:56.360 very small in scope comparatively to the other big things you've done over of your 166 00:11:56.639 --> 00:12:01.039 career. Yeah, you know, I I read the book and I was 167 00:12:01.080 --> 00:12:03.440 so touched and moved and I loved and I cried. And then I saw 168 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:07.879 there was a Swedish version of the film, which I saw was good to 169 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:11.080 and and I thought, this movie, we have to make an American version 170 00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:15.759 out of this because it's so you know, it's so funny, but it's 171 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:20.559 also so touching and dark, and it's like both but ultimately it's a life 172 00:12:20.600 --> 00:12:24.000 affirming film. And what I loved about it it brings a neighborhood back together. 173 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:28.759 And I think we also divided these days, and I think that's still 174 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:31.039 at the end. This is you know this, I always feel like it's 175 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:35.320 one country. We all need to work together, and even though we have 176 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:37.519 different point of views, and there's so many different characters on that street, 177 00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:43.480 which is so Sweden. I like the new neighbor, the Mexican family that 178 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:48.440 moves in across the street, who she comes over and tries to do some 179 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:52.200 much food and I think food is one of those great things that we can 180 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:58.879 literally all share, which which definitely someone's heart. But she's so persistent, 181 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:07.279 that neighbor that her name is Marianna Travino marriage she plays Marisome. That Otto's 182 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:11.320 character Tom, who Tom Hanks plays just that ultimately, like he just opens 183 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:16.039 up. He can't he can't take it anymore. Do you do you still 184 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:18.919 get nervous when you're directing people like Tom Hanks, Like when on that first 185 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:24.679 day on set, you're like Tom Hanks is here. I mean the key 186 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:28.440 is I love that and I think he's one of the greatest stars ever. 187 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:33.840 He's definitely, you know, greatest talent that we worked with. I mean 188 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:37.679 it's so extraordinary. You know, after forty years, he still loves what 189 00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:41.120 he did does and is a big movie star. And he comes in the 190 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:43.639 morning and he sits on set and he never leaves. He's like in like 191 00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:48.080 a meditation. And you know, usually stars of that caliber you take to 192 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:52.600 take there out to the trailer. He never really stays there all day long 193 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:56.399 as a crew. He just sits there the crew and then you realize change 194 00:13:56.440 --> 00:14:00.559 lives. He doesn't leave, and it's just this concentration and this sort of 195 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:05.240 just being there. It's pretty pretty special. How do you approach the different 196 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:09.639 how do you approach different acting styles and you're directing, because you know Tom 197 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:11.759 Hanks is probably different than a halle Berry is different than a Brad Pitt, 198 00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:16.639 Like, how do you adjust multiple characters in the same scene. Yeah, 199 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:22.639 it's it's basically you you have to like find a way to get to connect 200 00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:26.879 and see what what the actor needs or not and how open they are and 201 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:31.720 how willing you know, so you know, how how doing there to collaborate. 202 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:33.320 And I was pretty lucky starout my career that I always worked with the 203 00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:37.919 actors who were very open and we had I never had like, you know, 204 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:43.519 the sort of the nightmare situation, and that they were very focused and 205 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:48.519 prepared and and on time. So I never dealt with with with the with 206 00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:52.960 the divas of the show business, which I'm I'm very very blessed. But 207 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:54.960 but at the same time, you just see what they need and really try 208 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:58.879 to feel them out, because sometimes it's better to say nothing than too much 209 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:03.000 that because sometimes the actor needs their space and they find it. You as 210 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:07.919 a director maybe just have to say, maybe we can just try a different 211 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:11.519 prop you know, try this or that. It's less than giving them a 212 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:16.320 direction, it's less trying something a different direction. So that's you know, 213 00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:22.200 how how it really from person to person it differs. And how did you 214 00:15:22.440 --> 00:15:26.919 balance the darkness of this story with the humor because you did it so masterfully, 215 00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:31.600 because you i mean, you definitely touch upon very very dark themes in 216 00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:35.600 this in this movie, but yet you're laughing and crying and dealing with those 217 00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:39.600 things. It's a very fine balancing act you did. Yeah, it's it's 218 00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:43.440 a lot of it is in editing because you know, we obviously shot a 219 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:46.840 little bit more here and there, but it's just final this balance also between 220 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:50.639 the flashbacks and present day that you go, you don't stay too much in 221 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.279 their flashbacks to come back that the emotional still could stay connected with Tom and 222 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:58.840 in the present day and also in the in the flashbacks. Ultimately, it's 223 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:04.440 just give enough information that creates sort of a mystery and enough for you to 224 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:10.519 wanting to keep watching. And it's truxtaposing sometimes the dark with the with the 225 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:14.720 humor straightly direct you know when this is the hinge breaks and he's on the 226 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:18.480 floor and he lands right next to the paper with the with the you know, 227 00:16:18.919 --> 00:16:22.720 yes two for eight dollars, and then he says that, I mean 228 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:26.120 that that takes you right back into the humor. Right, it's just so 229 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:27.960 fun, like like what is like he's just did that and he's like, 230 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:33.519 nope, it look so good deal. I gotta keep this so beautiful. 231 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:37.440 Uh Now, I'm gonna ask a few questions ask all my guests, Mark, 232 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:41.200 what advice would you give a filmmaker trying to break into the business today. 233 00:16:41.559 --> 00:16:45.440 I mean, ultimately, I think that you know today, you know 234 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:49.559 you can make your film on your phone. Basically what really comes down so 235 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:53.080 is a great story. And I think also when you find your story, 236 00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:59.759 the more a personal connection you have with that, the better. It's either 237 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:02.840 you know, if you don't have the funds. I would ever to do 238 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:07.160 a short and then have the feature script ready. So you shoot the short 239 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.319 and then say, look, this is my short and this is what the 240 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:11.160 feature is going to be. And that's you know how to raise money and 241 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:15.880 figure it out and get actors and people that we love the short, let's 242 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:19.039 take our bet on this guy, or to make a feature for if you 243 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:22.319 can raise the money. But no matter what, it all comes down to 244 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:26.519 the script, that the script is really strong and be free. I think 245 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:30.599 it's important to give it to other people to read the script, to have 246 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:34.400 them have a look, get feedback, and just keep working on that. 247 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:37.720 But I think the stronger the script is better. And then the other thing 248 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:41.759 is once you make a movie and you have a movie that works, let's 249 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:45.200 say it's Sunlands or any of the festivals and summer buys it, that you 250 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:48.000 have a second script ready because you don't want to too much time say oh, 251 00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:51.519 I have nothing now I have to write another script or find something for 252 00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:53.920 the next year or two to get that going. But at that time we 253 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:59.440 leave it in such a fast society that that might have been too late. 254 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:03.279 So I see, to have a second project ready is important. As well. 255 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:06.200 Now, what is the lesson that took you the longest to learn, 256 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:12.359 whether in the film industry or in life. I think, you know, 257 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:17.599 patience and stuff to make some things. Uh, you know you always have 258 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:21.799 to learn like even sitting in traffic and stay calm. You know, it's 259 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:25.640 like in patients with his people, was you know, with your kids, 260 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:29.039 with everything, it's like just to be patient. I think it's just really 261 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:33.319 it's a hard one. What did you learn from one of your greatest failures? 262 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:40.440 Yeah, you know there always a silicon valley is built on failures. 263 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:45.319 You Seeing failures are truly key for an artist or anyone because you learn from 264 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:49.160 them. For instance, after finding everyone, I made a film called Stay 265 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:56.000 that wasn't Ryan Ryan Gosling, only Watts, great cost great, You and 266 00:18:56.039 --> 00:19:02.519 McGregor are great cost to act. And the critics didn't love it, the 267 00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:06.039 artists don't love it. It has found a little bit of following throughout the 268 00:19:06.119 --> 00:19:11.880 years. But when ultimately, when I made that movie, I think, 269 00:19:11.960 --> 00:19:15.720 why does this? Didn't that movie work? And then I and out of 270 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:19.119 that movie came strange her fiction, which also is sort of absurd and comedic. 271 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:25.160 But that movie worked, and I was able to make that sort of 272 00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:27.960 absurdness in that movie emotional, and it wasn't able to do that in Stay, 273 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:33.000 even though visually it's cool and compelling, but it ultimately it didn't connect 274 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:41.640 with people emotionally and strange fiction bit so, then in the hardest question of 275 00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:45.759 all three of your favorite films of all time three of my favorite films, 276 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:48.839 Well, I mean it's it's a tricky one. You know, I love 277 00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:55.720 a lot of the dead directors. We'll be right back after a word from 278 00:19:55.720 --> 00:20:03.880 our sponsor, and now back to the show. You know I love in 279 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:10.400 Imar Bergmann, Swedish director. I would say, like wild strawberries of his 280 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:17.359 I really really enjoy I you know, I mean there's three. That's a 281 00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:21.440 tough one. Three today. I know it changes tomorrow, so it will 282 00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:23.599 be on your tubes. Don'tn't worry that that, you know, I like, 283 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:32.079 you know, I always love the Marx Brothers dock super so good. 284 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:36.839 It still holds, It still holds today. Yes, And I see Howard 285 00:20:36.920 --> 00:20:41.599 Harks bringing up baby, it's one of my favorites. Two because I just 286 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:47.599 love how fast that dialogue goes and how she performs it. And that's also 287 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:51.720 one of my favorite films, and where can people watch A Man called Auto? 288 00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:56.720 Hopefully they all will watch it in the theaters because it's a movie that 289 00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:00.119 really you should experience in the theater, and it's one of those movies you 290 00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:03.519 know, people seem to come out for it, and it's something you want 291 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:07.079 to experience together. You laugh and you cry, and you don't want that 292 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:10.400 alone alone at home for of TV. So right now, it's still in 293 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:12.759 the theaters for the next couple of weeks, so please go and support it. 294 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:15.519 And the very last question, I'd love to hear your opinion on this 295 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:21.240 as a filmmaker. We grew up as filmmakers. We grew up loving movies 296 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:25.680 at the theater, but that seems to be becoming more and more of an 297 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:30.519 endangered species unless there's certain kind of films. What do you what are your 298 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:33.839 hopes for the future, my friend, Because it's tougher and tougher to get 299 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:37.039 people at the theater nowadays. You know, a man hook Auto was a 300 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:41.720 kind of movie Hollywood used to make. Yeah, and they don't make them 301 00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:45.039 very much anymore. And I'm run into a few people now and said, 302 00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:48.559 really, they said, we have hope again because the manhood Auto. Seems 303 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:52.440 like people came out to see it, and we didn't think those kind of 304 00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:56.079 movies would still play in the theater. And I'm so glad they came and 305 00:21:56.119 --> 00:22:00.839 supported the movie. And I hope you know that people will keep coming out 306 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.559 for movies like that, because that will keep those movies alive, because the 307 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:07.519 financiers, obviously in the studios, will not pay for a movie when no 308 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:11.319 one shows up, and they very quickly have their algorithms. You know, 309 00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:17.039 so many people don't. The decisions today are not being made anymore by the 310 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:19.519 gut by like the ould studio heads or people. It's more only made by 311 00:22:19.559 --> 00:22:25.119 algorithms and marketing. So can I market that movie? What's the algorithm it? 312 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:27.440 Can we sell it? And they run these numbers and that's that's how 313 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:30.920 it gets done. Mostly, Mark, it's a pleasure talking to you, 314 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:33.599 my friend. Please keep up the fight, the good fight, my friend, 315 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:37.519 and keep making the films you're making. I really appreciate it. Thank 316 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:40.839 you so much. As every good day, take care. I want to 317 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:44.519 thank Mark so much for coming on the show and sharing his knowledge bombs with 318 00:22:44.599 --> 00:22:45.720 all of us. Thank you so much. Mark. If you want to 319 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:48.720 get links to anything we spoke about in this episode, head over to the 320 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:53.519 show notes at Bulletproof Screenwriting dot tv. Forward slash three forty seven. Thank 321 00:22:53.559 --> 00:22:56.680 you so much for listening. Guys, As always, keep on writing no 322 00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:00.359 matter what. I'll talk to you soon. Thanks for listening to the Bulletproof 323 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:04.079 Screenwriting podcast at bulletproof Screenwriting dot tv.