I was first introduced to director Gary King's work when he sent me his short film Hubris to review a long while back.  I absolutely loved the film and his style of film making, and have recently had the privilege to review one of his latest productions, New York Lately.  NYL is yet abother example of what a brilliant film maker Gary is, and as soon as it was over, I couldn't wait to ask him for another interview.  Gracious as always, he consented.  So let's see what he has to say...


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Ok, it's been a while since I last interviewed you, so let's have you re-introduce yourself to everyone and tell us all a little about your background.

First, I have to say that it’s great to do this again with you Duane.  Thank you so much for the opportunity.  My name is Gary King and I’m a filmmaker based in New York with two brand new feature films soon to be released in 2009.  

My feature film debut, which I wrote and directed, is an ensemble drama titled NEW YORK LATELY.  I also was hired to direct a horror film, produced by Fearmakers Studios, titled DISMAL.  The last time I spoke to you was when I had just finished my short film HUBRIS, so this is a very exciting time for me.  Since DISMAL is currently in post-production, I’m here mainly to talk about NEW YORK LATELY which will hit the film festival circuit in 2009.


I guess let's start at the beginning here.  You originally conceived it back in 2005 with two of the characters, but then over time it kept developing more and more.  Tell us about the process of developing the story, and how it changed from its original concept to the version that finally made it to the screen.

In 2005, I completed the first draft of the script that eventually evolved into NEW YORK LATELY.  I wrote it after witnessing two people meet in a gym and hitting it off rather quickly.  I love the idea of random strangers meeting, getting to know each other and being able to connect quickly.  In today’s world of fast-paced lifestyles, it’s pretty rare….so it’s exciting when it does happen.  I wanted to capture those moments.

However, in 2005 the first draft (titled BLACK FRIDAY) didn’t have any particular drama or arc, it was more of a running dialogue between two people who spend Thanksgiving night together roaming around the city – which now would be considered “mumblecore-ish”….but I felt there wasn’t enough there so I shelved it and concentrated on other projects.

In 2007, I re-visited the script with the intention of expanding the scope and adding more characters to it.  The main reason for this was because I knew I was going to shoot a low-budget film and didn’t want the actors to have to commit for more than about 7 shooting days (since there was very little pay, if any).  I didn’t feel right to ask actors to work for 35 shooting days with very little compensation, so I figured if I could write something strong enough for someone who would only have to spend a few days shooting, it’d be a win-win for everyone.

It took me about 4 months (and several drafts) to finish the rewrite and have the version of the script that is known as NEW YORK LATELY.  By expanding the character base, it actually helped me explore many storylines and themes in one single film, instead of having to wait for the next film projects -- which made my wallet happy.


This film was basically self-financed along with some donations from some friends and family.  Just from a psychological standpoint, it seems like this would have been weighing heavily on your shoulders during production.  Did you find that it made you sort of...overly perfectionist in your shooting in some ways because of your close personal involvement with the financing, or was it not really something you thought all that much about?  I only ask because it seems like it could go either way with some people.  Some would be casual about it and proceed normally while others would become paranoid about making everything perfect and at times end up hindering their own production.

Since it was my money on the line, I definitely felt the pain as I reviewed the budget and watched the costs rise as the shooting progressed.  But honestly, I managed to set those worries aside when I stepped on the set as the director.  As a director, my main concern was getting the performances and shots that I wanted – being able to tell the story as it needed to be told.  The producer in me knew the limitations, so the director in me knew what I had to work with – meaning I knew what I could do and couldn’t – which I think helped make this production run pretty smoothly.  I also surrounded myself with a strong and efficient crew which was also key in keeping my sanity in check.


This film had a really large number of locations.  How long did it take you to scout them all?

We shot NEW YORK LATELY in over forty locations, which gives it great scope – I love that it doesn’t feel like a smaller budget film that’s shot in only one or two locations.      

Location scouting started in September of 2007 -- we secured about 75% of them by the time we started shooting in early December.  We still were calling people and trying to find places during the shoot, but always managed to find them on schedule.  We got really lucky -- the majority of the locations did not cost anything because we had generous and caring people supporting us and the project.  


Did you have trouble securing any of the locations, and did any of the locations present any particular, unexpected problems once you got there and set up?

Well…..let’s start by saying that all of the indoor locations were secured, but all the outdoor locations were shot guerilla style (i.e. without permits), so we had to be very quick and stealth as to not draw any attention to what we were doing.

And in the 2 scenes where it snows and rains….those were genuine acts of Mother Nature – and I’d like to personally thank her for increasing the production values in the film.


I was extremely happy to see Jeremy Koerner and Jared Asato in this film, as they ended up being my two favorite people in your film Hubris.  Tell us about these two talented guys and what it's like working with them.

Ahhh Jeremy and Jared – these guys are so pro it’s not even funny.  What’s interesting is that each of them have different approaches to acting, but end up with the same results…great performances. I actually wrote the roles in NEW YORK LATELY specifically for them.

Jeremy Koerner is a master improviser and possesses incredible range as an actor.  One of his strengths that I can rely on is his ability to do things with very little or no prep time.  With him, I can throw out ideas that totally spark up within the moment, and he can take them, make them better and create something magical in front of the camera.  It’s amazing to see.  But one of the most special gifts he has as an actor is his generosity.  He’s one of the most giving actors in a scene.  His performance as “Elliot George” in the film is garnering great reviews and feedback, so I’m really happy for him…..because people are starting to recognize what I’ve known about him for years.

Jared Asato is another actor who I’ve formed a great working relationship with.  We’ve somehow got this vibe where I’ll start to talk about something and he’ll know exactly where I’m going and already be on top of it.  He takes great care in preparing for a character.  One of his strengths is he has great ideas of how to play things, where it takes minimal direction to get what I need.  He pretty much nailed his character “Jared Ishii” from the very beginning.  In fact, I think we only had one discussion about the character before he embodied it and I never had to say anything again.  Plus, he’s got crazy chemistry with his romantic interest, Susan Cagle – they really sparkle on screen.  

I enjoy working with both men so much that I look forward to much future collaboration.


The entire cast in this film did a spectacular job though, and aside from Jeremy and Jared, I was introduced to some new folks as well.  Tell us the great story about the response you had for the casting of this film, how you chose the characters, and then tell us about your unexpected find, Susan Cagle and her contributions to the film beyond just her acting.

Thank you.  I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the actors’ performances.  I’m very proud of the ensemble cast and their work.  It took over two full months to cast NEW YORK LATELY.  We had around 2000 local actors express interest and eventually auditioned close to 300 of them.  We were very humbled by the response from the local acting community.

Jenn Dees (“Veronica Darling”) was the first actress I cast for the film.  I saw hundreds of girls for the role, but she had something special about her.  In fact, Jenn confessed to me a few days after shooting a pivotal scene that she felt really “raw” and wasn’t sure about her performance in it – which I think was actually the perfect emotional state for her character to be in during those moments.  To me, she had embodied the character so much, that she channeled the emotions and was true to the character….even if she didn’t consciously know she was doing it.  That’s the kind of performer Jenn Dees is….keep watching out for her name.

As luck would have it, Jenn Dees referred singer/songwriter Susan Cagle (“Truly Hanssen”) to me.  I was having a tough time trying to fill the role, as I wanted to find someone with a strong singing voice.  I didn’t necessarily need an actress who could sing, but rather a singer who could act.  So when Susan came through the door, I knew it was her.  First off, she has an amazing voice and is well known in the music world.  Second, the camera loves her.  She has such incredible screen presence it’s ridiculous.  Beyond that, her acting is so natural that I find her utterly charming, as do audiences when they see her.  I’m still amazed that this is her first feature.  

I could go on and on about the other leads in the film as they are all immensely talented and helped make the film come to life…but I’d take up too much of your time.  The good news is audiences and critics alike are recognizing their incredible work.


There was a lot of improvising done in this film, and a lot of it that you really loved ended up getting cut down simply for the sake of time.  What were some of the best improvisations that ended up getting cut down, and have you thought about potentially doing a separate, director's cut type of a thing that leaves much of that great material in there?

One of my main influences while writing and directing this film was Robert Altman and his approach to filmmaking.  He’s an idol of mine and I’ve heard accounts where he was very open to improv and, in fact, sometimes directed with a loose story structure in place.  Since I respect his body of work, I really wanted to try this technique for myself.  However, I’m too chicken and didn’t totally throw my script away as he had done, for example with MASH….so we still shot about 75% of what was in my screenplay.

In my script, however, certain scenes were purposely left open to allow the actor to fill in the blanks with their own ideas.  I strongly encouraged it.  I can name five specific “placeholder scenes” as I like to call them -- where the actors brought more to the table than the script.  I discussed with them the basic intentions of the scene and let them bring their ideas to create something new.  That’s the beauty of collaboration.  Trusting the actors to let them do what they do best.  

I think the current cut of the film is the director’s cut.  However, some of the improvisation scenes that I absolutely love (from a directing standpoint) totally don’t work from an audience member’s viewpoint, mainly for pacing purposes.  I am considering including these scenes in the “Deleted Scenes/Alternate Takes” section of the upcoming DVD.  

A few scenes that stand out in my mind are:
- magical “one takes” -  a few scenes lasting a full 15 minutes (all one take) featuring Jeremy Koerner (“Elliot George”) and Vanessa Streiff (“Sam Thompson”) just going off on amazing conversations during their stakeout sequences.   
    - alternate takes of an office confrontation between Jared Asato (“Jared Ishii”) and John Weisenburger (“Ringo Barns”)
             - alternate take of the Bathroom Scene featuring Jenn Dees (“Veronica Darling”)


You shot this film using a roughly seven-person crew, proving that it doesn't take a massive number of people to create a work of art.  Tell us about the crew and what it was like working with them day to day.  I'm asking you to talk about this because so often the crew gets ignored in interviews and publicity, but I think in this case in particular they deserve some credit and recognition.  It sounds like they were a great group to work with.

Yes, my crew was invaluable.  I wouldn’t have been able to complete the film without them.  Now, ideally I would’ve preferred to have just a few more regular positions on the set with me every single day….but due to this project’s limitations, some things just weren’t feasible.

Going into the trenches with me every single shooting day were the Director of Photography (Jason Varner), the Assistant Director (Nik Wendelsdorf), the Gaffer (Michelle D’Angelo), the Sound Recordist (Jabbath Roa), the Costume Designer/Stylist (Anna Scheumann), the Key Makeup Artist (Tiffany Bartok) and our single PA (Luis Martinez – Dec) and (Daryl Ray Carliles – Jan).  Their talent and perseverance inspired me every day to keep on going, no matter what obstacles and setbacks we encountered.  

On certain days, we would have some extra PA help or an additional makeup artist, but for the most part it was those core seven people on set making the film happen.  I truly appreciate them and know that they were there because they truly believed in me.  To them, it wasn’t about the money…believe me, I know.


What were some of the biggest problems in shooting in New York?  I would think that getting decent sound recording would have to have been particularly problematic in some areas because of the constant noise going on all around you, but what other problems did you run into?  I know you can anticipate and pre-plan for some issues, but did you have any that just sort of whacked you upside the head once you got out there?

As most people know in the production world, unforeseen issues are going to happen.  They’re unavoidable…..so I just tried to plan as much as possible to have alternatives ready to go as needed.  Luckily, we didn’t have any major issues while shooting.  But as I’ve mentioned before, Mother Nature decided to help out during a few shooting days by raining and snowing on us….so we just went with it and incorporated it into the film.  

Having skilled people and great equipment can really help with preventing major sound issues, so I was really lucky there.  For the outdoor locations, the main things that we couldn’t plan for was weather and extraneous people ruining the shots.  I was extremely lucky to find some great outdoor locations that were not very populated…so we could pretty much shoot in isolation.  Having a great AD wrangle unwanted pedestrians and garbage trucks was very helpful as well.


The whole production of this film just seems so amazing.  When you look back on this project, what's your one fondest memory?

The best thing about this project, besides seeing the finished film, is knowing I gained a new family.  I’ve met so many people through this production that I remain friends with today, and deepened friendships with others that I already had.  I will always cherish the experience that we all went through to get this film made….a lot of bonding went on.


Before we wrap this up, there's a couple other films you're involved with that I'd like to talk to you real quick about.  The first one is a film you shot some scenes for, but I haven't heard much more about it.  I'm talking about Grit.  Tell us a little about it, and also about its current status.

GRIT is going to be an action/drama with one bulldog of a character named Ronald Gritowski as he unleashes his brand of justice to people that get in his way.  Jeremy Koerner is developing the script and although no production date is set yet, we hope to have something going in the near future.

We shot some promotional footage in New York and Las Vegas to show people what our vision for the film would be….and we’ve received a good amount of interest….so hopefully sooner than later we’ll be able to shoot it because I’ve got some killer action sequences planned for this one.


The other film I'd like to mention is a horror film you just got done directing called Dismal, which is a huge departure from what we've seen from you previously.  Tell us something about the film, what it was like to direct it, and if you'd like to do more films like that in the future.

I actually love the horror genre…some of my favorite filmmakers are John Carpenter and Brian De Palma.   So when Fearmakers Studios approached me to direct DISMAL I jumped at the chance.  It’s your basic “college kids go to the woods and get hunted down by swamp cannibals” film, but there are some great kills, some T&A and one cool villain that I think will blow people’s socks off.

I had a blast shooting DISMAL. I also met some great actors doing the project that I hope to work with again. Horror is such a fascinating genre to play around with as there are endless possibilities on how it can be presented.  Also, I didn’t’ realize how incredibly draining (both physically and mentally) making a horror film can be.  It’s a challenge that I’m ready to take on again.  In fact, I’m currently developing one on my own and am also attached to direct a few more for other producers.


What's next for you?  What are you working on now, or what do you have coming up soon that you're going to start working on?

At this moment, the next script I’m writing is another ensemble film, but I’m changing the setting from a big metropolitan city to a small town.  Even though the setting is drastically smaller, the actual scope of the film will be much larger that NEW YORK LATELY.  I’m aiming for a different tone as well by exploring different themes.  It’s funny, I’m fascinated by large character pieces and I plan to continue to explore them from time to time.    

Besides writing my own scripts, I’m also currently in talks to direct some really outstanding films. I’ll definitely keep you posted on any major announcements.

So after six years of taking the plunge into filmmaking, I’m now at the point where a lot of the hard work has just started to pay off.  But I’m not there yet.  I realize that there’s still a lot more tough roads ahead to be able to get where I’d like to be….but as they say: “It’s great to have a goal, but enjoy the journey.”


Is there anything else you'd like to mention before we wrap this up?

Thank you again Duane for giving me the opportunity to share my film updates with you.  I’m really excited about them and hope they reach a wide audience in 2009.  I really appreciate the support and exposure you have given me   It truly means a lot.