The casting process, TELL's problems with piracy and the importance of having an amazing team surrounding you.
The VOD/limited cinematic release of TELL on December 5, 2014 was a highly anticipated one. It was one of the first online premiere parties of an indie film with cast and crew taking to social media to discuss, promote and spread the word. Add more than a pinch of Milo Ventimiglia, throw in plenty of sci-fi love with Robert Patrick & Katee Sackhoff, finish with some Faizon Love and Jason Lee and dust it with the whedonverse seasoning of Alan Tudyk. Spain-born J.M.R. Luna helmed the project and we – at Acting Indie – got a chance to interview him about TELL and his experiences as a budding director.
"I have the moral obligation to take you into an adventure and make you escape reality"
J.M.R. Luna: Hello, Acting Indie. thank you so much for the interview!
Acting Indie: Thank you for accepting! So, tell us a bit more about yourself. Who is J.M.R Luna and what do you hope people will take away from projects you’ve directed or worked on?
J.M.R. Luna: I was born and raised in Europe and I am the director/producer of TELL. My main ambition in film making is to be able to entertain and move people. When you’re having a bad day, sit down and watch something I’ve done, I want you to feel better. I feel as though I have the moral obligation as a filmmaker to take you into an adventure and to make you escape from reality, even if it’s for just 90 minutes.
Acting Indie: How did you get to be the director you are today? Who mentored and/or influenced you?
Acting Indie: Thank you for accepting! So, tell us a bit more about yourself. Who is J.M.R Luna and what do you hope people will take away from projects you’ve directed or worked on?
J.M.R. Luna: I was born and raised in Europe and I am the director/producer of TELL. My main ambition in film making is to be able to entertain and move people. When you’re having a bad day, sit down and watch something I’ve done, I want you to feel better. I feel as though I have the moral obligation as a filmmaker to take you into an adventure and to make you escape from reality, even if it’s for just 90 minutes.
Acting Indie: How did you get to be the director you are today? Who mentored and/or influenced you?
J.M.R. Luna: When I moved to Los Angeles, I started working as a Director of Photography. It was great. I had the opportunity to work with great directors and learn a lot from them. I learned a lot from my good friend Kane Senes, whom I did a lot of projects with. I can’t say I have had any mentors, but my influences are broad and extensive. |
I love Matthew Vaughn, I love Tarantino, I love Cuaron and of course Clint Eastwood, Scorsese and all those guys.
Acting Indie: What has been your personal journey through the film industry?
J.M.R. Luna: I’m still young, so I’m not sure enough time has passed for me to talk about my journey through this industry. But the time I have been in L.A... let’s say it’s been interesting, to say the least.
Acting Indie: Are you – as a young and well-studied director – sometimes in awe at the work you get to do; or who you get to work with?
J.M.R. Luna: I’ve been very fortunate with the people I’ve been able to work with and where that work has taken me. For instance, I went to Japan twice. Being able to do that was awesome. I soon discovered that movies are just my job, and that people are just people. I try to stay grounded, but I’m not going to lie: when I met with Jason Lee for the first time - to talk about his character on TELL - I had those first 10 seconds of just staring at him... thinking: "Wow... this is Jason Lee!" [laughs] I grew up watching his movies...
J.M.R. Luna: I’m still young, so I’m not sure enough time has passed for me to talk about my journey through this industry. But the time I have been in L.A... let’s say it’s been interesting, to say the least.
Acting Indie: Are you – as a young and well-studied director – sometimes in awe at the work you get to do; or who you get to work with?
J.M.R. Luna: I’ve been very fortunate with the people I’ve been able to work with and where that work has taken me. For instance, I went to Japan twice. Being able to do that was awesome. I soon discovered that movies are just my job, and that people are just people. I try to stay grounded, but I’m not going to lie: when I met with Jason Lee for the first time - to talk about his character on TELL - I had those first 10 seconds of just staring at him... thinking: "Wow... this is Jason Lee!" [laughs] I grew up watching his movies...
Acting Indie: Another interview quoted you saying: “I casted all your favorite people from your my favorite shows and was lucky enough to get them”. Can you elaborate a bit more on the casting process and ending up with names like Milo Ventimiglia, Faizon Love, Katee Sackhoff, Robert Patrick and Jason Lee?
J.M.R. Luna: Of course! I met Milo Ventimiglia through my friend Kevin Mann, who is also a producer on TELL. Milo was exactly what the film needed. People underestimate how hard it is to carry a movie, and how much pressure there is. He is in every single shot and frame of the movie. As the story follows HIM throughout this crazy adventure. Really hard for an actor. But Milo has this gravitas that keeps people engaged. He’s also really, really smart, so it was delightful working with him. Jason Lee, as a huge Kevin Smith fan, I might have watched Mall Rats over 40 times. I also really liked My Name is Earl. So, Jason was the person I wanted for that role. Milo fought for me, and we got to sit down with Jason. After we had breakfast we decided to make the movie together. Of course, we also needed a female lead that could also convey the sexual part of the role - the strong woman behind it - but that could have the depth to play the heavy acting scenes at the end of the movie. It wasn’t an easy choice to make. I knew Katee Sackhoff from Battlestar Galactica but in the end, it was Milo who pointed her out to me, and he was totally right! Katee was perfect! She is sexy, she is confident, and an amazing actress! My man, Alan Tudyk. He is probably one of the funniest people alive. We met in the early stages of the movie and it was the funniest sit-down of all. He’s just great. I loved him in Firefly, Death at a Funeral, Knights Tale,.... and we were very lucky to have him. Robert Patrick... what a great guy and what a bad-ass! I feel Robert Patrick doesn’t need an introduction, but I grew up watching Terminator 2, among others. Milo always wanted to work with him, and I was delighted with the choice. He’s great. I feel as though I’m constantly saying how great everyone is, but that’s just the truth! Acting Indie: What’s the difference between smaller movies like this, and working on a blockbuster set? |
J.M.R. Luna: In little movies like TELL, people aren’t there for the amount of money they are set to make... as there’s just not that much to be made. They’re there because they like the project, they like Milo, they hopefully like me, and they just want to help. So the mood and camaraderie amongst everyone was amazing.
Acting Indie: So what’s next for you, now that TELL has been released?
J.M.R. Luna: [laughs] To be honest, I’m not exactly sure yet. I worked on TELL for over 3 years. I need some time to fall in love with a new story to commit to and fight for, in the next couple of years. I also have a company called Lunatic Films, where we develop new projects; so my next movie will most likely be something we develop in-house. It really is too soon to tell but there are a few interesting projects we’re working on!
Acting Indie: So what’s next for you, now that TELL has been released?
J.M.R. Luna: [laughs] To be honest, I’m not exactly sure yet. I worked on TELL for over 3 years. I need some time to fall in love with a new story to commit to and fight for, in the next couple of years. I also have a company called Lunatic Films, where we develop new projects; so my next movie will most likely be something we develop in-house. It really is too soon to tell but there are a few interesting projects we’re working on!
"One day, I should edit the bloopers and show them to the world!"
I took a little personal loan from a bank, and started building the project. I nurtured it, did a mood reel, did storyboards, anything I could think of... and I pitched it to anyone willing to listen [laughs]. I was lucky that George Voskericyan, who I worked with previously, was engaged and was nice enough to join in during the very early stages of the project. Afterwards, I approached Kevin Mann, Matt Perniciaro and Chris Boyd at Haven Entertainment and they liked the project too so that was great.
They introduced me to Milo and his partner at Divide Pictures, Russ Cundiff and in the end, all of us, together made a fun little movie.
Acting Indie: Were there any significant changes that were made from the first draft to the film people get to see while watching TELL?
J.M.R. Luna: I think so. I did a lot of rewrites. But to be fair, nearly every director does. We change things until they fit with our personalities and with how we see the story. For example, the movie was written for an 80’s New York City which I then rewrote to a contemporary Los Angeles setting. I also rewrote parts because of budget limitations. We took out roughly 10 pages for that reason alone. I changed Jason Lee's character a little, thanks to his own input, which I think made the character so much deeper and richer. The general tone of the movie was also changed – slightly - to, what I thought would glue everything together a little more.
Acting Indie: How was the collaboration between you – directing – and the cast? Was there a lot of ad-lip or are you strict at following the script?
J.M.R. Luna: There were some scenes that allowed a little more freedom, which were more improvised, and there were others that stuck really close to the script. For example, the one in the hospital between Robert Patrick, Alan Tudyk and Milo... that was hilarious. One day, I should edit the bloopers and show it to the world.
Acting Indie: You see Ethan Tell constantly interacting with Beverly, the cop duo, his parole officer or Ray but there’s hardly any interaction between the other characters, not even between brother and sister. Was this a conscious directorial decision or was this carousel of interactions more something that grew while writing/editing the movie?
J.M.R. Luna: It was a conscious decision. We follow the story of Ethan Tell throughout the movie. It’s sort of a chandelier film. All of the characters interact with him, and only him. Pretty much like in The Big Lebowski, which is one of my favorite movies of all times.
Acting Indie: Moving on to the scoring of the movie. The opening theme is a completely different style from the music used in the rest of the movie. Did you just think: “This is one, kick-ass song”, or was there a specific thought process that you followed?
J.M.R. Luna: [laughs] It was a little bit of both. I remember in the 90s, they used to have these awesome credit sequences with awesome rock songs. I noticed in Indie filmmaking, people don’t generally pay a lot of attention to the credits. I think credits are very important, as they allow the audience to settle into a movie, so I wanted to grab their attentions and say: "Hey, leave your phone alone and get ready for the ride". Also... the song was awesome!
Acting Indie: Are there shots, camera turns or lighting moments in TELL you find particularly beautiful?
J.M.R. Luna: Before I started producing movies, I worked as a Director of Photography. While making this movie, I designed all the shots of the movie with our DP Yaron. I love how invisible the camera can be at times. Camera wise, I love all the hand held moves and choreography in the kitchen. I think it really helped bring a sense of realism to the performance, and gave the actors freedom to go where they wanted, without limiting themselves to the camera marks on the ground.
Acting Indie: From the moment you yell “That’s a wrap” to post-production to the release of the movie, how do you work through that? Take us through your post-production process.
J.M.R. Luna: It’s a very interesting process. You go from working with 100 people, to working with just one. For a few reasons that were out of our hands, editing the movie only started a few months after we wrapped. Then I literally edited the movie within 8 weeks with an amazing editor, Michael P. Shawver and then finished post production in 5 weeks. It was a very, very quick film. We needed it delivered, and we did all we could to do just that. I’d like to thank our amazing post production coordinator and the entire time, who worked around the clock to make that happen!
Acting Indie: Do you feel like the “TELL” you first read, is the movie we get to see, or is it quite different?
J.M.R. Luna: It is quite different. You read a script... then you rewrite it and it becomes something else. Then on set, it becomes something else. And then you get to the editing room and you take a breath and think "How do we make a movie out of this?" [lauhgs] Then you pull yourself together and create another movie... very different from the one you originally read.
Acting Indie: Tell (no pun intended) us something that happened on-set that you haven’t shared with people but can’t wait to share!
J.M.R. Luna: I ate Pho every day I was shooting [laughs]. I didn't have the energy to cook when I came home so I ate pho from the pho places around the corner. Mom, if you’re reading this... I know... I need to eat better!
They introduced me to Milo and his partner at Divide Pictures, Russ Cundiff and in the end, all of us, together made a fun little movie.
Acting Indie: Were there any significant changes that were made from the first draft to the film people get to see while watching TELL?
J.M.R. Luna: I think so. I did a lot of rewrites. But to be fair, nearly every director does. We change things until they fit with our personalities and with how we see the story. For example, the movie was written for an 80’s New York City which I then rewrote to a contemporary Los Angeles setting. I also rewrote parts because of budget limitations. We took out roughly 10 pages for that reason alone. I changed Jason Lee's character a little, thanks to his own input, which I think made the character so much deeper and richer. The general tone of the movie was also changed – slightly - to, what I thought would glue everything together a little more.
Acting Indie: How was the collaboration between you – directing – and the cast? Was there a lot of ad-lip or are you strict at following the script?
J.M.R. Luna: There were some scenes that allowed a little more freedom, which were more improvised, and there were others that stuck really close to the script. For example, the one in the hospital between Robert Patrick, Alan Tudyk and Milo... that was hilarious. One day, I should edit the bloopers and show it to the world.
Acting Indie: You see Ethan Tell constantly interacting with Beverly, the cop duo, his parole officer or Ray but there’s hardly any interaction between the other characters, not even between brother and sister. Was this a conscious directorial decision or was this carousel of interactions more something that grew while writing/editing the movie?
J.M.R. Luna: It was a conscious decision. We follow the story of Ethan Tell throughout the movie. It’s sort of a chandelier film. All of the characters interact with him, and only him. Pretty much like in The Big Lebowski, which is one of my favorite movies of all times.
Acting Indie: Moving on to the scoring of the movie. The opening theme is a completely different style from the music used in the rest of the movie. Did you just think: “This is one, kick-ass song”, or was there a specific thought process that you followed?
J.M.R. Luna: [laughs] It was a little bit of both. I remember in the 90s, they used to have these awesome credit sequences with awesome rock songs. I noticed in Indie filmmaking, people don’t generally pay a lot of attention to the credits. I think credits are very important, as they allow the audience to settle into a movie, so I wanted to grab their attentions and say: "Hey, leave your phone alone and get ready for the ride". Also... the song was awesome!
Acting Indie: Are there shots, camera turns or lighting moments in TELL you find particularly beautiful?
J.M.R. Luna: Before I started producing movies, I worked as a Director of Photography. While making this movie, I designed all the shots of the movie with our DP Yaron. I love how invisible the camera can be at times. Camera wise, I love all the hand held moves and choreography in the kitchen. I think it really helped bring a sense of realism to the performance, and gave the actors freedom to go where they wanted, without limiting themselves to the camera marks on the ground.
Acting Indie: From the moment you yell “That’s a wrap” to post-production to the release of the movie, how do you work through that? Take us through your post-production process.
J.M.R. Luna: It’s a very interesting process. You go from working with 100 people, to working with just one. For a few reasons that were out of our hands, editing the movie only started a few months after we wrapped. Then I literally edited the movie within 8 weeks with an amazing editor, Michael P. Shawver and then finished post production in 5 weeks. It was a very, very quick film. We needed it delivered, and we did all we could to do just that. I’d like to thank our amazing post production coordinator and the entire time, who worked around the clock to make that happen!
Acting Indie: Do you feel like the “TELL” you first read, is the movie we get to see, or is it quite different?
J.M.R. Luna: It is quite different. You read a script... then you rewrite it and it becomes something else. Then on set, it becomes something else. And then you get to the editing room and you take a breath and think "How do we make a movie out of this?" [lauhgs] Then you pull yourself together and create another movie... very different from the one you originally read.
Acting Indie: Tell (no pun intended) us something that happened on-set that you haven’t shared with people but can’t wait to share!
J.M.R. Luna: I ate Pho every day I was shooting [laughs]. I didn't have the energy to cook when I came home so I ate pho from the pho places around the corner. Mom, if you’re reading this... I know... I need to eat better!
"Beverly sounds a lot different with a Spanish accent!"
When the actors read it, even cold read it, all the characters came to life. You can imagine how different Beverly sounds when Katee reads it, compared to me reading it with my Spanish accent [laughs].
Acting Indie: Take us through the lead characters. Who do you think they are, their main characteristics, and what are some of the little cues or hints that might suggest them being different from how the audience perceives them after a first viewing?
J.M.R. Luna: This question might require a whole interview for itself. But I’ll say Beverly was challenging. You hate her throughout the movie, and close to end, you find out why. If you watch it again, knowing what you found out, I hope you won’t hate her as much. You can then pick up on some of the choices Katee made, and how subtle and great they really are.
Acting Indie: *Spoiler Alert* There is a little moment right before Beverley shoots Tell where the camera swerves down just a few inches ( “I can’t go to jail”). Was that your way of showing the audience that Beverly realized she was pregnant even though she doesn’t say it in the movie?
J.M.R. Luna: We believed that consciously or subconsciously, she knew something. And she instantly reaches for her belly, it’s very subtle. I’ve had people come up to me and say: "I knew she was pregnant right there” and I like it that way. I really liked the way it turned out.
Acting Indie: Take us through the lead characters. Who do you think they are, their main characteristics, and what are some of the little cues or hints that might suggest them being different from how the audience perceives them after a first viewing?
J.M.R. Luna: This question might require a whole interview for itself. But I’ll say Beverly was challenging. You hate her throughout the movie, and close to end, you find out why. If you watch it again, knowing what you found out, I hope you won’t hate her as much. You can then pick up on some of the choices Katee made, and how subtle and great they really are.
Acting Indie: *Spoiler Alert* There is a little moment right before Beverley shoots Tell where the camera swerves down just a few inches ( “I can’t go to jail”). Was that your way of showing the audience that Beverly realized she was pregnant even though she doesn’t say it in the movie?
J.M.R. Luna: We believed that consciously or subconsciously, she knew something. And she instantly reaches for her belly, it’s very subtle. I’ve had people come up to me and say: "I knew she was pregnant right there” and I like it that way. I really liked the way it turned out.
"We've had enormous problems with piracy..."
Acting Indie: While you were in post-production, which scene/actor and moment surprised you the most or got you completely carried away?
J.M.R. Luna: Faizon Love is really funny... so are Jason Lee and Alan. I was cracking up editing them.
Acting Indie: TELL has been out on VOD for a while; are you happy with the way it’s been making the rounds?
J.M.R. Luna: I don’t feel fully comfortable talking about what I would have done different if I knew what I know now. We’ve had enormous problems with piracy. There were over 200K illegal downloads in the first weekend and it breaks my heart thinking about it. I would have rather given it away than have it pirated...
Acting Indie: What do you consider to be the biggest victory in regards to the release of the movie?
J.M.R. Luna: The best part was buying tickets on a Thursday night for my own movie; together with 25 friends. Getting my popcorn, my soda...and just enjoying this funny little movie with the other people in the audience. Hearing them laugh... that was great.
Acting Indie: TELL was released in the US and the UK; are there any other countries who can expect a release any time soon?
J.M.R. Luna: Yes, we expect to go to many more countries soon. I will keep you guys posted!
Acting Indie: Was the European reaction to the movie similar or different from the US audience? Do you personally notice a difference between both sides of The Atlantic and how they respond to certain scenes or films?
J.M.R. Luna: In the UK, our reviews were a little better. The humoristic style of the film seems to work better in the UK than it does in the US. Besides that, I wish I had a better way of analyzing their reactions. It would be very interesting.
Acting Indie: Something random now. There’s this quip in the movie about a banana in a tailpipe which “they saw in the movie”… Beverley Hills Cop?
J.M.R. Luna: [laughs] Yeah, I love that movie. All I wanted to do was action comedies like BHC. What a great movie.
J.M.R. Luna: Faizon Love is really funny... so are Jason Lee and Alan. I was cracking up editing them.
Acting Indie: TELL has been out on VOD for a while; are you happy with the way it’s been making the rounds?
J.M.R. Luna: I don’t feel fully comfortable talking about what I would have done different if I knew what I know now. We’ve had enormous problems with piracy. There were over 200K illegal downloads in the first weekend and it breaks my heart thinking about it. I would have rather given it away than have it pirated...
Acting Indie: What do you consider to be the biggest victory in regards to the release of the movie?
J.M.R. Luna: The best part was buying tickets on a Thursday night for my own movie; together with 25 friends. Getting my popcorn, my soda...and just enjoying this funny little movie with the other people in the audience. Hearing them laugh... that was great.
Acting Indie: TELL was released in the US and the UK; are there any other countries who can expect a release any time soon?
J.M.R. Luna: Yes, we expect to go to many more countries soon. I will keep you guys posted!
Acting Indie: Was the European reaction to the movie similar or different from the US audience? Do you personally notice a difference between both sides of The Atlantic and how they respond to certain scenes or films?
J.M.R. Luna: In the UK, our reviews were a little better. The humoristic style of the film seems to work better in the UK than it does in the US. Besides that, I wish I had a better way of analyzing their reactions. It would be very interesting.
Acting Indie: Something random now. There’s this quip in the movie about a banana in a tailpipe which “they saw in the movie”… Beverley Hills Cop?
J.M.R. Luna: [laughs] Yeah, I love that movie. All I wanted to do was action comedies like BHC. What a great movie.
Acting Indie: For writers, the biggest difficulty – other than writing movies or series – is getting their writing out there, if you’re not connected to a studio or an indie production company. How do you suggest they get their work out there? Is it something you’d be open to? J.M.R. Luna: Writers are the most important people/creators in this industry. No script means no director means no actor means no movie. They just need to get out and write. Write about things THEY know. Write those |
things in a world or frame that’s different, but write about things you know and understand. I read over a 100 scripts a year. I can tell who is writing from their heart and who is lying to me, and tricking me. Write, and send it to writing competitions, send it to managers that manage directors, send it everywhere. We get very, very, very few good scripts and we’re always looking for more material, and. So is the rest of Hollywood, even if they don’t want to admit it :)!
We'd like to thank director J.M.R. Luna for his time and for sharing his experiences with us! If you're still not convinced, the trailer to TELL will definitely pursuade you!
Here are some useful TELL-related links for you in the mean time:
Get TELL via Amazon
Get TELL via ITunes
Visit TELL on Tumblr
Follow TELL on Twitter
Like TELL on Facebook
Follow J.M.R. Luna on twitter
Go to J.M.R. Luna's official website
Follow Milo Ventimiglia on Twitter
Follow Katee Sackhoff on Twitter
Follow Faizon Love on Twitter
Follow Robert Patrick on Twitter
Follow Alan Tudyk on Twitter
Follow Divide Pictures on Twitter
All media was used with permission of J.M.R. Luna
More Acting Indies?
Follow Acting Indie On Twitter Like Acting Indie On Facebook
Get TELL via Amazon
Get TELL via ITunes
Visit TELL on Tumblr
Follow TELL on Twitter
Like TELL on Facebook
Follow J.M.R. Luna on twitter
Go to J.M.R. Luna's official website
Follow Milo Ventimiglia on Twitter
Follow Katee Sackhoff on Twitter
Follow Faizon Love on Twitter
Follow Robert Patrick on Twitter
Follow Alan Tudyk on Twitter
Follow Divide Pictures on Twitter
All media was used with permission of J.M.R. Luna
More Acting Indies?
Follow Acting Indie On Twitter Like Acting Indie On Facebook
All rights reserved, no portion of this interview may be blatantly copy/pasted without prior consent and back linking to the original article © Acting Indie 2015