LA BLUES
STARRING ANTHONY MICHAEL HALL AND DAVE FOLEY
And AUTHORS NEW BOOK
“HELLO” LIED THE AGENT
Published by: PHOENIX BOOKS
THIS IS PART TWO OF A TWO PART SERIES ABOUT IAN GURVITZ
Ian Gurvitz has been working in Hollywood for the past twenty years, predominantly as a TV writer/ Executive Producer. He has worked on such hit shows as, BECKER, GET A LIFE AND FRASIER. He has also written TV pilots and created and produced several network comedies under the banner of studio development deals at NBC Productions, Tri- Star TV and Paramount. Working as a director for Becker and segued into feature directing by writing the script for his new movie, LA BLUES. This is an independent produced project.
I conducted an interview with Ian about his book; which appeared in part one of this story, now we bring you part two- a question and answer series about his film. LA BLUES, which stars, Anthony Michael Hall and Dave Foley.
Q: What made you transition into film after being
a successful Tv writer?
A: Ian
I started writing spec screenplays years ago in New York. I optioned one. Did a rewrite on another but even when I started working in TV, I kept writing movies because I had ideas that went beyond the confines of the shows I was working on. TV writing is very specific. A script is written specifically for the characters of that show and within a strict schedule. So writing a screenplay in your spare time removes those limitations and allows you to write whatever’s in your head.
As far as producing it, that’s another story. Getting a movie made in the studio system is a one-in-a-million shot and the movies that get made tend to be formulaic. If what you’re written isn’t in a popular genre, it’s a tougher sell. About 12 years ago I had a script I like that I tried to do independently. After years of legwork, with various producers, directors, and actors attached or “interested” we could never put it together enough to get the money, so I let it go. But when I wrote this script I decided to bypass even that system and put up the cash myself. It’s amazing how many middlemen that removed from the process. Then it became a matter of casting and arranging the production, which the Producer, Randy Carter, put together drawing on his many contacts over years of production in both film and TV. We deliberately scheduled the shoot during TV hiatus to take advantage of both cast and crew availability. Basically, I just decided to produce and direct a movie I wrote. So I did.
Question: HOW DID YOU CONCEIVE OF THE STORY LINE?
A: Ian
There have been relatively few movies that portray guys with any degree of reality, such as Diner, Swingers, or Sideways. So when a TV pilot I wrote about this subject didn’t go, I liked this area enough to keep writing, expanding and changing it, while removing all the network TV limitations. It eventually grew into a very different screenplay about the way guys talk to each other, which is usually through insults and trash talk. It’s just the tone of the conversation.
Each guy in the story goes through a situation that guys go through, but in the context of the way guys relate, meaning none of them just reaches out for help. It’s all about hiding your feelings and putting on a front until the real stuff leaks out, or the guy just explodes. Or implodes.
Q. HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO OBTAIN FUNDING FOR AN INDY FILM?
A: Ian
Not difficult at all when you break the first commandment of Hollywood and put up the money yourself. So that’s the way I started out, guaranteeing that the funds would be there. The usual independent film casting game is that writers or producers submit scripts to a specific actor’s agent or manager and the first question is always: “Is this real, or are you trying to get my client aboard so you can use their name to troll for money?” I decided to circumvent that by saying the money was there and that we had a firm start date, which we did. You can’t get actors to commit without it and you can play “show me yours, I’ll show you mine” forever. My initial goal was to look for money once we had the cast in place but there was never enough time so at some point I just had to move forward and do it.
Question: How did you choose your cast? Were they difficult to secure?
A: Ian
For anyone who knows the casting process, you don’t just handpick actors, at least not at this level of filmmaking. We spent many months with the casting director making offers to actors, because names drive the business. Who’s in it becomes almost more important than what it is about. But because this was a low-budget movie, even actors who responded to the material passed because of the money. The ironic thing is that we went after many TV actors looking to get their hiatus movie and many times their agents came back asking “who else is in the movie,” saying their client didn’t want to be in a movie with just TV actors, to which we responded “but he is a TV actor. But everyone’s looking to trade up and get their career to the next level. So we eventually set up offices and began traditional casting, reading actors submitted by agents.
Only Dave Foley had read it earlier and had expressed interest. The other members of the cast fell in one by one. Casting is like dating. You meet a lot of people but then, out of nowhere, you fall in love and wonder how you could have liked anyone else. With casting, you need to do that over and over. And then hope you can make a deal.
Q. Can you briefly describe the story line?
A: Ian
L.A. Blues is set in a bar in Hollywood and is about a year in the lives of 6 friends who hang out there while going through problems ranging from drinking to gambling to divorce and child custody fights. At the opening, we learn that one of them may have tried to kill himself and the movie is told in flashback by one of the guys to a female detective, as he lays out what they’ve all been through. It’s sort of a whodunit/comedic drama as there are funnier moments and more serious ones.
Q. What are your plans for the film—festivals, distribution
A: Ian
The movie is presently out to distributors and has been submitted to a dozen upcoming film festivals. So we’re in “waiting to hear” mode, which is where most of show business spends most of its time--waiting for someone else to like what you’ve done.
Q. Do you hope to write and produce more films?
A: Ian
Absolutely, if I get the chance. Given the amount of micromanagement in television, taking control of a movie and making it on a small budget without any interference was a pleasure. I have another script I like and will try to do it again. Just not on my dime. I’m only stupid enough to do that once.
Q: What do you prefer—writing for TV or film?
A: Ian
Each has its good points. If you’re working on a good show and write a solid episode, it’s very satisfying. It gets produced in a short amount of time and it’s on the air soon after. Once that’s over, mentally and emotionally you can move on. A movie can take a year or more. You need to sustain a lot of passion for a long amount of time so you’d better be in love with whatever you’re working on.
Q. Any memorable stories from shooting the film?
A: Ian
This was done on such a tight schedule that there was almost no room for amusing anecdotes. As much of it takes place in a single set, it was sort of a movie/TV hybrid ion terms of the production. The cast and crew got along well and we pulled off what most people considered impossible, shooting 12 pages a day. Much of the time was spent at a sound stage in the Valley, so we hung out, ate, talked, watched the World Cup, then someone rang a bell and we continued shooting.
Although one day we were on location (at my house) shooting a scene in my pool where one of the guys visits his ex wife while she’s floating in the pool and, in a fit of anger, pulls out a gun and blows away a shark raft. (Our Jaws tribute.) The special effects guy had several days to prepare the effect, and all the cameras were in place but each time, the shark just fizzled out. Up to now the entire production had gone along with almost military precision and needed to continue that way, only now we were about to be derailed by an exploding shark. Finally, the guy had an idea, disappeared for an hour while we shot other stuff, then came back with a tank of propane, filled the shark again, and when the time came it blew up perfectly. The sigh of relief from the entire crew was almost louder than the explosion. Just shows you, you can’t plan for everything.
Q: How long did it take you to shoot this film?
A: Ian
We shot it in 15 days. 12 days on a soundstage, 3 days on location and wrapped the final night shot in a Hollywood parking lot just as the sun came up after pulling an all nighter. At this point we were done as both the sunlight and shortage of Red Bull meant we had to call it a wrap.
For More Information visit: LABLUESTHEMOVIE.COM, as well as a listing on MYSPACE under LA BLUES THE MOVIE
