Your new movie The Loner - in a few words, what is it about?
The Loner
is about a hitman who reflects on the killing of his best friend from
years ago.
With
The Loner in its
essence being a gangster movie, is that a genre dear to you, and some of
your genre favourites? The crime genre
has always been dear to me. It's a genre I understand the most, it seems. I
relate to it the most out of any genre. I do enjoy drama and have always been
a sucker for comedies and horror. For some reason though, I keep navigating
back to the gangster genre. To turn the last question onto its head, how would you describe
The
Loner's approach to the gangster genre? I would
like to say that
The Loner
is more of character study of a mobster more so
than an actual gangster genre flick. The term "gangster genre" isn't so much a genre I believe as it falls into different lines of genres
such as drama. This film is more of a drama if anything and at it's heart,
a tragedy but I guess all crime/gangster films are. (Other)
sources of inspiration when writing The
Loner, and is any of it (apart from the hitman-aspect I hope)
based on personal experiences? I was mostly influenced by stories I heard
growing up around my Central Massachusetts neighborhood. A lot of the oldtimers I
knew all had a story about "This guy being a gangster" or
"This guy's father was a gangster" or "My barber moonlighted as
a hitman" and all these other urban legends and stories from the past. A
lot of the film is also influenced style-wise from John Cassavettes
films such as Killing Of A Chinese Bookie and other gritty crime
films such as Friends of Eddie Coyle, a film that I think is the most
realistic and most grounded attempt at the genre, and Bad Lieutenant with
Harvey Keitel. How would you describe
your directorial approach to your story at hand? I wanted the film to be really grounded and raw. This is
a day in the life of a gangster at the end of his tenure or rope. I wanted the
audience to feel like you were with Frank Rizzo. I wanted the film to have an
almost documentary style to it. You are with Frank playing cards, sitting in
the car, going to whack out someone. I guess that's why I have Marc Powers
stare directly into the camera at the opening of the film. Frank also talks
out loud to the audience as if they are right there with him in his car. I
wanted to show that realistically, this is not a cinematic life.
Do talk
about The Loner's
key cast, and why exactly these people? I wanted to
have a key core group of guys that I think realistically portrayed a cast of
what I call "Mafia misfits", younger guys trying to be cool and hip
and stylish. All dressed in suits, but you also see how the lower level guys
are dressed. Not as sharp as the Captains and higher ranking soldiers. I also
knew that I wanted small elements of comedy in this film. This is portrayed by
Justin Thibault's character, Johnny Five, who has a knack for asking the same
question five times. This is something that I found to actually exist in mob
circles. Tough guys with quirky like attitudes will often be found in the
underworld, and I knew I wanted talent. Everyone from the wiseguys to the
prostitutes were handpicked based on their talent alone. That's why you have
such heavyweights as Marc Powers as the lead and Dustin Teuber and Justin
Thibault and Sheri Lee and Craig Capone and Samantha Webb. A few words
about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? The shoot was long,
probably the longest shoot I've ever done. I'm sure tiring at times but a lot
of fun. It's always good to work on something you are passionate about.
Everyone on the cast seemed to enjoy themselves even if at times, they wanted
to kill me. The $64-question of course, where can
The Loner be seen?
https://www.facebook.com/thelonershortfilm
Anything you can tell us about
audience and critical reception of The
Loner? It seemed to garner some good feedback when it first premiered. The cast
and crew seemed to enjoy the film as did those who viewed it. I know some
people as far as New Zealand and England saw the film online and messaged me
regarding how much they liked it. Right now I'm just starting to put it out
there for critics to review and take a gander at. Any
future projects you'd like to share? Well right now, I am in post production on a few
films I shot over 2020. Can't say too much about them. I do have another film
that I'm also starting to submit for reviews, Cleaner - it's a love story also
taking place within the world of the mob. I'm trying to branch out as well and
write more comedies and different genres, but they say stick with what you
know. I'm also in pre-production with a smaller shorter film at the moment,
don't wanna say anything just yet, along with a comedy I've been planning for a
while with another actor, hopefully this summer. Your/your movie's
website, social media, whatever else?
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Feeling lucky? Want to search any of my partnershops yourself for more, better results? (commissions earned) |
The links below will take you just there!!!
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https://www.facebook.com/thelonershortfilm
- the link again for The
Loner Facebook page, as well as a link to my new production company's
Facebook page where you can see info on some upcoming films:
https://www.facebook.com/privateeyesfilms Anything else you're
dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? Nah I've bored anyone
who has had read this enough. Thanks for the chance
to be interviewed and talk about this movie. Thanks
for the interview!
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