Interview with director Brian DiLorenzo
We spoke with filmmaker Brian DiLorenzo about his feature film MYTH. Watch here.
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How did you come up with the idea for this movie?
The summer after I graduated college, I spent a lot of time driving around my hometown in upstate NY, feeling anxious and uncertain about my future. I started to daydream about what would happen if one of my heroes, in this case a movie director such as Tarantino or P.T. Anderson, were to suddenly appear and need my help in some way. I then began to explore that idea in a more logical sense: What would the dynamics of that relationship be? Would it be of the nurturing kind or exploitative?
You wondered if one of your idols would come by and help you, and whether that would be exploitative. Our gut was to say… well, you think it would be exploitative, given the movie. But that’s not necessarily the case at least the whole way through. In a way in becomes parasitic. Can you talk a bit more about that?
I think it’s especially interesting examining artists in a pair or group dynamic, because there’s a naked desire and ambition that brings them closer together and unites them. They all believe in a collective dream, of being a rock-star filmmaker or actor, and achieving some sort of glory. Their individual interests however are what creates the conflict that simmers underneath. In “Myth” the protagonist Alex is exceptionally vulnerable because not only does he want to be closer to the spotlight, he also wants Ruby, the young woman at the center of the project. The director JP inherently understands this and uses this to his advantage. It’s not black and white. I believe Alex as a character isn’t completely hapless or naive; he knows to a certain extent this is the name of the game. He has to play his part, which means swallowing the bitter pill of heartbreak in the film’s final act. In the end, he sort of gets what he wants, which is to be a major player in a project that’s gaining notoriety. What happens next is left to the audience’s interpretation.
Do you think the exploitation or parasitic behaviors that these filmmakers exude are necessary? Do you think it’s possible to get away from them?
I think it’s quite possible to get away from exploitation, it is just a matter of communication and transparency. Certain filmmakers, such as Kubrick or even some of the earlier masters such as Hitchcock, weren’t exactly known for their generous sharing of ideas or concern for the wellbeing of their actors. They thrived off of their mystique and power, which left their actors in many situations alone in the dark. One of my favorite jokes in “Myth” is that JP considers himself in this camp, even though he has nowhere near the clout as any of these directors, except to Alex who worships him. I think the most interesting question to be raised is, do any of these tactics add anything to the final product? Could Kubrick have made “The Shining” as memorable if he was a bit kinder to Shelley Duvall? The truth is we’ll never really know. I can only speak for myself as a filmmaker, which just on a moral and ethical basis, couldn’t ever see myself acting in such a way. However, I think to project a certain amount of leadership and command on set, one can channel these filmmakers in smaller doses and borrow a (little) bit of their mystique, a little bit of their ego, without inflicting the pain it causes. The true mark of success for me is to complete a film, feel good about the process, and hopefully everyone else who participates will feel the same.
What drove you to use the visual language that you did for this particular movie?
As a first-time feature filmmaker, I would love to say I had that visual language implanted in my mind before we began, but that would be a lie. It really developed in my collaboration with my cinematographer Daniel Brady and what we called a “blue collar” approach to filmmaking. Shooting primarily on sticks, we let the action and performances play out mainly in mediums and close-ups. We discovered pretty early on the power of a simple rack-focus, shooting on long lenses, and pulling quickly from one character’s face to another. I was also extremely grateful for the decision to shoot in 4K, which gave me the ability to add subtle push-ins in post-production. This gave us enough visual flourishes to compensate for not having expensive rigs or dollies.
What other movies or arts did you consume in preparation, or what of those inspired you for this production?
There is a fairly overt sense of “meta” bubbling below the surface in this film — Works by the great Charlie Kaufman in “Adaptation” and “Schenectady, New York” helped us load-balance all the different contextual levels. Since our film was also about filmmaking itself, behind-the-scenes documentaries such as Vivian Kubrick’s “The Shining” featurette, as well as “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse” were enormously insightful.
Talk about a pleasant surprise you had during production.
The greatest surprise for me was watching the cast discover their characters for the first time. We didn’t have a ton of time to prep or rehearse, so getting to Day 1 of production was a bit of a sprint. I had no idea if anything was actually going to work off the page. Seeing the actors make those discoveries in real-time and embody the characters was one of the great joys of my life.
Talk about a pleasant surprise you had during post-production.
Music! When we began production, we already had the rights to the song “Isn’t It Funny” by the pop-electronic artist Suzie. It fit the theme and energy of the story so well, that I began digging through their entire discography for more needle-drops. What I found, incredibly, was not only tracks that fit the tone of the scenes but literally addressed elements of the plot. For scenes where characters were walking through a shopping mall or eating ice cream, Suzie already had tracks “The Mall” and “Icecream” brilliantly capturing the essence of our scenes, in ways we didn’t even know fit at the time.
Why do you think you were driven to make this specific movie at this specific time?
There was a lot of autobiography running through the entire project. Most of the production was spent in my hometown of Walden, New York, the last summer before my parents sold our childhood home. My main protagonist Alex’s house was my actual parent’s house, so if we missed anything or had to come back for reshoots, it wouldn’t be possible. Many of the locations in the film either shuttered, closed down, or were renovated after production ended, including a spooky old mill that is now a four-star winery. In a sense, it was capturing a moment in time and for me personally, definitively marked the end of a huge chapter of my life.
Did the film come out how you thought it would?
Ultimately…yes. Character beats, plot points, scene details, dialogue: all of these changes changed. Our set was an open, organic exchange of ideas between cast, crew, and myself. Whenever an idea was tossed around, it was always listened to, discussed, and finally decided on one way or another. However the feeling that I initially set out to capture, between my lead actors, that feeling was there in the final product.
Do you have your future filmography laid out?
Most definitely not! I throw myself so completely into every project that I do, I cannot see past the one I’m currently in to roadmap the others. I do know however that I want to focus on a new feature, which is what I am in active development now on.
If you could focus your life on one thing that didn’t have to do with movies, what would that be?
How to make more money…to ultimately fund more movies. Does that count?
What do you hope to pass along to other artists?
Embrace the messiness of a project. Sometimes it just feels like utter chaos. But being in the midst of it is a good thing, and you shouldn’t be scared of feeling your way around in the dark. Working on a new project from scratch I am constantly reminded of this. As I develop a new story with new characters, I realize how many questions I don’t yet know the answer to, and I think that’s okay.
How could your life, as a filmmaker and in reference to your career/art, be improved? What do you wish was different?
I wish I was a bit more prolific. I am quite envious of filmmakers that are constantly busy, finishing one project and moving on to another. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be the type of filmmaker that has a new film out every other year. I would love to be…but I know that will entail a lot more financial independence, which is something I am actively working towards.
