Guest post by “Douchebag” writer/director Drake Doremus.
We actually shot “Douchebag” in two separate sessions over the course of a year and a half. The first time we went out we had a very specific outline from which the actors improvised from and the second time we had a loose script with lines actually written.
The first scene in the film for instance where Sam is laying in bed with Steph was mostly written and shot during the second session when we knew exactly how to set up the film. A lot of the rambling lecture scenes — like the scene on the beach about kites, the credit card fiscal responsibility scene, and the scene about our hands not being designed to tear flesh — were all shot the first time out when we had more character than story.
It wasn’t until after editing the first session’s material that I knew the exact pieces we needed to finish the story. The filmmaking process was very exciting and challenging for me but also very creatively freeing because I could keep writing and coming up with ideas after I’d shot, the film kept evolving that way and there was always a way to make things better. It’s really the only way I would work now I think. I learned so much.
In pre production a lot of what I was doing was watching Woody Allen films. I really admire him and his process on his films. I hate it in movies when actors wait for people to finish their lines before they speak. He really has a way of making things seem real and unrehearsed.
I read somewhere once that thirty percent of his film budgets are dedicated to reshoots and pick ups. That sure is a luxury but I sure love the idea of knowing you’re gonna shoot more and no matter what get it right for what you were trying to make.
I love that he makes at least a movie a year it seems, I’d love to be able to do that. I just shot my third feature this past June called Like Crazy and I’m very excited about it. It’s the story of a seven-year long distance relationship between a young man in Los Angeles and a young woman in London. It was mostly improvised from a fifty page outline, so I’m continuing to use this format. I’m cutting that now and I’d love to do my fourth in 2011. It’s hard to keep going so fast but as long as I have ideas that I’m passionate about I won’t stop.
After I’ve shot and have time to reflect and gain perspective on where the story wants to go, in a way it tells ME where it wants to go. The footage we had on Douchebag spoke to us and the rest of the story just kind of filled itself in and it was very clear at a certain point of what we needed. The story was always about two brothers and one was always getting married and they always went on the road to find Mary Barger so it was really just finding a support structure that finished telling that story. The ending for instance was literally filmed last on purpose always knowing that we wanted to build up to that and find what it was last just like the characters do in the story.
I guess you could say I’m always striving to find everything organically. I never want anything to feel forced or on the nose. I love subtly and and organic characters who are reacting genuinely to their environments and the scenarios that are thrown at them. That was always my goal on Douchebag. I love those moments on set when the camera is rolling and the actors don’t realize it for a while and then the scene starts organically without an ”action” or a mark being hit. There’s nothing more exciting then when the actor and the character become one.
To back track to the start of this whole thing…I was in the edit room with Andrew Dickler (who is a picture editor and not an actor, in fact never had acted ever before in his life) in 2007 and about a month in to working It hit me that I had to make a movie about him. It was a lighting in a bottle type moment. I had known Ben Jones since we were 16 doing plays in my mom’s theater basement and I had this idea that the two would have an anti chemistry, if you will, where there would be this natural conflict onscreen. The two become friends but always had the perfect onscreen anti chemistry. I always knew they had to be brothers at odds. The road trip aspect came later, It was much more interesting than the brothers sitting in a room and talking for 80 minutes.
I think the autobiographical part spawned from my real life relationship with Andrew in real life. We became fast friends but I always found myself in intense conversations about things with him that I never discussed with anyone else before, like weather figure skating was a sport or a dance contest and his opinion after he learned that I did not have a credit card and of course listening to his theories about eating meat and the environment. The character Andrew plays in the film is a very exaggerated version of himself and that was always the plan. Given that Andrew had never acted before I was and still am blown away at his ability to commit to the moment.
Check out the DOUCHEBAG trailer.
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Relish these reviews (and see it this weekend!):
“A bubblingly sharp, fresh, dark and winning comedy! A minimalist Sideways.”
– Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
“Surprisingly hilarious and cutting, this lo-fi comedy about two ill-matched brothers reconnecting while looking for one’s old sweetheart is distinguished by sharp dialog and terrific lead performances by Dickler and Jones.”
-New York Magazine
“Smart, surprising, and funny! Hollywood could learn a few lessons from this indie sleeper.”
– Leonard Maltin, Maltin on Movies, ReelzChannel
“Dickler gives an inspired comic performance!”
Keith Uhlich, Time Out New York
“Refreshingly original! Tremendously effective.”
-Metrosource
Drake Doremus, 27, a graduate of the American Film Institute, is the youngest fellow to be accepted into the program at the highly lauded institution. Doremus’ first feature film, SPOONER, premiered at Slamdance in 2009 and Won Best Feature at the Louisville International Fillm Festival, Mt. Rainier, Sonoma International, Newport Beach International and Lone Star International in Dallas. The film will be released theatrically by Moving Pictures in January 2011.
Doremus’ second feature film, DOUCHEBAG premiered in dramatic competition at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. The film is being released by Red Dragon and Paladin and will open in New York on Friday October 1st, followed by Los Angeles on the 8th and several prominent cities throughout October.
Doremus recently completed principle photography on LIKE CRAZY, his third collaboration with Jonathan Schwartz of Super Crispy Entertainment. LIKE CRAZY stars Anton Yelchin (STAR TREK, TERMINATOR SALVATION), Felicity Jones (THE TEMPEST, CEMETARY JUNCTION) and WINTER’S BONE sensation Jennifer Lawrence. It will be completed in 2011.
