By Michael Knox
Mknox@modernfilmzine.com
Jesse V. Johnson has made a career performing stunts in movies such as the new Michel Gondry directed “The Green Hornet” and Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.”
But while he’s earned most of his paychecks in front of the camera as a stuntman, Johnson is steadily building a career behind the camera as a director.
Johnson’s latest film, “Charlie Valentine” is a father and son family drama, disguised as a mobster movie. When Charlie Valentine pulls a heist that goes wrong, leaving his crew dead, he goes to hide out with his estranged son. There the story grows as the two reunite and get to know one another.
Notable character actor, Raymond J. Barry plays the lead character, “Charlie Valentine” with television’s “Navy NCIS” actor, Michael Weatherly starring as his son, who also wants to get more involved in the mobster scene.
Johnson worked with Weatherly and Barry on “Charlie Valentine,” but has made a career of being on movie sets even before getting behind the camera, thanks to his time as a stuntman.
Johnson has now performed stunts in more than 30 projects, including “Avatar,” according to the Internet Movie Database, and has directed nine films so far.
“The two jobs have always been interconnected for me. One didn’t lead to the other, so much as finance it and fuel it and motivate it,” Johnson said. “I love doing stunts. I love watching great directors at work. I left school very young, and stunt work has been my college and my film school, believe it or not.”
Johnson’s career helped give him the education he needed to film “Charlie Valentine” in less than a month. He shot the movie in just 18 days using, for the most part, a single location that doubled as different sets for the movie. The movie was shot in and around Willow Street Studios, downtown Los Angeles.
“Shooting this way minimizes transportation and driver costs, and really just makes things a lot easier. You have to be imaginative with your set design though,” Johnson said. “Look for the round concrete columns. They drove me mad. They’re in the strip club, Danny’s apartment, Rocco’s warehouse, Ferucci’s office. They are part of the structure but we had to keep hiding them, it was very frustrating. But the ease that shooting at one location brought was invaluable to this shoot, it just wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.”
Johnson is already planning his next movie, but sat down with ModernFilmZine to discuss his career as a stuntman, his work on “Charlie Valentine” and his memories of working with Raymond J. Barry and Michael Weatherly.
1. How did you first get involved in filmmaking and how has your career developed to allow you to work with the level of talent you have in “Charlie Valentine?”
“I was always a story-teller. My mother would rent a super eight movie projector for my birthday parties, and it was my favorite present. This was when a VCR was something only wealthy families could own. It sounds awfully quaint now, but it wasn’t so long ago, really.“
“Cutting ahead to the second part of your question, really it is the script that counts when you have less money to offer. ‘Charlie Valentine,’ was a script that excited managers and agents, and was thankfully passed onto clients. And Ted Warren, our casting director, was relentless in his pursuit of interesting names. We fought a lot, but it was good to have a collaborator like that. He should take a lot of the credit for the exceptional cast.”
2. What made you decide to do a gangster story to begin with?
“When I wrote the script I was at the tale end of a fantastic romance with French gangster movies. My wife and daughters and I had spent a Summer traveling around France, and I truly love that country. I found an old book on French Gangster movies in a brocante in Miropoix. The black and white pictures were really the initial inspiration, that and a personal story that was somewhat similar to the one Michael Weatherly goes through in the movie.“
“But then you always steal from your personal life. Ask any other writer. We’re the ones who listen during conversations. We steal, acquire and borrow from real life. Movies that borrow from other movies too much, tend to suck. I try to stick to real life. Of course that means you actually have to live life, too. Sometimes that can be hazardous, but the books and movies I love were written by men and women who put themselves in harms way.”
3. What made you decide to then weave that with the father and son reunion aspect of the story?
“I tended not to think of this as a gangster movie. Of course it falls into that genre, but as I wrote it, I wrote it as a love story between a father and son. The father is a rascal and a bit of a character, the kind of fellow who detests growing old, waking up alone, or actually having to work for a living. That might make him a gangster, but I feel it also makes him exceptionally easy to identify with.”
4. What were some of the challenges directing this script provided you and how did you overcome them?
“Well, the film did not have a studio sized budget or shooting schedule, and that brings it’s own challenges. We shot in one location for 17 of the 18 days. That was tricky, making sure it all seemed organic but different was a great challenge to Terry James Welden the production designer who is excellent and very, very creative.”
“ The one day on actual ‘location’ was an interesting exercise. Half the crew and the Cobra car (editor’s note: Charlie Valentine drives an antique Cobra in the movie) got lost trying to find the filming site. It’s funny looking back, but was sickeningly nerve wracking at the time. Basically I was very lucky, in that my executive producer, Edward Robin, was exceptionally generous and supportive and really just had great faith in my vision, my ideas, and backed me in every fight. You can’t ask for anymore”
5. What tips do you have to filmmakers getting started and what are some lessons you learned with “Charlie Valentine” that you can pass on to filmmakers getting started?
“Artistically, you must trust your instincts.”
“It is an incredibly personal thing, but while making the actual movie, try to shoot it at as few locations as possible. This allows you more time to focus on the work. Make sure the script is right before you start, this means harsh criticism, loving criticism, brutally honest criticism.”
“Do not start until you and all of your partners feel it is ready.“
“Finally find a great crew, and a great cast. Try to find supportive players, look into their eyes, try to assess their motivations, make sure they are in line with your own, not necessarily the same, but in line, and headed towards a similar final goal.”
6. What were some of the most interesting scenes for you to shoot on “Charlie Valentine?”
“I loved shooting the scenes between Raymond J. Barry and Michael Weatherly. I was so excited to photograph them together, they were so enormously gifted in their own ways, you really had to just point the camera and not screw up technically.”
“We would shoot the scripted scene, get it right, then improvise and try alternate ideas, until we felt we had the heart of the scene captured. Sometimes it stayed very faithful to the written word, other times we went in another exciting direction all together.”
“Raymond would do things, little things and I’d have to try to spot them and capture them, it was exciting and wonderful. Michael was a lot of fun, too, he brought a natural spontaneity to the character, to the scene, that was exceptionally refreshing for me.”
7. One thing I noticed in the film, was your use of the razor blade that Charlie has. It’s used to kill, but is also used to gently shave his grown son. For me, this one object showed the dual sides of Charlie’s personality. Was that a conscious act, or am I placing more importance on that then you intended? And if it was conscious how did you develop that angle, and what are some other things I might have missed that you used?
“Charlie is the razor blade, yes! I like that, although it’s an imperfect metaphor, because Charlie is not a benign character who then becomes dangerous, but the other way around.”
“The razor blade was an important part of English gangster lore. I was obsessed with the writing of Graham Greene as a child and was always going back to the slashing scene in ‘Brighton Rock.’ Really a razor is a terrible choice of weapon. You have to get close, really close, closer than with a regular fighting knife. It is the opposite of practical, but that’s what’s interesting about it.”
“There are other uses of visual and dialogue symbolism in the film, but, really if I have to point them out, I feel the film is failing, and left subtle, they are better absorbed, I think.”
8. What’s one of your best anecdotes/stories you have regarding working with Raymond J. Barry? And how did your working relationship develop with him?
“A young actor came in and started discussing the dialogue. Now, I’m always open to this, and actually enjoy a bit of give and take. It’s creative and alive, and fun, and usually yields good results. Raymond was sitting on the edge of the stage and I could see his body language changing, physically changing, getting more angular, irritated even.”
“The young actor was firing away suggestions, and they were getting a little wild, but not out of control by any means. He worked himself up a bit and turned to Raymond, who had his back to us, by the way, and asked, ‘What do you think if I say this…?”‘”
“Raymond was awkwardly silent for a long beat, then stood up very slowly, like a dramatic actor in a Greek tragedy. He turned to the young actor, looking down on him, through his imperceptibly slatted eyes and said in a low growl, raising the script in his right hand, somewhere between granite over gravel and chipped flint – ‘I signed on to play this character, in this script, and I intend to say the dialogue as it was fucking written.’”
“He stood absolutely still, not taking his eyes off the actor. I knew I had cast correctly at the moment, and I couldn’t help smiling as I calmed the young actors nerves. It was less a statement, as we of course played around with line changing on a daily basis, but a test of that young actor. He was auditioning the actor!”
9. What was your working relationship like with Michael Weatherly?
“Michael was just fantastic. You couldn’t wish for a more supportive, friendly, upbeat team player. He knew his character backwards, not a great deal of discussion, not a lot of agonizing, he went for it and enjoyed himself. But always careful, considerate, and artistic.”
“I do know the females on the crew would look extra made up and particularly well groomed whenever Michael was working. Strange, no?”
“He reminds me of a young Clint Eastwood in looks, I’d love to work with him again. I don’t know why he plays the fool on his TV show, and I do like him on it, but, he has so much more to offer as a leading man, he should be carrying major movies, I hope he does soon.”
10. What are some of the challenges “Charlie Valentine” faced with distribution?
“Sure, you can make films cheaply now with all the micro technology, but it is harder than it has ever been to make a profit, and this is what is killing the B-movie and it’s a real shame, but it will sort itself out.”
“Part of the problem is there is no tactile interaction anymore, you don’t go to stores and look through titles, you get your internet titles suggested to you by your download agent, someone controls this list, and it is decimating the market.”
11. Any other projects planned that you can talk about?
“Yes, I am returning to my more action oriented roots. I am bitterly frustrated by the state of action cinema, and feel more than ever it is time to shake things up.”
“Also, great action will be a way for me to compete with the majors. I just cannot afford to or seem able to get onto the radar of the major agencies, the agencies gate keeping the A list talent, and without an ‘A’ list name in your movie, you are relegated to the world of straight to DVD.”
12. What kind of research did you do for writing “Charlie Valentine?”
“My research is always a great fun part of the ‘job.’ I’m sure my computer IP address is listed on every federal agencies database —- Chicago Underworld, stolen electronics reselling, parole violations and officers protocol, knife fighting, wounds with razor blades. Killers who used razor blades.”
Johnson continued to discuss his research just on “Charlie Valentine,” adding more details he stumbled across.
“The correct way to shave with an open razor, a Mexican barber in the San Fernando Valley actually, this was quite enlightening to me and enjoyable. Cigar aficionado techniques, wound ballistics, images of men killed with blades, revolvers and shotguns. Opera translations and history, this was fun and I am a huge fan of opera music so it was really just brushing up on it.”
Johnson talked about how some information can be helpful for developing specific characters.
“I had worked with some strip club managers on another film ‘The Butcher,‘ so knew them quite well, and used some of their intimate language with Steven Bauer’s character.”
Johnson said his research also helped with fleshing out Raymond J. Barry’s performance as an old school gangster.
“I enjoyed watching a specialist show Raymond how to draw, reload and shoot his revolver in the manner of the old timers. It’s quite different to how they do it today. I brought in a character I’ve known for some time to chat with Raymond about actual knife fighting techniques and some of the things that might happen in real life.”
13. Any real people you borrowed from to flesh out the characters in “Charlie Valentine?”
“Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to have run into some real characters, men who truly live life by the second and who are uncompromising and honest to their ideals. I respect and actually envy them, they couldn’t get a movie made with their attitudes, but they have absolutely no interest in making a movie anyway. The amount of groveling, self emulating and ridiculous game playing would drive them nuts. They’d just walk away or shoot someone.”
“I enjoy these kinds of characters company (men and women by the way), and I think they put up with my questions. Whether society views them as heroes or villains, I believe they are important to us as a species. I like films about these kinds of men and women. I’m not really interested in films about nerds or geeks, there are great films being made on those subjects, but not by me.”
“Iconic characters, are rare, and inspirational, and I seek them out in literature and real life. The most obvious fictional character I borrowed from for ‘Charlie Valentine’ was Bob from, Jean Pierre Melville’s film, ‘Bob Le Flambeur.’ Otherwise the characters were based on real life as much as possible.”
14. What was the funniest moment you had filming “Charlie Valentine?”
“I was terrified, scared, exhilarated and downright panic stricken. I think it’s probably too soon afterward to ask about amusing moments, but I’m sure there were many.”
“I remember laughing a lot with Raymond, who has a very dry intelligent sense of humor. My crew seemed to always be smiling, but it’s very stressful, and events often aren’t immediately funny, per se.”
“Dominiquie Vandenberg always makes me laugh. He is a great friend and a supporter. Vernon Well’s hat in the movie made me laugh. It was a big black Russian bear skin thing. I have no idea why he chose it, but he wouldn’t budge and believed it was very much in character, but I giggle every-time I see it.”
15. Do you have an inspirational story for young filmmakers reading this regarding your work on “Charlie Valentine?” Was there ever a moment that you thought this movie wasn’t going to happen and you found a way to make it work? And if so how?
“Right up to the moment you step onto set you have that awful thought in your head, that everyone is going to be let down, there will be an awful admission by your financiers there is no money, everyone should go home.”
“I get it every movie, every goddamned time. You just have to bury it and continue full throttle ahead, not holding anything back, go for broke, put it all on black, cry Harry for England and Saint George!”
“2009 was my worst year ever, I had three huge projects implode, during casting and location scouting, I had a crew in Utah working for a month, that wasn’t paid, it was dreadful. I was in terrible shape financially, winning awards all over the world with ‘Charlie Valentine’ (at one point one a weekend for five weeks straight), but those don’t pay.”
“It’s a brutal street fight of a business, not for the squeamish, but when it clicks and goes right, brother there’s nothing like it, you’re in the company of Gods!”
16. Prior to filmmaking what did you do and how did that career lead you to writing and directing movies?
“I was always writing, however, I was an army cadet and a reserve, then I volunteered for commando school, where I was beaten senseless by a sergeant called Valentine.”
“I wasn’t considering getting out, but my uncle who is a successful stunt coordinator (Vic Armstrong), saw me in miserable shape and called me a ‘fucking idiot’ – he said I should come to work for him.”
“I went off to Mexico City, at 17 years old and did some stunts on Paul Verhoeven’s, “Total Recall.” I used the money I made there to back my first short film. I’ve been alternating between the two jobs ever since and have found a peaceful, and excitingly rewarding way to make it work. I’m really very, very lucky!”
17. What are some things your career as a stuntman taught you that helped you in working on “Charlie Valentine?”
“Obviously stunts and special effects protocol, what is and what isn’t safe or achievable. Although, I like to throw the unachievable at my stunt team to see what they come up with.”
“Most importantly, the ability to work with actors, to calm them, listen to their concerns, to get over the initial panic, that the person in front of you is your hero from a dozen movies, to show respect, but at the same time, listen to a worried, concerned artist.”
“I learned to love and respect the work that these people do, and what they do is incredibly difficult. Every so often I throw myself into someone else’s movies, give myself a talking part, and good lord I panic. It scares me to the very core of my existence. There is nowhere to hide no way of cheating it. These guys go through that every job they take. I love them for it!”
18. I saw that you did stunts in “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Green Hornet” can you talk a little bit about your work on those projects? And what can fans expect to see from Michel Gondry’s interpretation of “The Green Hornet?”
“I’m really not comfortable discussing those sorts of things. I know Garret Warren who coordinated ‘Alice’ is a genius and a very talented coordinator, he does most of my films, and I continually learn from him.”
“Vic Armstrong who directed the action in ‘The Green Hornet’ and ‘Thor,’ is a veteran and one of the most skilled action choreographers who has ever worked in the business. Watching him is like being a part of the most elite form of post-graduate film school study imaginable.”
“I also steal blatantly from him all the time. In 30 years plus of doing what he does he has rarely, if ever, consciously repeated himself. What a rare work ethic.”
19. What were some of the craziest stunts you did for “The Green Hornet” and what are some of the craziest stunts you’ve done in your career?
“Really, and this is a boring answer, the crazy stunts are the ones to avoid. You try to make something look crazy without endangering yourself or the crew. No one, not the director, certainly not the producers wants an injury or worse on set.”
“You’re job is to make it look dangerous. You have to be smart, calculating, rehearse a lot and be disciplined. The age of the gung-ho bone breakers is over.”
“People get upset at the sight of blood on a film-set. That said, my heart has raced a few times, and seeing your own broken bones protruding from your flesh is a grounding experience.
20. Is there anything you wished I asked you that I didn’t think to ask you that you would like to talk about?
“I should probably say that we had an incredible crew of committed young filmmakers, an excellent line producer in Kelli Kaye, and that truly the film would probably not have happened without this addition to the creative pot, of cast and script. A film is made by a lot of heads all thinking as one
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Raymond J. Barry stars in the FX's "Justified" and receives more accolades for role in "Charlie Valentine"
FX has hit with Elmore Leonard-inspired 'Justified'
By WALT BELCHER The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 12, 2010
The FX network has a hit in "Justified," an action drama about a modern-day federal marshal who wears a big ol' cowboy hat and carries a gun on his hip.
Timothy Olyphant stars as Raylan Givens, a wisecracking lawman who is banished to the backwoods of Kentucky after a shootout with a mobster in Miami.
Even though it was "justified," the gunplay lands Marshal Givens back in his home state where his father Arlo (Raymond J. Barry) is a drug dealer, his sexy ex-wife Winona (Natalie Zea) is available and many of his childhood chums are up to no good.
Colorful, violent and peppered with dry humor, "Justified" is based on characters created by crime novelist Elmore Leonard.
On this week's episode (10 p.m. Tuesday) we learn more about Arlo, played by veteran character actor Barry who recently received a lifetime achievement award at Tampa's Gasparilla International Film Festival.
"I was very flattered to get that honor," he said in a telephone interview, noting that at age 71 his career isn't over. "There were about 1,500 people at the event and I didn't know if I could give an acceptance speech, but I surprised myself," he said.
Barry has a familiar face because he's been acting in films and television since the 1970s. He is best known now for playing fathers. He was Tom Cruise's father in "Born on the Fourth of July."
He was the father of the murder victim in "Dead Man Walking." He was Pa Cox to John C. Riley's character in the comedy "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story," a role that left an impression. "People still come up to me and say, 'The wrong kid died!''' he says.
Last year, he played the father of Benjamin Bratt's character on "The Cleaner" and was Jack's (Matthew Fox) grandfather on "Lost."
He is currently playing two different kinds of fathers on TV series. He is Paul Cooper, long estranged father of "Cold Case" crime solver Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris) and he is redneck drug dealer Arlo Givens on "Justified."
"I've played everything from police and military officers to the vice president of the United States but my favorite roles have been as fathers who have kids with problems," said Barry.
Sometimes he is a nurturing father. Sometimes he is the father from hell.
"I am having a lot of fun with Arlo on 'Justified,''' he said. "It's great role. He is very charming and very violent … there are a lot of twists and turns in the character that appeal to me and the writing is really good."
Barry lists "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Dead Man Walking" among his favorite father roles.
He says he also enjoyed playing a grandfather in "Hamill," a 2009 independent autobiographical film about Matt Hamill, the first deaf wrestler to win a national collegiate championship. "His grandfather helped him get involved in wrestling and gain self-esteem," he said.
Barry also plays a father and gangster on the run in the independent action film "Charlie Valentine," which was screened during Gasparilla and will be shown this week at the Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg (www.sunscreenfestival.com).
By WALT BELCHER The Tampa TribunePublished: April 12, 2010
The FX network has a hit in "Justified," an action drama about a modern-day federal marshal who wears a big ol' cowboy hat and carries a gun on his hip.
Timothy Olyphant stars as Raylan Givens, a wisecracking lawman who is banished to the backwoods of Kentucky after a shootout with a mobster in Miami.
Even though it was "justified," the gunplay lands Marshal Givens back in his home state where his father Arlo (Raymond J. Barry) is a drug dealer, his sexy ex-wife Winona (Natalie Zea) is available and many of his childhood chums are up to no good.
Colorful, violent and peppered with dry humor, "Justified" is based on characters created by crime novelist Elmore Leonard.
On this week's episode (10 p.m. Tuesday) we learn more about Arlo, played by veteran character actor Barry who recently received a lifetime achievement award at Tampa's Gasparilla International Film Festival.
"I was very flattered to get that honor," he said in a telephone interview, noting that at age 71 his career isn't over. "There were about 1,500 people at the event and I didn't know if I could give an acceptance speech, but I surprised myself," he said.
Barry has a familiar face because he's been acting in films and television since the 1970s. He is best known now for playing fathers. He was Tom Cruise's father in "Born on the Fourth of July."
He was the father of the murder victim in "Dead Man Walking." He was Pa Cox to John C. Riley's character in the comedy "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story," a role that left an impression. "People still come up to me and say, 'The wrong kid died!''' he says.
Last year, he played the father of Benjamin Bratt's character on "The Cleaner" and was Jack's (Matthew Fox) grandfather on "Lost."
He is currently playing two different kinds of fathers on TV series. He is Paul Cooper, long estranged father of "Cold Case" crime solver Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris) and he is redneck drug dealer Arlo Givens on "Justified."
"I've played everything from police and military officers to the vice president of the United States but my favorite roles have been as fathers who have kids with problems," said Barry.
Sometimes he is a nurturing father. Sometimes he is the father from hell.
"I am having a lot of fun with Arlo on 'Justified,''' he said. "It's great role. He is very charming and very violent … there are a lot of twists and turns in the character that appeal to me and the writing is really good."
Barry lists "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Dead Man Walking" among his favorite father roles.
He says he also enjoyed playing a grandfather in "Hamill," a 2009 independent autobiographical film about Matt Hamill, the first deaf wrestler to win a national collegiate championship. "His grandfather helped him get involved in wrestling and gain self-esteem," he said.
Barry also plays a father and gangster on the run in the independent action film "Charlie Valentine," which was screened during Gasparilla and will be shown this week at the Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg (www.sunscreenfestival.com).
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Inside the Mind of Director Jesse V. Johnson
Jesse V. Johnson, the brilliant director behind "Charlie Valentine", gives an intimate interview on the making of the film from conception through completion.
Q1. You said a motivator for writing “Charlie Valentine” was “a fear of repeating yourself”. What were you trying to create (and not repeat) in “Charlie Valentine”?
A. Well, I wrote and directed a film called “The Butcher” with Eric Roberts which involved an aging gangster and the L.A. underworld. I didn't want to do the same thing again, so, without it being a big deal, I tried to be cautious. It was really only a consideration in the script stage, each film takes on a life of it's own once you cast and start to build it.
In a character breakdown I wrote for myself, Charlie and Merle (the lead characters in “The Butcher”) knew each other in passing. Before Charlie left for Chicago, he was involved in a planned "hit", but Merle, who was a little younger and eager to prove himself, made it to the victim ahead of Charlie - the scene that Charlie walked in on is the "gory" act that warranted Merle his nickname of the Butcher.
I almost had this as a voiceover, when Charlie is explaining why he left California , but it felt top heavy and awkward, so I only kept the part about "the morality of others", which now plays over the end titles.
As it happens, I have two more projects involving hoodlums past their prime trying to scratch out a living in Los Angeles, and I don't think any of them repeat material. I like this genre, and if I was born 50 years earlier, I would be making westerns if I could. I would love to have been Anthony Mann or Bud Boetticher working with Gary Cooper or Joel McCrea.
Q2. There were plenty of scenes that displayed close-ups of the characters in the film, even slow motion shots that allowed the audience to really get a good look at the gruesome massacres that took place. How much input did you have regarding wardrobe and makeup?
A. The script for “Charlie Valentine” was very specific in what it called for, with detailed description of what various characters were to be wearing. The practical interpretation of this description involves a fair amount of creative ingenuity of course, and the wardrobe designer, Stacy Ellen Rich is someone I have worked with before and trusted. She has really stylish, had creative suggestions, and she certainly helped bring the characters to life with respect to what they are wearing and how their past life, chosen work, or sense of life-style influenced what they wore.
Stacy found a particular men's clothing shop in Los Feliz called JAKE, which specializes in retro and original antique clothing, the owner has a greased DA hairdo, and a vinyl record player blasting 60's era tunes, specifically the 1960's style Brat pack suits, all day. We decided early on that that was going to be our style choice for pretty much all of the male characters in the movie, the owner of the store was thrilled to have us there, and we brought the cast by individually for fittings; they really got the opportunity to think about their creative choices. I think that this is one of the most enjoyable ways to put a character together. I believe it also cemented a certain style for the whole movie, the clothes were all handpicked for the store, and then we chose the most interesting from that selection; so it fits that there might be a distinct theme.
Would real criminals honestly wear these outfits or talk this way? Probably not; but in the world of “Charlie Valentine”, it is absolutely authentic and there was reasoning and forethought behind every decision. There's a beautiful quote at the beginning of “Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid”, which I will paraphrase - "Most of what follows is true..." - going with that philosophy, “Charlie Valentine” was always intended to be a film that represented the way it should or could be, rather than actually how it is.
It had to be a very organized shoot to make the most of everyone’s availability. So I had to be very specific with what was required of makeup, as this is not something you want to wing at the last minute; the makeup effects were described in detail in the script.
Q3. On the film’s website, Charlievalentinethemovie.com, it states that you have had a successful career as a stunt coordinator and performer. To what extent were you involved in the stunt coordination and choreography for this film?
A. There really wasn't a vast amount of stunt work in this movie. We worked hard to create an environment where the actor's themselves performed the greater proportion of the stunts and “safetying” them without restricting their creative urges was the most serious consideration we had to deal with - of course this is probably one of the trickiest kinds of stunt coordination there is, especially with firearms, fights, special effects, cars and roof top chases. Michael Weatherly was very gung-ho; my friend Vernon Wells was desperate to kill himself by hanging over the side of a building, but I had to beg him not to take so many risks and it was exciting.
The fight choreography was worked out by the cast and the fight coordinator, Luke Lafontaine. Dominiquie Vandenberg (who plays Dominiquie) is one the stand alone, best fight guys in the world, so we were extremely fortunate, as I think it was the least amount physically he has ever had to do for a role. They would bring me their ideas in the form of a rehearsal, I gave my input, they disappeared and either incorporated my feedback, or came back with something completely different, at which point I was either overwhelmed by how creative they had been, glowing inwardly or lost my temper and threw coffee cups at them.
Raymond Barry would do anything that was asked of him in the script. He committed 100% and was ready to do anything that was required. I am still impressed by his energy and resolve; he would outpace many younger guys, but it wasn't an ego thing. Raymond is the kind of actor who commits totally to the role; to him having a stunt double do a stunt he could do himself would be unthinkable. I have a lot of respect for him, especially considering his very peaceful nature as a human; he is a painter and play-write, and cerebral, he loathes firearms, but committed himself to studying them anyway. He trained in knife fighting with a friend of mine, was tutored in IPSC fast pistol shooting my Dutch Merrick, and took Opera and shaving lessons that would be lessons in the use of the open razor, which are still given, surprisingly enough.
Overall though, the idea was not to have an action or stunts motivated film. Those elements are there, of course, but I hope they play a distinct second fiddle to the characters, the story. I really wasn't terribly interested in the mechanics of the action on this movie, I wanted to focus on the cast and what they were doing, thinking, or how they felt about what was going on.
This was a first for me, in that respect, and really quite liberating. Charlie Valentine (the character) has an interesting and complex relationship with firearms - he hates them, but realizes that he can't live without them, he isn't a good shoot, but will run up close and jam the gun in your ribs, to be sure - he's different to any other character I have written to this date, and it took some discipline not to revert to the superficial satisfaction of a shoot out without consequence, which anyone can do. Who knows if I pulled it off, but it was a step in an interesting direction, more honest, real. Those aren't nameless bodies falling, but dear old friends and associates.
Q4. In your biography (on the film’s website) it states that you are fascinated with the themes of crime, punishment and redemption. You also stated in another interview that your inspiration for this feature film has been drawn from the films of "Melville and Goddard" as you began writing your script in the South of France. Are these themes only partial to your inspiration for “Charlie Valentine”?
A. My whole life I've been haunted by the same nightmare: I'm hiding a body rolled up in a Turkish rug, and the sun is coming up and everywhere I put this damned body it's going to be discovered. Criminals fascinate me, I can't sleep if I cut someone off in traffic and it upsets them, these guys blinker themselves to the misery they cause (or are immune to it), and choose to do what they do and sleep at night, it all fascinates me. I like talking with these guys. I know a lot of ex-criminals, I think criminals are in tune with who is a potential sympathizer and who has no empathy for them, it's a part of their survival instinct. Maybe they tell their stories to anyone who'll listen, but they certainly seem to single me out as an ally and coconspirator. Most of the characters in “Charlie Valentine” were based on actual persons or incidents from stories related to me, which I'm sure were exaggerated or often outright fiction, but entertaining nevertheless.
The French crime films of the 50's and 60's appeal to me, I think because they were made by Europeans in love with American gangster movies, and the results were a blending of two sensibilities. In the U.S. gangsters have always been obsessed with fairly simplistic goals, money and power for example. I felt this was a rather boring common denominator; French gangsters often had far more complex motivators, often not understanding why they were doing what they were doing, and why they had been doing it all their life, was enough.
Stylistically I find the French new wave very fresh, fresher inspiration than a lot of modern cinema, they have certainly influenced me in that respect. Melville particularly, created a world in his movies that really never existed anywhere, but worked and felt real because of the care that he gave to the work. Bob le Flambeur was an enormous inspiration, and if Charlie was ever likened to anyone in cinema, I would love for it to be Bob the gambler.
I prefer to write while travelling; my head is just more fertile when it's being bombarded by new sensations, locations, food, people, and languages. Paris has probably a more distinct thumbprint on this movie than the south.
Q5. Most gangsters in films usually seem to have a flair for food, as did the character of “Charlie Valentine”. Was the idea to include that detail a given or was there a different reason for it?
A. Charlie's aim is to cheat Danny into trusting him and letting him stay. Charlie passes himself off as a chef, an opera aficionado, a great dresser, a story teller, a man of the world. He's interesting and represents everything Danny isn't - later we find out it's all a bit of an act, and truthfully, Charlie is a rascal and a coward, who really only knows the footnotes to what he's quoting, and can cook only one or two dishes, he's wrong about almost everything he quotes intellectually, and is immoral and faithless.
The fact that food is used in a lot of crime movies is probably more to do with the hedonistic lifestyle that free money supposedly allows.
Q6.Was any particular role in “Charlie Valentine” more difficult to cast than the others?
A. I agonize over all of the casting, especially the key roles. It's rarely easy, rarely proceeds without a hitch. I have a very clear idea of the character when I write the script, what he looks like, how he dresses, how he responds to certain stimuli. However, the moment I start casting, I find it easier to blank that slate and watch how the actors interpret my writing on their own, specifically without additional direction from me - I make the whole script available online to anyone reading for a role, no matter how small.
It was a tumultuous casting period, and none of the roles were easy to cast. But this is often the case, and casting is really one of the more creative and exciting aspects of movie making. Ted Warren (Tondino/Warren Casting) one of the casting directors on Charlie Valentine, was also a producer, effectively my boss, so this was a reverse dynamic and not necessarily the way I would chose it to be. He is, however, very thoughtful and educated and knows the business back to front, so we saw a lot of great talent. Two fantastic auditions that really stuck with me were Michael Pare and Louis Mandylor; I will definitely try to work with them in the future.
The role of Charlie was very difficult to fill, and we couldn't really hire the actor to play the son until we had secured the father. One of my favorite actors is Keith David. I had put his name forward for a while and I was quite excited about that prospect. Raymond Barry came in early for the role of Becker, and sold himself as our Charlie, we allowed him to show us what he had prepared and in fairly short order we found ourselves returning to him as the standard to beat.
Q7. Which role was the easiest to cast and why?
A. Dominiquie was written for my good friend Dominiquie Vandenberg, so it was not a matter of casting it, per se, but it was the quickest role to be filled. I wanted someone who could represent an incredible malevolent, unstoppable presence without talking much at all; it was obvious it should be Dominiquie when I wrote it. Dominiquie was a great supporter of mine when I was cutting my teeth, and is quite a character in his own right.
Q8. Michael Weatherly seemed to be the perfect choice for the role of Danny. Did you have him in mind for this particular role from the beginning?
A. Not at all. The part was written for a very different physical type. Also, I had never seen “NCIS” so I wasn't at all familiar with his work prior to casting. We were looking at a few different names; Michael just looked more like Raymond Barry than the others, and had shown an ability to portray character traits that I thought would work for Danny. Danny is a little insecure, troubled, physically handsome, but always seems a little uncomfortable in his own skin. Michael seemed to get this aspect of the role, and worked at it. He is fantastic on set, a dream to work with, the crew loved him and he is always coming up with interesting suggestions and ideas, many of which were incorporated into the movie.
Q9. “Charlie Valentine” has won several international awards thus far. As a result of this response, what are your overall expectations for the film?
A. I did not expect Charlie to get into any festivals, let alone win anything. I certainly didn't set out to make a festival movie. My view of festivals had always been a rather sour one, based on past experience, so I was speechless when we cleaned up at the AOF in Pasadena, then a screenplay award in Monaco, and the Silver Award at CCIFF was surreal. The film is still going strong on the festival rounds and I have been fortunate enough to have travelled all over the world with it and met a lot of very interesting and passionate film makers.
My aim, however, is still to have “Charlie Valentine” be a theatrical movie. It was designed and drafted for the big screen; the music and cinematography are there to be experienced, not watched on a laptop. Obtaining a theatrical release, even a small one is a matter of cast, finance, timing and luck.
Q10. How long did the entire film take to make from conception through final edits?
A. I think it was a year or so.
Q11. How long did you shoot the film and in what locations was it filmed?
A. It was shot principally over 18 days, 17 of those were at a warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles, Las Vegas and in the high desert. We shot a reduced unit after the first picture edit, for two days, on the run, picking up exteriors and travelling shots of the cars.
Q12. As a director, do you purposely cast the same actors for previous films you have completed?
A. Yes, when I find an actor who delivers consistently I try hard to keep him around. There are a good many actors that I am lucky enough to have worked with who are just extremely talented and good at what they do.
Q13. You have stated that you found yourself returning to Raymond J. Barry who initially auditioned for the role of Becker, the parole officer. Why did you choose to cast him as Charlie Valentine in the end?
A. He really matched what we were going for. It's instinctual for the most part; I liked the decisions he made in the auditions, and saw something of Charlie Valentine in a film he had done called “Interview with the Assassin” - that threat of violence just below the polite/amiable exterior.
Q14. Which character in “Charlie Valentine” can you relate to most? Why?
A. 100% Charlie; I like him the most. He really isn't greedy or so terribly evil, but the way he has lived life appeals to me. When Charlie reached that fork in the road where he could choose the selfish comfortable road or the generous harder road, he always chose the selfish road. I think it's to do with his mental programming; he's a great believer in the ultimate strength of the human species, meaning he buys into the view that people will look after themselves no matter how bad a position they are in when he decides to split on them.
He's an optimist in all things except his own fate. He has no conscience to speak of, no guilt, no qualms at night; he is a hedonist and a liar, but it's not a formulated attitude, it is just who he honestly is. Sometimes I'm jealous of him, but ultimately we are who we are. I'm not at all like him, but he is the character I most relate to. He is also the character I would like others to relate most to as well.
Haven't you ever thought about waking up at 3 in the afternoon, pulling on an Italian wool suit with handmade shoes, and strapping on a revolver, and after kissing your lover (many years your junior) goodbye, you plan to pull a heist, that may or may not set you up like a king for a year or two. No bills, no responsibilities, no rent, no car payments, no conscience, no problems; well perhaps not.
Q15. You’ve been quoted stating that “Charlie Valentine” is a film you have wanted to make for some time now.
A. I have been lucky enough to make a number of action oriented lower budget films, my stunt background no doubt helped in getting these assignments and as much fun as they are to shoot, the scripts were often weak, or were weakened by producers wanting to dumb down dialogue, or story. I was often not involved with the casting or editing, and often unable to alter the script. These works served as a great learning environment, and I'm thrilled to have made them, but I really wanted an opportunity to make a film that had some heart, being character driven instead of effects motivated. It was quite a decision and I am so pleased that people seem to enjoy the picture. I was really very fortunate to have Edward Robin as my executive producer; he was so supportive of the script, and really gave me a very free hand. He didn't make any script changes and basically supported my edit of the movie. It was a very unique position for me. I of course realize how incredibly lucky I was. Having a supportive producer, like Edward Robin, is certainly an enormous asset when it comes to making a satisfying film.
Q16. Edward Robin just bought another script of yours “set in a similar world to ‘Charlie Valentine’”. Is there anything you’d like audiences to know in anticipation of what’s to follow?
A. Edward Robin is an excellent producer and understands the artistic side of movie making. He is a singer and music aficionado, too, and really terrific to work for. That script does echo certain similar themes, but the two characters it follows are very, very different to either Danny or Charlie Valentine. The style of the story will be very different. We are planning to take a very modern technical approach, whereas “Charlie Valentine” was specifically designed to feel like a film from another era, down to the style of photography. This next one will feel very prescient in comparison, but the world the characters inhabit will perhaps feel just a little bit familiar.
It will be exciting, dynamic and character driven, you will be seduced, then betrayed, shot at and robbed, but ultimately you'll look back on it all as great adventure and feel privileged for having been there.
Q1. You said a motivator for writing “Charlie Valentine” was “a fear of repeating yourself”. What were you trying to create (and not repeat) in “Charlie Valentine”?
A. Well, I wrote and directed a film called “The Butcher” with Eric Roberts which involved an aging gangster and the L.A. underworld. I didn't want to do the same thing again, so, without it being a big deal, I tried to be cautious. It was really only a consideration in the script stage, each film takes on a life of it's own once you cast and start to build it.
In a character breakdown I wrote for myself, Charlie and Merle (the lead characters in “The Butcher”) knew each other in passing. Before Charlie left for Chicago, he was involved in a planned "hit", but Merle, who was a little younger and eager to prove himself, made it to the victim ahead of Charlie - the scene that Charlie walked in on is the "gory" act that warranted Merle his nickname of the Butcher.
I almost had this as a voiceover, when Charlie is explaining why he left California , but it felt top heavy and awkward, so I only kept the part about "the morality of others", which now plays over the end titles.
As it happens, I have two more projects involving hoodlums past their prime trying to scratch out a living in Los Angeles, and I don't think any of them repeat material. I like this genre, and if I was born 50 years earlier, I would be making westerns if I could. I would love to have been Anthony Mann or Bud Boetticher working with Gary Cooper or Joel McCrea.
Q2. There were plenty of scenes that displayed close-ups of the characters in the film, even slow motion shots that allowed the audience to really get a good look at the gruesome massacres that took place. How much input did you have regarding wardrobe and makeup?
A. The script for “Charlie Valentine” was very specific in what it called for, with detailed description of what various characters were to be wearing. The practical interpretation of this description involves a fair amount of creative ingenuity of course, and the wardrobe designer, Stacy Ellen Rich is someone I have worked with before and trusted. She has really stylish, had creative suggestions, and she certainly helped bring the characters to life with respect to what they are wearing and how their past life, chosen work, or sense of life-style influenced what they wore.
Stacy found a particular men's clothing shop in Los Feliz called JAKE, which specializes in retro and original antique clothing, the owner has a greased DA hairdo, and a vinyl record player blasting 60's era tunes, specifically the 1960's style Brat pack suits, all day. We decided early on that that was going to be our style choice for pretty much all of the male characters in the movie, the owner of the store was thrilled to have us there, and we brought the cast by individually for fittings; they really got the opportunity to think about their creative choices. I think that this is one of the most enjoyable ways to put a character together. I believe it also cemented a certain style for the whole movie, the clothes were all handpicked for the store, and then we chose the most interesting from that selection; so it fits that there might be a distinct theme.
Would real criminals honestly wear these outfits or talk this way? Probably not; but in the world of “Charlie Valentine”, it is absolutely authentic and there was reasoning and forethought behind every decision. There's a beautiful quote at the beginning of “Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid”, which I will paraphrase - "Most of what follows is true..." - going with that philosophy, “Charlie Valentine” was always intended to be a film that represented the way it should or could be, rather than actually how it is.
It had to be a very organized shoot to make the most of everyone’s availability. So I had to be very specific with what was required of makeup, as this is not something you want to wing at the last minute; the makeup effects were described in detail in the script.
Q3. On the film’s website, Charlievalentinethemovie.com, it states that you have had a successful career as a stunt coordinator and performer. To what extent were you involved in the stunt coordination and choreography for this film?
A. There really wasn't a vast amount of stunt work in this movie. We worked hard to create an environment where the actor's themselves performed the greater proportion of the stunts and “safetying” them without restricting their creative urges was the most serious consideration we had to deal with - of course this is probably one of the trickiest kinds of stunt coordination there is, especially with firearms, fights, special effects, cars and roof top chases. Michael Weatherly was very gung-ho; my friend Vernon Wells was desperate to kill himself by hanging over the side of a building, but I had to beg him not to take so many risks and it was exciting.
The fight choreography was worked out by the cast and the fight coordinator, Luke Lafontaine. Dominiquie Vandenberg (who plays Dominiquie) is one the stand alone, best fight guys in the world, so we were extremely fortunate, as I think it was the least amount physically he has ever had to do for a role. They would bring me their ideas in the form of a rehearsal, I gave my input, they disappeared and either incorporated my feedback, or came back with something completely different, at which point I was either overwhelmed by how creative they had been, glowing inwardly or lost my temper and threw coffee cups at them.
Raymond Barry would do anything that was asked of him in the script. He committed 100% and was ready to do anything that was required. I am still impressed by his energy and resolve; he would outpace many younger guys, but it wasn't an ego thing. Raymond is the kind of actor who commits totally to the role; to him having a stunt double do a stunt he could do himself would be unthinkable. I have a lot of respect for him, especially considering his very peaceful nature as a human; he is a painter and play-write, and cerebral, he loathes firearms, but committed himself to studying them anyway. He trained in knife fighting with a friend of mine, was tutored in IPSC fast pistol shooting my Dutch Merrick, and took Opera and shaving lessons that would be lessons in the use of the open razor, which are still given, surprisingly enough.
Overall though, the idea was not to have an action or stunts motivated film. Those elements are there, of course, but I hope they play a distinct second fiddle to the characters, the story. I really wasn't terribly interested in the mechanics of the action on this movie, I wanted to focus on the cast and what they were doing, thinking, or how they felt about what was going on.
This was a first for me, in that respect, and really quite liberating. Charlie Valentine (the character) has an interesting and complex relationship with firearms - he hates them, but realizes that he can't live without them, he isn't a good shoot, but will run up close and jam the gun in your ribs, to be sure - he's different to any other character I have written to this date, and it took some discipline not to revert to the superficial satisfaction of a shoot out without consequence, which anyone can do. Who knows if I pulled it off, but it was a step in an interesting direction, more honest, real. Those aren't nameless bodies falling, but dear old friends and associates.
Q4. In your biography (on the film’s website) it states that you are fascinated with the themes of crime, punishment and redemption. You also stated in another interview that your inspiration for this feature film has been drawn from the films of "Melville and Goddard" as you began writing your script in the South of France. Are these themes only partial to your inspiration for “Charlie Valentine”?
A. My whole life I've been haunted by the same nightmare: I'm hiding a body rolled up in a Turkish rug, and the sun is coming up and everywhere I put this damned body it's going to be discovered. Criminals fascinate me, I can't sleep if I cut someone off in traffic and it upsets them, these guys blinker themselves to the misery they cause (or are immune to it), and choose to do what they do and sleep at night, it all fascinates me. I like talking with these guys. I know a lot of ex-criminals, I think criminals are in tune with who is a potential sympathizer and who has no empathy for them, it's a part of their survival instinct. Maybe they tell their stories to anyone who'll listen, but they certainly seem to single me out as an ally and coconspirator. Most of the characters in “Charlie Valentine” were based on actual persons or incidents from stories related to me, which I'm sure were exaggerated or often outright fiction, but entertaining nevertheless.
The French crime films of the 50's and 60's appeal to me, I think because they were made by Europeans in love with American gangster movies, and the results were a blending of two sensibilities. In the U.S. gangsters have always been obsessed with fairly simplistic goals, money and power for example. I felt this was a rather boring common denominator; French gangsters often had far more complex motivators, often not understanding why they were doing what they were doing, and why they had been doing it all their life, was enough.
Stylistically I find the French new wave very fresh, fresher inspiration than a lot of modern cinema, they have certainly influenced me in that respect. Melville particularly, created a world in his movies that really never existed anywhere, but worked and felt real because of the care that he gave to the work. Bob le Flambeur was an enormous inspiration, and if Charlie was ever likened to anyone in cinema, I would love for it to be Bob the gambler.
I prefer to write while travelling; my head is just more fertile when it's being bombarded by new sensations, locations, food, people, and languages. Paris has probably a more distinct thumbprint on this movie than the south.
Q5. Most gangsters in films usually seem to have a flair for food, as did the character of “Charlie Valentine”. Was the idea to include that detail a given or was there a different reason for it?
A. Charlie's aim is to cheat Danny into trusting him and letting him stay. Charlie passes himself off as a chef, an opera aficionado, a great dresser, a story teller, a man of the world. He's interesting and represents everything Danny isn't - later we find out it's all a bit of an act, and truthfully, Charlie is a rascal and a coward, who really only knows the footnotes to what he's quoting, and can cook only one or two dishes, he's wrong about almost everything he quotes intellectually, and is immoral and faithless.
The fact that food is used in a lot of crime movies is probably more to do with the hedonistic lifestyle that free money supposedly allows.
Q6.Was any particular role in “Charlie Valentine” more difficult to cast than the others?
A. I agonize over all of the casting, especially the key roles. It's rarely easy, rarely proceeds without a hitch. I have a very clear idea of the character when I write the script, what he looks like, how he dresses, how he responds to certain stimuli. However, the moment I start casting, I find it easier to blank that slate and watch how the actors interpret my writing on their own, specifically without additional direction from me - I make the whole script available online to anyone reading for a role, no matter how small.
It was a tumultuous casting period, and none of the roles were easy to cast. But this is often the case, and casting is really one of the more creative and exciting aspects of movie making. Ted Warren (Tondino/Warren Casting) one of the casting directors on Charlie Valentine, was also a producer, effectively my boss, so this was a reverse dynamic and not necessarily the way I would chose it to be. He is, however, very thoughtful and educated and knows the business back to front, so we saw a lot of great talent. Two fantastic auditions that really stuck with me were Michael Pare and Louis Mandylor; I will definitely try to work with them in the future.
The role of Charlie was very difficult to fill, and we couldn't really hire the actor to play the son until we had secured the father. One of my favorite actors is Keith David. I had put his name forward for a while and I was quite excited about that prospect. Raymond Barry came in early for the role of Becker, and sold himself as our Charlie, we allowed him to show us what he had prepared and in fairly short order we found ourselves returning to him as the standard to beat.
Q7. Which role was the easiest to cast and why?
A. Dominiquie was written for my good friend Dominiquie Vandenberg, so it was not a matter of casting it, per se, but it was the quickest role to be filled. I wanted someone who could represent an incredible malevolent, unstoppable presence without talking much at all; it was obvious it should be Dominiquie when I wrote it. Dominiquie was a great supporter of mine when I was cutting my teeth, and is quite a character in his own right.
Q8. Michael Weatherly seemed to be the perfect choice for the role of Danny. Did you have him in mind for this particular role from the beginning?
A. Not at all. The part was written for a very different physical type. Also, I had never seen “NCIS” so I wasn't at all familiar with his work prior to casting. We were looking at a few different names; Michael just looked more like Raymond Barry than the others, and had shown an ability to portray character traits that I thought would work for Danny. Danny is a little insecure, troubled, physically handsome, but always seems a little uncomfortable in his own skin. Michael seemed to get this aspect of the role, and worked at it. He is fantastic on set, a dream to work with, the crew loved him and he is always coming up with interesting suggestions and ideas, many of which were incorporated into the movie.
Q9. “Charlie Valentine” has won several international awards thus far. As a result of this response, what are your overall expectations for the film?
A. I did not expect Charlie to get into any festivals, let alone win anything. I certainly didn't set out to make a festival movie. My view of festivals had always been a rather sour one, based on past experience, so I was speechless when we cleaned up at the AOF in Pasadena, then a screenplay award in Monaco, and the Silver Award at CCIFF was surreal. The film is still going strong on the festival rounds and I have been fortunate enough to have travelled all over the world with it and met a lot of very interesting and passionate film makers.
My aim, however, is still to have “Charlie Valentine” be a theatrical movie. It was designed and drafted for the big screen; the music and cinematography are there to be experienced, not watched on a laptop. Obtaining a theatrical release, even a small one is a matter of cast, finance, timing and luck.
Q10. How long did the entire film take to make from conception through final edits?
A. I think it was a year or so.
Q11. How long did you shoot the film and in what locations was it filmed?
A. It was shot principally over 18 days, 17 of those were at a warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles, Las Vegas and in the high desert. We shot a reduced unit after the first picture edit, for two days, on the run, picking up exteriors and travelling shots of the cars.
Q12. As a director, do you purposely cast the same actors for previous films you have completed?
A. Yes, when I find an actor who delivers consistently I try hard to keep him around. There are a good many actors that I am lucky enough to have worked with who are just extremely talented and good at what they do.
Q13. You have stated that you found yourself returning to Raymond J. Barry who initially auditioned for the role of Becker, the parole officer. Why did you choose to cast him as Charlie Valentine in the end?
A. He really matched what we were going for. It's instinctual for the most part; I liked the decisions he made in the auditions, and saw something of Charlie Valentine in a film he had done called “Interview with the Assassin” - that threat of violence just below the polite/amiable exterior.
Q14. Which character in “Charlie Valentine” can you relate to most? Why?
A. 100% Charlie; I like him the most. He really isn't greedy or so terribly evil, but the way he has lived life appeals to me. When Charlie reached that fork in the road where he could choose the selfish comfortable road or the generous harder road, he always chose the selfish road. I think it's to do with his mental programming; he's a great believer in the ultimate strength of the human species, meaning he buys into the view that people will look after themselves no matter how bad a position they are in when he decides to split on them.
He's an optimist in all things except his own fate. He has no conscience to speak of, no guilt, no qualms at night; he is a hedonist and a liar, but it's not a formulated attitude, it is just who he honestly is. Sometimes I'm jealous of him, but ultimately we are who we are. I'm not at all like him, but he is the character I most relate to. He is also the character I would like others to relate most to as well.
Haven't you ever thought about waking up at 3 in the afternoon, pulling on an Italian wool suit with handmade shoes, and strapping on a revolver, and after kissing your lover (many years your junior) goodbye, you plan to pull a heist, that may or may not set you up like a king for a year or two. No bills, no responsibilities, no rent, no car payments, no conscience, no problems; well perhaps not.
Q15. You’ve been quoted stating that “Charlie Valentine” is a film you have wanted to make for some time now.
A. I have been lucky enough to make a number of action oriented lower budget films, my stunt background no doubt helped in getting these assignments and as much fun as they are to shoot, the scripts were often weak, or were weakened by producers wanting to dumb down dialogue, or story. I was often not involved with the casting or editing, and often unable to alter the script. These works served as a great learning environment, and I'm thrilled to have made them, but I really wanted an opportunity to make a film that had some heart, being character driven instead of effects motivated. It was quite a decision and I am so pleased that people seem to enjoy the picture. I was really very fortunate to have Edward Robin as my executive producer; he was so supportive of the script, and really gave me a very free hand. He didn't make any script changes and basically supported my edit of the movie. It was a very unique position for me. I of course realize how incredibly lucky I was. Having a supportive producer, like Edward Robin, is certainly an enormous asset when it comes to making a satisfying film.
Q16. Edward Robin just bought another script of yours “set in a similar world to ‘Charlie Valentine’”. Is there anything you’d like audiences to know in anticipation of what’s to follow?
A. Edward Robin is an excellent producer and understands the artistic side of movie making. He is a singer and music aficionado, too, and really terrific to work for. That script does echo certain similar themes, but the two characters it follows are very, very different to either Danny or Charlie Valentine. The style of the story will be very different. We are planning to take a very modern technical approach, whereas “Charlie Valentine” was specifically designed to feel like a film from another era, down to the style of photography. This next one will feel very prescient in comparison, but the world the characters inhabit will perhaps feel just a little bit familiar.
It will be exciting, dynamic and character driven, you will be seduced, then betrayed, shot at and robbed, but ultimately you'll look back on it all as great adventure and feel privileged for having been there.
HOLLYWOOD ICONS RAYMOND J. BARRY AND TOM BERENGER RECEIVE AWARDS
HOLLYWOOD ICONS RAYMOND J. BARRY AND TOM BERENGER RECEIVE AWARDS FOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN ACTING AT 2010 FILM FESTIVALS
Barry and Berenger are on Opposite Sides of the Law in the
Feature Film “Charlie Valentine” to be Released in 2010
Veteran Hollywood film, television and stage actor Raymond J. Barry and Academy Award nominee Tom Berenger will both be honored at two of the country’s largest independent film festivals for their respective roles in the soon-to-be-released feature film “Charlie Valentine”.
A rich and gritty motion picture written and directed by Jesse V. Johnson (“The 5th Commandment”, “Green Street Hooligans 2”), “Charlie Valentine” chronicles the exploits of the title character, Charlie, played by Raymond J. Barry (“Training Day”), a career criminal intent on scoring one last big pay day. When his perfect crime goes bad, Charlie flees to Los Angeles to hide out with his estranged son, Danny, played by Michael Weatherly (“NCIS”). What ensues reveals the true nature of some of the most unsavory of characters.
“We were absolutely thrilled upon learning that Raymond and Tom are being acknowledged for their work in ‘Charlie Valentine’ as well as for their longevity within the entertainment industry,” stated Bill J. Gottlieb, president of Gorilla Pictures. “These two men are Hollywood legends and helped to create a phenomenal work of art by playing instrumental roles in this film.”
Barry, who plays the title role of Charlie in "Charlie Valentine”, was honored with the Gasparilla International Film Festival's Career Achievement Award on March 18, 2010 in Tampa, Florida.
One of Florida's largest and fastest growing film festivals, the Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF) is organized and operated by the non-profit Tampa Film Institute, dedicated to expanding art opportunities in the Tampa Bay community through the medium and culture of independent film.
On being honored with the Career Achievement Award, Barry stated, “Whenever I receive such an award, I am reminded of how difficult it was for me to become an actor. I feel proud of myself for having won out against my main opponent, namely myself and my personal demons, to the point where I actually am relaxed now and thoroughly enjoy my work. I overcame something personal that was in my way to pull off an acting career, and lifetime achievement awards confirm that I was brave enough to continue.”
Berenger, who plays Becker, Charlie’s parole officer and respectful foe in the film, will be honored with the Golden Honu award at the Big Island Film Festival, which will be held May 12 – 16, 2010 at The Mauna Lani Resort in Hawaii where "Charlie Valentine" will also be featured as an Official Selection. The festival is a celebration of independent narrative filmmakers and their work.
Shot in 35mm Technoscope widescreen, “Charlie Valentine” has received positive audience response at film festivals throughout the world including Monaco, Naples, Boston, and Orlando, winning over 12 awards, from Best Picture to Best Screenplay. To view the movie trailer, read cast bios, and learn more about “Charlie Valentine”, visit www.CharlieValentinetheMovie.com.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Watch Raymond J. Barry Receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at GIFF
Raymond J. Barry, who stars Charlie in "Charlie Valentine", is honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Gasparilla International Film Festival Sunday, March 21 in Tampa, Florida. View the Flip videos at:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/c6104a71b14ce4fb51b1b7e44d62e0d5/video/11783778
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/c6104a71b14ce4fb51b1b7e44d62e0d5/video/11783778
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Exclusive Interview with Raymond J. Barry
Raymond J. Barry, who plays the title character in the highly anticipated film "Charlie Valentine", discusses his role in this rich and gritty motion picture, reflects on his longevity in Hollywood, and shares how he feels about receiving the Gasparilla International Film Festival's Career Achievement Award.Q1. When auditioning for the film “Charlie Valentine”, you originally tried out for the role of Becker. How did you feel about being chosen for the lead role, Charlie Valentine, instead?
A. I felt challenged and rewarded simultaneously.
Q2. Please describe what the preparation process for the role of Charlie Valentine was like for you.
A. First and foremost, I was a stickler for knowing the lines thoroughly. There was a little familiarizing with a gun that had to be done at a shooting range as well as practicing drawing a gun from a shoulder holster. Aside from that, I have been preparing my entire adult life [in that] everything I have experienced has fed itself into my work either overtly or in a subtle way. When I was in college, I played three sports, football, basketball and track and field. During that time, I learned how to intimidate people with a game face and a certain level of intensity in my demeanor. This persona of being “bad” was very useful for the character of Charlie, who essentially is intimidating and ruthless himself. It required a certain confidence in carrying myself, which I know from my experience as an athlete.
Q3. What was your favorite part of training (e.g., shaving, opera, knife fighting, etc.) for this role? Was it your idea or the director’s to invest this time into additional training for the role of Charlie Valentine?
A. Whatever practice [was needed for] using a razor was minimal, one lesson from a professional barber, in fact. The opera part I dealt with on my own with the help of a friend. Knife fighting I never trained for. It was both the director’s and my idea to devote more time to working on the role.
Q4. Of all the training you did for your role as Charlie Valentine, was there anything we did not see you incorporate on camera?
A. Yes, there are a few things left out – one scene during which I boxed on a heavy bag was cut. Also, the crying scene next to the gravesite of my ex-wife was hidden because it only showed the back of my head, so it could have been looped in after the fact. It would have been better to show my face to know for sure that this person is crying, and vulnerable. Also, there was a little dance step that I did, that was not shown. That too would have been useful to the character. Soft shadings would have been useful to the character simply because it is established so fully what a bad, hardened guy he is. Any vulnerability would have given him more humanity.
Q5. Of the many interesting and diverse scenes from “Charlie Valentine”, which in particular was your favorite to perform?
A. My favorite scene to perform was the graveyard scene located at my ex-wife’s grave. Also, the dinner scene with [Maxine Bahns] my son’s girlfriend, was fun. I was connected to her in real life so the scene was lots of fun. She’s a great actress. I also enjoyed the scene with [Valerie Dillman] Blondie, who admits she is pregnant with my baby; another great actress. I looked forward to working with both Valerie and Maxine; they are attractive and very talented.
Q6. Please describe what a typical day on the set of “Charlie Valentine” was like for you.
A. A typical day consisted of getting ready, attacking each scene with as much integrity as possible, doing each scene as well as I could, and maintaining a sense of humor at all times. [We had] a lot of good fun in between takes, particularly with [Michael Weatherly] who played my son, Danny. I enjoyed his company.
Q7. Do you typically feel drawn to playing a particular type of role, such as a gritty action character like Charlie Valentine? If so, why do you feel this is true?
A. I am particularly drawn to playing artists and poets. Jean Genet or Henri Matisse, in their later years, would interest me greatly. Men are often pigeon-holed into a false manly persona that is a lie. The male experience involves sensitivity and alertness to the beauty, as well as the sadness and joy of life. Male artists have, for the most part, developed those sensitivities and so are fully realized as males, as opposed the emptiness that comes with never having challenged society’s clichéd, tough-guy image of male behavior.
Q8. With your varied background as a painter, athlete, and playwright, what drew you to acting?
A. At the naïve age of twenty, I was approached by an English Professor at Brown University, named Jim Barnhill. He asked me to consider doing a play called “Picnic” by William Inge. A football player was being sought to play the role, because the character in the play was an ex-football player. I immediately saw, with suspicion, the possibility of it being a good thing to do, but I was reserved about making a commitment. I had no acting experience but did have an inordinate wish to do something visible to the general public, like, for example, be a professional athlete, or possibly an actor. Some need in me drew me to audiences, perhaps a need to attract attention, or something undeveloped in me that needed to do such an unnatural thing with my life. At any rate, I played the part badly, as well as many other parts badly, until I learned, little by little, more about how to do it.
Q9. When did you discover you wanted to pursue acting as a lifelong career?
A. The same professor [Jim Barnhill] helped me get into Yale Drama School after I graduated from Brown University as a philosophy major. From there I studied with Bill Hickey and Uta Hagen, Roy London and Ken McMillan in New York City. They were responsible for much of my growth during the formative years, but later, my mentor was Joseph Chaiken of the Open Theater, a company with which I performed 200 performances each year all over the world, Algeria, Paris, London, Copenhagen, Switzerland, Berlin, Munich, Israel, etc. We also performed in prisons in many countries. That’s where I learned how to act and to raise my awareness of why to do such a thing with my time here on Earth. I worked with the Open Theater for nine years in the sixties and seventies. That was the beginning of self-awareness and political awareness, the beginning of my being a man.
Q10. As someone who has worked steadily in the entertainment industry for over 35 years – which is a dream for many in Hollywood – how does it feel to be recognized for your achievements in acting at the Gasparilla International Film Festival?
A. Whenever I receive such an award, I am reminded of how difficult it was for me to become an actor. There was much uncertainty about myself in the beginning of my career, but I hung in there after numerous part-time jobs of dishwasher, bouncer at the Broome Street Bar in Manhattan, longshoreman on Pier 28 on the Hudson River, laborer renovating lofts, teacher, coach, social worker, waiter, busboy on the Borscht Circuit and the anxiety of uncertainty throughout, that was based mostly upon abstract fear. I feel proud of myself for having won out against my main opponent, namely myself and my personal demons, to the point where I actually am relaxed now and thoroughly enjoy my work. I overcame something personal that was in my way to pull off an acting career, and “lifetime achievement awards” confirm that I was brave enough to continue.
Q11. As the recipient of the Career Achievement Award, what advice would you give to up and coming actors to better their craft and maintain longevity in their career?
A. Stick to it. And don’t be a pussy about work.
Friday, March 5, 2010
“CHARLIE VALENTINE” FACEBOOK FAN CONTEST
We want to know who the biggest “Charlie Valentine” facebook fans are so we’re asking you to tell your friends about our film and invite them to become a fan too!
How to Enter and Win:
1. Contest begins March 5, 2010 at 12:00 PM (PST) and ends April 5, 2010 at 12:00 PM (PST).
2. Note: You must already be a fan of the official “Charlie Valentine” facebook fan page.
3. Tell your friends on facebook about “Charlie Valentine” and to become a fan like you!
4. When your friends become a fan of “Charlie Valentine”, tell them to post a message with your name on our wall. The more your name gets posted to the wall by new fans you recommend, the more likely you are to win!
5. We’ll keep track of all names posted to the wall. On April 5, 2010 at 5:00 PM (PST) we’ll announce the winners of the contest on the facebook fan page!
6. The top four winners will each receive two (2) tickets to see a screening of “Charlie Valentine” at FirstGlance Film Fests in Hollywood Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 8:00 PM. For additional information, visit www.firstglancefilms.com/hollywood.
Thank you for participating!!!
How to Enter and Win:
1. Contest begins March 5, 2010 at 12:00 PM (PST) and ends April 5, 2010 at 12:00 PM (PST).
2. Note: You must already be a fan of the official “Charlie Valentine” facebook fan page.
3. Tell your friends on facebook about “Charlie Valentine” and to become a fan like you!
4. When your friends become a fan of “Charlie Valentine”, tell them to post a message with your name on our wall. The more your name gets posted to the wall by new fans you recommend, the more likely you are to win!
5. We’ll keep track of all names posted to the wall. On April 5, 2010 at 5:00 PM (PST) we’ll announce the winners of the contest on the facebook fan page!
6. The top four winners will each receive two (2) tickets to see a screening of “Charlie Valentine” at FirstGlance Film Fests in Hollywood Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 8:00 PM. For additional information, visit www.firstglancefilms.com/hollywood.
Thank you for participating!!!
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