Production Spotlight: This is Martin Bonner
Film Independent’s tent pole events, the Los Angeles Film Festival and the Spirit Awards, bring together indie filmmakers from all over to meet, discuss, laugh, sometimes fall in love, and collaborate with each other down the road. Chad Hartigan and Cherie Saulter were both involved with Spirit Award nominated films and have since come to work together to put their indie spirit into a new film, This is Martin Bonner, as writer/director and producer, respectively. We interviewed them to find out more about their collaboration.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the story of This is Martin Bonner?
Chad Hartigan – I was inspired by my father and his real life circumstances. He had to move to Leesburg, VA at the age of 55 for a job and I started to wonder how he would make new friends or what he would do with all his free time. I could only think of films choosing to focus on a character that age if the story was ultimately about them “coming out of their shell” or rediscovering their youthful exuberance, which seems like such a condescending approach to me. So I liked the idea of a low-key friendship story and the more I talked to my Dad about his job-—working for a non-profit that helps prisoners transition to life post-release-—I became fascinated by the people going through that and came up with the other central character.
What was your father’s response when you told him his story had affected you in this way?
CH – To be honest, I don’t think I ever outright said it. I just started asking him more and more questions and told him I was working on a script that was based on that type of program, but that’s it. I guess I’m wary to reveal all the details for fear that he’ll confuse some of the fictional elements for my actual perception of him. I mean, I’m sure he’d understand and he’s always 100% supportive of everything I do, but I like keeping it a bit of a mystery for now.
How far along is the production right now; what has casting and location scouting been like?
Cherie Saulter – We’re very close to being ready to shoot the film right now. All of our principles have been cast and we’ve made a lot of progress with locations. We’re still trying to get the last of the funding in place and then Chad and I will head to Reno to lock in the remaining details.
CH – We’re still trying to raise all the financing, which is difficult, but we’ve been chugging along with the parts of the process we can accomplish without spending much money. I’m really happy with the cast we put together but the process was a long, taxing, two-month process. On the other hand, location scouting has been a real joy. My extended family lives in Reno so we get to hang with them and almost all of the locations we’ve talked to are really accommodating and happy to help. Plus I won $80 at roulette the last time we went.
Cherie – how did you initially come to work with Chad? What drew you to this project?
CS – I met Chad at South by Southwest in 2010 and afterwards he sent me his script. I was amazed by how much I connected with it. My parents have worked in the correctional system my whole life, primarily focusing on inmates with substance abuse issues and also on the necessity of reentry programs. Reading Chad’s script I immediately appreciated the level of empathy it showed for the character who’s just been released from prison. Also, as a person who is perpetually traveling and relocating, I felt that I related to both of the main characters who are starting their lives over in a new place.
How did the rest of the crew fall into place?
CH – Our DP, Sean McElwee, went to school with me at North Carolina School of the Arts. He shot Aaron Katz’s first movie, Dance Party, USA, which I was in and then we became really close when we lived together in LA and so I asked him to shoot my first film. Composer Keegan DeWitt also lived in that house with us and also scored my last film so those are relationships I’m keen to hang on to. Cherie recommended that I talk to Julio Perez about cutting it.
CS – Our Production Designer, Morgan Hall, worked on my film, No Matter What. Since we’re working with such a small crew we felt that it was important to have people involved that we have strong working relationships with.
There seems to be some overlapping from recent Spirit Award nominated films on your crew. Can you talk a bit about the indie filmmaking community as you feel it stands now?
CS – The independent filmmaking community really does feel like a community. All of the filmmakers I’ve worked on projects with or met at festivals over the last few years have been so encouraging and supportive. I think when people respect and appreciate the work of their peers the natural inclination is to want to help them create more.
CH - I think it’s amazingly supportive and inclusive. I’ve gone to South by Southwest the last two years and participated as a distribution mentor, but really it was just an excuse to see films and meet wonderful, talented people. That’s how I met Cherie and Julio and a number of other peers that aren’t working directly on this film but providing immeasurable support. At that festival particularly, everyone really understands that the market is not a competition and that the more we can inspire great work amongst each other, the more indie film will thrive.
Who are some directors and what are some films/music/etc that are influencing This is Martin Bonner?
CH – I was thematically inspired by Umberto D., structurally inspired by Hunger, ripped off a scene from Kes and then find various bits of inspiration from Songs from the Second Floor, The Band’s Visit, Wendy and Lucy and California Split. I listened to a lot of Mario Lanza and Marty Robbins while writing and would love to get some of their music for the film. Oh, and Gus Van Sant. Always Gus Van Sant.
Chad – your last film, Luke and Brie Are On a First Date, went the festival route and was later marketed as a video-on-demand product. Can you tell us about your experience with that distribution model and where you would like to see This is Martin Bonner in the realm of indie film distribution.
CH – The fact that Luke and Brie… got any kind of distribution was a minor miracle so I’m ecstatic about that. I sort of just handed the reigns over to our digital sales agent and don’t think much about it. We haven’t really made any money through VOD, but we’ve gained invaluable exposure and I think that’s made a small difference when trying to raise money for this new project. My hope is to go on step further and get a theatrical release for This is Martin Bonner.
Cherie – you have a few other projects you’re producing, what do you look for when choosing films to work on?
CS – The films that I’m most interested in are small, often quiet, personal stories. I’m intrigued by character explorations as a microcosm for sort of vast universal themes. This is what I tend to look for in scripts, but the other element of choosing films to produce is the filmmakers. I feel like it’s impossible, or at least not advisable, to produce a film for someone you don’t have huge amounts of respect for, both artistically and personally.
Tell us a little about your Kickstarter campaign, and what these funds will go toward. Any other creative ways you are using to raise money?
CS – The funds we raise through Kickstarter are specifically earmarked for paying the cast and crew. All of us have worked on enough movies for free to know that sometimes the product can suffer when everyone is stressed about how they’re going to pay their rent or buy food the month after the shoot. Yet somehow, salaries are always the first thing to get cut from the budget when the production dates are nearing and you haven’t figured out how your going to rent a camera yet. So we created the Kickstarter campaign to ensure that we’re able to pay our amazing crew for their hard work.
The other main way that we’re trying to raise money is through our IFP fiscal sponsorship. This allows us to get tax-deductible donations, so we’ve been going out to businesses, primarily in Reno, and asking for larger contributions.
Support Chad and Cherie at their Kickstarter campaign, the clock is ticking!
August 1st, 2011 • No Comments
