Direction – Page 2 – Below the Line

Trees of Peace Director Alanna Brown on Her 9-Year Journey to Get the Netflix Movie Made and Why the Story of the Women in Rwanda Is Close to Her Heart

August 23, 2022 Ian Spelling Comments Off

Alanna Brown made a decision. An actor-turned-aspiring filmmaker, she’d written Trees of Peace, a tough, emotional drama about a quartet of disparate women – a Tutsi (Bola Koleosho), a nun (Charmaine Bingwa), a pregnant Hutu (Eliane Umuhire), and an American (Ella Cannon) — hiding in a basement during the violent Rwandan genocide in 1994, and she was going to direct it — no matter what. That “what” included nine years […]

Bodies Bodies Bodies Director Halina Reijn on Creating Real Terrors for Her Young Cast and How They Helped With the Lighting

August 19, 2022 Edward Douglas Comments Off

A24‘s Gen-Z horror film Bodies Bodies Bodies has now been in theaters for a few weeks, but there’s an amazing story behind how it came together under the direction of Halina Reijn. This is her second feature, but her first English-language film, as well as her first time working with a major American studio. The movie stars Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give) as Sophie, who brings her latest flame […]

Beast Director Baltasar Kormákur on Working With CG Lions in a Very Real African Environment

August 19, 2022 Edward Douglas Comments Off

Director Baltasar Kormákur has been bouncing between making studio movies and films in his native Iceland for over 20 years, first breaking onto the scene with 101 Reykjavik back in 2000. Even once Hollywood came calling, Kormákur’s heart never strayed far from Iceland’s film business, and his early English-language film Contraband was actually a remake of the Icelandic film Reykjavik-Rotterdam, which he had produced. Kormákur’s latest film is Beast, a […]

Rebecca Rhine to Join DGA as Western Executive Director Following Her ICG Departure This Fall

August 19, 2022 Staff Comments Off

Rebecca Rhine, who has served as the National Executive Director of the International Cinematographers Guild since 2015, announced that she will be joining the DGA as its new Western Executive Director once her ICG contract expires in September. Rhine will assume her new post in October, and she will have oversight of the DGA’s Western Region and national responsibility for the Contracts Department, Safety and Agency Relations, in addition to […]

Secret Headquarters Directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman on Working With Jerry Bruckheimer and Prepping Kids for Action Scenes

August 16, 2022 Edward Douglas Comments Off

The new Paramount+ movie Secret Headquarters is a family adventure film that harks back to classic ’80s movies like The Goonies, albeit with a more modern superhero tinge. Walker Scobell (The Adam Project) stars as Charlie Kincaid, who is constantly trying to get the attention of his busy father (Owen Wilson). One day, Charlie’s father again runs off “for work,” so Charlie invites his best friend (Keith L. Williams) over for […]

I Love My Dad Filmmaker James Morosini on Why He Took a Risk and Put Himself and His Catfish Father Out There With His Art

August 12, 2022 Ian Spelling Comments Off

Sometimes, life imitates art, and it can be really, really, really cringe-worthy, funny as hell, and the stuff that movies are made of. Case in point: James Morosini’s father catfished him. And now, Morosini — in his capacities as writer, director, and star — has made the acclaimed indie comedy I Love My Dad. He’d previously written and directed Threesomething and acted in American Horror Story and The Sex Lives […]

Bullet Train Stunt Coordinator and 2nd Unit Director Greg Rementer on Prepping the Star-Studded Cast for Crazy Fight Scenes

August 12, 2022 Edward Douglas Comments Off

David Leitch’s Bullet Train pulled into theaters this past weekend, pitting Brad Pitt against a cadre of assassins played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Joey King, and Bad Bunny, among others, all while riding a fast-moving train through Japan. As has become the norm with Leitch’s films, which include the first John Wick, Deadpool 2, and Atomic Blonde, the action plays an incredibly important role. Leitch knows the importance of […]

Emily the Criminal Director John Patton Ford on Researching Credit Card Fraud and Stopping L.A. Traffic With Aubrey Plaza

August 12, 2022 Edward Douglas Comments Off

The Sundance Film Festival frequently boasts exciting new discoveries, including many filmmakers who go on to make much bigger movies and enjoy long, fruitful careers. From Rian Johnson (Brick) to Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station), the list is long. John Patton Ford came to Sundance this year with his own feature directorial debut, Emily the Criminal, and left Park City as both a rising star in Hollywood and the rare festival […]

Not Okay Director Quinn Shephard on Sympathizing With the Unlikeable Protagonist in Hulu’s Dark Satire of Influencer Culture

July 29, 2022 Andrew Korpan Comments Off

In a world where YouTube stars sign with the WWE and take roles in movies from trained actors, one must question whether a great responsibility comes with having a large social media platform, and actress-turned-director Quinn Shephard boldly explores that question, as well as influencer culture as a whole, in her new film Not Okay, which is now streaming on Hulu. Zoey Deutch stars as Danni, a writer who becomes an […]

DC League of Super-Pets Director Jared Stern on Assembling the Perfect Cast & Playing the “Do You Know” Game With His Grandma

July 28, 2022 Ian Spelling Comments Off

Jared Stern began his career as a screenwriter with the Jim Carrey vehicle Mr. Popper’s Penguins, and subsequently worked on The Watch, The Internship, Dr. Ken, The Lego Batman Movie, The Lego Ninjago Movie, and Green Eggs and Ham. After accumulating all of these credits, he made his directing debut with the 2018 live-action movie Happy Anniversary, which he also wrote and produced. Stern wears all three hats once again […]