Interview: Lance Hammer talks about ‘Ballast’

‘Ballast’ is a haunting and emotionally raw film that explores life in the Mississippi Delta. It tells the story of Marlee, a single mother, and her son, James, as they struggle to survive amidst oppressive poverty and the threat of violence. They find an unlikely ally in the form of Marlee’s brother-in-law, Lawrence, a man racked with grief over the death of his twin brother.

‘Ballast’ is writer and director Lance Hammer’s first feature film, so what brought him to this story and to this location?  

“It all came from a need to express an emotion†¦ a sense of sadness and great beauty,† and regarding the Delta location, Hammer adds that it started as “a love of the place that became an infatuation.†

The challenge became creating “a physical experience instead of a mythical experience.†

In other words, Hammer wanted to create a tangible portrait of endurance in the face of insurmountable sorrow.

So, what kind of authority does a California native have in telling the story of people in the Delta?

“I know grieving and the sense of futility,† he says, then adds “the actors created their own language.†

Similar to writer/director Mike Leigh, Hammer let his actors – all non-professional, save one – create their characters and dialogue without having to rely on the script, a brave thing to do for a first timer.  

“Ultimately, it was easy to give up the authorship,† he says.  

Hammer concedes that casting was integral to the film’s success and that it may have been his most important contribution to the film. “That was my role, making a good choice,† he says.

Choice is something Hammer holds in high esteem. “My only ambition is to make the right decisions,† he says.

What was behind Hammer’s choice to become a filmmaker?

“’Wings of Desire’†¦ it moved me to tears,† he remembers. “I was a cinephile from that point on.†

Though ‘Ballast’ is Hammer’s first foray into the world of writing and directing, it is not his first time working in Hollywood. A graduate of the University of Southern California, Hammer received his degree in Architecture and began working as an art director in the studio system. It is a position he held for nearly a decade.

What happened?

“’Batman and Robin’. That was the beginning of the end for me,† Hammer recalls. “The product [big-budget studio films] is product†¦ it’s purely for money. I can’t reconcile that.†

So, Hammer chose to step back and do something different: write a screenplay and make his own movie. It was a good decision and one that Hammer followed through for several years, garnering him the 2008 Sundance Film Festival’s Directing Award.

“I never got over the fact we got into Sundance,† Hammer says, and adds that the event wasn’t so much about the award as “it was about being so shocked we were even there.†

After Sundance, Hammer made another choice: to distribute the film himself. There had been a deal with IFC but Hammer bought the film back.

“The money offered up front is so little,† he laughs. “There isn’t even the ability to sell out now.†

For what Hammer was being offered from distributors, the first time director decided he could do just as good a job on his own.  

“There wasn’t any other responsible choice.†

  

Ballast is in select theaters now

For a list of dates and locations, visit www.ballastfilm.com/screenings