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THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES Q & A With Director Derek Cianfrance
The daring new movie from the director of Blue Valentine, THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES is a sweeping emotional drama exploring the unbreakable bond between fathers and sons.
Luke (Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling) is a high-wire motorcycle stunt performer who travels with the carnival from town to town. While passing through Schenectady in upstate New York, he tries to reconnect with a former lover, Romina
(Eva Mendes), only to learn that she has given birth to their son Jason in his absence. Luke decides to give up life on the road to try and provide for his newfound family by taking a job as a car mechanic. Noticing Luke’s ambition and talents, his employer Robin (Ben Mendelsohn) proposes to partner with Luke in a string of spectacular bank robberies – which will place Luke on the radar of ambitious rookie cop Avery Cross (Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper).
Avery, who has to navigate a local police department ruled by the menacing and corrupt detective Deluca (Ray Liotta), is also struggling to balance his professional life with his family life, which includes his wife Jennifer (Rose Byrne) and their infant son AJ. The consequences of Avery’s confrontation with Luke will reverberate into the next generation. It is then that the two sons, Jason (Dane DeHaan) and AJ (Emory Cohen), must face their fateful, shared legacy.
THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes is now playing and expands into additional theaters this Friday. Having seen this powerful movie, I can say that it is the one, must-see film of 2013.
Reddit AMA Highlights with Derek Cianfrance
REDDIT: Would you recommend some films and filmmakers that you love? Maybe some that most people have overlooked or don’t know about? Also any book recommendations?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW by pasolini anything by cassavetes, but mostly A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE george a. romero
Q: Cinematographer Sean Bobbitt (SHAME, HUNGER) is amazing. Any chance you will re-team with him for another project? Also, what are some of your favorite size lenses to use in your movies?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: bobbitt is a cinema warrior! i hope we can make more movies together. my favorite lens at this point in my life is a 50mm (25mm).
Q: What is your best cure for writers/creative-block? In moments of great inspiration, do you have a tendency to work on current projects, or try to start new ones?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: i always write with people. cinema is the great collaboration between arts and artists. if you surround yourself with good people, someone is bound to have an idea at some point. also. i embrace every idea. even the bad ones.
Q: Do you have any advice for young filmmakers who want to pursue writing and directing?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Q: How’d you get Mike Patton to score your movie and what is he like?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: he was my hero since i was a teenager. i used to show up to his shows with video cassettes of my student films. eventually, we met. working with him was a dream come true. he is still my hero.
Q: do you have any advice on directing? 2. any advice on writing? 3. any advice on breaking into the industry? 4. and how was the path from homemade to film festival to cinema?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: my biggest advice is to make things. there are no excuses NOT to make things. risk failure. practice patience and be stubborn.
Q: What’s been your favourite experience working with an actor? And have you had a lot of struggle with trying to make such raw and powerful independent films like Blue Valentine? Loved Blue Valentine btw and can’t wait to see Place Beyond the Pines!
DEREK CIANFRANCE: i always ask every actor to do 2 things for me. 1. surprise me. 2. fail.
Q: I always wanted to know how you convinced Ryan Gosling to be smacked multiple times by Michelle Williams during the doctor’s office scene in Blue Valentine. She got in a few really good shots that looked like it hurt. So yeah, how did you go about preparing that scene?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: she made his nose bleed. she’s very aggressive. they are both champions. i am forever indebted to them for the courage they showed. trust is the key element i think.
Q: also How did you get off the ground from Brother Tied to Blue Valentine?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: i ate avocados and collected unemployment checks for a long time. then started directing documentaries. learned how to listen as a filmmaker.
Q: Derek, I loved the film, caught it in LA last week. Also loved Blue Valentine. There are few directors that make me excited to go to the movies (PT Anderson, Spike Jonze) and you are now one of them. The film is so layered and the characters rich with subtlety. How did you go about casting the film?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: thanks. auditions aren’t as important for me in making my casting decisions. i’m more interested in the person. the human. i trust that. for instance… ben mendlesohn came into the casting room and said, “if i audition for you then that will be the only thing i ever get to do for you. but if you give me the role i will carry a spear for you.” i hired him on the spot.
Q: I am editing my first feature, but I’ve looked at it so long I can’t tell if something is working. How do you know when a scene is working, and it’s time for picture lock?
DEREK CIANFRANCE:: watch it with an audience. you will be able to feel it then. i watched PINES with 15 audiences before i locked. same with BLUE
Q: What gets you excited about filmmaking?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: life. failure. trust. dreams. actors.
Q: I don’t have anything to ask, but as an aspiring filmmaker, the fact you’ve spent no less than 6 years on your last two films gives me something to aspire too. The sincerity of “Blue” and “Pines” are hallmarks of this generation of American movies.
DEREK CIANFRANCE: thanks. i hope to be in a theater, watching your films someday. soon…
Q: Could you talk about your method of filming with Blue Valentine? The level of intensity really comes through in the film. What was it like having Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams build such a tight bond and then dismantle it in such a short period of time?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: none of us wanted to shoot the second half of BLUE… and i couldn’t figure out how to get ryan and michelle to fight… and then i saw how painful it was for my son to clean up his block castles. and then i started thinking about the monks who make sand mandalas, for months at a time, and them sweep them up immediately. and then i asked ryan and michelle to burn their wedding picture. which they did. and then they started fighting.
Q: First of all it’s really awesome that you took time out to do this for us your fans, and also The Place Beyond The Pines has already secured a spot in my top 10 for this year, I wanted to know, what compelled you into making this movie with the narrative style you used? Because it’s pretty untraditional but worked really well in this case.
DEREK CIANFRANCE: it’s been a lifetime. it’s important to finish things and put them into the world. and then reflect, and start again. and then… finish.
Q: and how was the path from homemade to film festival to cinema? thank you :~)
DEREK CIANFRANCE: it’s been a lifetime. it’s important to finish things and put them into the world. and then reflect, and start again. and then… finish.
Q: Hey Derek how’d you get Mike Patton to score your movie and what is he like?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: he was my hero since i was a teenager. i used to show up to his shows with video cassettes of my student films. eventually, we met. working with him was a dream come true. he is still my hero.
Q: Hi Derek! I love your work; Blue Valentine is one of my favorite movies. I saw in a few interviews with Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams that the process of filming was a little unusual, like having them live together for awhile before filming. Do you plan on continuing these techniques with future films? Thanks!
DEREK CIANFRANCE: thanks and yes. process is everything to me
Q: You are such an influence on my filmmaking. Thank you. What are some of your favorite guilty pleasure films?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: CREEPSHOW by george a romero
Q: what was the hardest thing about directing and what is the easiest??? :~)
DEREK CIANFRANCE: this question is going to make my mind explode!
Q: How is it working with Gosling? I know you like him, cause you brought him back, but is he really set on his idea of characters or are you able to mold him and make him who you want him to be on screen. I’ve heard he’s pretty stubborn.
Where did the inspiration for “Pines” come from? Have you always wanted to rob a bank?
And one more thing, do you edit your scripts a lot? When I write scripts, I usually end up changing a ton of what I want to do, much different from what I started with. So do you change a lot, or do you stick with an idea? Thanks so much! Love your films.
DEREK CIANFRANCE: ryan is a magic man. he is the best. so full of ideas and inspiration. a dream to work with. PINES came to me when my wife was pregnant with our second son. i rewrite my scripts until i shoot. for PINES it was 37 drafts. and then i shoot them. but i ask my actors to surprise me. if they do the script i’m always a little dissapointed.
C: Thanks, Derek! I suspect that most directors rewrite a ton, but 37 drafts is a lot to me! That’s really cool, though. I love when actors go off-script or make characters truly their own, it’s great to hear that you promote this with your actors. You can sometimes tell if a line or emotion is true and really heart-felt, especially improvised ones based off of impulse rather than pure script-following.
I cannot wait to see “Pines”!!!
Hope you make some more fantastic films.
DEREK CIANFRANCE: BLUE was 66 drafts
Q: How the hell did you get the gig to make a Dick’s Sporting Goods ad, and how the hell did you do those amazing racks?? That’s the most visually impressive commercial I’ve ever seen.
Also, Blue Valentine was a beautiful film. Congratulations. And like everyone else here, I can’t wait to see The Place Beyond the Pines.
DEREK CIANFRANCE: that dick’s job was a blast. i was able to work with one of my heroes on that one – peter demming, who shot EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN and MULHOLLAND DRIVE. those are 2 of my all time favorite movies. and there are a few homages to him in PINES. he is a master and he has a really great crew. we got the dick’s spot in the 45th take.
Q: Hey Derek, Thanks for this! I wanted to ask you if you have any advice for filmmakers that deal with a lot of adversity and discouragement. How do you stay focused when that is coming at you during any phase of your work?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: i was rejected for 12 years trying to make BLUE VALENTINE. it only made the film better. because i was forced to believe in it more. and work on it harder. to make a movie is a miracle. you have to fight through doubt. but i think it is very dangerous to surround yourself with “yes” men. it is healthy to have adversity. look at rocky balboa!
Q: I heard that you started making films at the age of 13. If I may ask, what equipment (camera/lighting techniques) did you use around those times? 8mm camera?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: natural light. God’s light.
Q: Place had 37 drafts. I’m interested in what your rewriting process is? What are the steps you take after finishing a draft? Are there specific people you show each version?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: yes. my wife. my producers. my friends. my collaborators. actors. my mom. etc.
Q: How did you get Mike Patton to score the film? Were there other film scores you used as a temp track for the film?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: we met up for coffee. i used his music in so many of my home movies.
Q: How did Hurricane Irene affect your shooting schedule?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: we got a day off.
Q: When you first met Ryan Gosling did you know without any doubt that he was going to be the hero of your future films?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: when i first met ryan he was sitting in the passenger’s seat of my producer’s denali. we then went and had banana muffins. he seemed like a brother.
Q: First off, wonderful job with both BV and TPBTP. I was emotionally moved and visually captivated with both. So thank you for doing what you do. In your films you use both known actors and relatively unknown ones. Do you find it easier/harder to achieve that “real factor” with either one? Or maybe it doesn’t necessarily make a difference. The musical tone plays a huge part in key scenes for both films. Do you tend to write a scene knowing ahead of time the musical tone (or particular song) you would use to convey the feeling of the moment?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: i’m trying to make a collision between reality and fiction. and so i cast real people along side my actors. for instance, the judge in PINES was a real judge (retired at the time of shooting). i can’t tell someone how to be a judge. but i can ask a judge to be himself… and then he can put ryan gosling through a real process…
Q: First of all it’s really awesome that you took time out to do this for us your fans, and also The Place Beyond The Pines has already secured a spot in my top 10 for this year, I wanted to know, what compelled you into making this movie with the narrative style you used? Because it’s pretty untraditional but worked really well in this case.
DEREK CIANFRANCE: the movie is about legacy. lineage. ancestry. what we are born with and what we pass on. i felt it had to be chronological.
Q: You said it took a long time to get funding for BLUE. How does that process work? From getting funding to signing actors? How did you keep the faith? Any advice?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: actors brought funding. i also entered a film competition and won a million dollars. i have one of those big checks.
Q: Huge fan of Blue Valentine, and Pines was incredible. I think you get great performances out of your actors, especially Gosling. Just wondering if there are any Actresses or Actors you would really like to work with in the future?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: yes. so many. anna karina, for one.
Q: After being absolutely blown away by both Blue Valentine and Place Beyond the Pines, I’m curious what’s next on the docket. Do you think you would ever consider directing theater for the stage?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: i did these 24 hour plays about a year ago and it was a blast. i am reading and writing right now… fishing for an idea…
Q: What was the hardest part about shooting in Schenectady/upstate in that area? I’m sure there was the obvious distance between the shoot and NYC for supplies and stuff (I served as film runner for The Place Beyond the Pines), but I feel like there was a lot more that probably would have presented problems.
DEREK CIANFRANCE: it was a gift, a blessing, to shoot in schenectady. this movie couldn’t have been made anywhere else!
Q: What do you do when you find yourself completely devoid of ideas, and you aren’t sure where to start?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: keep your pole in the water. that’s the only way you can catch a fish. read david lynch’s book, CATCHING THE BIG FISH
Q: I’m taking it you like tattoos. What does your tattoo say on your hand and did your love of tattoos inspire you to give Ryan’s character them?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: amigo
Q: Both of your films are some of the best American films I have seen in recent memory. Your latest The Place Beyond the Pines is an epic and beautiful. I saw it the day it came out in Boston and have not stopped thinking about it since. I cannot say that about any other film in recent memory besides maybe Shame. You are putting yourself in an elite category (in my mind) as a writer and director. As someone who is a month away from graduating film school with a focus in writing and directing is there any advice you could give me? How did you get your start?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: thanks. make things! risk failure
Q: How was working with Rose Byrne? I remember Peter O’Toole saying she was one of the finest actresses he ever worked with.
DEREK CIANFRANCE: she is the best. amazing. deep. soulful.
Q: Was the score an easier part of the post-production process?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: Yes. The single greatest concert I ever went to was Mr. Bungle in Denver in 1991. I remember [the band’s member and founder] Mike Patton, wearing a bondage mask and horse blinders, licking the head of a bald bouncer. I always felt his music was so cinematic, and for films I made in high school, I’d always put his music on.
Mike read the Pines script. His brother is a police officer so it was like fate…and, a dream come true for me to get to work with him. He understood the haunted qualities of the story.
Q: Are those qualities what you hope an audience takes away from the film, or, something else?
DEREK CIANFRANCE: One response that meant a lot to me came from a well-respected and powerful man who shall remain nameless. After seeing Pines, he cancelled his business dinner scheduled for that night. Then he called his ex-wife and asked her, “I know it’s your night tonight, but could I come pick him up?” He drove across town, picked up his teenage son, brought his boy home, and they spent time together.
I’m not a message filmmaker. I want people to be entertained, to be absorbed by the story, and to take what they will into their own lives.
www.ThePlaceBeyondThePinesMovie.com
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Twitter Hashtag: #BeyondThePines
MPAA Rating: R
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