Indie Greats
Interview with Indie Filmmaker Dave Rodriguez
by Josh Simpkins

(continued from Main Page)

How long did it take you write?
Well, from the time I had developed the idea and written the synopsis to when I actually started to write the script was about eight years. So sitting on the idea for that long enabled me to create a full vision of what I wanted the story to be. So when I actually sat down to write the script I cranked the rough draft out in about four and a half days. I was inspired at the time and it all came out pretty quickly. After the rough draft it took me about nine to ten months to polish the script and get it ready. I thought it was good but it lacked a few things. I wanted to make it more compelling and I wanted to raise the stakes for each character. Also, I felt like I needed to develop some of the secondary characters more and make them more significant to the main characters and the story. But, it took about nine months before I became confident that it was ready.

--	Dave Rodriguez rehearsing a scene with Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri

What was your next move?
Well, I knew that it proved my abilities as a writer but not as a director. So, I decided to take different scenes from the script and shoot a trailer, something that I could take around and show people. I picked about nine different scenes, formed a small crew and cast, and began to shoot. But, then as we started going I realized that we had enough to cut together a short film. But, because the priority and the primary goal was the trailer we cut a two and a half minute piece together. I used that trailer with the script and went out and started pounding the pavement. I sold my house and took my last $5000 and went to New York. I promised myself I wouldn’t come back until I had the money to make the movie. I went there in August 2004, about a week before my birthday, and a couple of days after my birthday I met Paul McMenamin. He liked my trailer and believed in my script and decided to become my producing partner.

So you guys teamed up in search of financing?
Right. Paul actually had a friend who had expressed interest in the film business and Paul felt this might be the right opportunity for him to invest. It turned out that was indeed the fact and we moved ahead. Two months after I left New York we went into preproduction.

So after "Push" got financed how did you go about finding the perfect cast?
I really didn’t just get the money and go cast the movie. It was a real careful balance. I had a short list of actors I wanted. Interestingly enough, I got most of the guys at the top of my list. While Paul was securing the deal I was contacting these actors and getting them the script. So, I timed it correctly so that by the time the money actually dropped I was able to honor my agreements with the actors. I was extremely happy with the cast. Chazz Palminteri, Mike Rapaport, Paul Ben Victor, and Chad Lindberg are all people I wanted to work with. Chad was an interesting situation. I didn’t pick him because of The Fast and The Furious. I actually saw him in a short film in which he had a scene sitting with a girl at a booth in a restaurant. I just loved his performance and the way he was delivering his lines and I just had to have him.

What was the production of “Push” like? How was your first day on set?
My first day on set was a really interesting. I wasn’t nervous at all. Three months earlier I had gotten behind the camera and shot the trailer and learned a lot during that experience. I felt confident in the script and dealing with the actors. I certainly lacked some technical knowledge because I didn’t have the opportunity to go to film school. But, I definitely knew my vision and what I ultimately wanted to express and I knew I could direct talent. The first day was a really easy day. We shot the last scene of the movie which ended up on the cutting room floor and a bunch of inserts. You know, stuff to get the blood flowing. I never felt as though I was out of place. By the time we were in the first and second week of shooting I was extremely comfortable behind the camera.

"Push" is your first feature. What lessons do you feel that you can take from it?
Well, I think that mistakes are inevitable. But, there are a couple elements that I will definitely focus more attention on next time. The first is I would like a day or two to do camera tests to help me determine what I want to see, how I want to see it, the framing and composition of the shot, what lenses I want to use and so forth. The second element would be selecting key people that have a lot of experience. This includes the Production Designer, Costume, Director of Photography and Editor. Not that any one of those components was really bad but you certainly eliminate the possibility of errors when you have experienced professionals in those positions.

Do you have any advice to aspiring filmmakers?
Yes, tons of advice. But, if I had to narrow it down there are three main pieces of advice I would give to anyone that wants to get a film made. The first one is you are going to hurt a lot of feelings along the way but don’t do favors that can’t help your first movie because it is going to be your most important in terms of jumpstarting your career. The second is making sure to hire the very best people in the four key positions I mentioned earlier. They will have a definite influence and obvious effect on your final product and what people see up on the screen. The third piece of advice I would give is explore every avenue, never give up, be tenacious, be motivated, and don’t take no for an answer. Just go balls to the wall until it gets done.

What’s the number one quality you think a filmmaker should have?
Work ethic. Without work ethic you’ve got nothing. A lot of guys out there think they are going to make it on their talent alone. Nine out of ten times, in the beginning, the guys that really make it, their ambition exceeds their talent. As a filmmaker you’re gonna learn with every film, with every music video, with every commercial, so it’s a travesty to think that your talent, or your hot script, or awesome concept alone is going to carry you to the promise land because it’s not. It’s the work ethic behind it that will enable you to succeed.

Any plans for the future?
Yeah. Right now I am in the process of forming a music video company, Severe Entertainment, in Miami. I like to stay busy and I figured music videos would be a good way to keep me working in between features. I’m also working on a new script.

Dave Rodriguez currently lives in the Miami area. "Push" is his first feature film.

For more information visit Severe Entertainment's website: www.severeent.com