Writer/Director JEFFREY REINER breaks down the “making of” LAKE GEORGE in this exclusive interview.
SYNOPSIS: Tasked by mobsters with putting an end to Phyllis’ life, Don is unable to pull the trigger, and instead, the two set off on a road trip that evolves into something much more. Phyllis has designs of her own and proposes a little tag team action to Don: combine forces with the aim to steal all the money from the people who want her dead.
Written and Directed by JEFFREY REINER, LAKE GEORGE stars, among others, Shea Whigham, Carrie Coon, and Max Casella.
Highlighting the perfect blend of grit and humor in LAKE GEORGE much like we see from filmmaker Martin McDonagh, in this exclusive interview, JEFFREY REINER takes us through his filmmaking process and the value of independent storytelling, discussing, among others:
- the benefits and challenges of a road trip picture
- personal struggles and themes of guilt and reinvention that influenced the writing of LAKE GEORGE
- casting; most notably Shea Whigham who, as “Don” delivers perhaps the best performance of his lengthy career; Carrie Coon as “Phyllis” and Max Casella as “Harout”
- thanks Whigham’s skill, Reiner could focus on the importance of character development and particularly Don’s journey post-prison
- developing the dynamic between Don, Phyllis, and Harout
- developing a minimalist visual style and using natural landscapes like Lake George as a character
- collaborating with cinematographer Tod Campbell
- developing the visual grammar
- keeping the visual style light, bright, nimble and clean to contrast with the gritty and dark elements of the story
- shooting on location in places that were meaningful to Reiner, like his own house and the surrounding nature, to capture the beautiful California landscapes
- drawing inspiration from classic Westerns, particularly the films of Anthony Mann and John Ford, which had a big influence on the visual approach
- avoiding cluttering the frame, letting the characters and the natural setting be the focus
- bright, airy visuals to metaphorically reflect the character of Don, who is trying to find a fresh start after being in prison for a long time
- collaborating with editor Brian Beal
- challenges of finding and maintaining pace and developing reflective moments
- finding the right editing rhythm to shift between the comedic hijinks and the more contemplative character beats
- blending the gritty, grounded elements with the more whimsical, comedic tone; balancing the tonal shifts to make the road trip feel cohesive and authentic
- developing the character dynamics within the confined space of the car emphasizing how the tight quarters of the car scenes revealed a lot about the characters and their relationships. Ensuring those interactions felt natural and revealing was a key challenge
- composer Rene Boscio’s scoring
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 11/22/2024
LAKE GEORGE is in theatres and on digital on December 6th.
