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A fun BEHIND THE LENS for you this week, thanks to writer\/director CARLYLE EUBANK, who joins me talking about his feature directorial debut, BROKE, and director JAMES BAMFORD, who breaks it all down for THE LAST GUNFIGHT.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s long been said to write what you know. \u00a0Well, that\u2019s exactly what writer\/director CARLYLE EUBANK has done with BROKE, his feature directorial debut. \u00a0Some of you might recognize Carlyle\u2019s name and if you do, it\u2019s probably thanks to \u201cThe Signal\u201d which was written by Carlyle and directed and co-written by his brother William, or \u201cMuzzle\u201d \u00a0starring Aaron Eckhardt which he co-wrote with William and which was directed by John Stalberg, Jr. \u00a0But as Carlyle now steps into the director\u2019s chair with BROKE, this is 100% Carlyle Eubank.<\/p>\n
Riding horses since before he could walk, Carlyle grew up living the Western lifestyle. He often helped his neighbors gather, sort, ship, and brand their cattle and continues to do so today. Familiar with all aspects of modern-day cowboy life, it makes sense that his first directorial feature, with a script written solely by him, would be a western.<\/p>\n
BROKE is a contemporary western that follows the story of True Brandywine, played by Wyatt Russell, a bareback bronc rider clinging to his fading rodeo career. When True gets trapped in a freak spring blizzard, he must battle injuries, illness, and the bitter cold. While fighting for his survival, True is forced to face his choices and the circumstances that led him to his tenuous situation.<\/p>\n
Joining Wyatt Russell as True is Dennis Quaid, who plays his father George, while Mary McDonnell of \u201cDances with Wolves\u201d fame plays his mother Mary. \u00a0Veteran actor Tom Skerritt is also on board as is Johnny Berchtold, who plays True\u2019s younger brother Caleb.<\/p>\n
BROKE has great emotional depth and texture thanks to an incredibly well-crafted and complex character in True Brandywine, providing what feels like a meditation on life, showcasing the complexities, not only within True, but within all of us. Your parent wants you to do one thing, you have your own mindset, and your heart is pulling you in another direction, even though you might not be making money, but you’re happy. What outweighs what? And where do you go? I don’t think there’s a person anywhere who can’t relate to that.<\/p>\n
In this exclusive interview, Carlyle and I dissected the film from script to screen, discussing the immersive and beautiful cinematography of Charlie Sarroff, the creative use of flashbacks, shooting in different seasons on location in Montana to create the passage of time, as well as natural visual differences. \u00a0We even get into the challenges of filming in harsh winter conditions, including equipment failures and the need for some CGI to maintain continuity, such as with snowflakes. \u00a0I love our snowflake discussion! \u00a0And rodeos! \u00a0Actual rodeo footage and bronc busting from about 6 rodeos around the state that they traveled to and filmed at. \u00a0Casting is also covered, with much of the film\u2019s success attributed to its immersive storytelling and the strong performances of Dennis and Wyatt, capturing the complex father-son dynamic. And let\u2019s not forget Glenn Garland\u2019s seamless editing.<\/p>\n
BROKE is now available on digital platforms.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
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