5.25.2004

Interview with Nancy Juvonen

How about an interview with Nancy Juvonen of Flower Films? She was one of the Producers of Donnie Darko, and very instrumental in getting financing for the project. Without her involvement, the script might still be bouncing around Hollywood with every company afraid to take a chance on it. — Number_5

R-K.net: How did you happen to meet Richard and get involved with Donnie Darko? Do you guys still stay in touch these days?

Nancy: We were shooting the first Charlie's Angels, it was something like a hundred-day shoot and we were somewhere in the 70's, all of us getting tired and we were still writing the third act with no end in sight. One of my favorite agents named Sharon Shinewold from United Talent Agency called me and said she was sending me a fabulous script called Donnie Darko. She did not represent Richard but loved the material. I asked her why it wasn't set up anywhere if it was so good and she explained that the writer, Richard Kelly, was insisting to direct as well, and since he would be a first time director and the material was complex, nobody would agree to let him direct it.

Challenge on.

I read the script that night, was riveted, and Drew read it the next day. The part of Karen Pomeroy was originally written for a 46-year-old woman, but she felt like a teacher with such passion and conviction to change the system that she must be younger, at an age where she still thought those changes could occur. So Richard quickly rewrote her as a 28-year-old character and we had our first piece of talent attached.

By the end of the week we met with Richard Kelly and Sean McKittrick, his producing partner. They also brought along a guy named Adam Fields who was later asked to step aside from the project, although he took money and arguably a part of our souls with him upon his exit. During that meeting we were convinced Rich should direct his own story, and from there we set about getting financing.

Richard and Sean and our editor Sam Bauer became great friends of mine and we see each other whenever we can, we have an on-going sushi and sake night because Richard lost a bet about Danny Cooksey, but that's another story. We will work together on another project for sure, we just need to find it.

I am nuts for the Southland Tales script, can't wait to see it come to life.

R-K.net: For people that don't know a lot about the business, can you explain specifically what you did as a producer on the film? And how did you coordinate with the other producers like Sean McKittrick? Did you ever have to fire anyone on the set for doing something like pouring coffee on the video equipment?

Nancy: Sean and I were a great team. I adored working with that hot head. He is smart and always has Richard's back. He is also really funny, which can make the long days a lot more enjoyable.

What does a producer do you ask.basically it is management of all the elements.from finding key crew members such as director of photography, production designer, casting director, editor, etc, to budget cuts/issues to courting talent to story notes to location scouting. It is an endless process of moving things forward. You don't concentrate too much on what is working, most days are spent dealing with issues that need to be solved, starting with the most urgent, but can also be as simple as making sure the snacks at craft service are fresh.

Production is often put into four categories; starting with development, pre-production, production and then post production. A good producer is involved in every stage and remains egoless while still having strong opinions.

I don't fire people for spilling coffee on equipment, but I do make them run laps around the location until I feel satisfied they feel horrible about their accident.

R-K.net: How did you get into the movie industry as a producer?

Nancy: Drew Barrymore, my producing partner, invited me to start a company with her almost ten years ago.

R-K.net: Have you gotten a lot of acting offers based on your role as a flight attendant in Donnie Darko? And is the term "stewardess" considered politically incorrect these days? Are you afraid you'll be typecast in flight attendant type roles in the future, or do you think you can expand to different characters in the future (like maybe a Wal-mart greeter or a restaurant hostess)?

Nancy: Frankly, I was surprised I wasn't nominated for at least something, 'best extra ever' or 'most convincing stewardess'. For weeks I practiced handing off that tiny airline pillow, the fact that I put on panty hose and used over 20 bobby pins in my hair must have proven my commitment. I have been offered several flight attendant roles, and since I used to be a credited flight attendant back in the early '90's, people feel I am a natural. We prefer being called 'in-flight cabin managers'. Eventually I suppose I could step into the role of Wal-mart greeter, but that would require dialog, which may be a few years off for me yet.

R-K.net: We heard that the 'best extra ever' nomination went to the guy who also poured coffee on the video equipment. What was it like working on a small independent film like Donnie Darko (compared to working on much bigger budget films like Charlie's Angels)? Is it more satisfying in some ways to see the little movie get all this publicity? Is it harder to fight for things you want in a film when the budget is small or when the expectations are huge? If that question makes any sense.

Nancy: Having worked on outrageously budgeted material as well as smalls like Darko back-to-back, I must say they are very different, but I argue that it is easier to make a smaller movie because people are rooting for you, giving you good deals and favors. On the bigger pictures everyone sees dollar signs and they act accordingly. Independents are a labor of love; you get that fabulous grassroots feeling that we are all in this together for the love of the craft and the story. Also, people are not writing crazy stuff about you in US magazine, second-guessing you, calling you a failure before you have even shot a frame of film. You get to have a lot of meetings with talent because it is not about a big payday; instead it is about the craft of story telling. Both are a blast, but Darko was an outstanding experience and one that you really look around at your team and think, WE DID THIS, together.

I think fighting for things is the same no matter what your budget or exposure. I want to do the best I can no matter what I'm working on, and really, watching money bleed is far less satisfying that using every penny to make the film better.

R-K.net: Did you ever expect Donnie Darko to be getting a director's cut treatment just a few years after its initial small theatrical release?

Nancy: I can't say what I ever expected from Donnie Darko. I thought the script was intriguing and interesting and bold. I am constantly amazed by what comes out of Richard's mind and to have the ability to get his career moving forward was very satisfying. It brings me joy that there are people out there who love this movie and keep coming back for more. Because of the questions surrounding the story, it feels right although unique that Rich would be given the opportunity to finish his film the way he envisioned it and then to present it to those who want more. I have never heard of a company coming to a team a few years after the release of a film and asking them to re-cut a film so it could be distributed again so soon. It is a testament to audiences as it is because of them Newmarket is doing this.

R-K.net: Why do you think the movie did so much better in Europe compared to its U.S. run? And do you anticipate the Director's Cut making it out to many cities this summer? Fan support on the Internet is obviously pretty rabid.

Nancy: The Internet has been a huge force in getting people interested. We have a shrine to Harry Knowles in our office. As for Europe, especially the UK, the response was and continues to be extraordinary. I know the film does not move quickly in a fast-action-MTV-style sense, but it asks your brain to think and catch-up, fill in the blanks. It also allows one to discover what the film means to the individual viewer, which is empowering. I have no intention of audience bashing, all I will say is having lived a few times in London, just watching BBC news compared to our local news.things are presented differently over there.I think Darko is a very personal and thought-provoking experience and I hope there is room for both in every viewers head. I certainly enjoy movies where I can dull my mind and go for a crazy ride, as well as seeing those films that ask me to use my own life experience and emotionality to understand the story being told. Once again, the viewers have the power. If they want Darko in lots of cities this summer, we are ready to give it to them.

R-K.net: (Shuddering at what a Harry Knowles shrine might look like...) Without giving away any major spoilers, do you think the Director's Cut is noticeably different than the version that most people have on DVD? Are fans going to be in for some surprises if they simply think that this is the same movie with the deleted scenes edited back in?

Nancy: As this film is filled with nuance and pause, I do believe people who already are intrigued by the original Donnie Darko will find this new cut very satisfying and even more thoughtful. Even for new viewers, more clues are given to untangle the brainteaser that is the story of Donnie. There is a real intimacy to this film that acknowledges not the masses, but the single thinker sitting in the dark theater being stimulated. We are talking to YOU. I would argue the only people Richard Kelly truly respects are his audience. He has high expectations that each person who chooses to view his film is sharing in an unspoken communication with him. He is telling YOU a story, thus you have the freedom to experience and interpret that story for yourself. It is an unusual way to make a film and it seems those who have felt Richard's urge to communicate with them are talking back.

R-K.net: What kind of projects are you working on now?

Nancy: We are working on a script called Fever Pitch, an adaptation of a Nick Hornby novel, a great human comedy about hope-filled obsession and the colonization of love.

R-K.net: Do you have anything else to add?

Nancy: Some might say it is my job to have something else to add.I would say the key for me with Donnie Darko is to let go of trying to figure it out and let it figure you out. This film is a collaboration between Richard and his audience, so to me, there is no right answer. People who are frustrated by not getting it should close their eyes and see where their own mind goes.

For me, the entire film is a metaphor for the changes that occur in the transition from boyhood to man. Men go through this time differently than women, but we all go through it. It is wickedly brutal, confusing, frustrating, scary, stimulating, exciting, depressing, intriguing time.the world is laid out before you..you fight for your own thoughts and conclusions and opinions. It is a time when, in your mind, you will be the rightest you will even be in your life. Authority and society are wrong. Rules are useless. Nobody understands how much you know, how right you are, what it is you are seeing. Adults have given in to fear and restraint and rules, and this is your window to stay pure and on course.

In the end is it better to give in or does it destroy you?

R-K.net: Nancy, thanks so much for spending the time to answer these questions. It is obvious that you deserve a lot of credit for Donnie Darko, and hopefully audiences will appreciate the fact that directors like Richard need help getting their story onto the screen. Good luck with Flower Films and we'll keep an eye out for you at Wal-mart working on your lines.