BENNY SAFDIE (Uncut Gems): Directing Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in THE SMASHING MACHINE plus filmmaking tips.
Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems, The Curse) joins this weeks The Filmmakers
Podcast to discuss the challenging process of directing his solo feature
debut, the gritty sports biopic The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne
Johnson as MMA legend Mark Kerr. Fellow filmmakers Giles Alderson and
Dom Lenoir sit with Benny and dive into the Safdie style, his approach
to directing actors and making raw, kinetic cinema.
As one half of the acclaimed Safdie Brothers duo, Benny co-directed,
co-wrote, and edited films that make your heart pound out of your chest.
We’re talking about the incredible, neon-drenched chase thriller "Good
Time," and the anxiety-inducing, chaotic masterpiece "Uncut Gems,"
starring Adam Sandler. These films established a gritty, naturalistic
style, full of propulsive energy, often focusing on outsiders
desperately struggling in the urban landscape of New York.
But he’s not just a master behind the camera! As an actor, he has
completely transformed and disappeared into roles, giving incredible
performances like the troubled Nick Nikas in "Good Time," the
compassionate Joel Wachs in Paul Thomas Anderson’s "Licorice Pizza," and
the brilliant physicist Edward Teller in Christopher Nolan’s
blockbuster, "Oppenheimer." He’s even popped up in TV like "Obi-Wan
Kenobi" and co-created, wrote, directed, and starred in the critically
praised Showtime series, "The Curse."
And now, he’s stepped out as a solo director, writer, and editor with
the highly anticipated film, "The Smashing Machine." This intense
biographical sports drama, which premiered to acclaim at the Venice Film
Festival, stars a completely transformed Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as
pioneering MMA fighter Mark Kerr, alongside the brilliant Emily Blunt
and other great actors. It's a grittier, unflinching look at a champion
struggling with addiction and the pressures of the sport.
He's a true filmmaking polymath who brings a raw, authentic urgency to
everything he touches. It's the brilliant Benny Safdie!
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PATREON
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CREDITS
The Filmmakers Podcast is written and produced by Giles Alderson @gilesalderson
Edited by @tobiasvees
Logo and Banner Art by Lois Creative
Theme Music by John J. Harvey
For more interviews on filmmaking like this go to
www.thefilmmakerspodcast.com
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