The FAA just approved use of drones for feature films. We talk with the owner of a company that stands to benefit; an Asian-American theater company explores how cultural bias can warp a family’s ability to discuss mental illness; Antoine Fuqua first directed Denzel Washington in "Training Day." Now they're together again for "The Equalizer."
'The Equalizer:' Antoine Fuqua says directing Denzel Washington is 'scary as hell'
Thirteen years have passed since director Antoine Fuqua and actor Denzel Washington last worked together. Which is surprising, given that their first collaboration, the 2001 hit film "Training Day," garnered Washington a Best Actor Oscar.
Fuqua and Washington had been in talks to work together in the 2007 film "American Gangster," but Fuqua was replaced as director before the film was finished casting. Other opportunities never materialized.
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Their latest film, "The Equalizer," stars Washington as Robert McCall, a retired government intelligence officer who now leads a quiet life as a big-box hardware store employee. When he meets a troubled young prostitute wrapped up with the Russian mob, he can't stand by while the bad guys get away with countless crimes.
The film is based on the TV series of the same name, which starred Edward Woodward and aired on CBS from 1985-89.
The Frame's John Horn sat down with Antoine Fuqua recently to discuss "The Equalizer," what makes his collaboration with Washington work so well and what he learned from being fired from "American Gangster."
Interview Highlights:
On what it was like to finally work with Denzel again:
It's interesting with Denzel...it's like music, you know what I mean? Some people just have a rhythm and an understanding of each other's shorthand from the beginning. I remember on the first day of 'Training Day,' I asked him if he wanted to look at the monitor, and he said, 'Nah, you're flying this plane' — and walked away. I was like, Oh my god. I can't screw this up, ... That gives you a certain amount of confidence, but it's also scary as hell, because of who he is and how powerful he is as an actor. So when we got into 'The Equalizer,' it felt the same — the rhythm felt the same. It was like getting back on a bike again.
On the Robert McCall character's relationship with violence:
What's interesting about Denzel's character is...the violence is like alcohol or a drug, it's an adrenaline rush. There's violent men, and there's men that understand violence. And sometimes men that understand violence will avoid it at all costs because they're actually comfortable in it. This is a person that becomes really comfortable during the process of violence — his heart rate slows down, everything becomes even more in focus for him, whereas most people panic. If you get in a car accident, people panic and freak out. He does the complete opposite. That's a really dangerous individual, you know?
On what Denzel Washington expects from the filmmakers he works with:
It's pretty simple, John. Denzel is a perfectionist — he expects the best from everyone. And he gives you a lot. Denzel's very generous in the sense that he'll do whatever it takes to support the movie and the other actors, he really will. And he comes ready, and he expects for you to come ready, and what he wants to hear is that you know what you're talking about and what you're doing. If you don't, if he smells that, it's a wrap. Forget about it, he's moving on ... that's it.
On casting Chloe Grace Moretz in "The Equalizer:"
Well, to be really honest with you, it wasn't my initial choice. We had read six other actresses — most of them were in their 20s — and I was locked into one of them, Haley Bennett. She plays the other prostitute in the movie...I met Chloe, and it was something really special about her. She walked in the room and she was very mature and she reminded me — from what I could see and what I knew — of Jodie Foster.
She was so clear and specific about her thoughts on the script, and I just fell in love with her. But I was worried about her age (17). So I had her come back and read with Denzel, and she was nervous, but she was amazing! He was so great with her, and they joked and talked, and she was right there with him. And I thought, You know, this young lady's special. And then I sent her to go meet a bunch of young former prostitutes, at a home, and she went out and did all this homework and hung out with them and put on a couple pounds, because one of the girls told her, 'You're too skinny, you wouldn't make any money. You need some meat on you.' So she went and put a little meat on her. I was really impressed with her.
On what he learned from being fired as director of "American Gangster:"
Well it was a heartbreak, for sure. Still a heartbreak, but I learned some valuable lessons from it, you know? Russell [Crowe] wasn't involved at that time. I had hired Benicio del Toro, and there were some other things going on internally at the studio that, you know, I was just too young to understand. I was just thinking about making a great film and I was passionate about it. You grow up thinking that you just fight for everything, and there's some things that you fight for and there's some things you need to listen a little bit more to or talk a little bit more about to the head of the studio.
It's one of those valuable, heartbreaking lessons that you take with you and you try not to let it happen again. I think directors have to put a producer's hat on sometimes, and it's hard to do that when you're in a creative space because you're discussing budgets and restraints and things and you think, If I compromise, I'm compromising my vision, and that's not always the case. Sometimes you just have to compromise and come up with a different vision to fit the budget and fit the situation you're in.
How the FAA ruling on drones used on film sets will change the industry
The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved six companies to use drones as a way to legalize the shift in the entertainment industry from using helicopters to shoot those iconic aerial shots.
Helicopter crashes are responsible for more film set fatalities than any other type of accident. Drones are seen as a safer and cheaper alternative according to Neil Fried, senior vice president for the Motion Picture Association of America.
Ziv Marom, the Creative Director of ZM Interactive, does not see drones replacing helicopters but "adding another tool in the tool box." Marom's company, which specializes in aerial photography using drones, recently used the pilotless aircraft on the set of "The Expendables 3."
Marom talked with The Frame about what drones are capable of and how the FAA ruling will change the filmmaking industry.
Interview Highlights:
What can drones do that helicopters or cranes can't?
Well, you have almost unlimited [point-of-view]: you can start to fly indoors and go right outdoors and go high. It doesn't cost a lot, you don't risk pilots' lives, which is important; they do really crazy shots with real helicopters, and they're amazing pilots, but you don't necessarily need to do that. We fly exactly the same, if not better, cameras — it's pretty amazing.
What can drones not do? Can they fly large format cameras like IMAX cameras?
We can fly large cameras. We build our own drones so we can design them any size, any power that we need. We can fly two Red Epic Cinema cameras for 3D for example, or a fully-rigged ARRI Alexa. We cannot do things that are too much work; there are limitations. For example, if a director's asking us to fly too far, too high, sometimes too fast, for a shot they didn't plan right on the set, we always say no. Even if we can fly, we wouldn't do it if it's some kind of a risk for any safety reasons.
The FAA rules prohibit flying drones above 400 feet and also prohibit their use at night. Are those too limiting in terms of what you are going to be able to do on a movie or TV show?
Not really. The whole purpose of the drones is low-aerial flight — to fly, for example, between buildings on set. We will not fly over a crowd unless the actors know that it's there and it's not exactly above them — so everything is very calculated, very planned, very safe. Even if it falls down, it will fall not exactly above the actors or anything.
I am a hypothetical movie producer. I have the choice of renting a helicopter for a couple of days to do my photography or hiring your company. What is the cost difference going to be?
Cost difference is going to be pretty big. First, [we must determine] if we can do the shots, because there are limitations, there are things we cannot do. That's why we're working before that with the [director of photography], with the directors, to make sure that we can actually provide [the shots]. And then once we see that we can provide that, the cost is a lot different. I'm not sure exactly how much different than a helicopter.
Let's say thirty thousand dollars for two days of helicopter shoots.
While it depends again on the gear and the team, between $3,000-8,000, tops [for drones], if we need to bring a few operators, so it's a really big difference. We can also get to location a lot easier, we can just put it in a backpack and get to the top of a mountain or fly off a boat.
*laughs* It's a little harder to land a helicopter on the top of a mountain, isn't it?
Exactly, yes.
The FAA plans to approve more production companies to use pilotless aircrafts in the future. Ziv Marom is currently in the process of reviewing the application to use drones legally.
L.A. theater company hopes its play is the Asian-American version of 'A Beautiful Mind'
Mental illness has fascinated screenwriters and playwrights for years. In "99 Histories," we see how cultural bias can warp a family’s ability to talk about it. The play examines how a Korean immigrant mother and her American-born daughter alternatively confront – and deny – the daughter's emergent mental illness.
"99 Histories" is making its L.A. debut with the Asian-American theater troupe known as Artists at Play. The troupe hopes its production (which runs through October 5th at the Lounge Theater 2 in Hollywood) will, in the words of psychologist Michi Fu who is consulting on the show, be "the Asian American live version of 'A Beautiful Mind.'"
KPCC's health reporter Rebecca Plevin on how well art imitates life in "99 Histories."