The Movie is premiering at Sundance
After months of vague hints, I can finally reveal information about The Movie I wrote and directed this summer.
- It’s called The Nines.cancelled. Or put on indefinite hiatus. The truth is, we had just finished clearing the title "The Nines" through the MPAA when ABC decided to retitle their pilot "Nine Lives" as "The Nine." Guess how happy that made us. We made back-up plans, but I had a hunch that nobody would give a damn about what happened during a bank robbery. For once, America did not disappoint me.”>1
- It stars Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis and Melissa McCarthy.
- It’s a drama. Funny in places, suspenseful in places, but basically a drama.
- It will be premiering at the Sundance Film Festival.
This last point was the primary reason for secrecy on the first three. I made the film with the goal of debuting at Sundance, where my first film (Go) launched in 1999, and didn’t want to shine too big a spotlight on it until we knew whether the festival would pick it up.
We found out last week that we got in, but the Filmmaker Agreement we signed required us to keep a lid on the public “woo-hoos” until the official announcement came out. Which it did, today. So, woo-hoo!
The film was produced by Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen (American Beauty, Big Fish), along with Dan Etheridge (Veronica Mars and many indies). It was independently financed,2 with the hope of finding the right distributor.
Feel free to ask about the budget. I will whistle and look in the other direction.
In an earlier post, I bemoaned the difficulty of trying to arrange a test audience screening, given the danger that any internet leak could be deadly. I can now tell you that there were two screenings, which were invaluable. The first one helped us figure out what movie we’d actually made. The second one told us which scenes we actually needed.3
What is the movie about? Well, if you got a Sundance catalog, the description would read something like this:
A troubled actor, a television showrunner, and an acclaimed videogame designer find their lives intertwining in mysterious and unsettling ways.
Which is entirely true. There’s also a lot more going on, but there’s no sense in spoiling it now. The movie isn’t The Sixth Sense; it doesn’t hinge on one giant twist. But it rewards paying very careful attention.
So, hey, if you’d like to see it, come to Sundance! In addition to the premiere, there will be at least two more screenings that week. The movie is playing out of competition (that is, it’s not eligible for awards), so I’m honestly not trying to stuff the ballot box. But a friendly audience is always welcome.
For the majority of readers who won’t be able to make it to Park City, I’ll try to keep up with the blogging to give a virtual Sundance experience.
- What? There’s a show on ABC called “The Nine”? Oh wait, it was cancelled. Or put on indefinite hiatus. The truth is, we had just finished clearing the title “The Nines” through the MPAA when ABC decided to retitle their pilot “Nine Lives” as “The Nine.” Guess how happy that made us. We made back-up plans, but I had a hunch that nobody would give a damn about what happened during a bank robbery. For once, America did not disappoint me. ↩
- A polite euphemism for “rich people paid for it.” ↩
- There was in fact one blogger at the first test screening, but he so rarely posts that even Tyra Banks feels a little neglected. ↩
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November 30th, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Congrats, John! Sounds intriguing.
What is the Sundance application process like for established filmmakers? Are you allotted a “by” because you’ve been there before?
Any chance you’ll be posting the screenplay after it premiers?
Thanks for keeping us “amateurs” informed with a great blog.
November 30th, 2006 at 3:30 pm
Very cool Mr. August…well done and good luck with ‘The Movie’
November 30th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
Congrats! That’s awesome! BTW, would you mind strolling down the block and telling Friedman to start posting again?
November 30th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
Congrats John!
The concept sounds really interesting. It will be fun to see something you’ve both written and directed.
November 30th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
Awesomedome! Congratulations indeed. I’m attending Sundance for the first time this year, and it was great to hear that “The Movie” (as I will probably always refer to it) is playing. As an ex-videogame designer and aspiring showrunner, this sounds like an exciting film!
November 30th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
Well, here’s a public “woo hoo!”
Saw the list earlier today and had to say congrats.
BTW, I figured that maybe Tyra had bought that blogger off. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t posted in a while. Or maybe he just got too frustrated by the situation.
RED
November 30th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
A toast to those trusting and forward thinking “rich people.” Best of luck with the film, John.
November 30th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
Nick — Nope, we had to apply just like everyone else. I do know people at Sundance (I’ve worked there as an advisor), but during the endless weeks we didn’t hear anything, I’d pretty much convinced myself that we didn’t get in.
I’ll post the screenplay once the movie hits theaters. Assuming it hits theaters.
Mike — Josh is busy doing his Terminator pilot, which is going to be so cool that you’ll forgive him for abandoning his blog-readers.
Someone emailed to ask why we’re a Premiere, rather than being in competition. It’s the festival’s call. I was happy either way.
November 30th, 2006 at 4:58 pm
Congratulations, John!
¡Mucha suerte!
November 30th, 2006 at 5:25 pm
Great news August!
I fancy Hope Davis and Ryan is lately making some great “serious” stuff… Tell us (this might need a whole new post), how was it working with them, what were they like?
Good luck!
November 30th, 2006 at 7:12 pm
Congrats, Mr. August!
Hope to see it soon in a theater near me.
November 30th, 2006 at 7:26 pm
“But it rewards paying very careful attention.” You mean like the accebit poster with the number 9 on it? Will there be clues to watch for in the background?
P.S. I am intrigued by the title and while searching Wikipedia took the initiative in adding an entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_(number).
Is the title a reference to the year 1999? Does a Y2K bug cause a troubled actor to get sucked into a video game(a la Tron) that is based on a popular television show?
November 30th, 2006 at 10:27 pm
I’m curious about how you got those footnoted “rich people” to pony up. Granted, I’m sure your credit list helped a great deal, but you probably have good information for the rest of us. Did you draw up a business plan? Any chance we could have a look at it?
November 30th, 2006 at 10:36 pm
Congrats, John! Finally I know why Mr. Reynolds is a MySpace friend of yours.
I wish I was his friend (MySpace notwithstanding) — cue sad violin music. Funny guy, that one.
November 30th, 2006 at 11:12 pm
congrats!
patiently waiting for it to reach leading middle eastern video stores in 2009..
November 30th, 2006 at 11:45 pm
OK. I’m still thinking about the title and I noticed in background of the photo of RR there is a painting with what appears to be the number 54, of which 9 is a divisor. You also mentioned in a previous post about a character talking about long division so it makes me think there are mathematical puzzles involved.
I don’t know what significance any of this would have but I really want to know what this movie is about.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:40 am
At the premiere, make sure you are dressed to the Nines! Muhahahahahahahaha……
December 1st, 2006 at 4:58 am
Hey John, um… make everyone look the other way, and then flash us a copy of The Nines by BitTorrent. C’mon! Chances are I’ll probably never get to see it any other way. Unless you personally come to my house in Australia and hand over a copy.
Hey, that’s not such a bad idea. Tasmania is nice, you know.
December 1st, 2006 at 8:29 am
Great cast. Love that Melissa! I can’t wait to see it, John.
December 1st, 2006 at 8:44 am
Woo! I’ll see that. I could eat Ryan Reynolds up with a spoon. I’d rather see a movie with him than Brad Pitt.
December 1st, 2006 at 9:42 am
That’s excellent news! Mazel Tov!
December 1st, 2006 at 11:41 am
awesome dude. congrats! my first short just got into sundance too!!!! i can’t say anything until next week when the shorts are announced however.. until then…. thanks for inspiring all of us to make this shit happen. i’ve been reading your blog for a while now and i always quote your line about “what kind of movies do you like to write?”…
‘the kind that get made.’
December 1st, 2006 at 11:45 am
DougJ –
The math in The Nines is entirely optional — the innumerate can fully enjoy it. But it’s there.
And if you feel like a 4 to go with the 5 in the photo, click around Variety.com to find another picture from the movie.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:01 pm
That’s pretty exciting. I’ll be at Sundance this year. Hope I can get into one of the screenings!
December 1st, 2006 at 1:26 pm
Excellent news, John. Good work.
December 1st, 2006 at 3:42 pm
hey John - congratulations on getting in. Park City’s a bit far away from Laingholm so i look forward with hope and prayer to its arrival in New Zealand after Sundance. d *<;)
December 1st, 2006 at 4:19 pm
Woo Hoo indeed! Congrats man!
-mike
December 3rd, 2006 at 1:08 pm
Just noticed something: beard on, serious Ryan. Clean shaven, funny Ryan.
December 4th, 2006 at 9:52 am
Congratulations! I will be working at Slamdance and will try to get a ticket to one of your screenings (although I have a feeling it will be hard to come by). Come visit the little(r) guys while you’re in Park City!
December 5th, 2006 at 6:40 am
Oli,
That’s a funny observation. If you go back and look at Kevin Kline’s work, you’ll notice the opposite. He often sported facial hair when he was doing comedy (usually a mustache) but was clean shaven in dramatic roles. And I seem to have a Pavlovian response to the sight of Kevin Kline with a mustache that makes me predisposed to laugh.
John,
So, were you able to find rich people to finance it based on your past success as a screenwriter, producer, shooting second unit, etc.? Or do you think your financiers would have funded the film based purely on the screenplay even if a less experienced director were on board?
December 5th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Ryan is not even remotely funny with a beard. In fact, we have to keep him away from sharp objects, for he’s likely to hurt himself or others.
Josh –
I think my script could have gotten the movie made even if I had no credits to my name…but it was certainly a quicker process because of my background and the people I’d worked with, who were inclined to believe I knew what I was doing.