1 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: Cynthia Lyttleton, co editor in chief of Variety. Today we 4 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,759 Speaker 1: have a real treat for listeners. We are going to 5 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: feature a conversation that was held on April eighth as 6 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: part of Variety's annual Power of Law Breakfast event in 7 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 1: Los Angeles. This time around, we had filmmaker Paul fig 8 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 1: join us for a lively conversation about the state of moviegoing, 9 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: how he's finding ways to engage with fans and bring 10 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,879 Speaker 1: younger consumers back to the multiplexes. Figu is known for 11 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:47,919 Speaker 1: delivering such hits as Bridesmaids and his most recent success, 12 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: The Housemaid. It's a really lively conversation with my terrific 13 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: Variety colleague Matt Donnelly, who is one of our most 14 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: enterprising writers and reporters. It's a really fun listen and 15 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,319 Speaker 1: a lot of the interesting industry intel wrapped around it. 16 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy it as much as we did 17 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: in the room. 18 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:12,119 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for coming and talking to us, 19 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 2: for having me. 20 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 3: Everybody, what do you think the movies get right about 21 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 3: lawyers when they depict them. 22 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 2: Get right about them and or wrong. 23 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 4: What they get wrong is the lawyers are always really 24 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 4: well lit in. 25 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: Movies. Every courtroom, every office I've been in is not 26 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 2: well lit. So you all agreeally good on screening. 27 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 3: Let'll just say that fresh blowouts and back lighting, Yes, exactly. 28 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 3: You know, as our publisher and co president Daya said 29 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:41,839 Speaker 3: in this conversation is sort of supposed to be about 30 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 3: what's working, But I just want to acknowledge first this 31 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 3: tremendous year you've had. I mean, starting with a simple 32 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 3: favor too, but of course the runaway success of The 33 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 3: Housemate has just been so huge, so congrats. I mean, 34 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 3: how what would you think the secret was? I mean, 35 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 3: those books have been around for a minute, and those 36 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 3: rights have been on sort of out there for a minute. 37 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 3: What how did you what did you think the secret 38 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 3: was to doing it right? 39 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: Well? 40 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 4: I mean, you know the fact that it was a 41 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 4: very popular book that's been on the bestseller list for 42 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 4: two years. You know more than that now, you know 43 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 4: you always you know the dirty word IP, but every 44 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 4: studio wants IP and I get it because you know, 45 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 4: originals are just hard to launch because nobody knows what 46 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 4: they are, but I personally love originals. But having the 47 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 4: backing of something that people know and are excited about 48 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,119 Speaker 4: that has a fan base helps you, but it doesn't 49 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 4: get you over the hump. It's really a how you 50 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 4: cast it be, how what your mission is with the project. 51 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,079 Speaker 4: And to me, the mission of all filmmakers of all 52 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,799 Speaker 4: Hollywood has to be first and foremost to entertain the audience. 53 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 4: And it sounds trite to say that, but you know, 54 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 4: there's a lot of filmmakers and studios that kind of 55 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 4: chase awards, which is fine, but you're not. You're not 56 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 4: in service with the audience of your first goal is 57 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 4: to try to win the critics and win awards in 58 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 4: that way. So you know, look, I made a movie 59 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 4: called Bride'smaids and it got nominated. 60 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 3: For right give it up for Bride Turns fifteen this year, 61 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 3: thank you, But it got nominated for two Oscars. 62 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 4: Do you think any of us thought we were gonna 63 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 4: get nomin for two Oscars when I had somebody shitting 64 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 4: in a sing, you know, But we were just in 65 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 4: service to the audience. And so that's really what what 66 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 4: we did on The Housemaid And you know, it's it 67 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 4: was a tricky it's a tricky book because it's it's 68 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 4: a story about abuse, so you know, but I want 69 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 4: all my movies to be kind of fun. So how 70 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 4: do you make a fun abuse music movie? You don't, 71 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 4: But what you do is the structure of the movie 72 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 4: was great because I don't know, if you whoever hasn't 73 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 4: seen it, they'll try not to spoil too much because 74 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 4: it's got a good twist. But the basically the first 75 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 4: half of the movie, you think it's one thing and 76 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 4: it seems like this pot boiler kind of like, you know, 77 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 4: the beautiful woman moves into the house. Oh it's a 78 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 4: husband gonna you know, and the wife is crazy and 79 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 4: all this tuff. So you know, there's an hour's worth 80 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 4: of fun in that. So you just kind of have 81 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 4: the fun in that, and people get into it and 82 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 4: they're laughing and cheering and you know, happy when the 83 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 4: wife gets kicked out of the house and all that. 84 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 4: But then when you hit the twist and you realize 85 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 4: that this woman has actually been abused and has been 86 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,279 Speaker 4: in this terrible situation, then there's no fun. Then you 87 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,600 Speaker 4: just have you treat that dead serious and you get 88 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 4: the audience so angry at the people that they were 89 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 4: rooting for in the first hour that then, you know, 90 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 4: once you've given the backstory of the abuse, now you 91 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 4: can have the fun of the retribution against the people 92 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 4: now who they now hate. And so that's when you 93 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 4: turn it up to an eleven. And you know, so 94 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 4: we were able to do that. I have an amazing cast. 95 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 4: Sidney Sweeney was fantastic. Amanda Seifried turns into performance that's unbelievable. 96 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 4: Brandon Sclenar comes out of, you know, out of nineteen 97 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 4: twenty three, that TV show, you know, and it ends 98 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 4: with us, and was just wanted to go for it 99 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 4: with this character who seems fantastic and turns out to 100 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 4: be awful. And so the fact that we were just 101 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 4: kind of doing all that at this high level, you know, 102 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 4: in service of an audience. You know, I test my 103 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 4: movies very, very heavily when I'm putting them together about 104 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 4: you know, the DGA gives me ten weeks to do 105 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 4: by director's cut, where nobody can interfere in the studio, 106 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 4: can't get involved in all that, which normally as a 107 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 4: director you take that ten weeks to do put together 108 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 4: what you think is the perfect. 109 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 2: You know, perfect movie. I like to go. 110 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 4: And I have my contracts now thanks to Warren Durn Warren, 111 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 4: good job I get. I get a free without the 112 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 4: studio test screening that I can do it anytime those 113 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 4: ten weeks. So about five weeks in, I'll put the 114 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 4: movie together and kind of go. 115 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 2: I think it works. 116 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 4: I think it's in good shape. I don't know, but 117 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 4: I'm not in love with it yet. And so you know, 118 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 4: and we got a real test audience of two hundred 119 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 4: and fifty people recruited off the streets and out of 120 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 4: movie theaters, so they don't know me. You know, the 121 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 4: friends and family screenings are worthless. 122 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:00,359 Speaker 2: Somebody. Filmmakers only wait to really good friends of family. 123 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 2: Oh did you was it great? 124 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 4: Did your family love your movie? 125 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 2: You know? 126 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 4: And so then you have these two hundred and fifty 127 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 4: people and they're brutal on your movie. But we we 128 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 4: record them, you know, we record their audio. We record 129 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 4: them with night vision. Especially a lot of movies are 130 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,479 Speaker 4: straight up comedy, so I'm just going off with the laughs. 131 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,279 Speaker 4: But with a movie like Housemaid, which is it's fun 132 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 4: and then it's not fun, you know, I want to 133 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 4: see are they you know, there's nothing worse than the 134 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 4: night vision. You see everybody's sitting there, you know, like 135 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 4: this eating popcorn, and the most exciting thing happens, and 136 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 4: they're just like doing this, you know. So I'm looking 137 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 4: at that and going, Okay, what are they reacting to? 138 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 4: What are they not reacting to? Where can you tell it? 139 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 2: Slow? What got a laugh? What didn't get a laugh? 140 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 4: That should have got a laugh, you know, And then 141 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,359 Speaker 4: go back in and you know, re edit, and just 142 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 4: keep doing that throughout the process. And then eventually the 143 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 4: studio comes in and they do the test screenings with 144 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 4: them there. But I'm less concerned about their notes, sorry, studio, 145 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 4: because I've got empirical evidence. Now I've got an all Like, 146 00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 4: if they go, I don't think this works, let's look 147 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 4: at the you know, they laughed or they didn't laugh, Okay, 148 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 4: I can't defend it. If they didn't laugh or didn't react, 149 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 4: then I don't want it in the movie if they 150 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 4: didn't you know. So so by doing that, then you 151 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 4: have a product. By the time you get to the 152 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 4: end of the end of the process and you've locked 153 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 4: your movie, you got something that you know works with 154 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 4: about ninety percent of all audiences because they're bringing in 155 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 4: you know all, you know, just a completely diverse crowd. 156 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 4: Every time, we break it down very demographically of who's 157 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 4: there and so so you know, so then you know 158 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 4: it works. So then you can have the confidence to 159 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 4: kind of, you know, put it out there. And then 160 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 4: the Lionsgate marketing team did an amazing job of promoting. 161 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 4: We had this one thing that really helped us a lot, 162 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 4: which was we did a screening of it. And if 163 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 4: you've seen the movie, there's a thing where the Sidney 164 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 4: Sweeney's character is breaking all these plates. And so they 165 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 4: did a screening of the Grove where they handed out 166 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 4: these breakable plates to everybody. And I got up and 167 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 4: introduced it and said, okay, it's this certain point and 168 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 4: you know, Amanda Seifreed's character is gonna scream. You guys 169 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 4: can all scream too. You know, it seems sounds ridiculous, 170 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 4: but people really got into it and it made them go, oh, 171 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 4: I could just be very vocal and kind of crazy 172 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 4: during this screening, which that's what I want it. I 173 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 4: want people to be energized and in it. And then 174 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 4: you know, I said, okay, and there's one moment when 175 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 4: Sidney Sweeney's character says, you know, I fucking love gravy, 176 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 4: and then she smashes this plate. And so when that, 177 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 4: I said, when that happens, do it? And it happened. 178 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 4: Everyone went crazy breaking these plates and we filmed it 179 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 4: all with night visions and used it as part of 180 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 4: our ad campaign. So all the other so people go that, 181 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 4: look how much fun everybody's having. I want to go 182 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 4: see that movie in a movie theater, you know, And 183 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 4: so that just took us to the next level. And 184 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 4: what was really interesting too, is like TikTok, who knew 185 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 4: that so many people go to the movies and film 186 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 4: themselves watching the movie. It seems crazy, and yet it's 187 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 4: this is how people back in movie theaters telling you. Now, 188 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 4: there's so many young women who would go in groups 189 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 4: and they'd film themselves getting all their like they do 190 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 4: what is it called a hurricane or whatever. You have 191 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 4: the pop machine and you just get you mix them 192 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 4: all together into one cup. 193 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 3: I think it's called a suicide suicide. 194 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 2: Well, there you go Long Island. I see, I guess 195 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 2: you got it. 196 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 4: But they that and they get all their snacks, they 197 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 4: bring blankets. 198 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 2: Who knew this? 199 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 4: People bring blankets to the movies now because especially you know, 200 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 4: because now with these more comfortable seats, they'll snuggle up 201 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 4: under their blankets with their friends and then film themselves 202 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 4: watching the movie and reacting and screaming and all this stuff, 203 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 4: and then they put it out and it's fantastic. And 204 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 4: then Sydney Sweeney is so brilliant she would get though. 205 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 4: She would just call all those videos and put them 206 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 4: on her feed every day. So not only were people 207 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 4: seeing this all over the place, but then people were like, oh, 208 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 4: I want to be in her feed, so they're going 209 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 4: and filming themselves doing it too, and it just it 210 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 4: just created this whole juggernaut. You know, we're just scratching 211 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 4: four hundred million dollars worldwide with the movie. 212 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 3: And what was your budget? 213 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm thirty five million dollar budget. Crazy. 214 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's yeah, give it up for that raising multiplier. Hey, you, 215 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 3: I think everything you just said really illustrates the power 216 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 3: of I think this this phrase has a little bit 217 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 3: of a context around it, but like popcorn movies, yeah, 218 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 3: and you've always done in a way that's more elevated, 219 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 3: but still, like you said, pleasing the audience is probably 220 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 3: a really good place to start. 221 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. 222 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 4: Well, it's always looked at at being so like, you know, 223 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 4: a guilty pleasure of popcorn movie, which which great. I'll 224 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 4: take that, you know, but I know, you know, you know, 225 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 4: if you're a serious filmmaker's like, oh, we don't do that. 226 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 2: It's like why not? 227 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 4: You know, I giving them people a good time makes 228 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 4: people keep going to the movies. 229 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 2: You know. I have this thing about you know. 230 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 4: When it's like, you know, the Academy Awards season, what 231 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 4: I call homework movies come out, you know, you know, 232 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:54,560 Speaker 4: I mean the Academy You have to watch these and look, 233 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 4: and they're always really good. But it's never like, oh, 234 00:10:57,679 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 4: I can't wait to watch. It's always like, oh, okay, I 235 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 4: got to watch. You know, it's a three hours long Okay, 236 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 4: here we go, you know. 237 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 3: Terminal illness, children being abandoned, or let's do that. 238 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, you know exactly. You know. 239 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 4: Look, I'm glad people are making important movies like that, 240 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 4: but I didn't get in the business to do that. 241 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 4: I get in the business to make let people have fun. 242 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 4: I was a stand up comedian for years and that's 243 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 4: honestly the probably the best training I've had for putting 244 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 4: my movies together because I put them. That's how I 245 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,079 Speaker 4: used to put together my stand up act. You know, 246 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:24,680 Speaker 4: you write a bunch of material, you go up on 247 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 4: a you know, on an off night, and try it 248 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 4: all and that didn't work, and you record it and okay, 249 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:30,719 Speaker 4: let's go back and change this and all that. You 250 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 4: know by the time, so you finally working into something good. 251 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 2: So yeah, So I love popcorn movies, and uh, you know, we. 252 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 4: Got to keep making them. That's how that's how we're 253 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 4: getting people back into theaters. And people are going back 254 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 4: into theaters. I'm so tired of hearing nobody saying movies 255 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 4: are dead. Movie theaters are dead. They're not dead if 256 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 4: we don't if we give people in a reason to 257 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 4: go to them, you know. And so that's why I 258 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 4: think again, audience first. And you gotta be hard on 259 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 4: material too, you know. You know when I lectured to 260 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 4: film students instead, it was there was like, what how 261 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,960 Speaker 4: I know it to work on? I say, the test 262 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 4: you need to do is if you were in a 263 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 4: movie theater and you saw a trailer for the idea 264 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 4: that you have in your head and you didn't know 265 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 4: you would you go, oh, I got to see that 266 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:18,199 Speaker 4: or would you be like okay, you know, and it 267 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 4: sounds easy to do, but it's a really hard litmus 268 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 4: test to put on yourself. And yet it really makes 269 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 4: sense because there's just a lot of stuff you go, yeah, 270 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 4: I don't care, you know, or like that, I'll wait, 271 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 4: you know, that's that's what we don't want. I'll wait 272 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 4: to watch it on cable, you know, or on streaming 273 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 4: or whatever that so you know, but that's why you know, 274 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 4: we need to expand the window, you know, the theatrical window, 275 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:42,600 Speaker 4: because you know, a streamer saying okay, you know, in 276 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 4: being theaters for a for a week or two weeks, 277 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 4: everybody's gonna wait. You know, if you go like, oh 278 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 4: just wait two weeks, you'll be on. But if you 279 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 4: don't say when it's gonna go to it and give 280 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 4: it a forty five Look. I love the ninety day 281 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 4: window myself back in the old days, but we'll take 282 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,079 Speaker 4: the forty five when you know day window because it 283 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 4: worked for us on how made we you know, after 284 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 4: forty five days we went to p V O D 285 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 4: and went to number one on all of them. And 286 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 4: then after that window of doing that, now we're on Stars. 287 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 4: We're number one on Stars, and then we're eventually going 288 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 4: to go to Amazon, where I'm assuming. 289 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 2: We'll do really well too. 290 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 4: But it's that, you know, it's it's why, you know 291 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:22,079 Speaker 4: why there's been kind of a people going against binge 292 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 4: watching recently because they say psychologically you get really depressed 293 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 4: after you finished, and it is true because it kind 294 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 4: of how many times you're like, oh, I got to 295 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 4: watch it all and then you like rip through it 296 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 4: and you're like, ah shit, I wish I could have 297 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:35,079 Speaker 4: strung that out a bit more, you know. 298 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 2: Like feel dead inside. Yeah, you know us eating a 299 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 2: whole you know, I love peakan pie. 300 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 4: All guy's gonna eat the whole thing right now and 301 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 4: then never eat peakan pie again in your life, which 302 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 4: happened to me in life as a kid. I went 303 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 4: to a nance house and you made really good peak 304 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 4: and pie and I ate it. I never had it before, 305 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 4: had it the entire weekend and have never touched pecan 306 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:52,079 Speaker 4: pie again. 307 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 2: That's the thought of it makes me throw up. 308 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 3: That sounds like your first animated probably there you go. 309 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,679 Speaker 2: Element of impact too. 310 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 3: I mean you said earlier about the you know, the 311 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 3: oscars versus films that people want to see. I mean, 312 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,199 Speaker 3: you know, absolutely all credit to these other movies I'm 313 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 3: about to mention, but Amanda Seyfried I think got so 314 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 3: much more attention and just showcased so much more versatility 315 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 3: in your movie than her very serious Awards film. 316 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 2: Same thing with Sydney. 317 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 3: She had a really amazing performance and a boxing biopic 318 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 3: that really struggled and this one. 319 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 2: You know, she booked an Edith Wharton. 320 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 3: Adaptation after Housemates box office Like, that's if that's not 321 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 3: what a really compelling movie does for you and allows 322 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 3: you to sort of stretch yourself. I just think it's 323 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 3: very cool proof of concept that you can do both. 324 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, oh no, it's you know, you can stretch as 325 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 4: much into popcorn movie as you can in a serious film. 326 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 4: And I love that they're doing all these actors are 327 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 4: doing all these things. 328 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 2: That's fantastic. You know. 329 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 4: It's just a lot of times I think you really 330 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 4: got a balance as an artist, whether in front of 331 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 4: the camera, behind the camera. What how you pay off 332 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 4: the expectations that you set with your most successful things. 333 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 4: And you don't want to get pigeonholed, obviously, and yet 334 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:08,600 Speaker 4: there's ways to not get pigeonholed and still kind of 335 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 4: delivered the not put the audience off. I mean, I've 336 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 4: had this happen with with comedian comedic actors that I've 337 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 4: worked with, who ironically, most people who are really funny 338 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 4: want to be really serious, just like all musicians want 339 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 4: to be comedians and all comedians want to be rock stars. 340 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 4: So nobody ever wants to be what they are. But 341 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 4: you know, I think you just have to. Yeah, like 342 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 4: some comedy people I know have you know, wanted to 343 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 4: do drama, which is fine. But what happens is this 344 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 4: this thought of like, Okay, I'm a funny person, so 345 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 4: in order to be a dramatic actor, I have to 346 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 4: not be funny at all, you know, And so the 347 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 4: audience like sometimes you'll go you know. 348 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 2: I mean the classic. 349 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 4: Example was when Bill Murray did The Razor's Edge, you know, 350 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 4: and audiences don't know the business, so they don't know 351 00:15:57,240 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 4: this is the wonder he gets to be seriously like, hey, 352 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 4: Bill Murray's on a moviment. I can't wait, and you're like, 353 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 4: why am I not laughing? Why is this so serious? 354 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 2: You know? 355 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 4: And I think that happens with with any of us, 356 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 4: you know, a lot of people talk about The Housemaid. 357 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 4: They're like, oh, this is your first foray and a drama. 358 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 4: I'm like, it's not really a drama, you know, it's 359 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 4: It's just it's a really really dark comedy, is what 360 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 4: it is. Just because I guess for me, I still 361 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 4: want to pay off the idea that any movie that 362 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 4: has my name on it is going to be a 363 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 4: good time. It might be a dark good time like 364 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 4: Simple Favor In another Simple Favor in The Housemaid, or 365 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 4: it might be just nutty balls out, you know The 366 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 4: Heat and Jackpot and Bridesmaids, which you know Bridesmaid, but 367 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 4: bridesmay is a drama that is very funny, you know. 368 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 4: So it sounds contradictory, But you have to face all 369 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 4: my movies like their comedies. Then I have to build 370 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 4: them like their dramas, so that the steaks are real 371 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 4: and that the characters are believable, and there's a driver 372 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 4: in the middle of it that pulls you along. And 373 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 4: then the fun comes out of how extreme do we 374 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 4: get with how we're playing things or how extreme a 375 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 4: these characters are, what are the situations they're in. But 376 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 4: you have to have stakes, like a movie that's just 377 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 4: completely silly and just all jokes. 378 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 2: It can be really fun. 379 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:10,239 Speaker 4: I love Marx Brothers movies and all that, but you're 380 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 4: not exactly invested in the story. 381 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 2: You know, you're just going this is really fun. 382 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 4: But audiences these days need they need high stakes, you know, 383 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 4: and it's a real you know, is a filmmaker, writer, 384 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 4: or anything dealing with the studios, you'll always just hear stakes. 385 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 4: We need rais stakes, rais stakes, which people just say. 386 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 4: But at the same and I used to get really 387 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 4: mad just because I thought, you're just parroting this thing. 388 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 2: But it's true. 389 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:37,160 Speaker 4: You really, people have to be invested in these stories, 390 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 4: and they have to be life or death with these characters, 391 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 4: and not in a superhero way, just like you know, 392 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 4: somebody's being is at stake, their emotional being is at stake, 393 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 4: their life and what they're doing in their life, not 394 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 4: necessarily do or die, but like how they feel about themselves. 395 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 2: That's how you latch in, you know. 396 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 4: And that's what I love about making movies versus television 397 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 4: is that at you know, let's see most movies two hours. 398 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 4: Let's say in two hours, I have to introduce an 399 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 4: audience to a character, to a lead character and make 400 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 4: them fall in love with this character or care about 401 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 4: them within five minutes top, you know, and then pull 402 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 4: them through this whole thing and give them a complete 403 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 4: experience where at the end they're like, oh and it 404 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 4: worked out and it's great. Look, you can leave a 405 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 4: little opening out, but it might be a sequel, but 406 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:28,080 Speaker 4: not open ended, like, well, doesn't you know come back 407 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 4: next year. But I have a problem with those movies 408 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 4: that do that, like you know part two is coming, 409 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 4: you know, two years from Manda say you will return 410 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 4: and exactly looking for revenge. Yeah, so you know it 411 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 4: just just giving that complete experience is difficult, but it's 412 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 4: really fun. But that's why so many movies, especially comedies, 413 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 4: start out with somebody's just so down on their luck 414 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 4: and everything goes wrong because we all go like, oh, 415 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 4: you know, minutes you watch somebody something going wrong for 416 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 4: somebody who just really care about them. 417 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 2: So, you know, it's just finding that way in. 418 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 3: I want to talk about the sort of overall landscape, 419 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 3: but before we move on, I just want to say 420 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,360 Speaker 3: too that there's an amazing through line I think through 421 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 3: your career, you know, from Bridesmaids to you know, you're 422 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:14,399 Speaker 3: something like the heat to simple favor to know the housemaids. 423 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 3: You've always been really centered around and executed so well 424 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,919 Speaker 3: storytelling built around women. And I think that, you know, 425 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 3: with all the noise in the world and our and 426 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:27,919 Speaker 3: our working culture and our larger, you know, societal culture, 427 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 3: that we can sometimes forget that these stories are really 428 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 3: important to tell. And also, like I always think about 429 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 3: what Kate Blanchett said when she won the Oscar, like 430 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 3: stories from it or not niche they earn money, Audiences 431 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 3: want to see them, All quadrons of audiences want to 432 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:40,640 Speaker 3: see them. So is that something that's sort of still 433 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 3: top of mind for you when you go to work, 434 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 3: or like, talk to me about your ethos around. 435 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 4: I'm just only interested in telling women's stories. I don't 436 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 4: it just I grew up very close to my mom. 437 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 2: I was the only child. 438 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 4: All my best friends were girls growing up, so, you know, 439 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 4: and then watching movies and seeing how women were being portrayed, 440 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 4: and you know, modern movies versus you look back at 441 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 4: the thirties and forties, were women with you know, basically 442 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 4: equal with the men on the screen. You know, Katherine 443 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 4: Hepburn's and your Rosin Russells and all that like, I. 444 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:05,679 Speaker 2: Love that, you know. 445 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 4: And then suddenly, with being a comedy guy watching these 446 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 4: comedies where the women are just kind of props running around, 447 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:13,199 Speaker 4: you know, for the guys to make fun of, for 448 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 4: them to you know, get in their way or whatever, 449 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 4: I just like, this is not all the women I know. 450 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 4: So I just I found that I just really like 451 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 4: telling these women's stories, and I like working with talented women, 452 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 4: and there's so many out there, and I knew I've 453 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 4: known so many over the years that I would see 454 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:29,880 Speaker 4: in movies and they weren't getting to do what they do, 455 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 4: you know, especially comedians. It would just you know, see 456 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 4: so many funny women that I know, and they're reduced 457 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 4: to being like the bitchy girlfriend who the you know, 458 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 4: the male lead is like, oh boy, you know, like 459 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 4: he has to get away from her, and like, well 460 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 4: that's not fair, you know. So yeah, so I just 461 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 4: I just enjoy doing it. And like Kate said, I mean, 462 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 4: there's an audience for it. I don't know how many 463 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 4: times I've had to prove of my movies that there's 464 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 4: an audience for women's movies, you know, and it's always 465 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 4: treated as like, oh, this is well, we can't believe 466 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 4: this broke through, and it's like, guys, what the fuck? 467 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 4: You know, like they're half the population of the world, 468 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 4: you know. So yeah, so every time we do it, 469 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:10,840 Speaker 4: it just keeps showing, you know that they're they're out 470 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 4: there and they want entertainment, you know, and if you 471 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 4: and if you make it it's not so just for women, 472 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:22,920 Speaker 4: but for everybody. Then That's why Bridesways did really well. 473 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,720 Speaker 4: That's why The housemaid did really well because guys go like, oh, 474 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 4: it's a chick flick, and then they get brought by 475 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 4: their wife and they go, oh, no, it's actually for 476 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,200 Speaker 4: for everybody, and then they tell their buddies like, hey, 477 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:33,879 Speaker 4: you go see this, you know, and you'll then you 478 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 4: can make her go see your action movie or whatever 479 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 4: you want to want to see. But you know, so 480 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,639 Speaker 4: it has to be you know, true four quad. You know, 481 00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 4: we're very obsessed with, you know, with how many you know, 482 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 4: the quads that we that we hit. And if you're 483 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,199 Speaker 4: not four quad, I think, you know, you're underserving the 484 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 4: audience for sure. 485 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 3: And I also think too that the seeing your cast 486 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 3: reunited the oscars to see her from Bridesmaids. Just remember 487 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 3: at the time it was like, holy shit, this is 488 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 3: going to be this massive breakthrough mamiority in a bridesmaid 489 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 3: every two years. Is that the way it shook out? Well, 490 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 3: I mean, if you think enough people are doing what 491 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 3: you're doing as a man, as a director, as a 492 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 3: decision maker, I. 493 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 2: Mean it opened the door a bit. 494 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 4: The door kind of swung open, and it kind of 495 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 4: swung back, and it kind of you know, it's like 496 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 4: a door in the wind. It kind of opens and 497 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 4: closes occasionally, but it's not where it should be. 498 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:19,159 Speaker 2: It's not all where it should be. 499 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 4: You know, there should be more female filmmakers, you know, 500 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 4: in our company. For a while, we're trying to get 501 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 4: it refunded. Now the pandemic wiped it out. This thing 502 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 4: we had called powder Keg, which was our it's basically 503 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:34,359 Speaker 4: our incubator company that we had where we had this 504 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 4: program called powder Cake Fuse. It was just to get 505 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 4: underserved voices making movies, and we would twice a year 506 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 4: do like five to six short films. We'd just have 507 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 4: all these people to send in ideas and we picked 508 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 4: the five or six best, develop it with them, then 509 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 4: give them twenty five thousand dollars each to shoot a 510 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 4: movie in one day, and they would shoot it and 511 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:01,199 Speaker 4: do it, and then they'd have a calling card. We 512 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,439 Speaker 4: could see if they actually have talent in skill to 513 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 4: pull it off, and then we can advocate for them. 514 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 4: And so many the people that we did this for, 515 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:13,919 Speaker 4: mostly women, went on to have really good careers and 516 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,399 Speaker 4: televisions and we're making movies now and all that. So 517 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 4: we're in the process of trying to get funding back 518 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 4: for that. 519 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 3: Because anybody know a lawyer or a banker, that's fantastic, 520 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,960 Speaker 3: And so I think right now, you know, even in 521 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 3: the past couple of days, I'm not sure if anyone's 522 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 3: seen the news about Bad Robot Yeah and their decision 523 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 3: to considerably scale down. I think you're going to see, sadly, 524 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 3: some repetition of similar mid sized producers do that. I 525 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 3: think a lot of people, at least in the days 526 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 3: following that news, have been pretty shook up and scared. 527 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 3: And also, if you look at the numbers of people 528 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 3: working in California productions here, artists and craft jobs, it's 529 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:59,679 Speaker 3: the picture is pretty bleak. So why and what do 530 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,440 Speaker 3: you think going to happen? Well, there's been a major contraction. 531 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,159 Speaker 3: You know, we I almost lost my company because of 532 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 3: the writers' strike because basically all the deal everybody pulled 533 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:12,359 Speaker 3: back their deals. So we you know, we had a 534 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 3: TV deal at Lionsgate and we had a movie deal 535 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 3: at at Universal and those all just kind of ended. 536 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 3: And it was because of my agents and my lawyers 537 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 3: that went out and we're able to really stump and 538 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,160 Speaker 3: find us you know, new we have a new TV 539 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 3: dealt at WB and in a in our movie deal 540 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 3: at at lions Gate who we did The Housemaid with, 541 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 3: So you know, yeah, they out there, but you know, 542 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 3: these are like first look deals, so they're not like 543 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 3: these mega deals. Those mega deals I think are gone. 544 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 4: I I mean, unless you are just everything you're putting 545 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 4: out is so high value. 546 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 2: But you know, you can't that level of hitting it 547 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:52,959 Speaker 2: all though. 548 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:55,199 Speaker 4: Either you put out a lot of stuff and you 549 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,159 Speaker 4: have you know, a pretty good track record, or you 550 00:24:58,200 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 4: put out a few things that you know, you make 551 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:02,400 Speaker 4: sure are really great and those go. But then those 552 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 4: aren't necessarily generating enough money for them to give like 553 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 4: the you know, the two hundred and fifty million dollar 554 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:12,359 Speaker 4: deal that they gave to JJ. You know, but I 555 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 4: don't know, again, it just have to be we just 556 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 4: have to be doing successful stuff. So you gotta be 557 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:20,120 Speaker 4: hard on the stuff and you have to make sure 558 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 4: you really don't blow it. And I think a lot 559 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 4: of times there was so much about quantity, you know. 560 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 4: I mean that was kind of the good good contraction 561 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 4: from the strike is that there were just so many 562 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 4: shows and so it was said like six hundred productions 563 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 4: or something. 564 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 2: TV. Yeah, totally, and it's great. 565 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 4: We want everybody working, so that's great, but at the 566 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 4: same time, there's just so much stuff. Nothing is landing 567 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 4: because nobody can, you know, it's just too much stuff, 568 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 4: you know. I mean, like I'm old, I come vent 569 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:52,640 Speaker 4: for when there was you know, three three TV networks, 570 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 4: you know, so so it was so I think it's 571 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:58,160 Speaker 4: just we have to be make sure that the stuff 572 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 4: we're putting out is really high fall just good, entertaining good. 573 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 2: And it's a meritocracy. It has to be. 574 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,160 Speaker 4: People won't people don't keep falling for the same thing, 575 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,159 Speaker 4: you know. That's way I've had to deal with. I 576 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 4: never have done sequels and only recently have started doing. 577 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 4: You know, if I do one for simple favor. 578 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:16,639 Speaker 2: Now I'm doing the. 579 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 4: Housemaid sequel this fall, and audiences are very We did 580 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 4: research on this with with one of those companies that 581 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,399 Speaker 4: kind of scrapes scrapes of the Internet and finds out 582 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:28,880 Speaker 4: trends and all that kind of thing, and it's like, well, 583 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 4: why why aren't sequels working anymore? Because they've been a 584 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 4: real tough to get sequels working with audiences and audience 585 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:36,880 Speaker 4: that everybody's going like, Okay, I like the first one. 586 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 4: Why do I need to see another one? Versus they 587 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:40,600 Speaker 4: used to be the mentality I like that, so I 588 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 4: got to see the next one. I think they'll got 589 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 4: burned by so many sequels because the quality would drop 590 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:47,359 Speaker 4: or they would just kind of rush them out, and 591 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:50,640 Speaker 4: so you know, it comes to roost eventually if you 592 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 4: just can't treat the audience like they're just a bunch 593 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 4: of rubes are going to show up for anything, like 594 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 4: they are very discerning and now they've got a million 595 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 4: different options of things they can watch, game, they can play, 596 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 4: you know, the internet, you know, short form stuff. You know, 597 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 4: everybody keeps saying like young people don't watch movies anymore. 598 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:09,920 Speaker 4: I don't buy that at all, because you know, they 599 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 4: get really into it if you give them some an 600 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 4: event to an event to go to and again just 601 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:17,719 Speaker 4: going back to the Housemaid, that was that became an 602 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 4: event for so many of these groups of young women. 603 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:22,919 Speaker 2: And you know, people want to be together. 604 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:25,239 Speaker 4: You know, that's the problem with streaming and all that 605 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 4: you kind of have this by yourself experience. 606 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 2: You know. 607 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,920 Speaker 4: It's funny because my last three movies were for streaming. 608 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:36,680 Speaker 4: I made think O, The School for Good and Evil, 609 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:38,920 Speaker 4: jack Pot, which is a big comedy, and then another 610 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:42,080 Speaker 4: simple Favor and we would you know, we do our 611 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 4: standard test screens in front of big audiences, get them 612 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:47,439 Speaker 4: where these things work like gangbusters and they get this 613 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 4: big response and stuff. But then it goes right to 614 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:53,160 Speaker 4: streaming and so people don't get to have that group experience, 615 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 4: and critics don't get to experience it with an audience 616 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 4: and hearing oh, this is how people are reacting to this, 617 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 4: so you get terrible reviews, you know, and it's you know, 618 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 4: I'm not saying the movies were great, but at the 619 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,640 Speaker 4: same time, I know they worked with an audience, and 620 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:11,679 Speaker 4: then people watching it at home by themselves aren't getting 621 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 4: that experience. 622 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:15,919 Speaker 2: And I was I like that, you know, all your favorite. 623 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:17,679 Speaker 4: Movies that you've loved for your whole life, and they 624 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 4: become your comfort films and you go to them over 625 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 4: and over again to watch like Bride's Maids hopefully you know, 626 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 4: but you had an experience in a theater the first 627 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 4: time you saw those with an audience, and you had 628 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 4: laughs and you heard it, and so you were having 629 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 4: this really this fun time. 630 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 2: You walked out of that, Oh my god, that's so 631 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 2: much fun. 632 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 4: So every time you watch it by yourself, you are 633 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 4: hearing that experience in your head. You are recreating that. 634 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 4: Whether you know it or not, that is coming back 635 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 4: to you. And so with my problem with the streaming 636 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 4: movie is you just you don't have that. You just 637 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 4: consume this thing, and so it could be great. It's 638 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 4: just these movies don't tend to join the culture as 639 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 4: much as theatrical films do because they're there and they're gone. 640 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,280 Speaker 4: They're there and they're gone, and you just kind of, oh, 641 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 4: you know, you consume it. And I don't know I 642 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 4: say that as a guy who's just dedicated to theatrical 643 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 4: but I've just experienced, I've experienced how people react to 644 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 4: those movies versus the ones that are streaming. 645 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and there was this thing I studied last year 646 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:14,479 Speaker 3: from NRG that said, young people are not just driving 647 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 3: driving movie going as a demographic, but they're also leading 648 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 3: choice in their houses. Yeah, they're now choosing what the 649 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 3: family sees, whereas for decades it was always parents setting 650 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 3: the tone. 651 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 2: Yeah. 652 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 4: I just I think, you know, all the short form 653 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 4: we watch on you know, scrolling endlessly through you know, 654 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 4: social media is fun up to a point and then 655 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 4: you just kind of go, I just want to get 656 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 4: into something, you know. It's why I always thought, like, 657 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 4: you know, movies were like pick your own ending kind 658 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 4: of or you control it, you know, kind of like choice. Ay, 659 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 4: your choice be never worked because an audience you're like, no, no, 660 00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 4: you do the work. I don't want to do it, 661 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 4: you know, I want to be surprised by your by 662 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 4: you know, what you're doing. And that's movies that have 663 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 4: big twists and stuff. That's the greatest, like that. People 664 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 4: really love that because it's a surprise, you know, we 665 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 4: have this big twist and in the Housemaid and so 666 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 4: that really you know, and people guarded it really nicely too, 667 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 4: which is was really good because I did a movie 668 00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 4: called Last Christmas that that which I loved. But the 669 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 4: universal blessed them. I love them, but the trailer they 670 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 4: basically gave away this giant twist we had, and so 671 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 4: it just became like the New York Times was giving 672 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 4: away the twist in their articles, like you guys, like 673 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 4: anybody if you do an egg of the Christie movie 674 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 4: to go like and the killer was you know, but 675 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 4: somehow it was okay. So anyway, guard your twists. The 676 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:32,040 Speaker 4: Martinie with a twist. 677 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:33,280 Speaker 3: So we're almost at a time the most time I 678 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 3: go Haro over because I have to ask two things. 679 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 3: It just occurred to me, I should probably ask for 680 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 3: this room specifically, I want to ask about your personal experience. 681 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 3: You don't have to wait into anything else. But it 682 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 3: must have been very interesting releasing a simple favor too, 683 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:49,880 Speaker 3: in the middle of an incredibly contentious time for one 684 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:52,800 Speaker 3: of your stars, Blake Lively legal matter that is still 685 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 3: going on as a protracted international scandal. So so that 686 00:30:58,200 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 3: was easy. 687 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 4: Right, Yeah, yeah, it's great, that's what you really want. No, look, 688 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 4: I love Blake and I support her and everything she does. 689 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 4: It's yeah, it's it was kind of you know, there's 690 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 4: so many things you control as a filmmaker, and then 691 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 4: there's things you just can't control. And those are the 692 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:17,600 Speaker 4: things where you're like, oh, oh, okay, you know. I 693 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 4: mean it's like, you know, look, I mean, you know 694 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 4: we talk about, you know, what happened to snow White, 695 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 4: you know. 696 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 2: For Disney. 697 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,360 Speaker 4: You know, it's just like, you know, it's sometimes you 698 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:29,320 Speaker 4: just go like, oh, the old studio system kind of 699 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 4: worked where they just controlled everything. 700 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 2: I don't want that anymore. But there are times where 701 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 2: you're like, oh, wouldn't that be nice if everybody was 702 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 2: just not on social media? 703 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 3: Well just do Jimmy fallon five nights in a row. 704 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 2: Yeah exactly exactly. 705 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 4: But you know, look, we want free spirits and we 706 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,239 Speaker 4: want people out there and doing what they do. And uh, 707 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 4: you know, you can only control what you can, and 708 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 4: you know people can get through it. I mean, you 709 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 4: know sid Sidney was you know, had a contentious thing, 710 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 4: but the genes, yeah whatever. So I mean, come on, 711 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 4: Unnecessary outright age is the biggest problem in our society 712 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,480 Speaker 4: right now. People get so outraged about stupid shit, yes exactly, 713 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:09,080 Speaker 4: and when there's all kinds of things to be outraged about, 714 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 4: but begetting right up right outrage about pop culture, trust me. 715 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 4: I mean, ghost female Ghostbusters ten years ago, and you 716 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 4: would have thought I did launch an invasion of a rat. 717 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 3: So stupid that entire conversation was so insane. So yes, 718 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 3: you actually so yeah, you you weathered many vrs. 719 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 4: I'm not how I'm controversial, and I talk about a 720 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 4: person who does not want to be controversial, just up 721 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 4: comedy films but. 722 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:34,720 Speaker 2: To make a laugh. 723 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 3: So you're you're you're running into uh housemaid secret with 724 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 3: Kirsten Dunce, which is very exciting, Sydney's coming back. And 725 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 3: then I just want to end very selfishly, because this 726 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 3: is a question as a reporter I've had for years. 727 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 3: You had a project in development that I think went away, 728 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 3: but I need to ask you if it's still alive. 729 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 3: Paul attached himself to an adaptation of this amazing L 730 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 3: magazine article from the nineties called Supermodel Snowpocalypse. Oh yeah, 731 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 3: and if I if I'm correct, it was about an 732 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:05,040 Speaker 3: L magazine photo shoot in the eighties, yeah, in like 733 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:09,160 Speaker 3: seventies or eighties and seventies or eighties in like Zermatt, 734 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:11,040 Speaker 3: yeah or something like that, And it was a bunch 735 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,280 Speaker 3: of models and photographers and they an avalanche hit them 736 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:15,360 Speaker 3: and they were stuck in this hotel for three days 737 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 3: and they just had an epic ragar. Yeah, where's that movie? 738 00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 2: Yeah? 739 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:20,200 Speaker 3: Where is the movie? 740 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 4: I know we had a really funny script for it too, 741 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:24,040 Speaker 4: and it just kind of didn't. 742 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:26,600 Speaker 2: Didn't. Nobody wanted to make it. 743 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 3: Well fun powder keg and someone will make it, Paul 744 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 3: fig everybody, Thanks everybody, Thank. 745 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:34,479 Speaker 1: You, thanks for listening. Be sure to leave us a 746 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 1: review at the podcast platform of your choice. We love 747 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 1: to hear from our listeners. Please go to Variety dot 748 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:44,200 Speaker 1: com and sign up for the free weekly Strictly Business newsletter, 749 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 1: and don't forget to tune in next week for another 750 00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 1: episode of Strictly Business. Three two one. Figu is known 751 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:54,640 Speaker 1: for such movies as Bride'smaids and his most recent hit, 752 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:58,360 Speaker 1: The Housemaid. Three two one. Figu is known for such 753 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: movies as Bride's three two one. Fig is known for 754 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: delivering such hits as Bridesmaids and his most recent success, 755 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:10,000 Speaker 1: The Housemaid and his most recent success, The Housemaid