Where did the rest of the cast come from?
Mia Cusumano, CSA, built a chemistry ensemble that can pivot from laugh to knife-edge tension. Damian Young brings coiled elegance that fans of Ozark and House of Cards will recognize. Francesca Root-Dodson threads chaos and vulnerability, and many remember her Succession handbag moment. Guillermo Iván delivers heat, wit, and a surprising heart. Frank Harts brings authority and warmth. We round it out with sharp players like Rodd Cyrus and Ciara Van Buren. That mix lets us run long, carefully choreographed takes so reactions land in real time, which is essential when comedy sits beside danger.
Blending comedy with high-stakes drama is a challenging task. What challenges did you face in maintaining the right tone, and what advice would you give others?
Our rule was simple: the stakes never drop for a joke. We always played the reality. To keep the tone honest, we prioritized performance rhythm over coverage and shot on 35mm in one-shot medium takes, so timing lived inside the actors, and the audience could feel danger and laughter in the same breath. Instead of a heavy thriller score, we built an eccentric musical language. Composer Julian Cassia drew on jaw harps, bass clarinets, contrabassoons, strings, drums, field recordings from his travels, and even his own voice. That palette keeps the playfulness alive without puncturing suspense, especially around Oliver and the antagonists James and Nick. Our color and framing invite, then unsettle.
Law enforcement gathers outside as the hostage crisis escalates.
“Behind Steven’s viral persona is a classically trained actor with remarkable depth.”
Advice for filmmakers: lock the point of view, let antagonists play it straight, and temp with silence. If a scene is tense and funny, you can accent it later rather than trying to rescue it in the mix.
If your friend wanted to make an indie film, what lesson did you learn specifically from Doctor, Doctor that you would share with them?
Design your limitations into the movie. We wrote for one location, built action for actor movement rather than gear movement, and used 35mm one-shot staging to protect performance and conserve time. Cast for chemistry, over-prepare your blocking and shot lists, and build a crew you already trust. Align early with your union and your state commission so the production path is clear. Those choices kept our focus on the story rather than wrestling with logistics.
