How did you come across ‘Publish Or Perish’?
It was David. David Liban is my co-producer on this thing. He was introduced to me as a potential writer for a concept we were developing. We interviewed many writers to get going with a suitable script. David himself is an academic – he chairs the film department of the University of Colorado, Denver. He was probably told some instructions to follow while working with me, but I wanted the collaboration to be as open as possible. So, I asked him what he was working on. He told me about this script he wrote during the pandemic. He sent it to me, and I found it funny and different. And from thereon, we took it further.
What factor made you choose this project as your debut production?
Firstly, it was insanely funny to me. It is very well written. I laughed throughout the script read. I profoundly understood Jim Bowden, the lead character. The guy is always under immense pressure. He does make nasty calls throughout the film, but whenever we are under duress, we often wish to lash it all out like he does. And the script kept on adding to this guy’s misery with humor and comedy. That’s what I loved the most about the film.
It felt like the right choice because of David’s involvement. He did the heavy lifting on this one. Joining me as a producer but also writing and directing the film, David knows how to make movies, loves cinema, and given his academic background, he knows this stuff from ground zero. It was a great collaboration right from the initial stages.
How did you cast the film? Timothy McCracken leads the movie and, thus, is an important character. Please tell us what was his take on this unusual character and how did he perceive it.
There were massive early discussions about who to cast in the lead-up front. Tim had done another movie with David. But he is a highly well-credited theatre actor. David has seen him in places. So, he came on board pretty early in the development. I didn’t know him before. But I am glad to have this experience with Tim. He is a great actor to work with. He is freaking amazing.
“…it would have been very arrogant of me to roll over his calls.”
And let me tell you, everyone told me to recast him. They didn’t believe in Tim, partially because many thought he wouldn’t be financially viable for the film. But David and I worked together on the movie, and the way the character was written, we knew that Tim was the right person to play Jim Bowden. And Publish Or Perish wouldn’t have been the same without him. He may not be the most active name in the circuit, but I hope this film will be a part of his journey toward following milestones in life.
How do you feel other actors came forth in the film?
I loved how the dynamic between Jim and Dean Crawley in the movie unfolds. It’s funny and a hilarious compounding factor for the script. And James Shanklin, who plays Dean Crawley, is a fantastic actor. The interactions between him and Tim were so interesting to witness on-screen. I loved how David has written the dialogues between them, and many of them still crack me up. The tension and the subtle humor in that tension between them is something I found amusing.
There’s also Caitlyn, who plays Mia. That is another exciting conflict. It takes a darkish and insanely crazy turn, too. To throw in a surprise here, Caitlyn is my daughter. She is an actress and is studying performing arts. David and Tim were the decision-makers on her casting. And I can happily say I’ve got some great responses regarding her role in the film.
Were there any creative challenges you had to navigate during production? Given that it’s your first venture, hiccups are all but common.
There were, I’d say, challenges in the business aspect of the production. This is the first time I have worked in this business, and even in my years of career in finance, I have never had a partnership. I own a majority percentage in all my firms. Partnering was probably something that bothered me before I finalized anything. Thankfully, it was David who I was collaborating with. We went with a fifty-fifty partnership on the film.
As for creative challenges or differences, there weren’t really any. David is a filmmaker, so he definitely has creative tie-breaks. I have never made a film before, and hence, it would have been very arrogant of me to roll over his calls. He did say that I have an eye for detail in this profession, but again, I am a newbie here.
