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Sherman's Way

Coverage by Nobuhiro Hosoki

 

Interview with Michael Shulman

 

Q) What was the hook to do this particular film?

(Michael Shulman) Well, the genesis of the story really was from me and Craig the director. He came up with this idea. You know we really looked at a lot of screenplays and decided we just couldn't find a story that really worked. I flew out to the Napa Valley--we decided to take a road trip for fun, thinking of inspiration, thinking of what film we wanted to tell. And he was going, "Oh, my god. Look, how beautiful this is, the scenery," and I was checking my cell phone because I couldn't find any reception. I was wondering what was going on back in New York. And all of a sudden, wait a second, that could be an idea! From that we started making this commission to write a script. So I was really involved from the very beginning.


(Q) Craig and you started a production together. What was the fascination that you had working with him?

(Michael Shulman) I've worked with Craig before, on this film, 'Rhapsody in Bloom," with Ron Silver. I knew how he was the director, and I knew that when I graduated from school, I wanted not only to act because I've doing that for while, but also to figure it out what was like to make a movie. And that's kind of how it all happened.

(Q) You stated off as an actor very early, then you went to college. What was the motivation going there? Weren't you scared after a certain absence?

(Michael Shulman) It was very scary. I mean acting is my first passion, I love it. I've been fortunate to do this for a while. And I decided that in order to be a better actor and a better person, I needed to go to college. There is really a difference between a child actor and an adult actor, so I spent the years studying kind of how to be more of a well-rounded person and well-rounded actor. It was scary once I was in school. I was thinking I wanted to be part of this environment, so I couldn't go to L.A for six months to do something. So I really spent the time on studying, I majored in art history and I've met really incredible people, but I also studied acting on the side. Sort of studied how to do more intense roles.


(Q) How much of this character is you?

(Michael Shulman) Probably shockingly similar. I think the part of it that's me is: I definitely take things too seriously and I learned that part of life isn't necessary that important, and I think my character, Sherman definitely takes things way too serious. I think there's part of me growing up in New York, where everyone goes into business and law--you think that's what you have to do. But what you really have to do is find your passion--what really interests you, and I found that in acting, but I think that's what Sherman had to go through. Certainly, the experience of filming this movie was exactly similar, you know coming from New York, going out to California, living in a cabin in woods. No internet, no cell phone. Learning how to drive stick shift, while in New York you barely drive. James taught me how to drive through this film.

(Q) How about the skinny dipping?

(Michael Shulman) I'd never gone skinny dipping before! I have to say that was the probably the most craziest thing that I've ever done. Because we filmed that scene twice. The first time we filmed it, it was the last day of the shoot. The way we worked this, we had one transportation coordinator who also was the driver, so he would drive all the trucks and I think he may have gotten out of prison. But the last night of the shoot was scheduled to do a skinny dipping scene, 'cause it was the distance location, a hour and half away. So we got there at like 11 PM, 'cause we were supposed to shoot a night scene. And the transportation guys were there, but none of the lights were there. We waited till 1 AM. Then we had to send the only P.A we had to drive back a hour and half. It turned out that guy fell asleep in a cabin. Remember, we didn't have any cell phone or internet, No one would call him, so he fell asleep in this cabin. So he gets in a truck and he got a key, and he drove in there like 4 AM. But the sun comes up at 5:30 AM, so we only got a hour and half to film that whole scene. So we filmed some of the scenes. But in the end, Craig said to me, "We need to do this again, there's no way I got all the shots that I need." Then we rescheduled in San Diego on October. Being from New York, I'm thinking, San Diego that's nice! But the weather is like really cold. So I fly out there, it's freezing and I showed up at the location and I swear it's like the city's swamp, because you have to go through an iron gate to get to it. It was the only thing we could afford--it was for free. Not like it's a beach, but sort of brown sand. In this part of scene we are in shorts, we are in bathing suits, everyone else, Craig and the crew, wears wet suits. I don't know how they found wet suits. But we were in shorts. For Brooke, who is a wonderful girl who would come in only certain parts, we got her a nice trailer. James and I were sitting there in shorts. James was like, "I'm so done with this film." Then we get out, doing the parts. Craig was supposed to be in the area, and he goes "Look, the scene is worthless unless I have a shot of you guys running into the water," meaning naked. James goes, "I'm not doing it, don't even ask." And Brook is not gonna do it, because she is a girl. So Brook says, "It's you." So I'm the one chosen to go skinny dipping. But it was so cold that the only thing I can do is laugh uncontrollably.

(Q) How's the experience working with James LeGros? He must've done almost 50 films; did he give you any acting tips?

(Michael Shulman) Yeah, he did. I learned both acting and non-acting tips. At first he told me how to drive and he told me how to be a gentleman on the set like this where a lot of times tension is high because you do so much stuff. Sometimes I would think about complaining. And I would look at him, here's the guy who did 50 independent films and he was so cool, so collected, and so happy. If that;s how he is, that's how I'm gonna be!

(Q) How about working with Enrico Colantoni?

(Michael Shulman) He's done the show, "Just Shoot Me." He's actually probably the more recognized face even though James has done so much film. They are both so happy and calm; they taught me a lot about being a younger actor, about how to work. Because you realize that being an actor isn't any more important than being a grip or being a cameraman. Everyone is contributing to do this film, so if they are working 15 hours a day without any breaks and it's 120 degrees, you know I shouldn't be the one complaining because I'm hot.

(Q) We didn't see Brooke Nevin much after the skinny dipping scene, was it because of a intention of buddy-bonding sort of like a father-son relationship?

(Michael Shulman) I think that was probably Craig's choice, some of the stuff he wanted to say about father and son. You know what's interesting is that my relationship with her is actually, for me, one of the best moments of the films. Because I had a great time filming with Brooke. She's wonderful. We got along so well.

(Q) What did you get from this experience shooting this film? What do you want the audience to walk away with?

(Michael Shulman) I think what I would like the audience to get is, I think feeling that it's never too old to learn something--you never stop to appreciate all the detours along the journey. I think that's what Sherman realized: how to appreciate every step along the way. I think what I learned is the importance of being open to new experience.

(Q) How's your relation with your actual father?

(Michael Shulman) It's great. My dad--I think what made me value him is, he pushes me, but he is one of my closest friends, and we play golf together, more than I probably want to. So I enjoyed doing that.

(Q) You played a Lacey Chabert's boyfriend in "Party of Five." How's the experience working with her again?

(Michael Shulman) I was her first kiss! Well, I think it's real life actually. When we were filming in L.A., in the opening shot she kissed me, and she said, You are actually my first kiss (in "Party of Five.") I didn't know, so years later she told me. I'm actually pretty proud of that! She's so wonderful, and I was so lucky to have her in this film. She's still a very close friend of mine, and we talk AND I sometimes see her in L.A.

(Q) What are you doing next?

(Michael Shulman) My production company "The Starry Night" has a larger project we;re working on, actually partnering with Jean Doumanian who used to produce Woody Allen films. So we are just partnering with her, producing a movie and musical based on the book "Ponzi Scheme." We optioned this book a year and half ago. It's all about the true story of Charles Ponzi who was an Italian immigrant and comes to America penniless and stumbles across the greatest financial scheme in history. No one really knows who this guy is.

End.