Exclusive: Interview with Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs

Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs' directorial debut "Humboldt County" opens in limited release today, and although they are both quite busy at the moment promoting the film, they kindly agreed to briefly discuss how this project came to life and what experience they encountered during the production process.

"Humboldt Country" tells the story of Peter Hadley (Jeremy Strong, pictured above), a promising UCLA med student who finds himself stranded when he’s deposited at the multi-generational family home of the free-spirited Bogart (Fairuza Balk), following a drunken one-night stand.

Frustrated and disillusioned with his life after his professor/father (Peter Bogdanovich) fails him on an important exam, the unworldly Peter at first rejects the welcoming yet eccentric pot-smoking strangers, along with their eclectic group of friends and fellow farmers, but soon allows himself to be embraced by their ideals and begins to see life a bit clearer: despite the smoke.

For playdates, click here. To visit the official site, click here. Let's get to know Darren and Danny:

First of all, thank you very much Darren and Danny for giving me the opportunity to ask you some questions.

Q: Where did the inspiration and main idea for "Humboldt County" come from? I read on your Web site that it is a 'highly personal project'? How so?
 
A: Danny and I were working on a different screenplay, and we were finding it (as we often do) difficult to write in Los Angeles, where we live. We wanted to escape somewhere and completely focus on writing. So we went to Humboldt County because I (Darren) have family that has lived there for over 2 decades. My aunt and uncle moved from Los Angeles into Humboldt after becoming disenchanted with where the world had ended up, and they decided, much like the characters in the film, to live off the grid. When we got to Humboldt and I started introducing Danny to these people I had known for years from visits to Humboldt, we realized that there was a fascinating dynamic to this world that made for an incredible story. We soon switched gears and decided to table the other screenplay and write Humboldt County instead.
 
One of the things that really appealed to us about the place is the complexity inherent in the people I knew who live there.  We have always been huge fans of 1970s Hollywood cinema, particularly the films of that era that allow for characters to be complicated and difficult to define. In many films today, audiences know everything about a character within 10 minutes. But the films of the 70s revealed character layer after layer, in a methodically paced but captivating way.

Q: Tell us about Jeremy Strong. How did you find him? What made him the actor you were looking for to play Peter?
 
A: "Humboldt County" is Jeremy's first film. He has a theatrical background, having attended Yale (in the drama program) and performed extensively on stage in New York. Our casting process for the role of Peter was a difficult one. We were looking for an actor who can tackle a very difficult role, and he needed to have an inherent sympathy without being a terribly active character. In fact, it is his disconnect that defines him at the beginning. We auditioned tons of actors in LA, and while many of them are talented and wonderful, we found that they often had very nice haircuts but lacked the ability to convey the feeling of being lost in a realistic or sympathetic way. We expanded our search to New York, where a casting director pointed us toward Jeremy Strong. He put together an audition tape, and we knew right away we found a brilliant actor. He flew to Los Angeles for a meeting and an in-person audition, and we had finally found our protagonist. Now, looking back on the film, it's difficult to imagine another actor in the role. He fully inhabited the character at all times and made it his own. We are honored to forever be known as the filmmakers who put Jeremy Strong in his first film, as the sky is the limit for him. After playing a supporting role in last Summer's "The Happening" he's currently appearing in "A Man for All Seasons" on Broadway.

Q: What was the biggest challenge you both encountered in getting the film made?
 
A: Overcoming our incredible and deep incompetence.

Q: You both wrote the screenplay and stepped behind the camera together to direct. What was it like to direct a film with a close friend? Were there times you disagreed on things?
 
A: Most days, Darren was drunk and gambling at the local Indian casino, making it easier for Danny to direct free from his partner's often incoherent ramblings. So that was nice. On those rare occasions when Darren was unable to refill the bottle of whiskey he keeps at his bedside and make it to set dressed and sober, things ran surprisingly smoothly. Having been friends since childhood, we like and dislike many of the same things, so we both usually end up coming to the same conclusions. That is, assuming Danny isn't listening to the many voices present in his head.

Q: I checked out some reviews "Humboldt County" received online, and most of them look pretty darn good. How does it feel to receive this positive feedback for a first big project?

A: We're constantly asking ourselves how we fooled so many people. That's our real accomplishment. 

Although we're of course pleased that the critical receptions seems to be mostly positive, we try not to concern ourselves with that too much, as we know that we have to continue to make films that we enjoy and hope that others will, too. If we become too worried about how critics receive our film, it can hurt the artistic process. That said, as first time filmmakers who are desperately trying to spread awareness about our movie, we're counting on critics' help in championing the film as one that people should see. So we're grateful for their assistance.

Q: Describe to me the feeling you experienced when you actually found out that you were able to make this film and have it open in limited release.
 
A: While Darren felt an incredible sense of joy, Danny was immediately struck with a strong feeling of constipation.

Q: What audience is "Humboldt County" targeting?
 
A: We've found in our screenings around the country that the film is appealing to several different audiences. There have been a great deal of men and woman over 40 who have really responded to the film, perhaps because of the story of two different types of baby-boomers: one group who decided to check out and go off the grid and the other (Peter Bogdanovich's character) who tries desperately to keep his son on the path and do what he feels is right for him. Another audience that has really responded to the picture is a younger audience, both collegiate and post collegiate, who seems to understand the plights of our protagonist trying to find his way as well as Chris Messina's character Max who is trying to do what he can to give his young daughter a better chance that he feels he had. Lastly, we've found that our 70s influence and the presence of Peter Bogdanovich has made the film appealing to cinephiles, a group to which we belong as well.

Q: You said you are currently touring the cities where the film is opening. How is that going?

A: It's going well considering that Danny is a vampire and cannot be out during the day. With that said, Darren has been a real trooper - spreading the word in Austin, Seattle, Portland, San Fran, Berkeley and Humboldt County proper.

We don't have money for TV ads or billboards so while Danny sleeps in a makeshift coffin in the Marriott bathroom, Darren has been trying to spread awareness of the film on a grassroots level. 

Q: What did you learn about the business you are working in while making this movie?
 
A: We learned that sleep and free time do not come along with making movies. Also, when you make a movie, you often don't have time to see any movies, which is one of our favorite things to do. We also discovered a deep love for granola.

Q: So what is next for Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs?
 
A: We have two projects we're currently working on. One is another original script, this one a comedy, set in New York that is essentially our version of "The Big Chill," all set in one day. We're also adapting Buzz Bissinger's follow up to "Friday Night Lights," which is called "3 Nights in August" and is the story of a 3 game baseball series between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals (our favorite team, since we're both from STL) in the heat of the pennant race in August 2003. 

Darren and Danny, thank you very much, and good luck with the release of "Humboldt County."