Nichols maintains his indie spirit
Midnight Special marks director’s studio debut
Writer-director Jeff Nichols paid his indie filmmaking dues before making his first studio movie, Midnight Special.
He made his cinematic debut nine years ago with the revenge flick Shotgun Stories starring his buddy Michael Shannon.
In 2011, there was Nichols doomsday drama Take Shelter with Shannon and Jessica Chastain followed the next year by the Mark Twain type modern-day adventure called Mud showcasing Matthew McConaughey and co-starring Shannon.
While Midnight Special enjoys mainstream backing, the film contains Nichols’ trademark independent feel and the talented Shannon.
In the latest Nichols effort, Shannon portrays a desperate father transporting his young son (Jaeden Lieberher) to a secret location before a mysterious cult or federal authorities track down the child with special powers.
The dad has an off-duty cop (Joel Edgerton) to assist him, but it becomes clear the odds are against them reaching their final destination.
The movie co-stars Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Shepard, yet Nichols relies on the interplay between Shannon, Lieberher and Edgerton for the emotional focus.
Despite the studio support, Edgerton says the shoot had a Nichols indie feel to it.
“At the end of the day, Jeff and the cast and the crew had to agree on the story to tell whether it’s a big or small movie,” Edgerton says. “Basically, you need the right amount of money to tell the right story or else you’re on a fool’s mission, and Jeff understands that.”
During a recent Toronto visit, the 37-year-old Nichols offered his thoughts:
On coming up with the Midnight Special narrative:
“I knew specifically I wanted to make a government, sci-fi chase movie that’s like a sub-sub genre,” says Nichols. “That’s cool, but I knew I couldn’t settle for just that because it would be hollow and empty.”
On providing the story with depth:
“I tried to ground the movie in a smarter narrative trajectory. And I balanced the genre trappings so each would help the other.”
On the inspiration for Midnight Special:
“My son went through this illness, and I was paralyzed by the fear of how to deal with it. So I wrote about it, and it became Midnight Special.”
On attracting accomplished actors (Shannon and Edgerton, among many) who have great reputations:
“It’s all about clarity in the process. I take them the script and I say, ‘Here is what it is. Do you want to make this?’ That’s a powerful place to start.”
On Shannon:
“There was no film without him. He was there when I originated the idea, and I believe the idea might never have existed without him.”
On the pressure of shooting his first studio film:
“You have to be prepared to walk away if they don’t want to make the movie you wrote. That’s how you protect the process.”