Taking "Dodgeball" from script to screen wasn't an easy journey. Many studio executives commented on how funny the script was, but no one wanted to take a chance on a movie based on the sport of dodgeball. Thurber recalls, "I’d hear things like, ‘Wow, this is really funny … but we don’t want to make a dodgeball movie.’ Apparently there’s very little data on how dodgeball movies perform at the box office, mostly because there were no other films on the subject.” Ultimately Ben Stiller and Stuart Cornfeld's production company, Red Hour Films, snapped it up, with Stiller deciding to not just produce the film, but to also play the lead role of White Goodman.
INTERVIEW WITH RAWSON MARSHALL THURBER:
What’s it like to direct actors such as Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller who have such innate comic timing when you’re a first-time filmmaker?
Essentially 80% of my job in this movie was not laughing over takes, so that’s kind of what I tried to do best. I'm a big Ben Stiller fan and a big, big Vince Vaughn fan and I wrote both roles for these guys. To get them in my first film is nothing short of a miracle. It was a thrill. They were really, really generous and game for anything. We would do 1,000 dufferent takes and try things a hundred different ways, there’s no vanity in either of their comedy. They are the best.
Isn’t it a bit of a double-edged sword when you write a part specifically for an actor?
Well, yeah. I mean you write it with someone in mind, someone you hope to have, never truly dreaming you’re going to get them. Then when you get them, you just kind of sit back and try not to screw it up.
Why the sport of dodgeball?
This movie is sort of an homage to movies that I loved when I was growing up: "Bad News Bears," "Stripes," "Caddyshack," [and] "Revenge of the Nerds." And then sports movies that I loved growing up like "Hoosiers," "Bull Durham" - my favorite film. "Ghostbusters" – it’s a comedy, not a sports film, but I’m kind of a comedy geek and a sports nerd and I wanted to put those two things together and pay homage to them.
So would you have let anyone else direct your script?
I was always going to direct it. I knew that if I wanted someone to give me a chance to direct a feature film I’d have to demand it, and I did. And Ben Stiller and Stu Cornfeld who produced the movie were completely supportive of me. They came to Fox and said, “This is the guy we believe in. We believe in this script and we believe in this kid, and we want to do it.” And Fox was really behind it the whole way. They never blinked.
Are you a writer who directs or a director who writes?
You know what? That’s an excellent question.
Thank you.
I think right now I’m a writer who directs, but I hope to be a director who writes. I’m still learning.
Did you have any bad dodgeball experiences growing up?
Actually my dodgeball experiences were really positive growing up. I have fond memories of dodgeball.
Really? I didn’t know anyone had fond memories of dodgeball.
You know, some people do, some people do. I think when you say ‘dodgeball’ to somebody, they either break into a smile or break into a sweat. Either way, they have a visceral memory of it – one way or the other.
Which actor was the worst at picking up dodgeball skills?
I hate to say it, but Ben has a great throwing motion – he can throw the ball really well – but he managed to hit three steadicams that he wasn’t supposed to hit. He broke three cameras on us so I think Ben has the best velocity but not the best control. He’s a little bit like Rick Vaughn from "Major League". He's a wild thing.
Who took to it the best?
I would actually say Stephen Root was great, and Justin Long. They were both fantastic.
ADDITIONAL "DODGEBALL" RESOURCES:
"Dodgeball" Premiere Interviews: Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor & Stephen Root / Justin Long / Chris Williams & Joel David Moore / Premiere Guest Kimberly Brown ("Be Cool")
"Dodgeball" Photo Gallery
"Dodgeball" Credits, Trailer, and Movie News
