SCOTT MECHLOWICZ – Yeah, they had a side camera boat. And they had this just massive specimen of creatures of men that are just all solid muscle who dragged the boats with their teeth because they’d need their hands to be gearing up lights. I think some of them were like Navy SEALs and some of them were Ultimate Fighting champions.
Really?
SCOTT MECHLOWICZ – Yeah. They’d come in all geared up. I think they’d put on camouflage, even though they didn’t need it (laughing). They’d just kind of tow us around and do the work of machines.
JOSH PECK – They liked calling me ‘soldier.’ It was a little weird, but we got over it.
Josh, was it difficult to sort of tap into your character’s antagonistic impulses?
JOSH PECK – I know it’s hard for some people, but sort of what I’ve learned in acting class is like anger’s the first emotion that comes to you. Like it’s just the initial…when anything happens. Well, I know it’s true for me. When anything happens, anything bad that happens remorse and sadness sort of follow. But, initially, I just get sort of angry at the situation.
I knew that George had to jump from one end of the spectrum to the other end. He had to be this really good guy, sort of vulnerable and needy for this friendship and really wanted to show his true self to these people. But in a second, he could throw this defense up that was just really horrible and antagonizing and mean. So it was a little bit difficult. I didn’t keep in too much character during the break time because I didn’t want to be mean to anybody, but it was really in the back of my mind.
What kind of instructive purpose do you feel a movie like this serves, as opposed to something that’s a little more light-hearted?
SCOTT MECHLOWICZ – It’ll probably make kids this age feel less alone in like that things that actually happen in their life actually happen. Whereas when kids go through troubled times, they might not know that it’s actually in existence because all they see in movies is like kids having a good time. I think that they’ll be able to relate to the fact that, you know, s**t happens. Things go down no matter what age you are, and how you deal with it in certain circumstances.
Does it serve a purpose for adults and parents?
SCOTT MECHLOWICZ – Definitely. It definitely sheds light on just insights that parents might not have because kids are 90% truthful with their parents, so this will definitely show a side of children that parents might not know existed.
Did you base your characters on anyone you knew?
SCOTT MECHLOWICZ – I think it was a really well written script. I think a lot of intricacies of the characters were in there for us to play with. I personally don’t recall actually physically relating it to a person that I’ve met. But, you know, you can definitely relate to different things that the character is going through, and just different vulnerabilities.
TREVOR MORGAN – Someone I know saw the movie and said to me afterwards, “You didn’t act one bit in that movie. That was you.” And I was like, “Yeah, he caught me.”
The person who said this is someone who knew you well?
TREVOR MORGAN – Yeah.
Do you think it’s true?
TREVOR MORGAN – No, not really. That was more along the line of one of the jokes that didn’t go over. [Laughter] Then I make fun of myself and everybody laughs. No, to some degree you have to find something that you can relate to in each character. The trick is to not… I forget who said this but it’s a brilliant quote: “The key is don’t let them catch you acting.” And that’s really what it’s about. You have to find something you can relate to in the character, and you have to find yourself somewhat in the character.
Rocky’s a good guy. He’s a big brother and the whole reason… I think that if Sam wasn’t involved, he’d just go to the police right away and just say what happened. But since he is, he doesn’t want to send his brother, possibly send him to a place that he knows is just terrible, because he wouldn’t feel that that would be a big brother thing to do.
PAGE 3: On High School and Other Projects
