In support of the release of The Hitcher on DVD, director Dave Meyers took time out of his busy schedule (he's working on getting his next movie, Witch Hunters, off the ground) to discuss his first feature film.
Was the transition from music video/commercial director to feature films what you thought it would be?
“It was better.”
How so?
“It’s just singular focus. I was a very prolific video person [and] the multi-tasking that’s required of doing so many different artists and so many different artists and so many different vanities and so many curveballs on a constant basis for years at a time…it was just sort of like a movie becomes a singular focus for everything that you are thinking about, all of a sudden at the end of this two hour experience - or hour and a half experience. Everybody around you that collaborates have a similar passion, and there tends to be a stronger communication and a stronger sense of loyalty and everything about it. Like there’s a stronger sense of family with the crew, you know?
As long as you can be happy with what you’re making, it’s really a pretty good experience. The relationship with actors is much more conducive to…actors rely on directors a lot more than artists do. I mean not all artists but, you know, a good degree of artists are celebrities unto themselves. Actors become celebrities by playing roles.”
So you’ve found it is much easier to deal with actors?
“Well, a lot of time actors need the director to become a star in a movie. There may be an exception, I don’t know every celebrity, but I just know for the most part most of the actors I’ve worked with – Julia Roberts and people like that - tend to be very respectful and very excited to work with their director. I’ve achieved that status in videos now, but even still just the inherent structure of a video where you’re creating a brand. It’s like Dove Soap that talks; you’re creating a brand to sell. You’re selling somebody as opposed to creating something artistically that people can sink in and watch. It’s less emotional. The actors have to exude emotions, where the artists don’t. Artists have to be cool and dress cool and look cool. I’m doing vast sweeping statements here…”
But for the most part that’s what your experience leads you to believe?
“Yeah, it’s more what I feel, and so I love movies.”
Is it difficult to go back and direct videos after directing a feature film?
“To strictly [direct videos], yeah, would be very emotionally difficult but I luckily haven’t had to do that. I’ve been doing a lot of commercials and doing just the videos that I really kind of want to do or that I have relationships with. I just finished a Fergie/Ludacris video. I’ve known Fergie for quite some time and it just sort of was nice to finally find a way for us to celebrate our creative collaboration. And Ludacris, of course, I’ve known forever so it’s fun to come back and do that stuff. It’s like it’s all family at that point. It’s different when you’re coming up in the struggle and no one trusts you and whatnot.”
It’s interesting the two artists you just mentioned are two who have actually transitioned to feature films. Does that mean there might be a part in your next film for either Fergie or Ludacris?
“Yeah… I, of course, endorse everybody that was picked [for The Hitcher], but as I was a first timer I didn’t have that heavy of an influence of the casting. My only mandate was I don’t want to work with anybody that can’t act. And they, ironically, had a similar mandate that they were afraid that I was going to be wanting crazy musicians in every scene. I’m like, ‘No, I just want people that can act.’
They really wanted Sophia [Bush] and I met her and we really got along great. I thought she emotionally was really present for horror acting. I thought she really brought a whole level that you don’t really get. It was emotional and engaging. And Sean [Bean] the same way, so subtle and so perfect, just precise with his acting that it was just a real pleasure working with that cast. I’m very thankful that [Michael] Bay and the producers, Brad [Fuller] and Drew [Form], really kind of provided me a really great starting cast for my career. I feel blessed because I’ve certainly sat through some really bad acting in some other movies!”
Haven’t we all?!
“It’s a fear as a filmmaker. It’s not always your fault but yet you’re looked to as the person who can control whether it’s in there or not. That becomes something that I’m hypersensitive to. I don’t want to blame people that… If I watch a movie with bad actors, I don’t know, it’s hard to say, ‘Well, why did that happen?’ Sometimes it’s a great actor that’s really bad and sometimes it’s a terrible actor that’s really good. I mean, every scenario exists based on a number of quotients. But as a director, you kind of know all the different variables that can happen. They can be breaking up with their boyfriend or girlfriend on that day and they just weren’t present, or the exact opposite and they broke up with someone so they were emotionally present.
I don’t know. Anyways, long story short, I feel very proud of the performances we got. I feel like everybody really brought their A game to it and made it - elevated it - better than what you would expect that movie to be.”
Page 2: Dave Meyers on Sophia Bush's Character and His Visual Style
