Film: The Intervention of Christopher Walken

Cast: Mark Spacek, Matt Dunn, Hannah Morgan, Jessica Roberston, Amanda Phillips, Richard Nance

Location: Austin, Texas

Q: Tell me about the film.
A: Well, obviously based on the title, The Intervention of Christopher Walken, it’s an intervention movie. The family and friends of this one character come together–and actually when the story picks up we get the sense that we’re already in the middle of the intervention. Basically, this particular character has assumed the persona of Christopher Walken the actor. He tries to speak like him. Act like him. His family and friends are there saying “You know. You do a great impression but you’re not him, you need to stop living as him.” He only deals with people as if he’s the famous, Oscar winning actor Christopher Walken…but he’s not. In real life he’s Christopher Walkington.

Q: Where did the idea for the film come from?
A: Well, I knew this guy, the actor who plays Christopher Walkington, his name is Mark Spacek. (He’s Sissy Spacek’s nephew—yes, I’m name dropping.) Anyway, I met him a few years ago through mutual friends. He lives here in Austin. And I met him out one night, I don’t do that very often, but I was having some drinks and he would only talk to me as Christopher Walken and I was blown away because to me it sounds right on.

Q: So this is based on a true story.
A: Right! (laughs) Yeah so basically when he’s drinking he does that impression a lot. So then last spring, in 2006, I just got to thinking about him and his talent and I thought is there a way I can use that in a story. Then one night I was watching television and there was this “Intervention” series marathon on A&E and it was pretty dramatic and pretty real so it just kinda grew from that.

Q: And your cast? It’s has a pretty diverse range compared to the typical independent short.
A: Exactly. A lot of people I just new personally and asked if they’d liked to be involved. I thought they would bring a diverse room, as far as age and sex and styles. I brought a whole room full together and just told everyone “You’re the Brother. You’re the Sister. You’re the Dad. You’re the Intervention Host. You’re Ex-Girlfriend #1. You’re Ex-Girlfriend #2.” That sort of thing. It was all improv.

Q: What did you shoot on?
A: We shot on two 24p cameras. And that was a little harder because there were a lot more actors and to just go in and look at all that footage. We had like 8 hours of footage for such a short piece. To go in there and find the story was hard but I’m pretty happy with the results.

Q: So were you one of the camera men?
A: No I had two friends. I didn’t really know how to use a camera then. So directing was my primary role on the film.

Q: Did you have a desire to act in it?

A: Well, we did this twice actually. We did it once in May of 2006 and used one camera and I was in it, I actually played his (Christopher Walkington’s) bodyguard that he hired. But I after that experience I changed half the cast. It was just useless and I didn’t like any of the footage.

So I used that night as a rehearsal. It taught me what I didn’t want and what I wanted. So on the second take I thought I just gotta direct, I can’t be wearing both hats. There are just too many people in the room. I have two cameras running and I gotta see things, just in case the camera’s not catching it, I can make the adjustment and have the camera move and say “Say that again or do that again, actor or actress.” 

Q: And who were some of the other actors in the film?
A: Michael Conway plays the “Intervention Specialist.” Again, this was all improved and he did fantastic. He didn’t do the first one, he did the second one and was just really amazing. Matt Dunn, from Womb, played the younger brother. Then there was Hannah Morgan. Jessica Robertson, also from Womb. Amanda Phillips. Richard Nance who played the “Dad”, he was actually an actor I met while working on The Alamo. I was Grey #1 and he was Grey #2 so we were together everyday for 4 months. He came in and did a great job. He played such a great kinda typical, Texas “good ole boy” Dad.

Q: What did you take away from this filmmaking experience?
A: I think the idea of this film….the concept, if I were to go pitch the concept, I think it has a lot of potential. I just don’t know if the execution of actually doing the movie or my editing or a combination of both has lived up to its potential yet. So I’m actually thinking of doing it again.

Q: Really? Why exactly?
A: Well, there’s something about it that people have pointed out in watching it, people who would give me their opinion and not just tell me what I want to hear. A couple of people have said that Mark’s impression wasn’t 100 percent the best they’ve ever heard and that’s not really what the movies about. It’s not about the guy with the best Christopher Walken impression ever. It’s about a guy, not about the level of his impression. I mean I could have called it “The Intervention of Denzel Washington” and have Mark play that and he just thinks he’s Denzel Washington. And Mark wore sunglasses the whole time and some people said “Well, Jack Nicholson wears sunglasses.” I think the fact that they are thinking about those small details that are relatively unimportant to the story means that I didn’t do something, somewhere along the way, to totally bringing people into the story enough.

But don’t get me wrong. I like it. I’m very happy with it. I really look at the concept of this and think it could be a career making idea and I don’t think I’ve accomplished that yet. Like I said, I’m actually thinking of maybe in a year or so doing it again. I just need a more clear idea of what the story is to make it better…if I decide to do it.