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JO: How did you meet Nat De Wolf?
LK: Nat, Mira (That would be Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino to everyone else.) and I were all in the same acting class. That's a really important part of an actor's life because you learn so much there and the people that are there when it's happening becomes really important. Nat then went to ART and that's when I went out to LA. We both came back and started this whole idea of characters who took this lifestyle way too seriously. JO: Yes, (Oscar-winning actress) Mira Sorvino was the star of your other film, At First Sight. What was it like to work on a big-budget, studio production? LK: It was a thrill. Biggest job I had ever booked. I got a trailer and Steven Weber (who plays Kirk's boss in the film) was so funny. He was really fun and the scenes we have together were just so great to shoot. But the part was one where I kind of show up and perform a service. There was no development or history to that character. But I did get to work with (director) Irwin Winkler and the cinematographor who shot The English Patient. I just wanted to do more as an actor and that is the great thing about Lisa Picard. It's creative yet there's no money to it. JO: How did the process of pre-production go with this film? LK: It was all timing. We worked on the script for two years and I bet we went through twenty revisions of it Just a few people had read it but we were able to secure some producers and get someone on as a director. That didn't work out so we became a project that was financed but didn't have a director attached to it. Most indie films go the other way where there is a director but there's no financing. We also fought to make sure we would be the stars. Nat and I had this contract that said the film would not get made unless we played Lisa and Tate. We stuck to our guns on that and I don't think I could do something like that again. One of our producers has an office down the hall from (Mr.) Griffin (Dunne) and he took a look at the script. I think he fell in love with Nat and I before he fell in love with the story. JO: What was Griffin Dunne's approach to the craft? Is he more like an actor who's directing or a director who just happens to be an actor? LK: That's a tough question, since he was acting in the film at the same time. He had a plan, but he was a director who really knew how to communicate. I could never tell if he was joking because he was that funny. JO: How long did the filming take? Was any of it improvised? LK: It was a quick shoot with a pretty small crew. We moved around alot. We had permits most of the time but we stole a few shots. Just on the subway platforms, that's all. I would say 80% of the film was scripted and 20% was improvised. Since we wrote the script, Nat and I were pretty protective of that. (Mr.) Griffin (Dunne) would always try to "throw us off" with statements that made no sense whatsoever. I think our confusion is a good bridge for the audience. All the celebrity interviews were improvised. JO: Lisa Picard was filmed on digital video. How do you think that process will change cinema? LK: It really won't change anything until we have digital screens in most theaters. It's true anyone with a Sony can make one, but they still need good sound and good light. There are so many challenges to it. Fortunately, the cameraman who did Unmade Beds shot this and knew how it should look. The whole process is new and is constantly changing. But nothing much will change until the distribution will change. It's still really expensive. Blowing up Lisa Picard to 35 MM took up over half the budget. JO: How much input did you have on www.lisapicard.com ? I ask because it seems so personal to the character. LK: It was a total marketing concoction. I talked to the firm that did it briefly. The site is in the film because my "Boyfriend" designes it to promote my acting career. I would have loved to have done it. I would love for their to be more Nat/Tate on that site. But with the promotion of the film and all the festivals it would have just been impossible. JO: So how does all of this feel? I mean the premiere at Cannes and going on television. Being featured on 20/20. Take me through that process. LK: It over in 15 minutes, just like they say. When it first opened, everyone recognized us. The Daily Show was really funny. I don't know if you could tell, but I almost fell out of my seat I was laughing so hard. That was great but after awhile things were no different than they were. It's a true story that Nat used the tux he bought for Cannes for his catering gigs. We had all the pressure but none of the perks. I still take the F train to my auditions. I do get called to better auditions and have better projects to choose from. |
