David Levy: On Making Independent Film

An Evening with the Oscar Nominated Producer

Film producer David Levy is a big deal. He’s worked with both Helen Mirren and with Meryl Streep. His Robert Altman-directed production of Gosford Park earned him his first Oscar nomination. And he partnered with the late and great director for three decades, including on such cinematic masterpieces as The Player, Short Cuts and A Prairie Home Companion. In the industry of make-believe, David is the real deal.

Born in New York City, David has a strong connection with N.E. Ohio. When he was a junior in high school, his father accepted a new job, which brought the family to the east side of Cleveland. David left at graduation to attend George Washington University, where he graduated as a history major. “I (then) decided that I wanted to see what the agent business was about.” He began in the mailroom at ICM in NYC, which at the time, bigger than William Morris, was the largest talent agency in the world.

David’s family solidifies his ties with Cleveland as he comes back every year to see his folks. I asked him if he’d consider shooting a movie in the area. “Absolutely. I would love to do a film here. (It’s about) trying to figure out the marriage of location and material.”

Until that moment happens, some of us were lucky enough to meet and get inspired by this man. This past Fri 2/8, as part of its ongoing Visiting Artists series, David kindly joined the Tri-C community in a wonderful evening of creative energy exchange. First, we watched the film screening of the all-star cast crime drama and (dark) inside look into the business of show business, The Player. Professor Simone Barros and I have frequently showed the opening credits to The Player – an 8-minute continuous scene taking place on a Hollywood film lot – in order to demonstrate to our students not just the perfect camera work, but, more so, the art of the pitch. In fact, everything you ever wanted to know about how Hollywood works you can learn from watching (and re-watching) this now legendary opener.

I hadn’t seen this movie in its entirety since it was first released back in 1992. And, now, after two decades of my own life experience, including everything I’ve read, watched, learned and taught about the craft, I can finally appreciate the true wisdom and talent of this film. This is what makes a classic. David Levy makes classics.

After the screening, a nearly two-hour Q&A session followed, as students, faculty and guests asked David ongoing questions about everything from how many takes (“16, 3 of which were perfect”) did they do for that opening to what it was like to work with Altman (“lots and lots of fun”) to what to do to get started in this finicky and competitive business. “You need have a feeling that this is all you want to do.”

The anecdotes he shared were not only very generous, but also revealed how much you have to know if you want to thrive in the movie-making business. His world is independent film, one where you first find the money, then make the movie and after all that hope to sell it to distributors. And, in this world, as David wisely noted, “the cash, the cast and the calendar all have to come together.” Adding, “I’ve got a lot of scripts on shelf that I want to do. Bring me a check and that’s the one I’ll do. It’ll be my favorite!”

Offering tremendous professional advice, regardless of one’s chosen profession, David shared this: “You don’t do anything worthwhile unless you challenge yourself.” And for those who are serious about succeeding in filmmaking, David advised this 3-step plan:

1. Find a mentor
2. Try to have a vision
3. Decide who you will enlist to execute that vision

He revealed that shooting the gas-chamber scene at the end of The Player, filled with appearances by some of the biggest movie stars of past and present, including Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts, as well as “old friends and new acquaintances” was, “possibly the best day I’ve ever had on a set.” When asked what his favorite film production was, he smilingly answered, Gosford Park. That he just basked “in the aura of those actors.” And that (unlike most scripts, which go through dozens of changes during shooting) that one remained “almost as it was written.”

Towards the end of the Q&A I asked David, “What is the best part of your job?” His response: “To touch someone. At the end of Gosford Park, looking around the theater and seeing everyone shed a tear…and collaboration. (Producing) is like being part of a sports team. It can be magical.”

The audience responded well to his candor and afterwards many stuck around to shake his hand, get a picture with him or even pitch him a story. One of my students brought his copy of The Player and asked David to autograph it, which he did, with a famous line from the movie. With everyone, David was polite, kind and open.

I’ve been thinking a lot about that evening because if we believe what we read in the tabloids then the movie-making industry is one of bad people doing bad things to each other, all in order to either make money or have their face magnified to a filled theater. The tabloids tell us about their affairs, lawsuits and rehab stints. Because that kind of drek is what sells the tabloids.

And yet, in the past three years that I’ve been interviewing creative talent, including authors, screenwriters, directors, editors and producers, what I’ve learned most is that the people who drive the independent movie machine are all kind, respectful, hard-working, visionary and honest. They speak the truth. They get back to you within 24 hours. They have multiple projects going on at any given moment. Each one is, as my Grandma would have once said, a mench. But these people don’t sell tabloids. Because they are too busy making good films. And David is one of them.

A few days after the event, David and I spoke on the phone. I asked him, “You’ve worked with Helen Mirren and with Meryl Streep. Where do you take it from here?” His reply? “Well, I’d love to work with both of them, again. And, I’d also be happy to work with this generation’s giant.”

That’s exactly who David is: a humble and accomplished giant.

Reprinted with permission and gratitude from CoolCleveland.com.