EXCLUSIVE! 3rd UPDATE: See new details about Capitol Films below. I'm told by knowledgeable sources that David O. Russell's indie political comedy Nailed which began filming in April was shut down by the Screen Actors Guild on Friday because of insufficient funds on deposit with the guild. I've also learned the Columbia, S.C. shoot is in trouble with both IATSE and Teamsters, and some of those union members have left the beleaguered $25 million budgeted production. Rumors also are circulating that the state of South Carolina could withdraw its incentive monies because of the financing problems. Filmmakers hope to resolve the cash crunch and re-start shooting next week since principal photography is only at the halfway point. "I am confident we will finish," an insider on the pic just told me. "The financing on this like most indies is based on bank loans and bridge loans. This is a matter of waiting on the bridge loan. Hopefully, it will all be resolved."
But new information coming my way says David Bergstein's Capitol Films behind the pic is troubled. In 2006, he acquired a leading UK-based international sales company which over the years had built a good reputation in the movie biz and made a wide range of commercial and critical successes, including Robert Altman's Gosford Park. But now I'm hearing from NYC film financing circles that "a shitload of people are owed a lot of money," in the words of one expert in the field. "I heard this week that his major financing source, a hedge fund, has shut down and left him in the lurch."
The filmmakers were able to get in a full day of shooting Thursday until SAG put its figurative foot down to protect its members during traditionally more dicey independent productions. I'm told co-stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Biel and the other name actors are all standing by to see if the movie can continue to completion. Some left the location for the weekend to spend Mothers Day with their families. My sources say James Brolin, who replaced Jimmy Caan after the veteran thesp got into a creative battle with Russell and quit, flew in early in the week and completed all his scenes before the movie was shut down. An insider confirms for me: "It's been touch and go the entire time. The financiers are doing the best they can. There's been a cash crunch, that's for sure. It's a drag, but they'll muddle through. Everyone seems happy and committed to the movie and hopeful all this stuff will get worked out."
Nailed is based on the novel Sammy's Hill authored by Al Gore's daughter Kristin (once a staff writer on the TV series Futurama) who co-wrote the script with Russell. The pic's predicament is unrelated to its helmer. True, the temperamental director is known for turbulent shoots especially when it comes to actors. Already on Nailed, Jimmy Caan stalked off the South Carolina set two weeks ago after he and the helmer couldn't agree on the best way for the actor to choke to death on a cookie during a scene. The film focuses on a naive small town waitress (Biel) who gets a nail lodged in her head and discovers a new-found sexual drive. When she travels to Washington to fight for better health care for the "bizarrely injured", she meets an unscrupulous U.S. congressman (Gyllenhaal) who attempts to take advantage of her. Brolin plays the U.S. Speaker Of The House. The movie also stars James Marsden, Catherine Keener, and Tracy Morgan. Those are a lot of name actors to be sidelined. One source with insider knowledge about the production told me Friday, "The actors are waiting to see if the movie will continue. It's kind of amazing, really."
See my previous from Friday night: EXCLUSIVE: David O. Russell Film Drama!
why does Biel keep getting cast - she’s an awful actress, a dullard, a tv actress at best
gyllenhaal not believable as congressman
Comment by Prod — May 10, 2008 @ 11:49 am
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy…
Comment by Anonymous — May 10, 2008 @ 12:15 pm
Are you sure it was SAG that ordered the actors off, or was it PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Actors)?
You probably got a hundred bad jokes like that, but I had to take the shot.
Comment by Furious D — May 10, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
^^^ At last!
Someone who thinks Mr Russell is a nice person.
Comment by Lance — May 10, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
Prod, how do you know Jake wouldn’t be believable as a Congressman? From the pics that have been posted from the set he sure looks the part.
Anonymous, it doesn’t affect just Russell it affects all the cast and crew. They don’t deserve all this drama.
Really sucks if this movie doesn’t get finished. I hope it does I like the cast a lot.
Comment by Anon — May 10, 2008 @ 1:53 pm
I hope the whole production shuts down since last I heard, South Carolina is still under a boycott by the NAACP.
Comment by Tom — May 10, 2008 @ 2:35 pm
As someone from Columbia, SC, I hope this movie gets finished. We have enjoyed have the actors in town and spending money!
And yes, we are still being boycotted by the NAACP, but there is not a whole lot private citizens have to do with that.
Comment by Michelle — May 10, 2008 @ 7:14 pm
Dude, Jessica Biel gets cast because she’s hot…. and her acting is better than, or at least equal to, most of the generically bland young actresses in hollywood.
Comment by Craigo — May 10, 2008 @ 8:30 pm
Perez,
Are you talking about South Carolina or North Carolina??????
Love ya tons…
Laura
Comment by Laura — May 10, 2008 @ 8:30 pm
someone else will pick it up… it won’t get shelved
Comment by nina — May 10, 2008 @ 8:38 pm
After reading the past ten entries (and having posted as anonymous), I must admit that my prior notice was in regards to Mr. Russell’s notorious reputation as being abrasive and abusive to his Below-the-line crew.
Production ain’t hard, and directing is one of the easiest jobs on-set. I understand the Sword of Domacles, but it’s simply true, if you’re a good director, much of your job is done before you step on-set. Russell just makes it look difficult.
That being said, every element of this project seems sharp. Even when Caan was on the cast, it stood as an excellent concept, a sexy AND intelligent self-aware cast, and brilliant concept. As a BTL’er, I admit, I’m not sure if this’ll see wrap or not, but the powers that be seem to put a lot of consideration into these decision, and this one seems to hot to drop.
Just sayin. It makes sense.
Comment by Anonymous — May 10, 2008 @ 11:21 pm
Uh, let’s see what part of directing isn’t hard? I’m gonna assume you’ve never done it before. Would it be the 18 hour days, the intense focus it takes to ensure that you’re getting the shots and performances that will elevate your film, fighting with the money guys and the suits and the ticking clock and the rising (or setting) sun? Dealing with huge personalities - and many of them are not even stars? I’m about to direct my fourth feature and let me tell you, there isn’t a day when I’m not bleeding out of my butt to defend my film. And not to mention the months of prep work, which includes storyboarding and script revisions and wooing actors and first class crew members. And then in post, you’ve got to fight for every frame of your film, because some douche bag is always trying to take something great away from it and add something shitty to dumb it down. And then you have to fight for a good release date, a good marketing campaign and hope the gods smile down on you on opening day. And then on Monday, you get to start the process all over again. The one thing they don’t teach you in film school is how to be a fucking warrior with balls that weigh 300 pounds, because this isn’t a job for the feint of heart. It’s a cage fight from day one of prep to opening night. However big an asshole David O’Russell may be, he does not have an easy job. Just had to get that off my chest.
Comment by Working Director — May 11, 2008 @ 1:42 am
Can’t David Bergstein and Capitol Films just sell the movie to someone else — pronto?
Maybe they could sell this to Harvey Weinstein. Can you imagine a film with Weinstein and Russell? This could be great assuming they don’t kill each other first.
P.S. Working Director, I agree with you 100%.
Comment by Just a thought — May 11, 2008 @ 4:19 am
russell is so hated in the biz.
ya biel: what a non talent.
Comment by timmyjoe — May 11, 2008 @ 4:42 am
Working Director:
Because you’re clearly given no leeway and trust to do your job, you’re obviously a person of very little power and respect–just another hack for hire I’d say. Brave of you to admit it publicly.
Comment by Anonymous — May 11, 2008 @ 8:50 am
It doesn’t really affect cast and crew, They got paid, you can be sure, or they wouldn’t even be there in order to be told to walk off.
To Working Director: Having a hard job does not give the way out to be an asshole, and if you really are a director, don’t even try to pull that crap on anyone.
And on a final note, Jessica Biel is a shitty actress, but there are worse.
Comment by Jules — May 11, 2008 @ 9:17 am
Hey working director I know you mean. I worked as a movie extra for the Cohen Brothers when they filmed Oh Brother where art thou? I had so much fun and I learned a lot more about film than I ever did in a colleg class room. I didn’t care if the hours were long. I was concerned about the product. Anyway what strikes me about this story is how the production company fell into financial problems and they had to postponed and shut down production. But I’ve always admired directors,auteurs. Most of all to make a film work in my opioin is teamwork.
Comment by chuck — May 11, 2008 @ 9:41 am
I agree. Jessica Biel is quite wooden as an actress; I think she is cute but not as beautiful as, say, Scarlett Johansson (nor as talented, either).
Comment by MovieBuffGirl — May 11, 2008 @ 10:49 am
Anybody else notice that Working Director’s rant sounds EXACTLY like a film school lecture? Y’know? With a little Dustin Hoffman-as-Robert Evans mixed in? It’s cute, his enthusiasm.
Comment by Big Balled Warrior — May 11, 2008 @ 10:52 am
I’m a BTL’er and my husband is a director. I watch my husband live the life/battle that “Working Director” is speaking of and agree with him (her?) entirely. I also work with hundreds of other BTLers who all have the same mentality as “Anonymous”– they all think the Directors and Producers and such sit around and point at actors and drink Starbucks– which couldn’t be further from the truth. The good directors might make it look effortless– but it sure isn’t. I see why you might think that sometimes– I often think the art department put in the knarliest hours and hardest labor– but they also come in a month after the director later and leave before editing-hell begins. I’m not saying BTLers don’t work their asses off (hello, I’m one of them) I just think many of them don’t really know what a director does. And everyone on set is so eager to try and convince everyone around them that they’re working the hardest and everyone else is a lazy slob — sigh– I don’t think that’s ever gonna change.
As for attitudes– there are evil bosses in every job, entertainment or not. I seen Directors, Producers, Costumers, DPs, and Production Designers all throw amazing fits in public where they scream at everyone around them. I’ve seen the same thing happen with restaurant managers, mortgage brokers & advertising executives. I think we get more crazy bosses in the creative fields, but people are people, and unfortunately many people in leadership positions suck at being leaders. That’s reality. If you can’t handle that, you’ll have to start your own business from home and be nice to yourself.
Comment by Ms. BTL — May 11, 2008 @ 12:52 pm
Re: Anonymous’ response to Working Director
Your response, “Because you’re clearly given no leeway and trust to do your job, you’re obviously a person of very little power and respect–just another hack for hire I’d say. Brave of you to admit it publicly.”, clearly demonstrates naivete (in the least) and supreme ignorance (at best).
You must be so far Below-the-Line that you work as an off set or office P.A. Give me a break, Anonymous, anyone with a half a head and even a limited understanding of the movie business knows that Working Director’s comments are not only truthful, but par for the course. Even a cursory glance at the memoirs of any of the greats (including but not limited to, Truffaut, Hitchcock, Scorsese, Coppola and on and on) would demonstrate how dead-on he was regarding his statements about the trials of film directing. And his comments are no less true for aforementioned masters, or the rookie just starting out.
Clearly, you were upset because he put you in your place and called you out on your ignorant statement about directing being an easy job.
But, instead of defending his counter assertion, you try to belittle or insult him, rather than acknowledge that you misspoke or, were simply wrong. It goes to your maturity, Anonymous, and most likely goes to why you are still stuck below the line, yourself.
Comment by Mister Q — May 11, 2008 @ 1:22 pm
Gyllenhaal as a congressman? At the age of, what, 28? LOL!
At least he can act. That’s more than I can say for that no talent Jessica Biel. If it wasn’t for her anorexic body, she wouldn’t have a career.
I’m glad Nailed got nailed. Couldn’t happen to a bigger prick than Russell.
Comment by Francine Fishpaw — May 11, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
California crew should go to the DLSE. Who was the payroll company?
Comment by al — May 11, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
Let me make this clear. The crew has two weeks work into this film (70-80 hour weeks)without pay. plus health and welfare benefits not payed. This production did not have a payroll company until one week ago. The top hacks knew what was going on and treated the crew like mushrooms. we probably donated two weeks of our lives for free. Now we are powerless to the LLC Gods and lawyers. WERE Screwed!!!
Comment by a teamster — May 11, 2008 @ 3:42 pm
I’ll concede only to Ms. BTL, insofar as this is a semantic argument composed almost entirely of Gray Areas. I’ll also state that the job of the director isn’t easy, but when done right, isn’t the blood and guts gorefest ‘Working Director’ makes it out to be. I also agree to a small amount of passive-aggression towards too many incompetent nepotist helmers, a common (though not overwhelmingly so) breed. And insofar as it ain’t cut and dried, ‘Working Director’ is still FoS.
Comment by Anonymous — May 11, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
Aww, screw it. Thank you to Ms. BTL for an honest and fair perspective.
Comment by Anonymous — May 11, 2008 @ 4:40 pm
Mr Q, I was not the initial “Annon”, and there was no reason to think so, so clearly you go through life making logical errors. In any event, trust me I’m not “stuck below the line” as you so derisively say (elitist prick?) and your response makes me wonder what you actually know about the business at the upper levels. I work with A list directors that have real clout and I have seen how they deal with all the little complaints Working Director was crying about in his trite rant: they either never hear such things, or if they do, say, Fuck You. Sure, the producer (or somebody) then has to pick up the pieces and make everything OK, but that’s the way it goes. Mister Q, I have no idea what you do for a living so I won’t make strange assumptions as you did, nor will I cast aspersions at the “below the line” people that you so clearly feel superior to. But I’ll stand by what I said about WD, he, based upon what I read, is a lower-level hack, if actually a director at all.
Comment by Anonymous — May 12, 2008 @ 9:08 am
I figure if anyone does pick up the project NAILED my best bet would be the Independent film Channel becouse they have financed a number of indie films in the past. Now I saw the recent new update on NAILED where the Director’s Guild is now going to be involved. This is becoming a very interesting news story to be honest with you.
Comment by chuck — May 12, 2008 @ 9:43 am
An excellent concept? I think I remember seeing this movie four years ago when it was called A Dirty Shame by John Waters. Either way, its a shame that people who have put work into the film could potentially lose out due to unscrupulous finances. So I’m guessing now that all the union bashers who thrived on this blog during the WGA strike are going to be eating crow over how their precious, “free-market” producers have left working people cut and dry.
Comment by Sean S. — May 12, 2008 @ 3:12 pm
James Caan was fired. Check your sources.
Comment by ugh — May 14, 2008 @ 10:39 am