By Kelly Strodl
Today we talk with filmmaker Vicne Duque, director of TAKE A MULLIGAN, a film about two strangers who have a clever and unpredictable conversation, continually reset by the use of a bell that dings when the discussion goes awry. TAKE A MULLIGAN is screening as part of Honesty is the Best Shorts Policy shorts showcase today at 3PM.
Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
Newport Beach Film Fest is a ubiquitous fest. It’s always in your subconscious as a place to go with the film, like a rock band going to Red Rocks, Fillmore or CBGB's (RIP) And Newport Beach? Always fun.
Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
Take a Mulligan is based on David Ives’ One act play called SURE THING. My writing partner Patrick Quinlan and I adapted it with our own twisted take.
Take a Mulligan is a golf term for a do-over. The film is a funny piece about two strangers who strike a conversation and when it goes awry, a Man With the Bell rings a Bell, and the conversation re-sets. Everyone deserves a do-over in life.
We shot it on two Canon 5Ds. For me it was exercise in directing a funny character piece.
Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.
I’ve been in the movie business for a long time. The first phase was to really know film sets as an assistant director. Then I learned how to produce. Malfunkshun, the Andrew Wood Story is one my of projects, a headliner at the 2004 AFI Music Doc Fest. It’s about the band Mother Love Bone and the events that led to the death of its lead singer, Andy Wood, which then paved the way for MLB to become Pearl Jam. It’s rock and roll history! Anyway, after learning how to produce, I learned how to write and then after a couple acting classes, embarked on my directing career.
Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)
Indie films are hard to do because you never know what you’re gonna get in terms of crew expertise and available equipment. So to mitigate the large chucks of time you may lose on the set because of that, rehearsals with the actors are so important. We must have rehearsed for five weekends before getting on the set. Patrick Quinlan, well I can’t say enough about him. Authentic, a great listener and knows how to assimilate direction. His comic timing is amazing to watch and he is a fantastic dramatic actor, too. Caroline Pho – hilarious and lovely. Like a lot of actors, gets into her own head. She's a perfectionist. But a hard worker. She broke through and in the end, her performance is genuine. Her reactions, which are difficult for a lot of actors to express authentically, are priceless.
I’m very proud of this film, because as they say, directing is 90% casting. They’re both so, so good.
Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
I don’t know. The last few years have been a blur. Working on the TV show House as an AD and in my spare time, building my production company, Alpha Company and writing a pilot and feature with Mr. Quinlan. I love live music, but I seem to have lost all sense of what’s new out there. I’ve lost many of my friends because I’ve been in the dungeon, writing. I am supposed to be making wedding plans… I do love hanging out at bars and talking to strangers. I guess I enjoy watching the human carnival.
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TAKE A MULLIGAN screens Sunday, May 1 at 3PM at the Triangle Square Theater 7, as part of the Honesty is the Best Shorts Policy shorts showcase. Other films showing at that time will be:
· 5 Dollars | Clay Jeter
· Rape Kit | Bryan Loudon
· Left Alone | Seth Boggess
· L.A. Bag Brothers | Rick Glenn
· Winner: Best Short Film | Peter Meech
· Starsucker | Nathan Skulnik
To purchase tickets follow the below link:
http://newportbeach.slated.com/2011/films/takeamulligan_vinceduque_newportbeach2011
Watch the trailer for the film here:
http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi2192284441/
Also, check out the fan page for "Take a Mulligan" http://www.facebook.com/TakeAMulliganFilm
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