Olson Brothers answer OPERATOR call
Directors Amariah and Obin Olson candidly discuss their
upcoming release OPERATOR while on set.
What can you tell us about the film?
Operator is an action/thriller exploring an aspect of
society that is important but often overlooked: 911 call center operators and
emergency dispatchers.
The Story was compelling for us as directors because of the
insight it provides into these unsung heroes, men and women faced with so many
crimes and having to learn to deal with these situations as the first response
team... and then throw in the thought of “what if this system were taken over
by a criminal to pull off the biggest heist of the century?” We thought this
idea would be very interesting to explore as a film, thus Operator was born.
Being able to juxtapose storylines (the story of a broken
relationship against the primary plot of their daughter taken hostage and the
city under siege) proved to be a challenge. Not only did we have to ride the
fine line of believability from the dramatic angle, we had to balance it with
the action, and meld it all together seamlessly.
Describe the characters---who are they?
This film is about everyday people who get thrown into
extraordinary situations. Luke Goss doesn’t play a superhero cop. In fact, he’s
just been demoted and is struggling with his personal life. Mischa Barton’s
character is a mother, a behind-the-scenes type of hero. VingRhames isn’t just
the bad guy. He had to play an intense character with only a phone, no other
actors to play off of. Michael Pare’s character is a cop that toys with greed
and with frustrations that seem common these days.
Audiences will enjoy the various layers that make this
high-octane film more than the stereotypical shoot-em-up flick. Suspense and
intrigue gets woven through every scene. We try to keep the suspense high and
the action well-paced. You don’t know what’s going to happen next. You don’t
know who’s in on it. You don’t know what’s going to happen to your favorite
characters or the characters that you hate the most.
Did the lead actors have a say in the movie?
As directors, we always feel the pressure and urgency
outside of the storyline as well; the time and budget constraints can make it
very difficult to coordinate the shoot and bring together a team of people who
are as passionate about making films as we are. On Operator we were pleased to
have the lead actors believe in us, to come aboard, and to collaborate to make
a film that will (hopefully) entertain audiences.
Working with an interesting story helps to bring out our
passions while we work toward that goal – and we couldn’t have done it without
our fantastic crew. Everybody was excited to join the project, whether it was
because of the nonstop action sequences (the buildings blowing up, the
structures collapsing, the car chases, and the car wrecks) or the complicated
and relatable characters.
How was it working with Ving, Luke, Michael, and Mischa?
VingRhames portrayed a complex individual. He fit the
character perfectly. He’s scary. He’s a big guy with a deep and intimidating
voice. He was a perfect villain to be on the other end of a phone line. He was
an immense force but beneath that character’s rough exterior is a broken man.
His emotional performance brings out the duality of the character and he was
fantastic. We were lucky to be able to have him play this role.
Luke Goss was always full of energy. He gave his all to each
of the scenes that he was involved in. He did what needed to be done with no
question. Run through a fire? Done. Break through a door? Got it. In fact, he
did all of his own stunts which added a level of authenticity that can be lost
by using stunt doubles.
It was so great to work with Michael Pare. After watching
The Greatest American Hero, The Lincoln Lawyer, and The Virgin Suicides, we
were thrilled to be able to work with him. He took his character to a whole
other level by playing to his complex motivations and background.
It was our pleasure to work with Mischa Barton. Not a lot of
people know what they would do in a situation like that: when the people that
you love are threatened you will do almost anything, but here we have an added
layer of conflict. Save the city or save your daughter?
Any message for the audience?
When the audience has to pay Php200 for a film, they need to
be able to feel fulfilled when the end credits start rolling. If they can feel
gratified with a fun, suspenseful thrill ride that keeps them guessing, then
we’ve done our jobs.
We want to thank everyone that has been a part of this film.
We’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by a terrific and talented team.
They’ve helped make this vision a reality. We were excited to make Operator and
we hope that audiences find it as exciting to watch as it was to make.
Post a Comment