FILM: On Location in Texas, Florida
An Interview with Darren McDaniel
Two men are sent out to a tiny Texas town to shoot a documentary on the life and times of the residents. It’s a job they took on as part of a big city ad campaign, though they’re not quite sure what exactly it is all about.
Why is this in the “film” section?
Well, because it seems our very own Central Florida is doubling as Texas for the upcoming feature mockumentary, “The Essence of Irwin.” Transformed were Wildwood, Ocoee, Winter Garden, and many Florida actors. Watching the footage, you’d swear it was really shot in Texas, and that the people were authentic Texans.
Here, we get the inside scoop on this production from Director/Writer/Producer, Darren McDaniel…
aXis: Darren McDaniel, you are originally from Florida but moved away… how did you
wind up back here?
Darren McDaniel: I grew up in Leesburg, and I was living in Nashville working on my PhD as
the Irwin script materialized. The project really lends itself to a grassroots style of production, and I
wanted to return to my own roots to do it. I knew that Central Florida had
a strong infrastructure in place for film production and that it was drastically underutilized.
The fact that a number of nearby locales made awfully good doubles for the
film's east Texas setting made the decision easy.
aXis: The government is always in the news talking about bringing more film
projects to the state. Did you work with the film commission at all?
How did you find them to be, helpful, enthusiastic, not interested?
Darren McDaniel: I've encountered nothing but kindness from the Metro Orlando Film Office. Not only have they been helpful and supportive, they have also become friends of mine. I think much of the frustration felt by production companies toward governmental agencies comes from expectations that we should get funds through these agencies. Funds are hard to come by—we’ll look anywhere for help. But I personally believe that the government should, foremost, be facilitative, helping us help ourselves. The film office does that to the best of their abilities, given their resources. We’re fortunate to have them.
aXis: How did you go about selecting your cast and crew? Did you fly any in from LA or NY?
Darren McDaniel: We received hundreds of thousands of unsolicited resumes from LA and NY, but they were all from one guy, and we weren’t really looking for any wet nurses. Overall, we have cast and crew members from probably 8 different states, but 90% of us are local, nairn are from LA, and the two that are in NYC are recent transplants.
aXis: What do you think about the talent pool here in Florida?
Darren McDaniel: There are over 100 speaking parts in the film, and we have conducted auditions with several hundred actors to date. I have been very impressed with the talent level, especially given that we are limited to a non-union pool. I’m extremely proud of our cast. If we’re fortunate enough to get the proper distribution, I think a lot of “unknowns” are fixin to make a name for themselves.
aXis: Was this your first independent venture? Where did you start with the
production?
Darren McDaniel: Most of the features I'd done prior to Irwin were studio-financed action-adventures with budgets typically in the neighborhood of $80 million. No, wait, that wasn’t me… We’re producing Irwin with the “specialty coffee drink” budget of one of those films.
aXis: What do you think is one underexamined facet of the independent
filmmaking process?
Darren McDaniel: More than anything it’s the process, itself. Sure, the final product is important, but it’s in the process that you really capture the magic of collaboration. Dealing with limited resources of an independent film can be near-defeating, but it also creates amazing opportunities for inspiration, innovation, and, ultimately, empowerment.
aXis: Why did you choose to shoot the movie in three segments? When do you
expect shooting to be all completed?
Darren McDaniel: The movie chose to be shot in three segments. Really, the largest reason for shooting in phases has been financing. We're still not to our goals, but we continue to gain on them.
aXis: If you were given a "do-over" would you do anything differently?
Darren McDaniel: Not if it meant jeopardizing any of the (96.4% positive) experiences and relationships gathered along the way.
aXis: Is this movie going to be in theaters? What are your plans for it when
it's all done?
Darren McDaniel: We're workin on it. My objective is to attain nationwide theatrical distribution. There are no guarantees, however, but this particular project lends itself perfectly to numerous self-promotional strategies. Either way, I’m really excited about its potential.
aXis: What do you think is the most important thing to keep in mind when
assembling a slew of people to make a movie?
Darren McDaniel: Humility, sincerity, responsibility, and the ability to give four answers when only one is requested. One of the biggest challenges to face in a collaborative creative endeavor is ego management, whether it be your own or that of others. No matter how “brilliant” the vision, it cannot be realized without the help of dozens (and, in our case, hundreds) of contributors. Sincerity is another refreshing trait to have in this business. Being genuine, up front, and honest goes a long way toward creating an environment that people want to be a part of. Finally, as the leader of a collaborative endeavor, I have to have a shepherd’s mentality, in the sense that those participating in the project are entrusting me with their time, their toils, and their talents, and it’s my mission that they are able to come out of each day feeling that they have invested wisely.
aXis: Did you run into any problems with locals, police, or actors or crew?
Darren McDaniel: Yeah. Five or six of them. No, wait...7.
aXis: How did you make Florida look like Texas?
Darren McDaniel: We let wardrobe loose on the palm trees and then claimed Irwin had the world's tallest one-legged cowboys. Really, it's the power of suggestion more than anything else. Flags and tags. The cows and pastures help. Plus, the terrains in rural Central Florida and East Texas are quite similar.
aXis: Why do you think more productions are not filmed here in Florida?
Darren McDaniel: Generally, for local filmmakers, I think there's a lack of access to capital. Productions cannot advertise that they are seeking investors and investors don't tend to stand out on the ledge and wave their money around. After the film is completed, I'm hoping to work to find solutions to bridge that gap.
On the other hand, outside production companies that lack attachments to the area are more inclined to look at the area much like a mosquito looks at an arm. I'm not blaming them, but by and large the mosquito is there and gone and you're left with a welt of economic activity and an itch to scratch. Louisiana has been trying to lure mosquitoes by providing incentive packages for single films large enough to fund a half dozen Irwins. What was the question again?
aXis: Never mind, I forgot, too… You have a scene coming up in the final shooting segment which requires
some extras...when, where, and how do people get in touch with you?
Darren McDaniel: We are shooting our grand finale scenes over the weekend of November 8th and 9th in Wildwood, which is about an hour north of downtown Orlando, just off the turnpike. People who'd like to volunteer to come out and join us can get in touch with us by e-mailing IVPD@downrightswell.com or calling our Wildwood production office hotline, which is 352-330-0549.
aXis: What is Irwintexas.com?
Darren McDaniel: Besides "in development," irwintexas.com is the official website of Irwin Community Enterprises, which is unofficial community commerce hub of Irwin, Texas. Eventually, they plan to have regularly updated news about the goings-on in Irwin as well as an on-line store featuring the town's products. As the town council chair likes to say, "It's spectacular!"
aXis: If this movie takes off and becomes a huge hit and you decide to make
another, would you shoot it in Florida?
Darren McDaniel: I would love the opportunity to shoot in Florida again, though probably not outdoors in the middle of June again. I've got a couple of scripts set in Florida, so I'll of course shoot those in Texas. Seriously, I feel very "at home" amongst the production community here, and I'd love to be a part of its surge. Plus, we've developed a great production team, and I don't want to have to put them all up in motels somewhere else.
aXis: Has the local and state media been supportive of the movie?
Darren McDaniel: I've tried to stay fairly quiet about the film because of the
pseudo-documentary nature of the project. It has been great having the
coverage we've had--from features in my hometown newspaper to write-ups in
the OBJ and the Sentinel. Now that we're nearly through with the production
phase, I expect to be tapping the media on the shoulder soon, and I look
forward to seeing how supportive they will be.
aXis: Was there ever a point where you wanted to give up, or has it been a
smooth ride?
Darren McDaniel: If it ever became a smooth ride, I'd immediately start to worry. I don't think anything goes smoothly in this business. Enduring the bumps for more than two years has taken its toll on me. But nobody said it would be easy, and, as I'm very aware, the hardships have come in the service of a dream, so I’m not about to complain. Even so, the risks are very high. I have a lot on the line personally, financially, professionally--and I want nothing more than to reward the faith of our investors, our production team, and our supporters. The real-life drama mirrors that of the film: Will I be able to emerge from the experience with my idealism intact? I’ve gotten this far. I guess it’s “to be continued” from here.
So there you have it…determined and going strong, the production of The Essence of Irwin is about to finish up this month. From there, we may just see it back here soon in theaters. If you’d like to be a part of the movie, please make sure to contact the production office via the web or telephone hotline. You may just find yourself in Texas, in Florida, in theaters, one day.
