BYOD: Bring Your Own Doc
Episode 240
The Impossible Art of Verité Documentary with Filmmaker/Producer RJ Cutler
Documentary filmmaker RJ Cutler shares films THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE, LISTEN TO ME MARLON, THE WAR ROOM, THE WORLD ACCORDING TO DICK CHENEY, AMERICAN HIGH, and A PERFECT CANDIDATE, and explains how directing and producing verité documentary can be a truly vital art. Transition, transformation, and how the evolving media landscape has made some of his projects of the past nearly impossible to be made today are explored with trailers and clips from his landmark movies. Ondi Timoner hosts this fascinating career retrospective on BYOD.
Episode Breakdown
00:01 Welcoming RJ Cutler to BYOD.
00:40 THE WAR ROOM, documenting the 1992 Presidential campaign.
03:50 Filming George Stephanopoulos and the “Ragin’ Cajun” James Carville.
08:04 THE WAR ROOM, Clip: Election eve, James Carville makes a speech.
12:08 Where to watch THE WAR ROOM and RETURN TO THE WAR ROOM.
13:06 The birth of rapid response and difficulties with replicating the film today.
16:15 Creating the A PERFECT CANDIDATE with Oliver North.
23:50 A PERFECT CANDIDATE Clip, Ollie’s bus.
25:04 Documenting transition and transformation.
24:35 AMERICAN HIGH and R.J on his life in high school.
29:40 Re-exploring childhood to adulthood while experimenting with form.
33:26 AMERICAN HIGH, Clip: Pablo and his Mom. + FRESHMAN DIARIES, Clip: Exploring sexuality and drinking.
41:30 Projects and the industry after AMERICAN HIGH and FRESHMAN DIARIES.
43:20 Trust and documenting Anna Wintour for THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE.
48:46 THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE, Clip: Anna on people being frightened of fashion.
51:58 Documenting Dick Cheney .
54:04 THE WORLD ACCORDING TO DICK CHENEY, Clip: personal questions with Dick.
56:11 Creating a portrait of the world through Dick Cheney.
59:39 Stumbling on to the audio tapes for LISTEN TO ME MARLON.
102:24 Thank you and goodbye.
102:56 LISTEN TO ME MARLON, Clip: Marlon visits Tahiti.
Guest Bio
R.J. Cutler is a filmmaker, television producer and theater director. Most recently Cutler produced the Showtime documentary feature, Listen To Me Marlon, directed by Stevan Riley. Last summer his narrative film debut If I Stay (starring Chloe Grace Moretz) was released by Warner Bros and MGM. Cutler’s other work includes the documentary films The War Room, A Perfect Candidate, Thin, The September Issue, The World According to Dick Cheney and Listen To Me Marlon; the documentary television series American High, Freshman Diaries, The Residents and 30 Days; and the prime time drama series Nashville. Cutler began his career as a theater director, directing such world premieres as Kevin Heelan’s Right Behind the Flag (starring Kevin Spacey), Jonathan Larson’s Superbia, and Lucy Simon & Marsha Norman’s The Secret Garden. Cutler’s first film, The War Room, was nominated for an Academy Award and he is the recipient of numerous awards including an Emmy, a Peabody Award, a GLAAD Award, two Cinema Eye Awards, and two Television Academy Honor Awards. In 2009, the Museum of Television and Radio held a four-day retrospective of his work. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Jane, his daughter Madeleine and their dog Dexter.
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