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Aug. 16, 2024

DANIEL ISN'T REAL Director, Adam Egypt Mortimer

DANIEL ISN'T REAL Director, Adam Egypt Mortimer
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Season 4

Adam Egypt Mortimer is an American filmmaker, Producer and graphic novel writer. Originally from Boston, Adam kicked off his directing career with Some Kind of Hate in 2015 and followed that up with 2019’s Daniel Isn’t Real and 2020’s Arch Enemy.

But Adam doesn't stop at films; he's also ventured into comics, co-creating series like Ballistic and Black Star Renegades. In this episode Adam opens up about his journey. We chat about facing personal fears as a director, easing the pressure when making your first film, and staying adaptable when shit goes sideways on set.

Adam shares his thoughts on enjoying the filmmaking process, keeping your passion alive, the importance of continuous learning, and even some of his favorite horror deep cuts. After over 125 episodes, this is easily one of my favorites. Adam delivers an incredibly insightful and candid interview, and I got a lot of advice as well as reassurance from this conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Please welcome, Adam Egypt Mortimer.

Here are some key takeaways from this conversation with Adam Egypt Mortimer:

  • Identify and address your anxieties. Filmmaking demands a wide range of skills, as Sidney Lumet emphasizes in his book Making Movies. Directors need to be renaissance people, well-versed in everything from art and psychology to music and literature. It can be overwhelming to juggle these diverse disciplines, but an effective director has to recognize their weaknesses and actively work on them. For Adam, working with actors was a major source of insecurity, so he made it a priority to study Judith Weston’s work to improve in that area before approaching his first movie.
  • Depressurize your first film. There's a common belief that your first film needs to be a masterpiece like Reservoir Dogs, Blood Simple, or Brick. However, Adam argues that this pressure can harm you creatively and cause your movie to suffer. He suggests accepting from the outset that your first film will have flaws, and that's okay. Instead of aiming for perfection, focus on proving to yourself and the world that you can complete what you start. By alleviating some of the pressure, you allow yourself more creative freedom and ultimately will make a better film.
  • Adapt at a Darwinian level. Adam’s story about a lead actor falling ill on a crucial production day is a powerful example of adaptability. When faced with this setback, he intentionally avoided panicking and instead saw it as an opportunity to create something new. He reassured himself and his crew that this disaster could lead to an opportunity to make a scene that was even better than was originally planned in the script. While this mindset might seem like wishful thinking, it underscores the level of strength and resilience you’ll need to develop as as a director because shit will happen—you need to not only handle it but use it to your advantage.
  • Relax and enjoy the journey. Reflecting on his career, Adam wishes he could tell his younger self to enjoy the process more. Making movies takes time, effort, and a bit of luck, so it's crucial to relax and give yourself the space to do it right. He specifically mentioned that he would encourage his younger self to not be so hard on himself and to watch more cool French movies. The message is clear: whatever inspires you, make time for it, and remember to enjoy the journey that led you to fall in love with cinema in the first place.

Show Notes

Movies:

  • Some Kind of Hate
  • Daniel Isn’t Real
  • Arch Enemy
  • Bad Day at Black Rock
  • Easy Riders, Raging Bulls
  • The Exorcist
  • Persona
  • Fight Club
  • Alien
  • Videodrome
  • Bride of Frankenstein
  • Martyrs
  • Possession
  • Bug
  • Killer Joe
  • Honeymoon

Books:

  • Directing Actors by Judith Weston
  • The Director's Intuition by Judith Weston
  • Raging Bulls, Easy Riders by Peter Biskind
  • Tom Savini's Grande Illusions

Other:


Follow Adam Egypt Mortimer at: