Writer/director Adam Leon was gracious enough to discuss his critically acclaimed independent feature Gimme The Loot; a narrative that follows teens Sophia and Malcolm--played by Tashiana Washington and Ty Hickson respectively--on their quest to make history by tagging up the Mets apple. The story chronicles the obstacles they face in search of the $500 it will take for them to gain access to the ballpark and subsequent infamy as the greatest graf-writers of all-time. Adam Leon wrote and directed the feature, which follows his 2009 debut short Killer--a collaboration from Leon and co-director Jack Pettibone Riccobono. Killer dives lens-first down the rabbit hole of ballsy adolescence in search of the immortality that seems to lie just beyond the grasp of a group of teens writing and running amok during the late 80s in New York City; the era is knowingly captured by the cinematographic choices that dictate the look and feel of the short.
With Gimme The Loot, Leon channels the graffiti writers who inspired him during his work on Killer for his feature directorial debut - this film following two teens from the Bronx turned everyday action heros as Sophia and Malcolm hop buildings, evade cops and run for their lives in an effort to make history in the span of one summer. As Gimme The Loot continues to garner attention and honors from SXSW to Cannes--and well-placed fans like Wyatt Cenac, who encouraged Okayplayer to check this film out--it would appear that Malcolm and Sophia are not the only ones prepping to make a major name for themselves.
Okayplayer:Gimme The Loot is your first film since the 2009 short, Killer. What made the two experiences distinct?
Adam Leon: The films are tonally different. That carried over to the production for each film. Gimme The Loot is a much more fun story. It was a lot more fun making the feature. One was also shot in the summer, the other was not. There are other differences.
OKP: Did any of the obstacles you dealt with on the first film prepare you for the full-length feature production?
AL: I had worked on a feature before - even the short Killer was a full production. I learned a lot dealing with non-professional teen actors and shooting in New York City. I think there were a lot of obstacles in the earlier production that prepared me for the larger feature production.
OKP: Did the end product match the vision you had for the film at the beginning of production?
AL: The movie we ended up with is a movie we're very proud of. People on the team say all the time that this is the movie we set out to make. At it's core, this is exactly what we were trying to do.
OKP: What were some of the biggest obstacles you faced in getting the production off the ground?
AL: The biggest challenges were financing; building and getting the cast together. It is harder for investors to take a chance on novice feature filmmakers. We were able to build a cast, crew and a team of investors that has turned into a great support system for the film.
OKP: What inspired you to do a film about graffiti writers?
AL: I was inspired by graffiti writers I knew. By the idea of them taking serious physical and legal risks to express themselves without being in it for any monetary gain. It reminded me of an urban adventure story and I felt like that was a good starting point for the narrative to take place.
OKP: What has been the most gratifying thing about the experience thus far?
AL: Making the movie. Completing the production from start to finish has been the best thing by far. It was difficult to pull off. Getting it done was such a sense of accomplishment. Of course there was also the opportunity for theatrical release and Cannes was a dream come true, but nothing compares to doing the work itself.
OKP: Have you received any surprising feedback from audiences? If so, what?
AL: I think any of the surprises have been positive. We have been able to take the movie around the world - to take audiences around the world along for the ride. Watching them pick up on great performances from the actors and identify with the nuances of teenage life in the U.S. has been priceless. We have been really lucky to reach people in that way.
OKP: What were some of the most difficult and/or proudest moments you shared with your actors and crew?
AL: We spent a lot of time together with the actors in rehearsal. It was very difficult in some ways to get to the point where the actors and the material clicked. Those moments where they clicked in and really took ownership of the material - when it began to take on a life of it's own - those were the best moments. I am proud of them. I think they are tremendous. They were truly able to tell the story we wanted to tell.
OKP: Can you talk a bit about the score for the film?
AL: The score came from the initial instinct I had to use classic rock and jazz stuff from the 60s. People might expect a bleaker tone musically when you consider the setting and subject matter, but we wanted to set a different mood. Hip-hop is an element of the film, but we wanted to say everything in a different way and keep things authentic and entertaining at the same time. We just wanted to use great music.
OKP: What has the festival experience been like?
OKP: Considering that graf is a guerilla artform, was guerilla film-making an intentional artistic choice or a matter of necessity?
AL: I feel that the way we made the movie is the way we wanted to make the movie but it was also the way we had to make the movie. The mode of filmmaking we chose ultimately fit the story we were attempting to tell. I was excited to make the movie because I felt that the way we had to tell the story was actually the right way to tell it.
OKP: It isn't often that we see female characters - especially leads - as brash as Sophia. What inspired her character? How have viewers responded to her?
AL: With Sophia we wanted to explore the kind of female lead role that you don't normally see. Both lead actors brought so much to the film. They were as genuine as we could get. That made us excited to explore a different kind of female character - more of a homegirl than a hot girl. I felt that Sophia's character was the kind of character you don't see often, but needs and deserves to be portrayed. In that way, I would say the response to her character has been positive. Tashiana is more of a girly girl than her character Sophia, so it was great to see her take ownership of the role.
OKP: What kind of response has the film gotten from graffiti writers and the larger art establishment?
AL: We worked closely with a graffiti artist named SP One, who served as our advisor on the artistic side. He spent a lot of time shepherding those elements of the film, especially making sure we didn't portray our lead characters as the best graf-writers ever but as teens who are a part of the culture. I was nervous about showing to the gallery and street-art crowds, but the response has been positive. Our characters are graf writers who passed the test of authenticity. Thanks to SP One and the dedicated research of our crew we were able to pull it off!
OKP: What do you have planned for the future?
AL: I apologize, but I am going to be a bit vague about upcoming projects. I will say that I love filmmaking - the collaborative element of it especially. I will continue writing and working on as many projects as I can and I want to keep doing this for the foreseeable future. I love it very much.
