Unwelcome gangsters. A studio dispute. Rehearsing a one-er in the backyard. Director Richard Zelniker, executive producer Brodrick Haygood, and producer Callie Nguyen Zelniker discuss the making of The Vortex movie starring Billy Gardell.
“I’ve been threatening to write a book about the making of this film,” says Richard Zelniker, co-writer and director of The Vortex, now available on Amazon Prime Video.
Film productions always have hoops to jump through, especially small independent ones. But Zelniker says there were so many “bizarre, strange things” that took place while filming his gambling drama starring Billy Gardell and Christopher Titus, including a visit from some gangsters and almost losing their location.
“As a producer, I appreciate working with a veteran director like Richard,” laughs executive producer Brodrick Haygood, “because he didn’t tell me [the behind-the-scenes drama]. He told me everything after it was all fixed.”
“You’re not going to call the producer and go, ‘We lost our location, and the guy had an Uzi as he drove up.'” says Zelniker.
Sounds like the Great Spirit was on their side!
How They Rehearsed for the One-er in The Vortex
Featuring funny man Billy Gardell in a dramatic turn, The Vortex follows casino comedian Pete as he plays slot machines in a back room, conversing with patrons while attempting to win big so he can clear his gambling debts from a threatening Jimmy (Titus). But when a Paiute cleaning attendant (Emily Alabi) tells him he needs to give away all his winnings if he wins, Pete wonders what it would mean to appease the Great Spirit.
Producer Callie Nguyen Zelniker says she and her husband would run camera rehearsals for six weeks in their backyard to prep for the nine-day shoot involving a one-er format.
“The one-er was absolutely essential to do the camera rehearsal,” says Nguyen Zelniker. “Aside from the rehearsals with the talent, Richard and the DP, who was also the camera operator for most of the production, were in the back and had these boxes set up that were supposed to be the slot machines. I remember watching from the kitchen as they choreographed the different moves to get it right and to be able to pull off this one-er with minimal takes.”
Watch the whole conversation below where we chat about assembling the cast, Zelniker’s inspirations for Pete, and what it was like to add 25 minutes to the film after it was initially completed. You can also listen to our interview via podcast or below!
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