Film: 2009: King

Making Things Happen: King

King is an almost-feature-length film (just under one hour) that explores the relationship between a beginning sports agent trying to break in on his own and a troubled basketball star. They are constantly trying to ‘make things happen’ and taste the success they each want.

The film was written and directed by a recent USC film graduate, Cole Mueller. Of course, new filmmakers need to be aggressive to ‘make things happen’ – and that’s what Mueller did in making his film.

He acts in the film as well. He portrays sports agent Carson King, who works hard wooing his first client. Darrel Davenport plays basketball player Isaiah Rose, who has had some problems off the court and needs an agent who will take his calls 24/7.

The most striking aspect of the film is the way in which the visuals echo and enhance the sense of isolation and desperation. Set in Phoenix and shot there, it’s a lonely crowd of twenty-somethings scratching for success in contemporary, urban America. There’s a vague sense of film noir, thanks to not only Mueller but director of photography Joel Kaye.

Let’s learn a little more from this new filmmaker and his acting partner – who are already teaming up again for a true feature length film ready to go into production this summer.

Cole Mueller...

Did the script begin in a film class?

We had to write the opening of a feature for a class, and I wrote the scene where Carson and Isaiah meet for the first time. After that class, I decided to write the rest of the script, which took the rest of my senior year. But I had written a very different version my sophomore year. The only similarity was the sports agent. That first script was kind of comedic, and when I finally finished it, at 150 pages, I realized, ‘This isn't the movie I want to make at all.’ But it was great practice.

What is it about this story and these characters that fascinated you?

I thought there was a story that hadn't been told in Jerry Maguire or the TV series Arli$$. I wanted to tell a story about this kid who’s thrown into this world, a fish out of water, having to figure everything out as he goes. I think it’s a really interesting story. And the character of Isaiah was really fun to write. Especially after I cast Darrel and was able to fit the character perfectly to him and his mannerisms. He’s fantastic in that role.

How did you conceptualize the look and feel of this film?

I've always loved a high contrast look with a little bit of desaturation. I think that combination makes for a very gritty feel, which definitely lends itself to more dramatic stories and movies.

Another part was in the writing phase, where I tried to minimize everything so it’d be easier to film. And, I felt the relationship between Carson and Isaiah was so intriguing that I just loved writing their scenes, where it’s just the two of them.

Did you plan to act in the film from the start?

I had NO intention of acting in this movie! I love acting and took classes, but I never wanted to act in the stuff I directed. I thought it would be too much to handle. However, once I realized we were going to make this movie for under ten grand, it seemed the perfect opportunity to see how difficult doing both jobs would be. I'm a huge Edward Burns fan, and the fact that he does it – and of course greats like Orson Welles and John Cassavetes – gave me the courage.

Are there examples in the film where you had to really compromise on something in your script because of budget constraints?

Basically every scene in the movie! A local bar/restaurant called Sandbar allowed us to shoot for free and whenever we wanted. I couldn't find any other place that was so willing to let us shoot, so we shot four different scenes there, utilizing each part of the bar to make it look like four different places. Also, because we didn't have money to pay extras, I shot an entire bar scene with close-ups. The place was actually empty.

What about festivals? What do you hope to do with this film?

It played at Dirty Bill's in Austin, Texas, while the South by Southwest Film Festival was on. We’re also planning on screening it at a venue in San Diego over the summer. We have sent it to a number of film festivals. However, we targeted big festivals, making our chances slim, and the run time is hurting us because programmers don't know whether to make it a long short or a feature. But it has already provided us with tons of exposure, and I was able to secure a great manager.

Also, by showing people what we could do with such a low budget and small crew, we have secured financing for the next movie. We plan on shooting this summer in Phoenix. It's called Green Guys and is about four con artists torn apart by greed and corruption. It’s set to be ten times bigger than King and hopefully will garner more attention.

Tell us a little more about Green Guys.

I wrote a much smaller part for myself, unlike the last movie when I was in almost every scene! I wrote the main character for Darrel to play again. We have a couple other leads, which we're casting right now. I have a casting director and an agency helping me this time.

Darrel Davenport...

How did you land the role of Isaiah in King?

I replied to a casting call and landed an audition, where I met Cole and his producers. I did a cold read, and they invited me back for another audition, and then a third. A week after that third audition, I got the call. I was selected to play Isaiah Rose.

Did you find your character easy or difficult to portray?

It was fairly easy because Cole was willing to help and answer any questions. I thought the portrayal was close to home on many levels, but I researched to be able to dig for the character’s emotional build. The character was conflicted about today’s industry – out with the old, in with the new – and on top of that he loses his girlfriend. These set him into a swirl of emotional turmoil.

It helped a lot that we all built up trust during the production. This inspired me to work hard and be open to new ideas that would enhance my character.

Cole said he wrote your next part expressly for you...

Levi is the modern day anti-hero who you love and hate. He presents himself as the level of the group, but as a leader with an air of ambiguity. I helped conceptualize the story and develop the character biographies, so I had an idea of how the characters would come together based on their strengths and weaknesses.

Thank you, Cole and Darrel, and good luck.