FILM FOCUS
- PROMARK -
PERSONS UNKNOWN

It is because Promark's Johnathan Kramer and David Carson are far from being “persons unknown” with international film buyers that they could green light Persons Unknown, a film that executive producer, Kramer, describes as a “Hitchcockian thriller” which takes the company away from the action genre that has been so successful for them in recent years.

• “This is a new direction for Promark, but we will still aim to offer our clients a mix of action, family entertainment and erotic thrillers over the year. Persons Unknown is a step up; a project we believe can hold its own theatrically in its range.”

• For Kramer and Carson, as well as the film's producer, David Lancaster, who brought them Cybertech PD, the key building block for any film is the script. It is the kick of-point for all of Promark and Lancaster's projects and Persons Unknown was no different.

• “Cybertech PD has been a very successful title for the company,” Kramer explains, “so it was hardly surprising that I asked David (Lancaster) if he had anything else he thought would be good for us. He, did and it was Craig Smith's script to Persons Unknown.”

• Lancaster discovered the Little Rock based writer by accident after Smith sent him a copy of the screenplay to Scam. “I had tossed Scam in a pile of other scripts and ignored it until I had a free weekend when I decided to go through what had piled up,” Lancaster admits. “Most I did not have to go beyond the tenth page but with Scam it was different. I couldn't put it down. It ended up starring Christopher Walken and was sold by Manifesto. It was the same with Persons Unknown.” Lancaster, who has Smith working on a number of projects, presented the script for Persons Unknown to Kramer at the end of 1994.

• Once Promark have chosen a script to develop the next step is to budget out the project. Normally they ask the producer to do a budget and also work on one in house. While the budget is being pulled together, Kramer and Carson get together to make an “educated guess” of the expected revenue stream from domestic and international sales and Carson may touch base with several overseas clients to get an initial reaction to the project. With Persons Unknown they knew they were raising the ante with a more sophisticated production that could roll out theatrically in many territories and possibly even get a shot at a Directors' Fortnight slot in Cannes, the festival when, come what may, it will get its first full market screenings. “At this stage a movie tends to take on a life of its own but if the elements are not right we will put it aside,” Carson emphasises.

• Neither Kramer, Carson or Lancaster are blinded by the science of filmmaking and recognise that on a restricted budget it is the unknowns and uncontrollable factors that often make the difference between a project being run of the mill and exceptional. The basic script is, however, what gives them the confidence to push ahead and take the risks inherent in any project and Lancaster is savvy enough as a producer to know that the script must keep international buyers in mind, many of which will need to be hooked in the first twenty minutes if they are not to leave a market screening.

• “Once the budget is in place and the numbers add up,” Kramer says, “we look and see what percentage of this initial budget can go on casting. We also make notes on the script and start looking for a director that we have the confidence can deliver what we want. Lancaster approached George Hickenlooper, whose previous credits include the Emmy winning documentary, Heart of Darkness, in October 1995 and he story boarded out part of the script which gave us a clear idea of the style and look he was thinking off. He was also happy that the script was strong enough to attract the level of cast he wanted to work with. It's quite simple: good projects attract good elements.”

• The signing of Hickenlooper brought his contacts to the table which included many actors who were willing to cut back their usual fees to work with the script and a man considered to be one of the industry's “bright young names.” Initially Kramer and Carson had considered casting two French actresses in the lead roles of the two sisters but found the majority of agents representing European talent to be totally out of step with the reality of independent film making in the US. George and Lancaster signed on actress Kelly Lynch, who has most recently been seen in Virtuosity and White Man's Burden, before Thanksgiving to play one of the sisters. and not long after, Joe Mantegna signed on to play the leading male role. Newcomer Naomi Watts, who all involved say is one to watch, and J.T.Walsh were added later. Key cast members in place, Hickenlooper and Lancaster delivered a project to Promark that would fit comfortably within the workable budget of $3.2 million.

• As Promark offer their leading talent a pay or play deal, it is all systems go just as soon as the first actor is in place. Lynch's signing meant that the director and producer had little rest over the year end as they spent four weeks in pre-production in and around Los Angeles. Casting went on right up until the cameras rolled on January 11.

• As Hickenlooper and Lancaster worked on the artistic aspects of the project, including getting feedback from the actors on the script, Kramer and Carson were putting the final touches to the budget, confirming figures and getting the completion bond in place for the four week shoot. During the shoot, the cast and crew worked full six day weeks with key members of the crew putting in a number of twenty hour days. Given the level of investment Promark also decided that rather than edit on video they would print up the dailies each day to check they were getting the quality they wanted.

• Lancaster admits that because of the tight shooting schedule there is a lot of extra pressure on everyone involved in trying to make sure that Persons Unknown does not look like TV blown up for the big screen. “If the budget is big enough,” he says, “you can keep throwing money at it until you get the image right. More money gives a picture size. We don't have that luxury now, but my goal is bigger budgets to force the image. Less is luck.”

[The Film Festivals Server ]