Filmmaker Oz Rodriguez

0:00 Hello everybody, and welcome back to a Film by podcast. I'm Jeff Johnson and I am very happy to have Oz Rodriguez on the show with us today. Oz. Hello, welcome, sir, Hello, Hello, thank you, Thank you for having me very excited to talk anything that includes the word film in it. You were on the right show, my friend. He look, our listeners know here we we loved a wax intellectual about Hollywood's best directors, biggest directors. They're nderrated hits, what we love about them, and on occasion we get to talk with the director. So this is absolutely a treat for us. Oz. How about we start with how you got into the business. Uh, yeah, it started the beginning in the Caribbean jungle. I'm from the Dominican Republic from Santo Domingo. Yeah, I grew up in the Caribbean, and we're there is where I started watching movies and

1:33 getting obsessed with them. My mom is an avid film watcher. She can sit down and watch two or three movies and on a Sunday and and you know, think nothing of it. So yeah, I think she probably had parted that sort of love of of cinema. Huh. And yeah, I think I growing up, I was really attracted to movies, but in the Dominican Republic, I didn't know what to do with this love for movies because there was no film school there at the time. So then I graduated high school. I studied advertising actually at university. And while I was doing that, I was saving money and doing research and I found the school online.

2:21 It's called the LA Film School. It was a year program. I'm like, that sounds great, let's do that. So I moved to La. I didn't know anyone. The little money had saved, and I went to the school. It was a year school, and I met a bunch of really good people that some of them might still work with today. And you know, you go to film school, do the thing you learn, You watch movies and you have this knowledge. But then like when you're out there, you know, you're like, Hollywood, what can I do in Hollywood? It's like, ah, go away. So I think it's you know, it's always important for you to start doing something yourself. So you got something to show and and and started making a mark. So that didn't come right away. I actually started working in the LA Film School, and I worked in the equipment room and That's how I started borrowing some cameras to then make some sketches with my friends, and then we put those online. And the beginning of like YouTube sounds like a hundred years ago, but yeah, we we uh we we were doing that and making a little bit of money and then we uh me and some friends we got hired at Funnier Die.

3:35 That website started with We'll Will Ferrell and that on McKay And that was like another film school because I was working with celebs of all kinds, like a too D list, and it was like the first time I like worked with a red camera or like there was like a truck full of lights, like an equipment truck. So that was really a great experience, and I think it was sort of a low stress preparation for what came next when the Major's called and SNL gave me a job. So I moved to New York City to the very chill job that is Saturday Night Live with no pressure at all.

4:19 We have all the time in the world to do your work. Yeah. No, it was, Yeah, it tremendously wild and different experience and you sort of just hold on to that train and just try not to fall off. I mean obviously that changed my life. Like getting a job at at that American cultural institution, Let's say it was incredible, and I learned so much just because like there was constant work, you were doing a sketch every week and and and definitely learned really quickly what works and what doesn't because the audience tells you right away they're like nope, not laughing. And then also like developed my sort of my gut instincts. I because in my time there, everything that could go wrong on a set went wrong for me, So I like I could sort of see problems coming a mile ahead. Uh you know, I got a blizzard dumped on me, a thunderstorm too, all kinds of shit. That was how I got to SNL. That is a little bit of my story. I gotta imagine leaving home for Los Angeles.

5:30 That's got to be as frightening as it is exciting. My question to you was was Hollywood? Was it? Was it what you expected, like Los Angeles, like the culture there, you know from what you had seen on TV or what you expected. Was it was it a culture shock or was it like, Yeah, this is exactly this is exactly what I thought it would be. Yeah, it was a little bit of a shock. I mean I had family. I had family in the East Coast, so New York, Miami, so I'd been to the States. But LA is its own sort of different animal, if you will. And like I remember, I remember going to like the Walk of Fame and sort of where it starts, which is not in front of the Chinese theora where it's a little grimy, let's say, and I was like, oh, this is a dirty guys. Somebody has to clean this these stars. That was sort of my first indication that like, huh, things are not as they seem.

6:25 Uh, But yeah, I know, I think, like definitely a little bit of a culture shock. Man. I didn't have a car for like the first year, so that was interesting. And they got it moved close to the LA Film School, Like I was a few blocks away, so I like I didn't have to schlip the camera to too far. But then like that that school was like a year long program and it was an intense not intense, but like they give you a camera the first day and like you you're expected to deliver a short the first week, and they're really it's it's built, so you do shit and I feel like that's something that's sort of tried to carry with me as far as like, ah do stuff, because you can always rely on that whenever you feel weird and you're like, where the fuck am I? I guess let's go to work. So you know, you mentioned your mother kind of helped you find this passion for filmmaking.

7:27 Was there was there specific movies, specific movie stars like who who inspires osre Riguez at this point? So my mom, you know, I was watching all kinds of stuff and obviously into genre stuff, like I loved Indiana Jones, that's my dude. But you know, growing up in the Dominican Republic, every movie is foreign, Like the most movies we got are American movies. But I was also exposed to Spanish movies. And I've watched a lot of better on my lower movies with my mom and my sister too. And I remember one time she maybe she was like, you've seen these Indiana Jones movies way too many times. You should check out this movie Vertigo by Hitchcock. Oh wow. I was like yeah, And I was like, all right, mom, And I'd heard her talk about how like she was affected by that movie and I remember watching it, and by the end of it, I remember my feeling. My first felom was like, Wow, could they make movies like that? Like that, Like the ending is so shocking. So that's a movie that I remember sort of being like, Oh, there's other stuff out there that like is not just just sort of pure joy and fun and and and silliness. Like some stuff can make you think and and can make you feel not great too afterwards. So yeah, I mean, I just devoured movies a lot. I think by personality I myself, I like to not take things too serious, so I tend to just

9:01 want to make people laugh. But but I'll watch anything. Sometimes I actually watch less comedies than than other genres, only because, like, I work on it so much that sometimes you want to like not like I don't even want to see people laughing. I just had a great day filming with comedians. Let me give me some sadness or like some some good crime. Yeah, I love it. This this past August, Hulu, you know we're getting I'm seeing the promos, I'm seeing this. I see this trailer for Miguel Wants to Fight, and just based off the trailer, I'm like, Okay, that's that's got a unique look to it that looks like it could be fun. I watched this, you know, and you know, apologies because I didn't I didn't know. I didn't know your work at that point.

9:43 I mean, I knew your work, I just didn't know that I knew your work. So let's talk a little bit about Miguel wants to Fight? Can you? Can you share a little bit. Let's start off with the writing process. You write this, You co write this with with Chay Serrano and Jason Kossop Soon Is that correct? No, they they were the writers, and I was lucky enough to just sort of get sent the script one day, and uh yeah, I really responded to it. It had so many things that I was sort of looking for in movies and I'd like to watch too. I uh, well, first, his name is Miguel, so that immediately I'm like, well, he's a Latino kid, so almost I basically was in right away. And then I loved the sort of the story and how it deals with sort of the coming of age aspect and sort of finding yourself and being comfortable in your own skin. And then you add some fun actions, action beats and some funds or recreations of movies that I've grown up loving. So it felt like a no brainer to me, like I need to be involved. Okay, so we've got four sensational young actors in this film. Were you were you involved in the casting process or you know, did you read with these actors or can you tell us a little bit about that? Yeah? No, that was that was the That was basically the Hulu basically was like, let's see if we can find these actors, because if we don't, like the movie is these four kids.

11:07 So if like if we don't find these teenagers and we don't make this movie. So uh now we looked all over the world literally and and we we've we It's one of those things where like, you know, you see a bunch of people and people feel okay, but then like someone like Tyler shows up and you're like, oh, yeah, that's it. That's that's the one. Or Christian who who plays Dave David or Surge who plays a SERENI like they're there, they had that like they you just knew something. You just like you saw them and you knew. But we're doing this in in over zoom, so we're still living in a post pandemic world. So you're casting with people on zoom, and that's that's tricky because when you're in the same room with someone, it's easier to sort of exchange ideas and something and and something's just like the zoom sucks, the connection sucks some random dude outside of the leaf flower and you can't control that. Uh. So we we we found the four actors that we wanted for the teenagers, but we needed to see if they could work well together, because that's that's the whole movie.

12:18 So we did a chemistry read but also on zoom gosh the actors as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's it's there's a lot of that happening right now. But it's yeah, it's tough. It's tough, and uh somehow we we we did it. And even with like it's like in this form, which is not the ideal form, and and one of the actors, like internet was off, so like he was like coming in a little late. But even even like that, you could tell there's something here, like there's this core is fun and I think I think this is the right way to do it. Yeah, and then once we found those four actors, sort of like that led to getting people like oh, well, I see you, and and just filling out the cast. But yeah, it all started with them. And I think one of the biggest compliments I've received is people think they were best friends before we shot the movie, and they actually met in person a week before we shot, so the us to them. Yeah, the chemistry that these four have, it's it's so impressive because when you know, when you're watching a film and it's and it's got young young you know, the characters are young actors or I'm sorry, the characters are our young people. Sometimes there's a preconceived notion of what their dialogue would sound like, right, And I gotta tell you, you guys nailed

13:50 it with this because they're having conversations like that kind of took me back to high school and I thought, yeah, this is how we This is how me and my best friends talk, this is this is how we treated each other. So there, their chemistry is fantastic. One question I have for you the character of Miguel, he is he's such a sweet kid, you know, and the irony is that when you when you pull up Tyler Dean Flores on IMDb. His the first picture you see of him, he looks so intense. I mean, he looks like he's gonna whip your ass. So was that was that a situation where are you looking at headshots before you're seeing him on zoom? Because if I'm looking at this picture of Tyler Dean Flores, I'm like, this isn't I'm googling. I'm googling it right now because I need to know what photo it is. Oh, I'm telling you, oh interesting, Yeah, so you see it what I'm seeing. It's I have a story about this photo actually, but it's not about Miguel.

14:46 No. He came in, he came in, he didn't have braids, he had his long he looked very much like he looks in the movie. And because we were like just keep that same the like had his long hair sort of in a ponytail and rare, like, yeah, just keep that look. It looks it looks cool and like you don't look different than other type of heroes and movies. So I loved it. But yeah, that photo actually is from some other movie. But uh, I ended, uh, well, i'll tell you later. Well, we talked about we talked about the future projects. I'll bring up that photo okay, story. Yeah, because I'm telling you right now, you look at that photo. I'm if I'm the director, I'm making a mistake of saying, you know what, that's not Miguel, but let's let's read him for Damien because he looks he looks scary. So yeah, uh, you mentioned we got we got a couple of other great actors actresses. What was it like working with with Dasha? Because I loved I loved her on Orange's New Black, So when I saw her in the film, I was like, oh, right, you know, and she's got one of the She's got some very funny scenes too. She's awesome. Dasha's a dream. I have known her for a little bit, so honestly, it was I asked her for a favor.

16:04 I texted her and I was like, do you uh, would you mind come to this ridiculous role. I have to call you tell you what happens to her because I do not want to text what happens her? Oh man uh And I yeah, I basically asked her for a favor. I was like, this is the story, and this is what we're doing, and you don't mind giving us a couple of days of your time? And she's the best. She said, Charlotte, do is she went up to Syracuse and got punched. We'll leave it at that because I want to I don't want to spoil that for for our listeners haven't yet seen this, because it's it's one of the funnier moments. And I mean, Miguel has some very embarrassing moments in this movie. Uh and outside of Bona Lisa, that's definitely one of the more embarrassing moments for him. The world is telling him not to get in a fight, and he's absolutely, so absolutely you. I know, we mentioned you mentioned earlier just shortly ago. This film kind of pays amage to like a couple a couple of classic films, a couple of big films entered The Dragon and the Matrix. Most notably were other films considered early on in the writing process or in the filming process, or is it was it always like this is who, this is the these are the movies that Miguel responds to. There were other films considered, for sure. I think any of The Dragon and the Matrix were always sort of what they were.

17:38 The last battle was something else. Actually, it was a Matt Max Fury Road thing, and I was like, guys, we can't afford that there's no desert in Syracuse. But I think also like it opened up the conversation. I was like, well, the movie starts talking about one punch Man, what if it's an anime? So that that sort of came from that. And yeah, I mean I think Entered the Dragon and Matrix, But in those scenes, there are so many other little nods to other films, like getting End of the Dragon. I'm a big old action movie nerd, so that Enter of the Dragon sequence there's nods to three different Bruce Lee movies. There's nods to Jackie Chan, there's nods to Steve mi Shao and Donnie Yen and probably one more I'm forgetting right now. Well, let's you got the QT reference too, you know when he walks in. Yeah, we made fun. Why you just like the girl from Kill Bill Scheme of Death? You know? Yeah, dude, I loved it. It's it's fascinating to me. I mean, Enter the Dragon celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year. Yeah, and it's still relevant, you know, and and and it's because of it's because of filmmakers like you that that's that's keeping it alive.

18:49 I loved those moments in this film, you know, absolutely loved it. Thank you, thank you. Yeah, it's Bruce Lee's a turtle man, It's it's a It was so fun to like build that action scene in like in the middle of punches where we're like, oh, what if we reference this thing? And what if we referenced that thing right there? And that. It was such a blast, dude to to to think about it. It was definitely hard to shoot, but I can imagine the dreaming part was very fun. Yeah. Well, this movie as funny as it is, and there's so many great comedic beats. I really appreciate the fact that there's a there's a real heartfelt story here, you know, a father and son's story. I wasn't expecting because I didn't really see that in the trailer, so I wasn't ready for it. But it really makes an impact.

19:41 Yeah, I mean, I think it all. It all sort of goes back to Miguil and his world and like his like drive to like want to fight and his drive don't want to fight is related to his environment, his friends, his family. In a way, he's surrounded by violence and people are fighting in the town. His dad's a boxing coach and he there's there's a lot of sort of teenager feelings there that I wanted to sort of like capture because we've all sort of had those emo emotions. So I think, yeah, it was a vital part of the story as far as like, this is a person that his dad like accepts him for who he is and tells him that they love him for who he is. He doesn't have to fight and they just want him to be his self, his dorky as self that makes Naruto videos at the park. So yeah, it was a nice like it was a nice way to sort of comment on on sort of boyhood, if you will, and like what it means to be a man and sort of like violence, do you have to partake in it? All these heavy things that like obviously we're not like let me tell you about these things, but like I think those are sort of interwoven in that relationship, and also just show a loving relationship between a dad and his son, which is like sometimes not shown as much. So this film comes out, I feel it's coming out at a very important time because we are we are coming towards

21:14 the end like you know, it's obviously it's it's a Hispanic Heritage Month. We celebrate that annually from September fifteenth to October fifteenth, OS as we strive to champion diversity, equality inclusion. Do you have any any thoughts you can share on how Hispanic heritage can be celebrated in the film industry or how we can do a better job. I would say it could be celebrated by giving me and other Latino directors more jobs. That would be the best way to absolutely, yes, more opportunities. And also like also I think Hispanic Heritage Month is amazing, but also not just like saving everything for that month.

22:00 I think sort of having a plan for Latino stories, not just for that chunk of time, but just for like the future. And uh, I add some of it is by giving writers, Latina writers, directors, cinematographers, everyone that works in the crew a chance. So yeah, I mean I am hopeful for the future. I think I think I would be facetious if I wasn't because I've made two features with a lot of latinos. I can't believe they let me have all those Latinos in there. And then I just finished this pilot for a show that comes out in October nineteenth about this kid that moves to Miami to make it in the Regaton industry, also starring Tyler Dean Flores who plays Miguel, And that is also another show with a bunch of people from the Caribbean Diannaeus. So, you know, I started the answer with like, I feel like there could be more, but there's we're also making stride, So you know, I feel like you always want more, but I must admit that we some things are happening and it's up to all of us to sort of push it through and hopefully and also support it and demand more of it. I guess, well, yeah, So I mean I'm thinking like this summer, we DC finally gives us our first Latina superhero, you know, with the Blue Beetle Solomon Dwight. He did

23:34 amazing in that film. I don't know if you saw it. I'm a you know, I love the superhero genre. I don't care how many they make, I'll go see them. I wasn't even familiar with that character that much, and I feel it's one of the better DC films that they've made in the past, you know, five ten years so I agree with you. I feel like, yeah, we're starting to see progress. We just need more of it, right mm hmm yeah, I I uh, I hope there's a Latino superhero Marvel and another and the Latino Superhero Team one day and like all the things uh uh and not just uh. I think representation all kinds, and it's superheroes in horror movies. I'll take anything. Uh yeah, it's it's it's slowly, slowly making gains here. Yeah, you know you mentioned horror films. I always think of Julie Carmen in Fright Night Part two because look, I'm a hot take. Fright Night two is better than Fright Night. I'm gonna say, well, it's it's, it's it's listen. I love Chris Saranon, but when Regime comes on the screen at that age, I was mesmerized, you know, absolutely loved her. So now I gotta go watch Fright Night too. Yeah you've not seen it's been well while it's almost like I haven't seen it because it's been so long.

24:56 Okay, good, because I did see Fright Night, but Fright Nights for when I was prepping vampires. But I I must admit I did not catch up on two again, So it's time. It is time. Oz ms Carmen is just sensational, you know. I A all right, Well, we're gonna take a quick break and when we get back, we'll continue to talk with Oz and we'll we'll dip into his his background, his filmography, as it were, Welcome back, we are talking with filmmaker Oz Rodriguez. Oz, you have got some great stuff that I want to talk about, if you, if you'll indulge us, let's start off with you know you you'd already talked about Saurday Live. Uh, like what ten years with Saturday with SNL. I gotta imagine you've got some uh maybe some favorite favorite cast members, favorite crew to work with. Uh. Yes, yes, it's the answer to all that. Yeah, I mean I came in the year that, like people like Adie Bryant and Kate McKinnon came in and Cecily and like I met Pete Davidson when he was twenty years old, So yeah, another lifetime ago. And I loved working with them so much, Like shooting twin Bed, it was such a fun Doing my twin Bed was such a fun moment because we were talking like you know, Lonely Island had just left

26:30 and they had such a profound impact on the show, especially with music videos, but there never been any like female led music video and that was the first time that the show had tried it and it was a success, and that was like a real That was one of one really nice, awesome night that like it feels really nice when something works, like when you bust your ass and it works. There's nothing like it. Yeah, And then as far as crew, like, man, I I so I did this show. I did this docu series called Creating SNL and it's a short series on YouTube. Yeah, I did that because I was surrounded by all these amazing crafts people, like everyone behind the scene was so incredible aut their job, and I felt like the documentaries that I had seen about SNL were talked about the history, the cast, lorn and maybe the writers, but I'd never seen anything on makeup. Here, the sets, the photos and all that shit is like amazing. So that was one of my favorite things that I've done, just to like interview all these amazing people I work with and just sort of share their expertise and knowledge and how insane and challenging their job is so I think that just the crew in general that puts together eight Age is

28:02 there is nothing like it like the eight Age the studio for us and now there's just nothing like the people that work there. It's after you work there and you work another job, you're like, oh, this is easy, this is chill. The great thing about Creating Center Live, like you're saying, it's kind of like pulling the pulling the curtain back and getting like a behind the scenes look at everything that goes into this show, and it's it's fascinating. You're nominated Creating Center Live, It's nominated for three mice and you take one home in twenty nineteen, what what was that experience? Like? I forgot to give you also a fun story of real quick Oh please do my first show night? I was so like that first week hit me like a ton of bricks because I just moved to New York fall whether we're starting, I was getting cold. I got so busy, So I got a cold and Saturday morning, Uh, I popped a dake Will just to like make it through the day. But then I realized I had actually taken a night wall Oh that's Saturday. I was like, Hi, out of my just like Zong, just like living in another world and also the pressure of Saturday night life like my first show. So I was I was just like in another dimension, like dimension is world and finished our sketch as the previous sketch was on TV. So, uh, when I work. When I

29:36 worked at SNL, I didn't have any great hair listener. My hair is full. Hey yeah, but listen it might be, but it is a very impressive man. I mean you can you can see me. As soon as I realized, like I'm not gonna have hair like that, I just started shaving it. So I was like, yeah, but yeah, this is this is a handsome guy we're talking about it. I love it. Thank you? Sorry? So what was your ship? I now forgot the question the Emmy. Let's have about Emmy? I mean crazy, like you know, truly being nominated is amazing, Like you go to this fancy ass event and you wear tucks and you're surrounded by famous people and you're in this insane, insane event. Uh. So, yeah, we got nominated twice.

30:30 It was nice to go. But then the third year, I don't know why. I was like, I feel like I feel like we got it. This year. I don't know why. I was like, I gotta I don't know why. I got a good feeling. So I was like, I feel like I should prepare a speech. I guess. And I remember at the event being like, you don't know when your thing's coming up. So and and the Emmys are actually a three night event. There's so many Emmy categories that they do. There's a big show where they give the awards to know the actors and whatever, and the HBO shows and all that, but then all sort of the other departments are done the previous weekend on a Saturday and Sunday event that is then sort of rebroadcast on effects or something. But anyway, that's where they're like best Choreography, best Cinematography, like a lot of sort of the craft's awards. So a lot of awards are given out that weekend, so you don't know when yours is coming.

31:27 I had to pee, Oh no, and I was like, please God, please, please please please let us be soon because I have to pee, and I also need a drink because I'm too nervous, and I need to get over and we need to either win or lose. Thankfully, it happened in like the first thirty minutes for forty five minutes, and it was incredible. I honestly don't remember much because I think I just blacked out from like the insanity. I remember walking towards the stage and thinking, don't fall, don't fall, please, don't fall, and then I said something and then we were out. It was so fast. They gave me a huge statue. Uh super heavy. But yeah, man, it was a wild, wild experience, wild night and uh uh yeah, pretty cool, pretty pretty cool. So you had you you worked with with Funnier Die. Uh can we talk a little bit about John Carpenter presents Funnier Dies Halloween from twenty eleven. This is wow. I haven't I don't think I've ever been asked that question. I can't wait. Really, let's see, Well Carpenter clearly like you know, I mean I'm a big Carpenter fan. Yeah. Yeah, And and he is what I'm seeing in the in this sketch, it's just him being himself. I mean he's just being very much. Yeah.

32:52 Was that was that? Was that him just going, hey, I'll say what I want, do what I want? Or is it like is he taking direction? Like? How what was it? Like to do a director, I guess my first question. Okay, so where to start. Yeah, at Funnier Guy, sometimes we would just creates like a situation where we could then ask people we wanted to work with to come over. We were like, what if we just make some Halloween shit and treated almost like tails from the Crips and we need a host and then they make a bunch of weird sketches. And that was kind of the beauty of Funnier Diet that you could like go to the bosses and be like what about this? And I'm like, okay, especially if if if it was cheap, and you know, he came into the office, so I think somebody one of the producers wives knew his wife and somehow got to him, and I don't know, I think he was like all right, and he just showed up. He's like what the fuck is this? Or like we were all like it was it was half like it was three parts. There was the whoa John Carpenter.

34:07 There was the embarrassment of like, oh my god, he actually said yes this, this is so stupid, and the awkwardness of directing this. Uh sometimes cranky man, lovable cranky man. Yeah. So yeah, we directed it and like, uh kind of let him do his thing, and I mean if he was uh cranky, it only made it funnier. And uh we let him rip on the piano and I mean, I see he said yes to this is wild. Like we all got our posters signed. It was a wonderful thing to say. That was that like a little bit of like a hey, I'm on, I'm on the set, I'm the boss, but I get to be I can kind of get the fan fan boy out a little bit because this is Scarpenter. I'm want his auditor.

34:52 I can't imagine what that be. Like. Oh yeah. We were like at the end, we're like, I'm sorry, we had to. We had to, And I I do that a lot. I have no shame of like asking autographs for it some of the people that I beat, because like it's crazy the people in of it. So uh, if I can, I'll do it afterwards after we've we've done the work. It's not I don't open with like, uh, anyone else on funni er guy that you you just had a positive experience with, And I mean I imagine that's a lot of it, but anyone stand out where you're like, man, this this one sketch we did. You know, anyone come to mind, Yeah, yeah, I mean I think one of the first sketches that like kind of like it wasn't the first sketch we did, but it was one of the first. So and it kind of got us like no, I mean, we already had the job, but it got us a little bit I don't want to say respect in the office, but like people were like, oh, these dudes can do their thing. Like we did this sketch with Tim Roth called Prostitute, and uh we were with fucking bringing Tim Roth and North Hollywood, shooting on a five D this ridiculous idea where he is a pimp for bros. So you can have someone to hang with, and but we shot it in this like very grounded docu style, Like basically it was those like it was it was inspired by those documentaries about sex workers and HBO

36:24 that that that you'd see in the nineties, So we try to like give this such stupid idea a very like gravitas type look. And it was the best time. Tim Roth like got it and he was so down to clown and and man like, when you have a talent like that, and he is so committed and doing the lines. I mean, there's nothing like it. Before we get away, Uh we get too far away from messin l Can we can we talk on the whole uh piece on earth little rummer boy sketch? Yeah, because I got I listen. So here's the thing you're bringing them. I'm complimenting you. You know, thirteen years ago the first time I see this, because obviously it's a it's an iconic everyone knows the whole Crosby Bowie thing. When I see uh Ferrell and Riley doing this, I remember saying, I don't know who came up with this or who's behind this, but they're brilliant, they're genius, and they're gonna they're gonna make a big impact because this is awesome. Like, how do you do you recall like how that came to be, like in the writing room, or I don't recall how it came to be because that was a typical funnier duy thing where someone would say something and then people would find it funny, and all of a sudden you were on set the next day shooting that thing.

37:57 So it might have been like my had even been like a will Ferrell like, oh, what did you do this? Uh? Yeah, I don't remember. I don't honestly remember where it came from because like as far as the writing, there wasn't like a ton of writing because we were kind of recreating a shot for shot. Uh but yeah, I think once I heard about it, I was like, oh, I'm in I need to work on that. And yeah it was so it was again just so much hard work for something so stupid. You were like rented out all the frames and we figured out all the shots and the angles and we built the set and then it was it was so fun that we also, like, you know, there was a shoot day, but the previous day we went to the studio to record it. So I, you know, you're you're singing this song. I was sinking, but I'm listening to a world Farrell and John c Riley crack up and crack each other up as they're recording. Uh, drummer boy. It was. It was incredible. You have to like pinch yourself. You're like, what the hell is happening here? Yeah, that was a really fun. It was just a fun That was a really fun shoot because like, uh, it was it was truly a Christmas miracle because everything went right, everything went great, there was no problems. I had a great time, and we did a killer video at the end. So it was it was, it was cool. Well, I'll be honest with you. Every Christmas, Uh, there are staples in my house. Things I'm gonna watch obviously, you know, the Peanuts Christmas Special, die Hard

39:31 and thanks to the Internet, I always pull up the the your version of of Bowie and Crosby. I love that one. Nice. Nice, Well, I'm glad you like it. That's awesome. I uh ship, I'm gonna pull it up again. I see it in a while. So earlier you were you were talking, we were talking about some of your some of your inspiration you you mentioned, we talked a little bit about Vertigo. And as I'm looking and through you your filmography, I noticed one of your one of your your shorts talking about Latino Vortex. Has the has that Vertigo styled poster for it. Yep, you got it. Let's talk. Let's talk.

40:14 Let's talk about Latino. So Latino Vortex. First off, it's hilarious. Let's talk a little bit about that one. Because one thing I'm kind of curious about. I want to like the process directing a short versus an a television episode versus a feature. Let's let's talk a little bit about the differences, the challenge, the different challenges you might face. Mm hmm. Well, I mean that was a short that we did for the the YouTube channel Mashart MHM and they were associated to Broadway Video, which is the production company that does SNL. So yeah, they were like a Latino YouTube channel, and they were in the same building. They were in thirty Rock.

41:06 So I went up and I was like, I want to make a short. I want to make a short with Dominicans. Yeah, I'd love that. You guys can give me somebody to pay for it. And they were like, here's a couple of thousand dollars. When you see something and they put this in front of you, are you looking at it like Okay, this is funny because it's true, or like, okay, this is a little ridiculous. It's not like this, but I'm gonna go for because definitely it's definitely true. It is something very hard to leave a party like that. We all relied on our own experiences, and obviously you heighten in to make it ridiculous, but it is definitely based on a kernel of truth. Sometimes it is hard to leave. That's why sometimes you have to do the was it Irish goodbye where you don't say goodbye, just get the f out of there. That is very true. So we just took it to the nth degree and and it was it was a blast. We like, it was basically like a bunch of favors and I really just I knew those performers like my Dias, and I kind of just wanted to do something fun with it. Mike. It was truly like a fun fun uh and exercise and fun. It was all for fun. So so yeah, not a ton of money, so uh the location was the main actress apartment, so there didn't have to pay for location. Nice. So yeah, I just like got a little bit of money for renting, forgetting the camera and paying the uh andy coogler who shot it the DP and then we paid uh sound dude,

42:42 and then ask a bunch of friends that come over and then we got the pizza at the end. So that that was like that was very much like film school, you know, back to basics kind of shooting and then you know, features are definitely the complete up a set of that it's like you prep for a month or more and so many movie pieces and you want to be also more ambitious. But at the same time, like when you're actually shooting it, it is the same thing. Even if you are on a huge production or if you're a small thing and you sort of have to You have the scene and you have to capture in the best way possible. Sometimes you just have more expensive cameras to do it right. Well, let's talk about a feature let's talk about your your feature film. Uh, let's do it. Yeah, Vampires Versus The Bronx. This is twenty twenty.

43:40 First off, again, I'm seeing I'm watching this a couple of years ago. I'm like, man, this this is pretty damn good. So it's exciting to get to talk to the guy that made that film. Were you inspired? I know you you kind of mentioned, you know, you said, hey, I watched I watched The Fright Nights to get ready for Vampires. The eighties kind of gave us this this kids versus monsters sub genre. I can think of a couple of great ones that I loved. Any of them? Were they like, did you take inspiration from Meriam? When you when you're putting this this uh this cast together and coming up with this story from all of them, yes is the answer, and from all of them yes, uh yeah No. I mean it's very much like wanting to make something that felt like those movies, but set in set now, make contemporary story and set in a location that was not Suburbia that was the you know, the Bronx that had this huge Dominican diaspora, which was something I was really interested in. Like it really started with like, I want to make a fun, sort of kids genre movie, but I want the kids to look like myself and my friends when we were growing up. Like that was sort of like the seed of the idea. So so one hundred percent Monster Squad, Gooonies, Lost Boys, Fright Night. Yeah, yeah, for sure you mentioned Monster Squad and that that's the double feature I go with with Vampires versus Brox. I'm like, all right, we're gonna we're gonna do Monster Squad. We're gonna do Vampires versus the Brocks, because like I feel

45:10 like those kids that you know, you captured that essence like this is this is how kids talk, this is how they behave. Yeah, fantastic film. It's on Netflix. One thing again, you know what I love about your trailers. Uh to to these these films, I'm yeah, I'm all in because it's like, Okay, this looks like it's gonna be a fun movie. And then there's a message, there's like a different there's another message, there's there's more to the story. Uh, you know with vampires, there's definitely a message about gentrification in there, and and it's an important conversation to have. And you know again obviously it's yeah it's vampires. Uh love love the real estate name, you know, based off of the whole not sparatu. I was like, you know, because I'm a horror I'm a horror guy. I love I'm a movie nerd. I was like, wait that I know what, I know, what's up? You know, and uh, you know it. So it has like a little bit of sailing slot feeling where the vampires are kind of taken over, but but it's something that's it's it's own thing too. So uh, you're working with method man, Zoe Saldana, Shaye Wigham, Like that's got to be an amazing experience with these with these guys. Yes, I can't believe I got all those people metha man came in to read for something else and then he was like, what if, what if? What if I do this? This father Jackson roll I was like, yeah, yes see you once said we got it and Shae Wiggam, I can't. I it's amazing that he was into it, like I can't. It's so cool that he was like he was

46:44 set to script and yeah. I remember like face timing with him and I like, uh, you know, at first, You're like, well, it's this guy always plays intense dudes. I'm literally scared. But he was so cool. He's so cool. I love Shaye Wigham. He should be in everything. He's the ultimate pro. I learned so much from him, like the best. And then so he saw Dania. I wrote her a long letter to try to basically asking her for his favor, and I told her what the movie's about and always I'm a Dominican filmmaker and still to this day can't believe she said yes. She was like, I'll be in New York that day. Let's go. I love it man. Yeah, so any and I got Sue. It was amazing. We got super lucky.

47:36 Now I know we're gonna we're gonna talk about what's coming up next for you here in a couple of minutes. But before we you know, just to Yeah, I'm gonna cheat a little bit. You ever have thoughts on like, you know, more of the of the vampire story, like, you know, bring these kids back doing another another film? Because it ends it ends kind of like, hey, you come to our neighborhood. This is what happens, you know. Yeah. I love the mean, like the community comes together. So I was wondered, like what if what if there's a different threat, you know, different creature, different monster, Like could we do something more in this year? There's definitely you know the stories uh from your mouth to Netflix ears? Uh yeah, I would love that.

48:19 I I don't have one right now, okay, but yeah, I mean do zombies versus the Bronx UFOs versus the Bronx ideas are endless man? So many things? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, uh no, I love it. I I you might have inspired something, who knows? Okay, all right, we'll have to talk about that. Ye yeah. Yeah. And let's let's talk a little bit about ap Bio. This is one of those incredible shows that you're telling your friend, like why aren't you watching this, you know, and then it gets big and then and then it you know it, you know, it finds new life on Peacock. It's like aby Bio was a dream come true. Also, like I met Michae O'Brien, the showrunner and the creator on SNL and really clicked with him. We did some really fun stuff. It was some of my favorite videos, stuff like Sad Mouse and Monster Piles on SNL and we just had a really great relationship.

49:17 And yeah, he had sold this pilot and I I was very lucky to have been asked to direct it, and it was the first pilot I did, so it was a big deal and I had to sort of prove myself And to this day, I can't believe they okay some of the wild visual ideas that we threw out, that it's a wild show man, I mean, yeah, but they were very down. They were very into sort of the the the wild scripts, the interesting look. Yeah, and it was really fun because like Mike and I collaborated on SNL so much, so it was just sort of like it was the job, but it just also felt like I'm working with my friend. And then I brought over Blake McClure, who was a cinematographer who had shot a lot of my SNL shorts.

50:09 So yeah, really it was a really special special project because I've done other pilots before and they don't all feel that way, like where you forget the responsibility and the stress, like it felt really fun. So yeah, it was a blast to work on that show. And I kept coming back, and I would keep coming back and was still round. It was the It was one of my favorite working experiences and and the like I said, still surprised that they let us go without interesting color palette. I mean, all that time working with Glenn Howerton, is there is there any hope we might see you direct a little bit of a Sonny in the future, ever that conversation ever come up, or because seeing what you can do on ap bio, I would love to see what you could do on Sonny. You know you talk about those there's interesting color palettes and stuff like. Yeah, as wild as that show gets, like, I can't imagine, you know, if you were free to run around that world, what you could do.

51:14 Send him that email. Man, let's go all right, I'm on it. I'm on it. I'm on it. Oz No. I mean, you know, it was I We definitely talked about that a lot of anyone that like, you know, go for it. I definitely threw some some hints there. But it was amazing to see Glenn work. Like he is so talented and he is a real a real proper actor, and like he was giving these like two page monologues like the night before and he comes down and he just like kills it, and that is that's amazing to work with because like you're just like it makes your job some of you. You're just literally an audience member too, just watching this guy rip through a monologue like it's not and he's he's he's something else. He's really cool, he's really good. Well talk about something else. Let's talk about what's next for Ozrodriguez.

52:07 You know we we've just now we're getting the the WGA, that's that strikes resolved or getting resolved. Still working on the SAG after situation. But once these things, once these resolutions happen. Are there any projects you're planning next anything you can share with us? Definitely planning some projects. Can't share everything, but I will share that neon this show I worked on, I shot at the pilot. It's coming out October nineteenth. It's a series on Netflix and it's a comedic series about this group of friends that moves to Miami to make it in the reggaeton music scene. It's kind of like Reggaeton Dave, maybe reggaetn Entourage without the problematic stuff. And this is this is the one with Tyler. Correct, Yeah, so this is the one with Tyler.

52:54 So Tyler got that role because they looked at his IMDb or but he got the audition because they looked at the IMDb and they saw him in that cool photo with braids, and they were this guy was a cool look, and they came in for an audition. He nailed it and then they're like, actually, why don't you use that look? So he looks like that in the show, all nice and he actually like, kudos to him. He It definitely feels like a different character than than Miguel, Like it's really it's really fun creating a different personality. So yeah, that's really exciting. It it's a show about reggaeton and it's a comedy and uh, you know, going back to what we discussed the show with Latinos, so we definitely have some great representation there and hopefully everybody likes it. I mean, it's at the end of the day, it's it's Raton is the soundtrack. But it's about these three friends and their relationships and basically how they started from the bottom and want to get to the top of the Okay, October nineteenth on Netflix. So we're looking at like what was just like eight eight eight episode series ten episode like eight episodes, eight episodes, eight episodes. Thirty minutes goes by real quick. You can even watch it twice the same day if you want, we might Okay, we got to check that one out.

54:14 We might have to have you come back and talk about it then. If that's you know, it's right around this morn. But Oz, I got to ask you. Let's let's get hypothetical for a minute. Is there a writer that you'd love to collaborate with on a future project? Oh it's easy to say what what star? What what actor? What actress? But but uh, but you know, as a writer, you're a writer, Like, is there a writer you'd like? Man, if this guy would write me something, this guy would write me something, I'd love to direct it. Anyone come to mind? No, Uh, only because like, I mean, there's obvious amazing screenwriters that if I had a crack at it, I would be like, yes, please, I would do Aaron Sorkin thing or something. But it's uh uh, it's not really about It's like I just want to I would like to keep reading or have that script that has an interesting, amazing story with Latinos in it, Like that's I just want to see more of that. So not necessarily I don't know who that person is, but whoever that person is that can deliver another great script with sort of Latino identity and characters and and and if it's fun, then that's the person that work with. Okay, let's say, whether we're talking film or television, is there a franchise you'd love to be involved with as a writer or as a writer director or as just a director, anything anything come to mind there? You know what? I uh, that's a great question.

55:47 I leve me some I do. I love spy movies, so I I would take any spy movie that you throw on me. A mission impossible born uh or yeah one bond, oh, one bond? There you go, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know what. I that's uh, that's a great question for which I am hopefully ill prepared, only because like I don't even see myself, Like I guess like I'm I'm truly like excited to work on stuff that has different kind of heroes. And sometimes I because we don't see these kind of people in these bigger projects. My my immediate thought is like I think we have to create these projects. But you know, I I was really down on Star Wars for a little bit, and I think and Or brought me back up. Oh gosh, yeah, you know, I think I am of the generation where something like Star Wars had a crazy impact. So like, I guess if they call me for a show, I'd be available. Well, I mean, we got season two of V and Door comming, so Felony's got to get on the on the call with you. I think you know we could see a couple. Yeah, come off alone, come on, Dave, help us out. Ah.

57:15 Well, you know one more question I have for you, whether whether we're talking comfortability or you know, happiness. Where Where do you where? Where you? Where are you best at? Well, I don't want to say best at. Where are you? Where do you? Where do you like to work? Is it feature films or is it television more because you've you've had you, You've been in both worlds, So like, where do you Where do you like? Where do you like being? I? I think i'd be lying to you if I didn't say I would love to keep making more features, more movies. That is so satisfying, so cool and so exciting and a different kind of challenge. But I also love TV and it's a place where i've worked. Sorry, I've learned so much. So yeah, like if I had to pick one right now, I'd probably say I'd love to make more movies. But I also love working on TV because you work on stuff that there's always something to learn, and you get an opportunity to like work with some big things that you maybe couldn't afford in your smaller movie. So yeah, ultimately would like to make more films. Ultimately we'd like to see more films from you, so as I can't thank you enough for spending some time with us today. Definitely looking forward to October nineteenth, or we can check out Neon on Netflix and hopefully we're seeing another feature film

58:47 relatively soon from you. But thank you for your time. We have loved having y'all today. Thank you man. This is really fun, fun quote. I trust me, I will definitely be bugging you to get you back because, uh, you know, I love to talk more with you man. Like you said at the beginning, you know, if we're talking about film, I'm in and we are definitely in for that. So, uh, we appreciate you, sir, and we can't thank you enough. What was the last great movie you saw or the last movie that the last the last Well, I'll tell you that's a thank you. I don't I don't. I don't usually get the good questions. Uh, but uh, my time now, your time now, okay, So I will tell you that just last night I got to go see you. We're talking Star Wars.

59:31 Just recently, Uh, I just got to go see the Creator. Uh new film visually stunning, an incredible story. Hans Zimmer's score is just brilliant. Uh you know really, it kind of felt I haven't seen it. I actually am gonna check the please checking. I'm checking those show times right now. I'm not being the no no no, if you, if if you, if I can, if I can persuade you to go see the Creator, I would love to hear your thoughts on because I'm talking. I see it a a friend of the show, Dayton Johnson, who works on the docum based seventy seven podcast. We went and see this thing, and my first comment to him when the credits are rolling, this is amazing.

1:00:15 It actually felt like a Christopher Nolan film. Did you did you get that vibe? And He's like, I kind of got that vibe. And you know, I mean you got you got guys like John David Washington, Kim wan Anaby, I mean, You've got some incredible performers in this film. But man, absolutely incredible film. I hope you I hope you check it out because it's and it needs to be seen on a big screen. It's one of those films I think I'm going today. I just found the one in an hour, so I think I can make it. Oh fantast All right, Well I want to hold you back, but real quick, I gotta ask you last great movie that you saw this this year? Go to my letterbox, well that came out this year? Or I saw how about this? How about Oz Rodriguez recommends this film? What what? What do our listeners need to go see today or go rent today or stream today?

1:01:02 What would you what would you have them watch aside from Wants to Fight if they haven't seen it, obviously, aside from Miguel Wants to Fight. I saw Past Lives. Actually I hadn't seen it. That is a very wonderful movie. Okay, that came out this year and it is a romance and it is wonderful. It's a wonderful movie and it really yeah, I really connected to it because it's it's about these these uh, this man and a woman that were childhood friends in in South Korea. But then the woman that the young girl, then leaves and comes to America, and uh, they sort of stay in touch and then then in you know, years past and he shows up in New York and things get complicated. But uh, it was it was really it was really really nice, really nice, beautiful movie.

1:02:07 It's one of those movies where everything seems very effortless and simple, but nothing is effortless and simple. I rewatched Sleepy Hollow, which was still amazing, always amazing, Yes, so fun, and then I got oh, I really enjoyed No One Will Save You. That was really fun, okay, Hulu. Yeah, my co host Brad Kozo, he was just telling me the other day, like, hey, we checked this out. It's actually pretty cool. You might want to let you might want to check it out. So yeah, I think, yeah, watch it on a big screen, watch it loud. I think that one's it's a shame they didn't go to the theaters because that one's really really fun. I will tell you anything else, okay. And then a real weird movie that I saw.

1:02:55 I sung songs from the second floor. Songs from the second floor. I have truly never seen anything like this. This is a Norwegian movie and it is about everything in life like I don't. It's such a bizarre movie and it is directed by this guy called Roy Anderson. And every scene is one take. There's not a lot of camera movement, and it's big white shots and everything's made. Everything's a set, and it's very deadpan and sometimes that people have like grayish faces. Everything I'm describing as wild. But by the end of it, I was like really moved. So these are some of the crazy movies I've seen recently. All right, well, there you have it, listeners. Turn on Hulu watch Miguel Wants to Fight. Then turn on Netflix watch Vampires Versus the Bronx. And then when you when you got those two done. Check out Past Lives, check out songs from the second Floor. Check out no One Will Save You. Because we've been talking with Oz Rodriguez, and not only is he giving us great films, he is giving us great film recommendations. Oz, thank you one more time and uh, listeners, we'll catch you next time. Thank you. Picture it.

1:04:24 You are a star. We have to show them that we're not just loser wannabes. Now, the three of us currently live in the two thousand and nine Toyota Coal. I am impressed. You're right, you produced, you perform. You know how rare that is. It'll be the biggest throng star in the world. Side soon, one side so on the side one side one. Okay, this is our destiny. You will not regret this, daddy, Oh mister yankee. That okay, I'm gonna go