Interview: COLD BROOK director WILLIAM FICHTNER on the making of the film

Cold Brook is a simple yet interesting debut for director William Fichtner, who has spent most of his career as an actor playing memorable secondary characters in big-budget movies. I bet most cinephiles can remember his roles in Armageddon (Colonel Willie Sharp), Black Hawk Down (Sanderson), Drive Angry (The Accountant, one of the most unforgettable villains in recent memory), or The Dark Knight (the banker during the prologue; “you and your friends are DEAD!”)

Funnily enough, Cold Brook doesn’t have much in common with those films, but nevertheless works as a pretty solid drama starring two seemingly ordinary characters. And hey, it definitely doesn’t hurt that Fichtner’s character’s (yes, he also stars and co-writes) last name is Markham. As in my high school, Markham College (OK, I know that doesn’t have nothing to do with anything, but I personally found it to be quite amusing).

Anyway, I had the opportunity to exchange e-mails with Fichtner, and what follows is a brief interview in which he tells me a little about his work as a director in Cold Brook. He may not be a man of too many words, but what he has to say is quite interesting (and it managed to give me hopes of seeing him around here in Peru!)

Being primarily an actor, were you always interested in film directing?

** To be honest, not at all. With that said, and having been around the block more than a few times, I was driven to direct Cold Brook so the story could be exactly the way I wanted it to be.   

Were you waiting for something in particular (a moment in your career, a story, a group of actors) in order to direct your first picture?

** Well, consciously or not, I guess I was waiting for the moment to be inspired to create this journey. Why it took so long, who knows!

Is the story of Cold Brook something you developed yourself along with Cain DeVore, or is it a script you found already done?

**  I had a few ideas about what the story would be, but me and that 'little bro' of mine Mr DeVore, we just ran with it.

As both an actor and a director, what were you looking for in your actors during the casting process?

**  Simple.  Get the rhythm of the piece. If it speaks to you, we have a language.

Compared to your usual work, what were the main challenges in both directing and acting in a single movie?

**  Well, thank God I am an actor who has spent much of my career in front of the camera because that was one element of this process that I just didn't have time to focus on.  Be that as it may, it's safe to say that I knew this character from developing the script over the years.

What was the tone you were trying to achieve with Cold Brook?

**   A small town with all its simplicity and beauty, and not just the buildings. The perfect place for a little magic in the air.

Being this your debut as a director, were you interested in finding a story that felt personal to you?

**  I can't imagine that I would have wanted to direct it if it wasn't personal. For real.

Are you interested in making Cold Brook available to audiences outside the United States? (I ask this as a Peruvian film critic currently living in Peru).

**  From your mouth to God's ear!! I'll take it to Peru.   :)

Are you planning on taking on another directing job, or do you prefer to focus on your acting career?

**  I can't wait for the next time and with a little bit of luck it won't be that long from now.