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Plan B Entertainment’s Bold Bet: “Nickel Boys” and the Future of Film
Table of Contents
- Plan B Entertainment’s Bold Bet: “Nickel Boys” and the Future of Film
- A Radical Vision: “Nickel Boys” Challenges Cinematic Norms
- The “Sentient Perspective”: A Deep Dive into Ross’s Vision
- Inside Plan B: A Conversation with Gardner and Kleiner
- Plan B’s Ethos: Betting on Subversive Cinema
- First Impressions: The Impact of “Nickel Boys”
- Looking Ahead: Future Projects and the Need for “Gamblers”
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Plan B Entertainment, known for its commitment to challenging and thought-provoking cinema, takes a daring leap with “Nickel Boys,” adapted from Colson Whitehead’s pulitzer Prize-winning novel. We delve into the creative process and the company’s ethos with insights from Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner.
A Radical Vision: “Nickel Boys” Challenges Cinematic Norms
RaMell Ross’s adaptation of Nickel Boys stands out as a uniquely ambitious project in recent cinema. The film,adapted from Colson Whitehead’s acclaimed 2019 novel,tackles the harrowing story of two Black boys,Elwood Curtis and Jack Turner,subjected to the horrors of a corrupt reform school in 1960s Florida. Ross’s approach, characterized by what he and DoP Jomo Fray call a “sentient perspective,” pushes the boundaries of traditional storytelling. this innovative style is precisely what audiences have come to expect from Plan B Entertainment, the production company helmed by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and Brad Pitt.
Plan B has a history of championing films that challenge the status quo. From Terrence Malick’s Tree of Life to Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave and Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight, the company has consistently supported projects that spark conversation and push artistic boundaries. Moonlight and 12 Years a Slave both secured Best Picture Oscars, demonstrating Plan B’s knack for identifying and nurturing impactful stories. Now, nickel Boys aims to follow in their footsteps, nominated for best Adapted Screenplay and the coveted Best Picture award.
Trailer for a fictional movie.
The “Sentient Perspective”: A Deep Dive into Ross’s Vision
The film’s unique perspective is a key element of its power. By shooting almost entirely from the characters’ viewpoints, Ross immerses the audience in their experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of their struggles. This approach, as Gardner explains, was a deliberate choice:
We were counting on that, and we were ready to make the bet and give it a go.
Dede Gardner
This “bet” on Ross’s vision has paid off, with the film garnering critical acclaim and awards buzz. Ross co-wrote the screenplay with Joslyn Barnes at Louverture. The film premiered at Telluride and screened at the New York Film Festival (NYFF), earning accolades at the Gotham Awards and Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards.
Inside Plan B: A Conversation with Gardner and Kleiner
In a recent interview,Gardner and Kleiner discussed their decision to support Ross,their collaborative process,and the political and artistic identity they’ve cultivated at Plan B,alongside Brad Pitt. They also provided an update on their upcoming summer blockbuster, F1, starring Pitt, Damson Idris, and Simone Ashley.
The Genesis of “Nickel Boys”: From Novel to screenplay
Gardner and Kleiner revealed that they received Colson Whitehead’s novel before its official publication, signaling their early commitment to the project.
RaMell Ross’s Vision: A Guiding Light
Ross’s vision for the film was clear from the outset, as Gardner explains:
RaMell wrote us a long letter that set out his intentions.The letter contained a lot of philosophizing and articulated his intentions, but it was also a practical description of what he meant.
dede Gardner
Kleiner added that the core elements of the film were present even in its early stages:
What’s remarkable is that when we went back through all the documents as we sometimes do, the spirit of the film was present in that early form.Everything was there, the archival material, The Defiant Ones. Even the last sequence that happens over the Mulatu astatke song Tezeta. He always knew he was going to do it to that song.
Jeremy Kleiner
The use of Mulatu Astatke’s “Tezeta,” a haunting Ethiopian jazz piece, underscores the film’s emotional depth and Ross’s meticulous attention to detail. This song choice resonates with audiences familiar with Astatke’s influence on modern music, adding another layer of meaning to the film’s conclusion.
Challenging traditional Storytelling
Gardner highlighted Ross’s innovative approach to pivotal scenes, especially the scene where Elwood is pulled over by the police:
I felt completely altered by RaMell’s idea of removing inciting incidents from pivotal scenes. as a notable example, the scene where Elwood gets pulled over. There’s a cut after the cop approaches the car, and, in doing so, the film shifts audiences off the traditional track of how they’ve been taught to view every ancient incident in their lives, from books to the classroom.It’s no longer about the inciting incident it’s about system, condition, and environment.
Dede Gardner
This deliberate choice forces viewers to confront the systemic nature of racism, rather than focusing on individual acts of prejudice. This approach aligns with current discussions about systemic inequality in the United States, making the film particularly relevant to contemporary audiences.Recent data from the Pew Research Center indicates that a majority of Americans beleive that notable changes are needed to address racial inequality.
Collaboration and Trust
Kleiner emphasized the importance of collaboration and trust in bringing Ross’s vision to life:
We read the book and had known RaMell’s work, but Joslyn Barnes was amazing in those early days. Also, Alana Mayo and her production team at orion. adrienne Bowles and Jerry Rich. the physical production team. There were several stages during the making of this film where RaMell had to talk about the film,and there was a climate of encouragement. But he’s also a person that makes you believe in what he’s talking about.He just creates that confidence, and all those people deserve credit.
Jeremy Kleiner
Plan B’s Ethos: Betting on Subversive Cinema
Plan B has consistently championed films that challenge conventional narratives. Kleiner explains that this ethos is deeply ingrained in the company’s approach:
Brad has inculcated an ethos of approaching cinema with a longer life, wich Dede and I already had seeds of in our respective practices.
Jeremy Kleiner
Gardner elaborated on this philosophy, highlighting the importance of a film’s lasting impact:
One year, we had A Mighty Heart and Jesse James come out, neither of which more than 10 people went to see in the theater. I remember vividly at the end of that year, Brad said he couldn’t be prouder. I was so confused. You get trained to think your opening weekend and box office matters. You’re given this particular metric system. But what Brad continued to say was that throughout our lives we didn’t find our favorite, most informative movies in the movie theater.We found them in our basements and bedrooms, in museums and second-run theaters. He said all you have to believe in is the shelf life of a film, and to this day, Jesse James is one of the handful of movies where more filmmakers walk into our office and say, ‘Oh, my God, that movie.’ And realy, nobody went to see that movie.
Dede Gardner
This emphasis on long-term impact over immediate box office success sets Plan B apart from many other production companies in Hollywood. It allows them to take risks on projects that might not be commercially viable but have the potential to resonate with audiences for years to come.
Kleiner further emphasized the importance of artistic communication and legacy:
Also, what made RaMell trust us was that he knew that Dede and Brad had produced The Tree Of Life, so these movies are a form of communication with other artists in the future, or maybe other people in the future. I’m really proud that this year we were involved with beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Bob Marley: One Love. We do a lot of diffrent things. The common desire is that the work doesn’t become disposable or dated. What constitutes consequential can be different. Eat Pray Love,which Dede produced,is consequential in a different way. And there’s a lot to be said for that. But the fact that people feel that way about our work is extremely gratifying. It’s not an easy climate these days.
Jeremy Kleiner
Gardner used the example of 12 years a Slave and World War Z being released in the same year to illustrate Plan B’s diverse range:
I can tell you a story. We had 12 Years A Slave and World War Z come out in the same year. And for the decade running up to that, many people had been asking us what constituted a Plan B movie. We kept resisting giving a definition because jeremy and I have a special and unique bond and we thought if we get to do this long enough it will define itself. So when we got to that year, Brad said that’s what we do. We do those two movies in one year. he calls us a garage band.
Dede Gardner
First Impressions: The Impact of “Nickel Boys”
Gardner and Kleiner shared their initial reactions to seeing the finished film. Gardner described her experience as a moment of profound realization:
Well, you have to first absorb your startle for a while, and then I suspect I smiled. People often say they’re going to do something, but when they actually accomplish it, and with such charge… I was ecstatic.
dede Gardner
kleiner emphasized the film’s undeniable power and its ability to dictate its own terms:
We saw it for the first time in the MGM screening room. And as soon as you see it, you just see there’s something undeniable about this vision. This movie makes you watch it according to its rules. This movie is in charge. It teaches you how you ought to watch it. In other words, there’s no alternate version of the movie that you could sculpt or mold it into. When a filmmaker is working with that kind of power, it’s unbelievable.
Jeremy Kleiner
Looking Ahead: Future Projects and the Need for “Gamblers”
when asked about other films they enjoyed,Gardner mentioned The Girl with the Needle,while Kleiner praised India Donaldson’s good One.
Regarding future projects, Kleiner clarified that Plan B is not involved in adapting Colson Whitehead’s The Intuitionist with Barry Jenkins, despite earlier reports.
Gardner offered a tantalizing glimpse into their upcoming F1 film:
I don’t know if we’ll be done by then,but you can expect splashes everywhere. It’s big and mighty. It’s really fun.
Dede Gardner
With Nickel Boys, Plan B Entertainment continues to demonstrate its commitment to challenging and impactful storytelling. as Gardner aptly put it, the industry needs more “gamblers” willing to take risks on unconventional projects that push the boundaries of cinema.
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