“I think people are a mixture of everything. I like desperate characters because they do things that most of us normally wouldn't do. If a character is a scoundrel or a liar you think you know them, but then I can bring some emotion to them and they become much fuller than you ever imagined. So what I try to do is have a story where you don't quite know where it's going, and characters who you don't quite know where they're going.” PeopleIfsThinkingKnowsTryingI CanCharacterStoriesEmotionDesperateLiarsMixturesScoundrelsYou Think You Know Author:Richard Shepard
“It's great when you can bait and switch people - and I don't mean that in a negative way, I mean that in truth. If we were advertising this movie as a very serious indictment about the hunt for war criminals, and it's a very dark drama, it would probably get great reviews, but people would stay away from it because no one wants to be lectured.” PeopleIfsWayWantMeanWarDarkSeriousDramaNegativeCriminalsAdvertisingReviewsHuntsBaitIndictment Author:Richard Shepard
“So I like switching it up. I like that people are laughing but they don't even know if they should be laughing. I think that's interesting. I think it makes for a fun movie. And you're far more likely to be able to actually get something into someone's head if they don't quite see it coming, as opposed to delivering a very serious examination.” PeopleIfsThinkingKnowsShouldAbleFunInterestingLaughingSeriousExaminationDeliveringSwitchingFun Movie Author:Richard Shepard
“We're all so jaded. We've seen so many movies. We know what's going to happen in every single movie. I mean, there are some movies where I'm like why do I even need to keep watching? And so, if you can make a movie in which you're completely surprising the audience left and right, and left and right, then you've won. If a jaded film critic or reporter or an audience is like, "I didn't see that one coming," that to me is like a victory.” IfsKnowsNeedsMeanHappensFilmLeftAudienceVictoryCriticsSurprisingReportersJadedLeft And RightFilm Critics Author:Richard Shepard
“If you have that group of people who are both nice and also creative, then you have surprises like a room with monkeys in them. That has taken a very good scene and just made it a great scene. I want my movies to be visually interesting and to have a lot of energy and be colorful and full of life.” PeopleIfsWantMadeEnergyInterestingRoomsCreativeTakenNiceGroupsSceneSurpriseVery GoodMade ItMonkeysColorful Author:Richard Shepard
