An accessible project for Sebastian Stan seems to be starting up, but not for the reasons you might think.
While the actor has been busy promoting his films in recent weeks Another man And The student – both of which are now in theaters – it’s a film that hasn’t even started on day 1 of production and has him excited about the possibilities.
“I’ve got this thing, I don’t know if it’ll ever get going. I have something that Elaine May would direct. It would be her last film and her first film since Ishtar. It’s a crazy, crazy comedy,” Stan said on the October 15 episode The big picture podcast about the film Crack potdirected by the 92-year-old comedian and filmmaker.
“It belongs to Dakota Johnson and myself. We’ve been trying to find a shadow director for Elaine May for the insurance company,” he added of the film that was first announced in 2019. “So if anyone hears this and you want to shadow Elaine May for her latest film, let’s we’re going to do it!”
Some people may be familiar with the hurdles of making movies – writing the script, finding the stars, arranging financing – but what in the studio backlot is a “shadow director” or “insurance director”? ‘?
In short, it’s a plan B.
A shadow director, also known as an insurance director, is essentially a backup director of a film who can take over in case the director is unable to complete the project due to things like illness or even death.
In May’s case, due to her age, an insurance company would have said that there must be a standby director in order to start financing the production.
A representative for May did not immediately respond to Yahoo Entertainment’s request for comment.
While that process may seem difficult, many directors see it as an opportunity to learn from someone more experienced in the field in a mentor-mentee setup.
Famous ‘shadow’ or ‘insurance’ directors
The most recent example of a famous filmmaker serving as a shadow director for another is Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth), who acted as a stand-in for William Friedkin on his graduation project, The Caine Mutiny court-martiala 2023 film based on the play of the same name by Herman Wouk.
Friedkin, who had directed iconic films, among others The exorcist And The French connectionwas 87 years old when the film was in production. The project needed a backup and del Toro was already a fan.
“He’s an original,” del Toro told IndieWire about the famed director. “Billy’s work is endlessly rewarding.”
The shape of water The director told Friedkin that he “would be honored to serve as an ‘insurance director,’ which means standing by the director’s side and ready to intervene if an emergency arises.”
Del Toro even said he learned a lot from his mentor as he watched Friedkin change sets until the last minute. “He found a painting or a prop distracting and he wanted to take it down or change it,” del Toro explained.
Friedkin was able to finish the project. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival just a month after his death in August 2023.
“He was the most collegial, fun and crew-loving director, but was also willing to push everyone to always be on their toes – I will carry this lesson with me forever,” del Toro told IndieWire.
Paul Thomas Anderson, whose 1999 film Magnolia was inspired by Robert Altman’s 1993 film Short cutstook on the role of insurance director for Altman’s A Prairie roommate.
“Just in case something happened to Bob, I was hired to sit next to him. I can’t tell you what I got out of it,” Anderson said of the 2006 film, according to Far Out magazine.
Anderson’s use of ensemble casts, long-takes and “naturalistic, overlapping dialogue” has been compared to Altman’s ensemble films Nashville And Gosford Park, both of which were nominated in the Best Picture and Best Director categories at the Academy Awards.
“It was obviously a privilege and an honor and all that, but it was just such a great fun time,” says the Licorice pizza director added about the 30-day shoot. Altman died five months after the film premiered.
Although director Beeban Kidron was only 34 when her 1995 film was released To Wong Foo, thank you for everything! Julie Nieuwmar was about to hit theaters, the British filmmaker needed her own insurance director when she discovered she was pregnant during production — which studio executives at the time considered a risk.
When she told the film producer Steven Spielberg, he congratulated her and said that he had made many films as a father. Knowing that her pregnancy was considered an insurance risk, the Academy Award winner offered to step in if Kidron had to leave the project.
Kidron was nine months and five days pregnant on the last day of principal photography, but she did finish her film – when her water broke at the airport as she landed with the cast and crew.
True Crack pot scaffolding?
Although there’s no word yet on when May’s film will take place Crack pot production will start, at least one director has already raised a virtual hand.
Jane Schoenbrun, who was in charge I saw the TV glowdidn’t hesitate to speak out on social media when Stan’s comments became public.
“I immediately contacted,” Schoenbrun posted on X on October 16. “But the question now becomes: who will insure me”
A representative for Schönbrun did not immediately respond to Yahoo Entertainment’s request for comment.
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