Supporting Characters

Last updated
Supporting Characters
Supporting Characters movie.jpg
Promotional Poster
Directed by Daniel Schechter
Written byDaniel Schechter
Tarik Lowe
Produced byAlex A. Ginzburg
Tim Duff
Adam Der Aris
Starring Alex Karpovsky
Tarik Lowe
Arielle Kebbel
Melonie Diaz
Sophia Takal
CinematographyRichard P. Ulivella
Edited byDaniel Schechter
Music by Jordan Galland
Production
company
Let It Play
Distributed byTribeca Film
Release date
  • April 20, 2012 (2012-04-20)(Tribeca Film Festival)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$4,917 [1]

Supporting Characters is a film directed by Daniel Schechter. It was written by Schechter and Tarik Lowe. It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 20, 2012. [2]

Contents

Plot

The film follows two New York film editors, Nick and Darryl, trying to balance their love lives while reworking a film and maintaining their friendship despite their work differences. Nick, who is engaged to Amy, considers having an affair with Jamie, the star of the film he and Darryl are editing, while Darryl has troubles with his bossy and demanding girlfriend Liana. [3] [4]

Cast

Production

Dan Schechter: "When I started, I just wanted to make a film, a really good film, for under $50,000, and that was the main goal (and we ended up incredibly close to that number). The editing thing was an arbitrary choice at first. This film was about two best buds and their respective relationships, and we just needed to give them some career to do together so they could bitch at work to one another. So I chose editing because I had some good experiences I could draw from, and perhaps we could get away with not being a "film about making films” because, really, that storyline is about specifically being an editor and what that day job is like." [5]

Schechter and Lowe based the semi-autobiographical film on incidents from their personal lives, crafting a simultaneously offbeat and naturalistic New York story. Schechter's own experience as an editor is evident in the script, which blends intimate relationships with humorous details of life in an editing room. [3] Schechter had a number of his indie movie associates perform in this movie, such as Melonie Diaz. Lena Dunham and Alex Karpovsky, both of Girls fame also starred. [3] The film was shot in 12 days. [3]

Reception

The film opened to positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gives a score of 86% based on seven reviews. [6] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 62 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Jason Bailey of DVD Talk had the following evaluation to make: Lowe and director Daniel Schechter's script is fast and witty—the Nick/Darryl duets (which make up a good chunk of the picture) have a sharp, conversational style and tempo, as well as the sense of a long-time friendship, articulated by ball-busting and one-upsmanship—and it got an insider's knowledge of the business, what with the metaphorical act of partitioning drives and labeling bins, or the escalating flirtations at an ADR session. (Between this and the hot foley recording scene in Nobody Walks, it's a big year for sexy sound nerds.)" [7]

Vanessa Martinez, a critic with Indie Wire discusses the powerful rapport of the main characters of the film: "you will enjoy witnessing this duo’s connection, and even co-dependence to a degree, as they find a way to remain loyal to each other through life's highs and lows aside from their very different personalities, thanks to naturalistic and engaging performances. Also, the twists and turns of the film’s plot prevent the film from becoming predictable and ordinary, much like life itself." [8]

Brandon Harris a reporter with Filmmaker (magazine) said:" Daniel Schechter’s Supporting Characters surprised me. I was prepared to hate it. Excited to, even. It charmed the pants right off me. It might as well be TV, the way it’s shot (of course that means a lot less than it did ten years ago since TV is art now), and it couldn’t be more built to play Tribeca, but it’s genuinely written with feeling, humor and friendship that feels true and complicated." [9]

"Supporting Characters -- Part bromance, part ode to '70s comedies like Modern Romance, director Daniel Schechter has a witty sense of humor that's delivered perfectly by leads Alex Karpovsky and Tarik Lowe. Its honest and smart look at relationships and friendship inside the bubble of NYC would work as a perfect double-feature with Lena Dunham's Tiny Furniture (who also makes a cameo in Characters)."—Jason Guerrasio of Fandango. [10]

Soundtrack

Drawing on his friends in the indie movie business, the soundtrack is by Schechter's friend indie director and musician Jordan Galland. [11] In exchange for doing the soundtrack for the movie, Schecter edited the trailer for Alter Egos , Jordan Galland’s movie. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nora Ephron</span> American writer and filmmaker (1941–2012)

Nora Ephron was an American journalist, writer, and filmmaker. She is best known for writing and directing romantic comedy films and received numerous accolades including a British Academy Film Award as well as nominations for three Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award and three Writers Guild of America Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judd Apatow</span> American filmmaker (born 1967)

Judd Apatow is an American director, producer and screenwriter, best known for his work in comedy films. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, through which he produced and directed the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2007), Funny People (2009), This Is 40 (2012), Trainwreck (2015), The King of Staten Island (2020), and The Bubble (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Oram</span> English actor, comedian, writer, and filmmaker

Stephen John Oram is an English actor, comedian, writer, and filmmaker. He is known for his role in the multi-award winning 2012 film Sightseers, which he also co-wrote. His other credits include People Like Us (2001), It's All Gone Pete Tong (2004), Tittybangbang (2006–2007), Suburban Shootout (2006), The Mighty Boosh (2007), Connections (2008), The World's End (2013), Wipers Times (2013), The Secrets (2014), The Canal (2014), Altar (2014), Paddington (2014), Glue (2014), Aaaaaaaah! (2015), The Living and the Dead (2016), A Dark Song (2016), The End of the F***ing World (2017–2019), Ghosts (2019), Doctor Who (2021), Killing Eve (2022), and D.I Ray (2022–2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Galland</span> American singer-songwriter

Jordan Galland is an American filmmaker and musician based in New York City, and operates Slush Puppy Music, a record label, as well as his own film production company, Ravenous Films.

<i>Filmmaker</i> (magazine) American publication about film, founded 1992

Filmmaker is a quarterly publication magazine covering issues relating to independent film. The magazine was founded in 1992 by Karol Martesko-Fenster, Scott Macaulay and Holly Willis. The magazine is now published by the IFP, which acts in the independent film community.

<i>Tiny Furniture</i> 2010 American film

Tiny Furniture is a 2010 American comedy-drama film written, directed by, and starring Lena Dunham. The film premiered at South by Southwest, where it won the award for Best Narrative Feature, screened at such festivals as Maryland Film Festival, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 12, 2010. Dunham plays Aura, an aimless, jilted film school graduate who returns home on what she hopes is a temporary basis. Dunham's mother, artist Laurie Simmons, plays Aura's mother, while her real sibling, Cyrus Grace Dunham, plays Aura's on-screen sister. The actors Jemima Kirke and Alex Karpovsky would also appear in Dunham's television series Girls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lena Dunham</span> American writer and actress (born 1986)

Lena Dunham is an American writer, director, actress, and producer. She is the creator, writer, and star of the HBO television series Girls (2012–2017), for which she received several Emmy Award nominations and two Golden Globe Awards. Dunham also directed several episodes of Girls and became the first woman to win the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series. Prior to Girls, Dunham wrote, directed, and starred in the semi-autobiographical independent film Tiny Furniture (2010), for which she won an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. Her second feature film, Sharp Stick, written and directed by Dunham, was released in 2022. Her third film, Catherine Called Birdy, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2022. It was released in a limited release on September 23, 2022, by Amazon Studios, prior to streaming on Prime Video on October 7, 2022.

<i>The Bleeding House</i> 2011 American film

The Bleeding House is a 2011 horror film written and directed by Philip Gelatt and starring Alexandra Chando, Patrick Breen and Charlie Hewson.

Girls is an American comedy-drama television series created by and starring Lena Dunham, executive-produced by Judd Apatow. The series depicts four young women living in New York City. The show's premise was drawn from Dunham's own life, as were major aspects of the main character, including financial isolation from her parents, becoming a writer, and making unfortunate decisions. The series is known for its post-feminist commentary and conversation around body politics and female sexual subjecthood.

Alter Egos is a 2012 American superhero comedy film written, edited, and directed by Jordan Galland. The film, starring Kris Lemche, Sean Lennon, Danny Masterson, and Geneva Carr, was distributed by Kevin Smith's SModcast Pictures and Phase 4 Films. It premiered was at the Fantasia Film Festival on July 24, 2012, where it was chosen as an official selection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Schechter (director)</span> American film director, editor and screenwriter

Daniel Schechter is an American film director, editor and screenwriter. His film Supporting Characters debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2012. His third film, Life of Crime, which stars Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins and Isla Fisher, was chosen to close out the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in theaters and on VOD on August 29, 2014. His film After Class, starring Justin Long, premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, and was released in theaters on December 6, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Christian Clark</span> American film director

Adam Christian Clark is an American film director, screenwriter, editor, and actor who is best known for combining naturalistic techniques in performance and dialog with stylized cinematic devices in editing and camerawork.

<i>Happy Christmas</i> (film) 2014 film by Joe Swanberg

Happy Christmas is a 2014 American comedy-drama film written, produced and directed by Joe Swanberg. It stars Swanberg, Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, and Lena Dunham. Like most of Swanberg's previous features, the film's dialogue was entirely improvised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desiree Akhavan</span> American film director, producer, screenwriter and actress

Desiree Akhavan (Persian: دزیره اخوان, born December 27, 1984) is an American filmmaker, writer and actress. She is best known for her 2014 feature film debut Appropriate Behavior, and her 2018 film The Miseducation of Cameron Post. She appeared in the found footage horror film Creep 2.

<i>Björk: Biophilia Live</i> 2014 British concert film by Icelandic musician Björk

Biophilia Live is a 2014 British concert film by Björk, directed and edited by Peter Strickland and Nick Fenton. The film features Björk performing tracks from her Biophilia Tour, which started in June 2011 and ended in September 2013. It was filmed at Alexandra Palace in London on 3 September 2013, and had a theatrical premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on 26 April 2014 with screenings across the world throughout the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Wolf (filmmaker)</span> American film director

Matt Wolf is an American filmmaker, documentarian, and producer. His notable films include Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell, Teenage, Bayard & Me,Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project, and Spaceship Earth. In 2010, he was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship. His subjects include youth culture, artists, archives, music, and queer history.

<i>Folk Hero & Funny Guy</i> 2016 American film

Folk Hero & Funny Guy is a 2016 American comedy film written, directed, and produced by Jeff Grace, in his directorial debut. It stars Alex Karpovsky, Wyatt Russell, Meredith Hagner, Michael Ian Black, Hannah Simone, Heather Morris, Melanie Lynskey, and David Cross.

<i>Girls</i> (season 1) Season of television series

The first season of the American comedy-drama television series Girls premiered on HBO on April 15, 2012, and consisted on 10 episodes, concluding on June 17, 2012. The series was created by Lena Dunham, who portrays the lead character, who based the premise and central aspects of the show on her personal life. It was produced by Apatow Productions, I Am Jenni Konnor Productions and HBO productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua Z Weinstein</span> American filmmaker

Joshua Z Weinstein is an American independent filmmaker based in New York City. He directed the A24 film Menashe (2017), and the feature documentaries Drivers Wanted (2012) and Flying on One Engine (2008). His director of photography credits include Bikini Moon (2017), Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me (2013), and Code of the West (2012). Weinstein was nominated for Best First Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards and Breakthrough Director at the Gotham Awards. He has been nominated for a Cannes Lion for his advertising work and won a first place POY for his work with The New York Times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant Pictures</span> American film distribution company

Giant Pictures is an American independent film distribution company founded by Nick Savva and Jeff Stabenau with offices in New York City and Los Angeles. The company releases feature films, documentaries and series on streaming platforms, with an emphasis on flexibility and customization for filmmakers. Giant Pictures owns and operates specialty theatrical label, Drafthouse Films. Giant is the distribution and technology partner of the Tribeca Festival.

References

  1. ↑ "Supporting Characters (2013)". Box Office Mojo. 2013-02-07. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  2. ↑ "Daniel Schechter on Supporting Characters and Jackie Brown Prequel". WorstPreviews.com. Archived from the original on 2012-05-11. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Harris, Brandon (23 January 2013). "Daniel Schechter, Supporting Characters". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  4. ↑ Holden, Stephen (24 January 2013). "In an Indie Drama, the Real Drama Is Behind the Scenes". New York Times. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  5. ↑ "Geoff Gilmore on Venice, Toronto and the Changing Nature of the Marketplace". Tribecafilm.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-12. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  6. ↑ "Supporting Characters". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  7. ↑ "Supporting Characters : DVD Talk Review of the Theatrical". Dvdtalk.com. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  8. ↑ "Tribeca 2012 Review: "Supporting Characters" Explores Work Partnerships & Friendships w/ Clever Authenticity | Shadow and Act". Blogs.indiewire.com. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  9. ↑ "The Magazine of Independent Film". Filmmaker Magazine. 24 April 2012. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  10. ↑ "Tribeca Film Festival: Check Out Our Favorite Films So Far". Fandango.com. 2012-04-23. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  11. ↑ "Jordan Galland Scores Tribeca Film Supporting Characters : SonicScoop – Creative, Technical & Business Connections For NYC's Music & Sound Community". Sonicscoop.com. 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2013-10-05.
  12. ↑ ""Alter Egos" – How I Cut Film Trailers | Good Show Dan". Archived from the original on April 10, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.