As I delve deeper into the captivating world of filmmaking, I find myself utterly mesmerized by the journey of Greg Jardin and his groundbreaking project, “It’s What’s Inside.” The sheer dedication, passion, and resilience that this talented visionary has demonstrated throughout the production process is truly awe-inspiring.
SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for “It’s What’s Inside,” now streaming on Netflix.
The initial work of writer-director Greg Jardin, titled “It’s What’s Inside,” is a captivating film about body-swapping. However, it was Jardin himself who had an extraordinary experience when the movie sparked a fierce bidding competition at Sundance in January.
I can hardly believe it now,” I find myself saying. “We crafted the film under rather unique circumstances – an independent production with a modest budget of $2.5 million. Our primary goal was simply to capture someone’s interest at a festival. Just making it into Sundance was an incredible achievement. Then, within 24 hours after our premiere, we received our first offer, and it started at a staggering $5 million – double our initial investment! I could hardly contain my excitement when I heard that figure.
But the buzz around Park City kept growing.
He shares that it was his first time encountering such a situation. The process, he explains, was like an intense auction that lasted approximately 36 hours. During this time, he was involved in discussions with our financial backers and sales representatives. However, when the auction ended and Netflix purchased it for $17 million, he was taken aback, expressing his disbelief. Even now, he finds it hard to comprehend such a large sum. In a state of surprise, he told them, “This is unreal – you’ve spent this much money on this movie.” Despite his astonishment, he is grateful and excited about the outcome.
However, the tale of “It’s What’s Inside” didn’t become an instant hit. In the movie, a group of friends host a party at a mansion and, with the help of a peculiar device, they swap their souls and bodies unpredictably. But the fun quickly turns into horror when deceit and violence occur. Interestingly, Jardin and producer Jason Baum, who have been friends and collaborators for years, initially conceived the idea eight years ago in a completely different context.
Baum commented on the original screenplay, saying, “The writing was truly remarkable, yet it was quite epic for a debut feature. It was incredibly strong. I was honest with him and suggested, ‘Listen, this script is outstanding, but considering you as a first-time feature director tackling such a large project could be difficult. I believe it would be wise to focus on the elements that make the script great and find a way to bring it to life with more modest resources.’
Jardin simplified the idea and came back to Baum a year later with a much more nimble script.
Garden mentions setting the initial conditions for a gathering of eight individuals, referring to it as a social event. There’s someone carrying luggage, inside which lies something vaguely reminiscent of science fiction. Recently, Garden had experienced the game Werewolf, or Mafia, for the first time at a friend’s festivity. The exhilaration of party games was still resonating in his mind. A few months later, the concept of body swapping struck him. What truly sparked his interest about this idea was contemplating the consequences: ‘What if several people exchanged bodies, and subsequently, two of them met untimely ends?’
Despite the limited scope, Jardin aimed to add a touch of style to his visual narrative. Given that characters frequently exchange bodies in “It’s What’s Inside,” it could have been challenging to distinguish who was who. However, through techniques like split-screen and strategic lighting, Jardin effectively maintained clarity in the cinematic dialogue.
In Jardin’s words, “My main worry before starting was ensuring the project remained clear when needed. While it’s alright for there to be some puzzling aspects that engage people in problem-solving, I don’t want there to be confusion that is detrimental – the kind where viewers can’t grasp what they are seeing and ultimately lose interest.
Fortunately, Baum, who’s worked with filmmakers such as Spike Jonze, Ava DuVernay, and Hiro Murai, isn’t new to putting in the hard work when necessary.
He expresses that he’s quite at ease with practical matters, but considers himself as a creative individual,” he explains. “In relation to the film, he was heavily immersed in the physical aspects, such as hiring the crew, scouting locations, and ultimately deciding on Oregon as the filming site. He took on the role of Greg’s day-to-day producer, ensuring he had both logistical and creative resources to create the best possible version of this project.
Garden and Treehold caught the interest of Such Content in 2021, as producer William Rosenfeld became captivated by the “exciting and distinctive” screenplay penned by Jardin. His enthusiasm for Jardin’s vision led him to dedicate more effort and funds into the production than initially planned.
In a statement to EbMaster, Rosenfeld shared that Greg not only held the roles of director, screenwriter, editor, and VFX supervisor, but he also contributed to the sound work. Rosenfeld expressed that while Greg’s dedication was unwavering, managing multiple responsibilities demanded extra time to fully actualize his vision. Eventually, producer Jason Baum and I joined Greg in the editing room for several months, serving as a sounding board and offering assistance whenever possible – this sometimes involved providing feedback or reminding him to take breaks and rest.
As a movie enthusiast, I paid special attention to the mood of the closing scene where the unfaithful partner Cyrus (James Morosini) faced his consequences. Originally, this scene was more grim, with less control given to Shelby (Brittany O’Grady), who endures much in our story. However, we adjusted it for a lighter tone that better reflected her empowerment and the final outcome.
Jardin expresses his delight at discovering diverse viewpoints regarding the ‘ethics’ of the ending, which he finds intriguing. Originally, the ending was bleaker: Shelby remained in Nikki’s body, with Nikki visiting Shelby in prison and telling him off. However, as the cast and I collaborated, we adjusted the tone, found a fitting musical cue, and decided that it would be more triumphant for Shelby if she returned to her own body. Initially, I aimed for a ‘Black Mirror’-like conclusion where the protagonist achieves their goal, but the audience is left with unease. But after considering all that transpired, it seemed appropriate for her character to develop and avoid such a dark twist.
Currently streaming on Netflix, Jardin is immersed in his upcoming venture, labeling it as a “dramatic thriller.” He’s amenable to the prospect of a follow-up for “It’s What’s Inside,” though he hasn’t fully decided on its concept just yet.
He’s shared that people have been inquiring about it since the Sundance Film Festival, and he’s been taken aback by the question. For now, there aren’t any definitive arrangements for a follow-up movie. Only time will reveal what happens next.
Reflecting on my time with “It’s What’s Inside,” I’ve gained valuable business insights that have readied me for the upcoming stages of my professional journey. Moreover, the complexities of Hollywood accounting are now more transparent to me.
“I’ve learned a lot about the business aspect going into this movie,” he says. “I can firmly say I am not a millionaire. People were texting me, ‘Oh, I guess next dinner’s on you!’ I was very naive and ignorant as far as how sales worked, up until now. I think the idea that the film is sold by the people who paid for it makes sense, but that’s not something I think a lot of people necessarily realize. Even if you’re the writer or director, your deal is only as good as whatever you negotiate two years prior. I’m not trying to say this with any bitterness or anything, but I think it’s a misconception.”
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2024-10-05 01:49