‘King Ivory’ Filmmaking Duo on Their Deeply Personal Venice Hit and Producing Seven Films in Five Years: ‘We Hate to Let the Grass Grow’

As I delve into the world of Roxwell Films and the dynamic duo behind it, Jeremy Swab and Josh Rosen, I find myself utterly captivated by their extraordinary journey. Their tales are not just about creating movies; they’re about survival, redemption, and the power of resilience.

The creators of the opioid crime drama “King Ivory” took an unusual path to make it to the Venice Film Festival this year.

Due to a flight delay from New York, their connecting flight was missed by mere minutes, leaving a party of six (which included actors Ben Foster and Melissa Leo, producer Jeremy Rosen, and writer/director John Swab) stranded in Munich. They were placed on a lengthy waitlist for the solitary plane departing to Venice that day.

Since it seemed unlikely that they would secure seats, Rosen opted for a quick solution, renting a Mercedes Sprinter van and embarking on a 7-hour journey across the Austrian Alps, traveling from Germany to Italy.

He mentioned that it felt just like a luxury camping expedition… an exclusive camping trip for affluent kids, he pointed out. Additionally, there was a subtle undertone of risk – Swab recalls encountering Rosen dozing off behind the wheel around halfway through their journey. Luckily, they stopped and exchanged drivers.

But for all the drama, the journey proved to be worth it.

For the first time at the Venice Film Festival, Rosen and Swab’s movie “King Ivory” received multiple positive reviews. This film, which had its initial screening in the Horizon Extra competition, is about a complex web of sorrowful tales that revolve around opioid dealers, addicts, gangs, and law enforcement. Comparable to a gritty modern version of the movie “Traffic,” it portrays the struggles of our current fentanyl era. Alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman, Michael Mando from “Better Call Saul” also appears in this production.

The journey additionally marked a significant pinnacle for Rosen and Swab’s productive and fruitful creative partnership, as well as their expanding film production base in Tulsa, Oklahoma, under Rosen’s Roxwell Films label. As the producer emphasizes, not only is “King Ivory” their seventh feature in five years and their most extensive and challenging project together, but it represents the “summit of our collective endeavors so far.

They initially crossed paths at a Santa Monica coffee shop during the 2016 American Film Market, where Swab was promoting his debut feature “Let Me Make You a Martyr”, and Rosen was there with his first producer credit on Paul Schrader’s “Dog Eat Dog”. Not much time passed before they found themselves in Tulsa, presenting project ideas to affluent private equity investors. As Rosen remembers, this took place in a somewhat seedy lounge, where they ordered a couple of seafood platters. The pitch was successful, and eventually, they started working on their first collaborative project, the action crime drama “Run With the Hunted”, featuring Ron Perlman in the lead role.

According to Rosen, who is not only an entertainment manager and attorney but also handles high-profile clients like Boyz II Men, Aerosmith, Boy George, and Frank Ocean, John and I work together exceptionally well. We’re both restless individuals, so we prefer to keep things moving without letting opportunities slip by, but at the same time, we strive to avoid producing projects merely for the sake of it.

If they didn’t let the grass grow, Swab would write and direct, while Rosen would oversee almost everything else, including casting, financing, distribution, production, and festivals. As a result, “Body Brokers” starring Michael K. Williams in his final role, “Ida Red” with Josh Hartnett, “Candy Land” (which won at Locarno), last year’s releases “Little Dixie” and “One Day as a Lion,” would follow each other rapidly.

As budgets continue to increase (though still under $7.5 million), traditional private equity funding will gradually shift towards more stable film financing options, as stated by Rosen. He expresses his discomfort with having to present repeatedly, saying “It’s just distasteful.” This is because tax rebates and minimum guarantees from distributors are being combined to initiate projects, with Rosen often covering the remaining financing himself.

He mentions that things have progressed, and it’s fortunate that we’re now involved with production studios and streamers, where minimum guarantees and credits play less of a decisive role or are not life-threatening. Rosen also highlights that handling the gap financing internally – ‘I serve as the insurance policy, always ready to step in’ – has been advantageous. In fact, they declined several domestic offers for ‘King Ivory’, which could have halted the project during an actors’ strike.

‘King Ivory’ Filmmaking Duo on Their Deeply Personal Venice Hit and Producing Seven Films in Five Years: ‘We Hate to Let the Grass Grow’

Tusla often serves as the primary location for Roxwell’s movies not just due to Oklahoma’s attractive tax incentives, but also because of Swab’s prominent position and extensive local connections within the city.

With a reliable team he frequently collaborates with (a close-knit group, some of whom he’s been acquainted with for many years, whom he refers to as a “mini army”), he also boasts an extensive network of valuable connections who can facilitate introductions.

He mentions that being locally rooted, we have close ties with local law enforcement personnel who are willing to assist us in unusual circumstances, such as gaining access to buildings at night or other unconventional tasks. He attributes our ability to create these films to these relationships. In fact, he boasts that for just $100, we can temporarily shut down Tulsa’s downtown area and stage a machine gun scene on a Sunday afternoon, which is something unheard of in many other places.

As a dedicated cinephile, I can’t help but notice a common narrative strand that weaves its way through Roxwell’s diverse body of work. Characters like Leo from “King Ivory,” who has graced their screens in three productions, and Frank Grillo, with four appearances, are regular faces in their films. However, what truly sets Roxwell apart is the recurring themes that permeate their stories.

Swab shares that for over a decade, he struggled with opiate addiction. Toward the end of this period, fentanyl began to appear more frequently on the American drug market. Unfortunately, many people Swab knew lost their lives due to this epidemic. However, Swab managed to overcome his addiction and straighten out his life, and now collaborates with Jeremy on movie projects.

This street name, “King Ivory,” which is often used for fentanyl, holds a deeply personal significance for the writer/director as it serves as his inspiration to examine the crisis objectively. He immersed himself in the issue by spending time with cartel members, migrants, police officers, prisoners, and many others who are entangled in this world. His aim was to delve into the core of the problem and grasp everyone’s perspective on it. He found this process incredibly insightful and eye-opening.

Thanks to its unique Venice-style arch and the positive response it’s garnered, this deeply intimate movie could potentially hold significant importance for Swab and his collaborator Rosen as well.

According to the producer’s statement, “King Ivory” has been successful in opening opportunities, as they are currently being considered for various studio projects with substantial budgets. Furthermore, a TV series based on “King Ivory” is currently under development, with its lead actor Mando having introduced them to Jeff Frost, a former Sony Pictures TV boss and the executive producer of “Better Call Saul.” Rosen mentioned that Frost is enthusiastic about their series and they are collaborating to refine their pitch. A trip to Los Angeles could potentially secure them agency representation as well.

Instead of diving straight into new projects, Rosen and Swab have chosen to pause for a moment after noticing their work reaching a turning point. They possess numerous ideas they could implement right away, but have decided on an uncommon approach – patience – which they haven’t exercised in the eight years since they first collaborated.

Swab advises that we might find it frustrating to idle and let things be, but under the current circumstances, it appears prudent to assess our upcoming opportunities. However, you should know that Swab isn’t being idle himself; at the moment, he’s merely pausing from filming a music video for his wife Sam Quartin, who is a member of punk band The Bobby Lees and an actress featured in several of his films such as “King Ivory.

Regarding their next step – whether it’s another local Oklahoma production or a larger project from a studio – due to their high productivity, this post-Venice break might be their only rest for a while. This filmmaking duo has produced more movies in just five years than some manage in ten.

According to Rosen’s observation, they express a sense of excitement, stating, “Even after all the movies we’ve made, it feels like we’re only beginning.

2024-09-17 14:48

‘King Ivory’ Filmmaking Duo on Their Deeply Personal Venice Hit and Producing Seven Films in Five Years: ‘We Hate to Let the Grass Grow’

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