Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2019 – Working Man
When a factory closure threatens a small Rust Belt town, one older factory worker continues going to his former job every day, despite the shutdown.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Robert Jury
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Working Man draws from some very real family experiences, so it's truly a personal story for me. I also grew up and still live in the Midwest, so Working Man has a lot in common with places and people I know. It reflects what’s currently happening and has already happened in a good chunk of working class America.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
I don't know of anyone who hasn't been affected – either directly or indirectly – by issues of unemployment and mental health. Often, these things are interwoven. Working Man attempts to reflect and relate to these life-changing experiences, but the film doesn't preach and it isn't a sullen funeral march. The story contains a lot of honest joy and natural humor, too. Like life. I think audiences will appreciate that balance.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
This dovetails a bit with my previous answer, but I can’t imagine that our film could have landed in a more appropriate, relevant or fitting age than the present. Considering the current political and social climate in our country, this story seems to be meshing with the moment.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
From script to screen, and over the course of ten years, Working Man has lived through its own version of a time capsule. I wrote the original script while living in my late grandparents' farmhouse and working out of my grandpa's old lawnmower repair shop in Iowa. The project was then selected for the Film Independent Screenwriting & Directing Labs in Los Angeles. In LA, the screenplay found its way to a devoted partner in Clark Peterson - producer of the Academy Award-winning film Monster. Ultimately, Working Man met the generous support of an angel investor and arrived into the hands of three extraordinary lead actors - Peter Gerety (HBO's The Wire, Amazon's Sneaky Pete), Billy Brown (ABC's How to Get Away with Murder), and two-time Oscar nominee Talia Shire (Rocky, The Godfather films). The film also signed on two inspiring young producers, Lovell Holder (the award-winning Some Freaks) and Maya Emelle (the SXSW hit Jinn) alongside my good friend, Executive Producer Morgan R. Stiff. All of us are thrilled that Working Man will be premiering this February and we look forward to sharing it with audiences around the country.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We're just starting to screen our film, so the feedback thus far has been limited to a small, internal pool. But we've been invited to world premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival which is a fantastic venue to launch our film. I'm excited to hear what people think.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Among those that have seen Working Man, I'm surprised by the different story elements that seem to most affect one person over another. Of course, it's almost always related to that individual's life experience, but it's so interesting and helpful for me to hear and learn from that variety of perception.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I don't see a lot of movies or television programs that happen in the world of our film. I think there may be genuine curiosity to see working class people and towns authentically represented. Visibility from your site will go a long way in stoking that interest.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Working Man is just now dipping its toes into the waters of the marketplace. My partners and I are trying to be smart and pair ourselves with others who feel as we do – that there's a sizeable, untapped audience interested in a film like this. We're open.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
My greatest hope for Working Man is to create a curiosity, a dialogue, and a meaningful connection with folks – regardless of personal beliefs or alliances. A bridge of sorts. Feelings of loss, grief, recovery, redemption and love... these things matter to all of us.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Q: Why isn't Working Man more political?
A: Because not every film after the 2016 election needs to be. This is a story about people, not politics.
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you very much for these questions, for taking the time - and for having the interest in Working Man!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I'm finishing a new screenplay that I'd love to film later this year. It's a story about fallen heroes. Another topic that feels ripe for discussion.
Interview: February 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Working Man
When a factory closure threatens a small Rust Belt town, one older factory worker continues going to his former job every day, despite the shutdown.
Length: 1:48:25
Director: Robert Jury
Producer: Clark Peterson, Robert Jury, Maya Emelle, Lovell Holder
Writer: Robert Jury
About the writer, director and producer:
ROBERT JURY has written feature film screenplays for Fox 2000 Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, and HBO Films. He was awarded an ABC/Disney Studios Writers Fellowship and was also selected for the Film Independent Feature Screenwriters Lab and Directors Lab in Los Angeles where he developed his feature film script Working Man. Working Man is Jury’s first produced screenplay and marks his directorial debut.
Key cast: Peter Gerety (Allery Parkes), Billy Brown (Walter Brewer), Talia Shire (Iola Parkes)
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, journalists, film festival directors
Facebook: Working Man movie
Twitter: @WorkingManMovie
Instagram: @workingmanmovie
Website: http://www.workingmanmovie.com/
Other: IMDB
Made in association with: Morgan's Mark
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? World Premiere - Santa Barbara International Film Festival/Santa Barbara, CA - Feb. 2 & 3, 2019