Production Notes

An interview with Writer/Director Bill Robertson of APARTMENT HUNTING.

January 28, 2000
Moonbean Café - Kensington Market, Toronto

At the time, a lot of young married couples were splitting up around me and part of that seemed to be because there is no impetus to stay together when their relationship is not perfect. There were a lot of people asking the question of "How do you know when you've found the right place ?"

The week before I started to write the script I had seen: FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS AND DOGS and BEAUTIFUL GIRLS. I was most struck by FLIRTING WITH DISASTER because it was a story about a married man who was having second thoughts about being married. At the end of the story, for some reason that I am not quite sure, Ben Stiller's character decides to stay with his wife. I thought, "Hey, wait a minute, there is another story here." What if you are married and you meet the 'real' right person and you already have a spouse? I see this film as a reaction to that movie's story line.

Would you call the film a romantic comedy?

It is romantic, but at the same time it is a little twisted. I wanted to put a spin on the traditional romantic comedy. I recognized that most romantic comedies have big-name movie stars, and unless I was going to make a big budget Hollywood-style romantic comedy, I would have to play with the genre to make the film unique. This film is a slightly twisted romantic comedy. It is more of an ensemble cast rather than a focus on the relationship of the two main characters, "Ben" and "Celine". Another element that makes APARTMENT HUNTING a non-traditional romantic comedy is its point of view. Normally you would follow Celine's life from the beginning and follow Ben's life from the beginning and watch their lives cross paths, breakup, cross paths, break up and finally get together in the end. Instead I chose to reveal Celine slowly throughout the movie to make the plot less typical and her character a bit mysterious.

Do you think people should stay married if they fall in love with somebody else?

Today, people aren't having children as young as they were years ago. There isn't the same responsibility to try and work things out. I think that a lot of young people today (like Ben) get married too quickly. They decide on a life partner before they really know what they want in a life-long partner. It is a very hard thing to know when to stay and when to go. Ultimately it is a very personal choice.

Why is the film called APARTMENT HUNTING ?

APARTMENT HUNTING is about finding the right place - the right place in life. When Ben is apartment hunting he's seeing all these different people's places and how they choose to live. You need to look around and see what you like and what you don't like. Sometimes that takes time before you can pinpoint what doesn't feel right and what does. I happen to think it's much easier to say what we DON'T like than what we DO.

For Ben and Sarah, the 'apartment of cheese' (they live above a cheese shop) is a metaphor for their relationship. It looks great on the surface but underneath the pipes are leaking, the heat doesn't work, and it smells funny. The other part of that metaphor is the fact that Ben can't find another apartment to move into even though the living conditions of this one are so terrible. The reason he doesn't take another apartment is because he isn't ready to move on in his life with his wife but he just doesn't know it yet.

How do you relate to the characters in your film?

I relate to all of the characters in APARTMENT HUNTING in different ways and they all have elements of me in them. I get a lot of people asking me how much of Ben is me. He is but he's not. Someone once asked me if I had a taxidermied dog named Presto as a child. I didn't.

What approach did you take in casting the film?

Casting on any film is crucial. It is about as important as the script. Whether you have big stars or little stars you have to spend the time finding the right chemistry between lead actors to make your film work. On APARTMENT HUNTING I wanted to find actors that had a certain 'it' quality, a certain charisma and energy that can only be described as "having it." Although I knew I wasn't going to have well-known movie stars in our picture I was determined to find that star quality in some up-and-comers.

Casting the lead role Ben, was a long, long, process. We looked everywhere, spoke to everyone, and searched all over the country and beyond before we found the right man. Although Canada has some of the best talent to choose from but there was only one 'Ben'. Andrew Tarbet has a quality about him that makes you want to watch him. Right from his audition I knew he had 'it'. I knew our search for Ben was over.

Casting "Celine" was very different. We had known for a long time that we wanted her character to be French Canadian but couldn't really choose that role until we knew who Ben was going to be. I found Valerie at an audition in Montreal a couple of weeks before we shot. We had hundreds of women suggested for this role but no one had what Valerie had. There needed to be a special dynamic between Ben and Celine. Different than Ben and his wife, awkward but at the same time, perfect.

How did the rest of the cast come about ? Was there anybody you had your eye on?

Arnold Pinnock who played "Dean" is somebody I pursued. I first saw him at Second City a few years ago and I knew that he had something special and would be great for Dean. Our biggest problem in locking down Arnold was that he was so busy. If it wasn't for the TV movie IT MUST BE SANTA changing its production schedule at the last minute we probably would of lost him. Arnold is going to go very far as an actor.

Similarly we were very lucky to have Kari Matchett play Ben's wife "Sarah." Kari had been at the top of our list for some time but was starring in POWER PLAY and tied-up for several months. Fortunately, Kari had just become available and we were days away from shooting. I think it's great that Kari and Andrew played opposite one another. They went to the National Theatre School together and had a great rapport between them.

Tracy Wright came about in an interesting way because initially, the role of "Steve The Thief" was supposed to be a man. Tracy is one of those very special actors who is great in everything she does. Even in the smallest roles she makes an impact, like when she played Mark McKinney's wife in DOG PARK - I don't even think she had a line but she was amazing! I kept wishing that Tracy could play the role and eventually said "Why not. Tracy can play anything." She is a brilliant and enigmatic actor and that was what was required for "Steve." It worked to my advantage, changing that role because I wanted to play with peoples' sexuality. Whether Steve was a man or woman doesn't really matter. The fact that she plays an androgynous character I think adds to that role.

Would you ever work with this cast again?

I would use all of the actors I have worked with (on both films) again when the roles are right. I spend so much time casting my films, and know these actors are some of the best in the country.

Linda Kash (the Realtor) and Rosemary Radcliffe (Lady in Curlers) were both in THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO MY DEATH. I just called them up and asked them if they'd do these cameos. I was thrilled that they were able to make it. Getting Mary Margaret O'Hara (Hellen the Singer) out is a whole other story. Mary Margaret also starred in THE EVENTS and I think she is amazing. She is my musical muse. Mary and I had always talked about working on the music for APARTMENT HUNTING together. I'm glad it worked out because I think she adds a great deal to the film both with her off and on screen performances.

Tell me more about you collaboration with Mary Margaret.

The musical process on APARTMENT HUNTING was a little different because it ended up being more of a collaborative effort between Mary, myself and Rusty McCarthy, Mary's long time collaborator. Most of the compositions are Mary's, some are mine and some are Rusty's. Some of the songs were completely improvised with Rusty and Mary Margaret's long-time musician friends like Hugh Marsh, Mike Sloski and Phil Dwyer (to name just a few) who came out to jam in Rusty's studio. We would watch the film and record as we watched, constantly discussing and feeling it through as we went along. Other pieces were composed by Mary Margaret and musicians were brought in one by one to lay down the parts.

I feel incredibly lucky to have worked with such talented musicians. Mary is an international recording star and Rusty and the rest of the gang are some of the most talented musicians in the city. As well as being an incredible musical talent, Mary is a brilliant songwriter. She is also very funny and a tremendous spirit. It has been a real gift for me to be able to collaborate with somebody so talented. I'm beginning to work on a script for her, to highlight her multiple talents.

I understand you sing on the soundtrack.

It was a lot of fun for me. Again, I had the best musicians working with me. Through collaborating with Mary Margaret and Rusty, I've developed incredibly as a musician/composer.. I love writing music. It is a great outlet for emotional release. I often pick up my guitar at home when I'm writing scripts and just start to play and write songs. It really helps me stay on track and keeps me inspired when I'm stuck.

Do you think you will end up acting in your films?

Maybe. Some people have said I should. I'm happy behind the camera.

How do you feel about making films in Canada?

I love being in Canada making films. It's great to be able to make films and tell stories about the places that inspire you and then be able to showcase them to people all over the world. Film is an international form of expression and I'm proud that Canada is my foundation for expression. Canada is also a great place to make films. We come at it from a very pure artistic fashion. Although our films have become more commercial and driven by market than ever before, our filmmaking tradition is grounded by the filmmaker's vision. There is a great deal of trust (and responsibility), with the filmmaker in Canada. People let you do what you want. Everything you do is your mistake, your triumph. And although you listen to a lot of people's opinions and advice, nobody is going to take it out of your hands and re-cut it. It's truly yours.

What was the budget of the film?

About a million dollars (Canadian) plus a million favours (Canadian).

There were alot of people that got thanked at the end of the film. Was there anyone in particular that went beyond the call of duty?

Everyone who we thanked helped us move the project along to get it made. Some people gave advice, others donated services or made us great deals on our tight budget. I think that's one of the things that makes low budget filmmaking special. Your community really comes out to support you. Toronto has a deep tradition in that and I'm glad that that tradition is still alive and well. We got a lot of encouragement and support from people like Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn at Epitome Pictures (who generously rented us their Riverdale studios), from the equipment houses and laboratories, to the guy with the traffic cones and the people at the Moonbean Café in Kensington (we dressed it up like a cheese shop). They were all individuals who went above and beyond the call. We couldn't of made it without them all.

How about your crew?

Our crew was exceptional. We were very lucky to get the team we got. That is why we shot in the middle of winter. I have some really great people to thank and share this picture with. Derek Rogers was amazing and Kathleen Climie was 'bang on' with her Production Design. Debra Hanson brought her keen eye and years of experience for the wardrobe., Annie Bradley, my assistant director brought her tenacity, sharp wit, and general filmmaking expertise to help me get my picture in the can. Everything turned out exactly how I envisioned it and I have them and there respective teams to thank. A lot of time was put in by a crew who worked for about half their usual salary. Everybody has got their reason for working on these sort of projects when they could be working on something else and getting paid more. I guess for most of them low budget films allow an opportunity for people to 'really' practice their craft and work in an environment where their individual contributions are evident and satisfying.

Both THE EVENTS and APARTMENT HUNTING have a strong sense of design. How did you come up with the look of the film?

I spent a lot of time working with Derek and Kathleen on shaping the look of APARTMENT HUNTING. On THE EVENTS, we barely had the resources for craft service, let alone an art department yet I managed to get a look that I think worked. I like clean and simple design. No clutter. No kitschy or brightly over-lit interiors. I tend to prefer a lighting style that's more theatrical with a strong sense of colour that translates into emotion. Lighting that pushes the boundaries to establish a mood and leave the audience with a bold impression. I think that's important for a low-budget film to have in its overall design and market appeal. Leaving a lasting visual impression on the audience helps set you apart in today's cut-throat market place. It's important to be unique, take bold chances and get noticed - whether it's good or bad, leave an impression.

The look for APARTMENT HUNTING came through a lot of conversations among the three of us. Derek had recently shot the sci-fi hit Cube for which he won a CSC Best cinematography award; and Kathleen had come off art directing on the past three Atom Egoyan films: THE SWEET HEREAFTER, EXOTICA, and THE ADJUSTER. We looked at a lot of films like OUT OF SIGHT, IN THE COMPANY OF MEN, the films of Pedro Almodovar, Egoyan and Kubrik. All share clean distinct looks that set them apart. I think everything on APARTMENT HUNTING really fit well together to create a distinctive look and atmosphere. I'm very pleased with what we're able to get with the budget we had. It was a real collaboration with everyone and that to me is what's so satisfying.

Why did you choose to shoot in Kensington Market?

The life, the vibrancy of the market. I live in the market with my wife and two kids. We love it. There is a certain life and vibrancy in The Market like nowhere else in Toronto or Canada for that matter. We were fortunate that we were able to convince the residents and business associations to support our project. We were really grateful and I think they are happy the way it turned out for them.

How has this film shaped you as a writer and as a director?

I learned the most from this film during the editing process. Wyeth Clarkson and I spent a lot of time together and I am grateful for his commitment and patience at that critical stage for me in the process. Editing taught me a great deal about what works and what doesn't work. Having the chance to invite a small audience of friends and other filmmakers like Jeremy Podeswa to screen and make comments about each 'cut' was also tremendously helpful. Showing your work in a rough state can help you clarify your thoughts and intentions. It is very humbling. The process has helped me develop me as a filmmaker and has already shaped my writing with my next projects. I am now revisiting scripts and seeing things in a different light than before. It is a learning curve that your need to experience to move ahead as a filmmaker.

On your first film you produced as well as directed. On APARTMENT HUNTING you had two producers. How was that experience for you?

A lot less stressful. I tried to stay out of the producing this time because it is a very difficult balance wearing all those hats. Producing is a skilled art form in itself. It's much better for people to do what they do best and stay focused with it. Moira Holmes had produced THE EVENTS with me and I was so happy to have a chance to work with her again. Paul Barkin and I worked to develop this project for about a year before Moira joined us. The whole experience of having two amazing producers working with me was a real dream.

Moira brought her great producing background and savvy business acumen and Paul brought a great deal of energy, enthusiasm and low budget filmmaking experience. The three of us worked together really well as a team. Both Moira and Paul were tremendously supportive of me creatively, bringing so much to the mix with an undying dedication to make this film happen. In fact, Moira was 9 months pregnant during the shoot and gave birth to her son Sam four days before we wrapped - talk about dedication! I couldn't of done it with anybody else and I look forward to the opportunity to work with both of them again in the future.

What are you working on now?

There are a few scripts I have that I am working on. One is a screwball comedy called SHE LOST HER LUGGAGE, and another one is called THE CLEANING LADY, a murder mystery thriller. I think I am going to write a musical. That would be a lot of fun. I am not sure whether it will be for the stage or film, but you can bet it will have something to do with Mary Margaret.

Interview by: Debra Goldblatt - rock-it promotions