The Big Picture · Interview · Discussion
July 9, 2018/ 41 min/ Sean Fennessey
Sean Fennessey talks with Boots Riley about his debut feature: the white-voice telemarketing satire, the seven-year road from screenplay to Sundance, and how a musician with no film credits got this cast to sign on.
5 films across 2 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
Boots Riley on his debut feature
Lakeith Stanfield plays an Oakland telemarketer who strikes gold once he adopts a "white voice." Riley wrote it in 2011-12, put out a Coup album inspired by the script to drum up interest, then got it into print via Dave Eggers before Sundance's screenwriters and directors labs. Shot 61 locations in 28 days on a union budget.
Touchstones he named
Fennessey's reference point for the film's absurdist streak.
Another comparison for the "I don't know what's going on right now" register.
Paul Schrader's golden-pavilion scene was Riley's model for an entranced elevator moment; he had to pull it up on YouTube to show the crew.
Riley's answer for the last great thing he'd seen: he liked how its off-kilter performances unsettled him and primed him for anything.
Also mentioned raised along the way
Careers and comparisons Get OutSwiss Army ManThe Florida ProjectNashvilleMadame SatãFuturo BeachOcean's EightTronPark
On the way out Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on FootThe First Purge
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV Atlanta
Books Song of SolomonMidnight's Children
Music The CoupAss-Breath KillersMe and Jesus the Pimp