“˜Hotel’ director discusses digital revolution of film

  ANGELA LEE Elvis Mitchell, of the New
York Times (l-r), is joined by "Hotel" director Mike
Figgis and actor Danny Huston in a panel
discussion at the Getty.

By Christopher Cobb
Daily Bruin Contributor

Mike Figgis, director of such dark mainstream films as the
Academy Award-winning “Leaving Las Vegas” and
experimental digital revolution films like 2000’s
“Time-Code,” entertained audiences Tuesday at the Getty
Center museum with the U.S. premiere of his latest film,
“Hotel.”

The following evening, Figgis returned to participate in a panel
discussion on the role of the director as artist in the digital
revolution, a part of the Getty’s “Frames of
Viewing” series.

Figgis’ position on the panel was fitting, since he shot
his last two movies on hand held digital video, a movement growing
in popularity by professionals and amateurs alike because of its
improving quality, economic accessibility and convenient
mobility.

The forum, moderated by New York Times film critic Elvis
Mitchell, brought Figgis, “Hotel” executive producer
Ernst “Etchie” Stroh, actor Danny Huston and
“Memento” director Christopher Nolan, who all shared
their insight on the changing face of fringe filmmaking.

The ensemble film, “Hotel,” featured a number of
familiar faces, including Lucy Liu, Burt Reynolds, Salma Hayek,
Rhys Ifans and David Schwimmer. Schwimmer, best known for his role
as Ross Geller on NBC’s “Friends,” was in
attendance for the screening.

The film, shot entirely on location in Venice, revolves around a
troupe of actors shooting a Dogme style film based on John
Webster’s “The Duchess of Malfi” and the
employees of the hotel where the troupe is staying. To say anything
beyond that would only serve to confuse. At the core of this
quirky, multi-layered storyline, and unbelievably realistic
ensemble cast is Figgis’ directing eye. For parts of the
film, Figgis splits the screen into quadrants in order to tell the
story, as done in his last film “Time-Code.”

Because of its experimental and non-traditional nature and
subject matter (essentially a dig at the art-house movement while
at the same time operating within that genre), “Hotel”
has yet to find a major distributor and may never be released in
theaters in the U.S.

Figgis summed up his entire creative package Wednesday when he
said, “I think psychologically, there is much more interest
in the unpredictability of events.” This comment applies not
only to the film as a whole, but also the style in which it was
made.

This unconventional tone permeated the entire genesis of the
film. Schwimmer, who plays film producer-turned director Jonathan
Danderfine, talked about when Figgis spoke to him about the
film.

“He said basically, “˜I’m not sure what part
you’re going to play, we have no money to pay you, and we
have no wardrobe department or makeup department and no
script.’ So I said, “˜Yeah, all right.'”

Because Figgis was shooting without a script, Schwimmer found
that he was operating with only his own bare resources and the
abilities of the other actors.

“Mike really doesn’t give direction like that to
actors,” he said. “To his credit, at least in this
process, he left it completely up to us, to our own
design.”

Outside of the basic concept given by Figgis, the rest of the
actors were left to build on the foundation he provided.

At times, no one, including the director, knew what would happen
next.

“Other than that, I was told that at some point in the
film I may or may not take the life of my best friend, the director
of the film, and take over his girlfriend, the lead actress in the
film,” Schwimmer explained.

Yet Figgis found this approach the most creatively
stimulating.

“Since we shot organically, in sequence, it allowed for
the development of ideas in a sort of somewhat logical
manner,” said Figgis. “So if you come up with a new
idea, it often will compound itself and affect the next thing in
the sequence of the film. On a daily basis it was something that we
discussed.”

The raw spontaneity of the film was fueled by the
improvisation.

“There was no rehearsal whatsoever, ever,” Schwimmer
said. “Any rehearsal was a take, on camera, and a lot of
first takes are in the film.”

Danny Huston, also in the film, found this atmosphere
inspiring.

“I play a security guard, and my thing is a kind of
concern for cleanliness,” Huston explained in
Wednesday’s panel discussion. “And so this actress
comes out and asks me for a puff of my cigarette, and as I get the
cigarette back, I’m very upset about the lipstick,” he
said. “On the very last day of shooting she reveals a
cigarette herself, which completely shocked me, sent me for a loop.
But it’s exciting “¦ how you’ll get your footing
again is what makes it fresh and new every time.”

Still, Figgis didn’t spend his entire time behind the
camera for the film. He’s also responsible for the
movie’s soundtrack. No stranger to music, he’s scored a
number of his own films, and was a member of the R&B group
“Gas Board,” with British pop star Brian Ferry.

As for other forms of inspiration, Figgis feels he isn’t
at a loss.

“I mean I’ve never in my life had a problem with
ideas. My problem’s always been time,” he said.
“How to find time to evolve the ideas that (I’ve)
already had.”

In fact Mike Figgis has made a career for himself simply by
breaking the rules.

“People give lectures on “˜The Golden Rules of
Filmmaking,’ which is little more than just an assumption
given that (film has) just barely crawled out of its
diapers,” he said. “The idea that we should be so keen
to accept these rules (as) the definitive rules. For example,
“˜Never look into the lens.’ (It) was like, God will
strike you down if you do. You had the feeling that you were
committing this potentially really awful crime, and then you try
it, and it’s actually this stunning device. It’s just a
direct look into the camera. I mean, what’s the big
deal?”

It is with this questioning of rules and eventual extension of
boundaries that Figgis draws upon his resourcefulness, contributing
to his broad fan base and ingenuity.

“With any form of storytelling, the minute you have rules
(there is a need) to subvert, and when you subvert that becomes the
new limit to the rules,” he said. “Part of the game of
filmmaking is the desire, the need to be fresh.”