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Director Matthew Leutwyler’s next film is the intense sci-fi thriller “Uncanny”, starring Mark Webber, David Clayton Rogers and Lucy Griffiths:
For ten years, inventor David Kressen has lived in seclusion with his inventions, including Adam, a robot with incredible lifelike human qualities. When reporter Joy Andrews is given access to their unconventional facility, she is alternately repelled and attracted to the scientist and his creation. But as Adam exhibits emergent behavior of anger and jealousy towards her, she finds herself increasingly entangled in a web of deception where no one’s motives are easily decipherable.
RLJ Entertainment just released “Uncanny”, and Leutwyler sat down with us for a quick chat about the film.
The film deals with an interesting concept. How did the story idea behind UNCANNY come to fruition?
(producer) Sim Sarna and I were talking about doing another film together and I was telling him about how I was looking for a smart science fiction film. Sim told me that I needed to meet with his college friend Shahin. The three of us went out to dinner and Shahin pitched me several of his ideas. They were all very cool but the problem was they were all much bigger than I thought we could produce on an independent budget. I told him I was interested in something much smaller.
2-3 actors, 1 location. A moment later he layed out a story about a bizarre sort of love triangle between a sophisticated robot, his creator, and a female reporter that comes to do a story on them. Shahin started writing it the next day. We would talk on the phone late at night and trade ideas back and forth over the next month. Shahin could only work on the script at these crazy hours because he is a urologist and often had surgeries in the morning and afternoon. I’m still not sure how he managed to pull it off so quickly considering his “day job.”
There seems to be a growing fascination with Artificial Intelligence within society generally, but also within the film community. Why do you think that is?
Well it’s a real place that we are at in society right now. So much of what we do is controlled by tech and AI. Obviously people have been fascinated with AI and robots for decades but now it really is becoming a reality. One that we probably need to begin the establish some sort of checks and balances for. As for why AI is being explored in film so much right now I think it’s probably because it allows us to reflect on big issues surrounding humankind. What exactly it means to be “human.” I think that question has been around for a long time but with the emergence of this tech it’s offering up some very new answers.
The film boasts a very eclectic cast. How did the casting come together?
I was always interested in Mark Webber for the role of David. I reached out and met with him after he had a read. He came on board quickly after. We had worked with Rainn on Super and knew he was into films like this so we agreed to shoot him on his off day fro the Office. The rest came through the usual casting process really. Our casting director Michael Testa brought in people for auditions. Lucy was terrific. It came down to her and one other actress but she killed it in the final audition. As for David Rogers he came in late in the process.We were having a difficult time finding the right actor. I had never seen any of his work but he literally blew us all away. I don;t think I gave him a single note in the room that day. He was just perfect. When he left we all just looked at each other and said “he’s our guy.”
UNCANNY has just been released – how can audiences watch the film?
iTunes, Amazon VOD, DVD . The usual digital platforms
What are you working on next?
I am working on a thriller set against the world of oil piracy in the Niger Delta. Very excited about the possibilities of this film. I am also working on my charity We Are Limitless. Based in Rwanda and DR Congo. We take orphans and street children and place them in boarding schools and provide them with healthcare, clothes, food, and other basic needs in order for them to focus on their education.
Thanks for your time!
