Reuben D’Silva - INTERVIEW

What do you feel when you're acting?

I love being able to express my thoughts and ideas

You can go to the Movies with an actor/director/screenplayer that you love. What kind of movie do you choose and with who you're gonna watch it?

I'm going with Madeline Kelley, and we're watching a documentary 

Audrey Hepburn used to say “Nothing is Impossible”, what do you think about it?

I 100% agree with Audrey :)

Can you live just of your passion?

YES!

What's more important talent or luck?

Talent....It will always be with you

You must go to a desert island but you can bring with you just one movie...

Empire Strikes Back

Have you ever accepted a part altough you didn't like the project?

No, I would not. I would have to believe in the project to be a part of it.

What's the best compliment you have received about your Job?

That I am making a difference in the lives of young people and helping shape the future.

Are you satisfied about your career?

Yes! 

Do you have a good luck charm?

No

Which is the worst moment on set ?

Setting up the shoot. Lots of opportunities to mess up expensive equipment.

How do you feel when a job you've been part of it's ending?

Glad that it's over, but always a bit bittersweet.

Have you ever lied to get a part?

Yes haha

If you should win an Oscar your first taught would go to....

Thank God and everyone who got me to that place.

As we know, you have invested in a lot of projects and set up many enterprises. So before you invest in this film, have you ever participated in other films?  And will you share with us what’s the difference between the investment in films and that in other types of projects? 

I have never invested in any film project before.

There is great difference between the investment in films and that in other types of projects. For example, I will focus on the team, product and market prospect when I make investments in science and technology projects, and I know a lot about them and I could participate in both product development and market expansion; while as for the investment in films, it completely depends on the resource integration ability of directors and producers as well as their capabilities of comprehending the film industry, so I can’t give them a hand, but only understand and assist the director in his work.

So far, this film has won over 30 global awards and honors, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, Best Lead Actor, etc. So, how do you evaluate Director Oliver Yan?

Director Oliver Yan is a new prominent director, with the background of science and technology, the spirit of craftsmanship for excellence and the feelings of an artist. I believe that he will bring more excellent works for audiences.

You won the Highest Achievement Award of Intel in 1990, and you are an iconic figure in the field of semiconductors and chips. You have founded IC Education and you are the author of the best-seller “The Big Bang of the Chip”. Besides, you have your own radio station at www.ximalaya.com. Will you share your experience with us?

Yes, I have been engaged in the chip industry for over 30 years, and I used to hold many posts ranging from an engineer to an enterprise manager, a technician to a marketing person, a student to a professor, an entrepreneur to a founder, and a science writer for chips to a We-Media worker, and recently I have shifted from a film viewer to a film investor. I enjoy the opportunity for cross-industry development in this new era. I hope that we can make contributions to Chinese film industry together, to show the charm and influence of Chinese films to the world.

Finally, what are you up to lately?

Recently, the chip industry has been a very trending topic and the overall localization of the chip industry is of the greatest investment potential. Both my colleagues in IC Technology and I are busy with integrating resources, developing the new generation of chip materials and chip production, especially the extra-high voltage chip and communication chip related to 5G. We hope that we can launch such new products in 2021 or 2022.

If you could work with anyone in the world, who would that person be?

From an acting perspective I think that would be Robert De Niro, and from a directing perspective of course I would love Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, or Oliver Stone to work with me on one of my future projects. In fact, I have two amazing projects that are both historical and politically significance that would attract all three based on the types of projects they have done previously. I also believe they could turn these screenplays into multi-Oscar winning films. Oh, and let me not forget Denzel Washington, a fabulous actor and director that I would like to work with also.  From a female perspective, actresses I would like to work with include Zoe Kravitz and Ruth Negga, and it would be amazing to work with Ava DuVernay.

Tell us something most people don't know about you.

I was extremely shy as a child and had a fear of speaking in public. Most people that know me now don’t believe me!

The one person who has truly believed in you throughout your career.

I have to mention more than one. To answer this without offending anybody I have met in recent years I would have to say my father, the mother of my children, and my children. Despite the hurdles I have had to overcome, they have always been there to remind me of what I’m capable of when I set my mind to it. 

What was the most important lesson you had to learn as Producer?

As a filmmaker it would have to be to trust in the right people and in your own gut feeling. As a screenwriter, it would be to write about something you’re passionate about and ultimately that would attract a global audience.

Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?

I think to get started in my case, once I start there’s no stopping me! To get started the thing that I had to conquer was to ignore all the people that were trying to hold me back and to become single minded and focussed on how I was going to achieve a clearly defined set of goals. It was learning which people could add value and which people to cut loose who detracted from what I was trying to do. 

What keeps you motivated?

Achieving my goals and excellence in this industry amongst my peers.

How has your style evolved?

I believe I have become much more lateral in the way I approach projects, and more decisive in making hard decisions about who I work with and who I don’t work with to ensure I am surrounded by a small but quality and loyal team. 

On set, the most important thing is:

A great atmosphere and comradery amongst all the crew and creative people, and efficient communication and execution of the daily tasks. 

The project(s) you’re most proud of: 

The project I am most proud of to date has not yet been filmed, this is The Great Hunger. It is an epic story of love and survival set during the harrowing time of the Irish famine in the mid 19th Century. My co-writers include Man Booker Prize winning author of Schindler’s List Thomas Keneally, his daughter Meg, a successful novelist and screenwriter in her own right, and double Oscar nominated director and writer Roland Joffé. Of course, Boogie Man is a production we have finished that was a fun film and to date has won 51 awards at international film festivals this year alone, so I’m proud of that too.

The most challenging project you worked on. And why?

Juliana & the Medicine Fish simply because it was my first co-production and involved filming in Manitoba, Canada a long way from the comforts of home. Having said that, it was made a whole lot easier because of the professionalism of my co-producers Tanya Brunel and Jeremy Torrie (who was also the writer/director). 

What are your short term and long term career goals?

My short term goals are to finish producing three of the smaller projects we have which are around the US$3 million level, and to complete the remaining seven larger budget films circa US$15-30 million over the next two years to a level where we achieve financial success for the investors, peer adulation in the way of winning major awards, and a positive effect on some of the social issues these films cover such as gender and race equality, transparency in government and the media etc. Of course, I would love to win an Oscar, which in many people’s eyes is the ultimate recognition within the industry, but more importantly for me is to leave behind me movie projects that will be watched by generations to come and become known as Classics. 

Your next projects?

The next three projects we have going into production are Gorger, a revenge/crime/drama based on a multi-award winning screenplay, The Great Hunger, mentioned earlier in the interview which will have an A-list cast, and On Par, a hip coming-of-age drama about a young boy fighting his inner demons whilst falling in love and developing his own hip hop music.

Please share with us where people can find you on social media, so our readers could keep track of your career

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulAndrewsGlobalWatchFilms

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GlobalWatchFilm

Website: https://globalwatch.com/

If you could work with anyone in the world, who would that person be?

The thing that I love most in films is extensive, one-shot scenes where the actors just go for it, unleash their freedom, and do something so unexpected that the audience just sits in awe and loves it. I want to work with people who I know I can bring something unexpected out of so that they can surprise audiences and perhaps even surprise themselves. I’ve had to be my own casting director in the past, and it has made me more discerning as a director. I know to push. I know there is always something more to a character that the actor can bring out. That is why the actor is hired. You have them. They have the character. The character has the situation. Go all the way. That’s what we as actors are here for- to be. And that is why we as directors should always be good to our actors and never lead them to be things that are harmful. All should be for the good of the actor and for the film and every decision should leave the film that much better and everyone involved satisfied and proud of their work. To raise spirits and boost morale rather than to deplete souls. It makes for a better film, a more fluid creative process, a stronger foundation of trust, and a safe environment for actors and crew alike, both interiorly and exteriorly. Basically, it comes down to: be nice- and mean it- and everyone will give the best of themselves while feeling the best about themselves. Then everyone wins- cast, crew, audiences, and viability for future projects. There are a lot of great talents out there who I would love to work with. And, for each one, when the right project comes along and they match up to it and everything comes together, I will immensely enjoy working with them all.

Tell us something most people don't know about you:

My favorite color is cerulean blue. Not just any shade of blue. It has to be cerulean. Also, my original accent- the one I grew up with- wasn’t a standard New York accent. I’d learned different words from different people with different accents. So my original accent when I spoke as a little kid was a cross of Manhattan/Brooklyn/Long Island/Pennsylvania/Boston/London/Paris/Sicily/and this random Germany/Sweden lilt that came on every once in a while. If I don’t entirely focus on what I’m saying, I am liable to sometimes confuse people with my accent, even to this day. I have to often remind myself to just pick one at a time. And I have to remind myself that Spell Check will always “correct” me when I type “colour”. 

The one person who has truly believed in you throughout your career:

My mom and dad. They never use the word “impossible”. They love me unconditionally. And they are proud of me. To me, that’s everything. To know, not just that I am me, but also to have that foundation of the fact that they love me. I am who I am and I love myself. But I am not alone. I must say, to be loved by those who you truly love- it is a truly great thing.

What was the most important lesson you had to learn as

filmmaker/actor?

Nothing is impossible. If you need something done- do it. Not even the sky is the limit. Create what doesn’t exist. Be honest in your work. Be true to yourself. When you’re right and you know it- do it. And, whenever you have a question, ask the story- it will tell you what it is.

Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular

thing that you had to conquer to do either?

When the inspiration comes, go with it. I’ve always been a self-motivator, both by nature and by necessity, in everything in my life. Starting is fun, quitting is not an option, and keeping on going is what we do every day of our lives. Love it. Go with it. I found, with “Saints”, that the most interesting thing I had to do with my cast and crew was to find a groove, a pace, a rhythm, a fearlessness, and a forward-thrusting trust in such a brief amount of time. But again, the answer is in the story itself. You’ve brought it to them. You’re all in the middle of this world which has dictated to you how it wants to behave. Now, inhabit it. And let the magic happen.

What keeps you motivated?

I love what I do. Always have. Always will. My stories are mine and are always with me. They are a part of me. I love them. And I will always do right by them.

How has your style evolved?

More. I’m a very deductive-reasoning thinker. I see the result and I work its way back to its conception. As I make more and more films, I find new and bigger ways to tell and to share my stories with the world. I’m eccentric. I know it. I embrace it. I’m always looking for a way to build on what has been done or expected and take it to places never dreamed possible. In film, there is always the opportunity for more. Seize it. Never let it go. And enjoy the ride. Let what’s inside of you surprise you. It’s limitless.

On set, the most important thing is:

Safety, which brings freedom, which brings risk-taking, which brings trust, which brings the magic, which is the essence of film.

The project(s) you’re most proud of:

This film, “The Saints of the Rue Scribe”- because it is my first feature film. All of my novels- including “The Saints of the Rue Scribe”. Cinétage and “Stagebooks”. And the fact that I was able to incorporate Cinétage and the “Stagebooks” into “Saints”. I am definitely going to do a Cinétage “homage to the Charpentiers” of the “Stagebooks”. 

The most challenging project you worked on. And why?

This film. “Saints”. Because of the sheer scope and size of its 130+ people and infinite number of parts. It was the biggest to date. To be there for everything, every one, and every moment. Everything starts and ends with you, there is no second wave and no plan B, and by the time you’ve earned every moment of the film, you’ve finished making the film. And it’s yours. I loved it! It was truly wonderful. I’m looking forward to my next one.

What are your short term and long term career goals?

Short term- my next film project. Long term- more film projects. Always sharing my stories with the world in new, creative, and unexpected ways.

Your next projects?

I want to do the Cinétage “Homage”. I want to work with as many wonderful and creative people as possible. As for my next project, I am doing an adaptation of my 2019 novel “The Anniversary.” I’ve written the screenplay and look forward to going into pre-production and getting the perfect casting. With “Everything”, the short film I made this year while editing “Saints”, I did everything and worked in the smallest possible environment. With “The Anniversary”, I am looking forward with equal joy to a fully collaborative experience in the largest possible environment. I am also looking forward to working with top-notch actors to create characters and push limits and create surprises and moments that no one would have ever expected. Every time, I go all the way. Each way is different. Each way is a joy and a thrill of an adventure. “The Anniversary”, according to the novel and the screenplay, offers the potential for a powerhouse, first-rate, gets-under-your-skin-and-you’ll-never-forget-how-great-it-was, performance for the two lead characters and a supporting character. I want to make it right. I want to make it unforgettable. I want to make my cast shine like they deserve to shine. For the actors to disappear to the point where all that is left is the characters and the film has the freedom to fly. I want us all to go all the way.

Please share with us where people can find you on social media, so our

readers could keep track of your career:

Everything is up-to-the-minute and up-to-date on www.thesaintsoftheruescribe.com. 

If you could work with anyone in the world, who would that person be?

Joseph Campbell, the man who synthesized the Hero's journey. With him, developing any story or character would be an insightful endeavour as that man was a walking library filled with all the ancient stories and myths. 

Tell us something most people don't know about you.

I think that The Thin Red Line (1998) is a better war movie than Saving Private Ryan (1998).

The one person who has truly believed in you throughout your career.

It would have to be my best friend from college, Mike Kaney. He has always held me to the highest standard and had the highest of hope for any of my endeavours. 

What was the most important lesson you had to learn as  filmmaker?

People don't care about your project as much as you do. When you are in an above the line position it's easy to think that everyone on the crew cares as much about your project as you do, but the sad reality is that mostly it's just a paycheck for people. Once you have that in mind you are in a better position to make judgment calls that positively affect the crew.

Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?

It's always harder to keep going as that requires more sacrifice and time. Biggest thing to conquer is your ego and value humble beginnings, no matter how long you have to stay humble. 

What keeps you motivated?

I love telling stories, so the possibility of making a film is enough motivation for me.

How has your style evolved?

I've become more and more fond of longer takes and longer lenses. It used to be whatever works as I presume that's how most people start. But now I want to enjoy the moments/scenes and at the same time squeeze everything in frame.

On set, the most important thing is:

Staying calm. More things fall apart the quicker you move through your thoughts.

The project(s) you’re most proud of:

I had the opportunity to produce a film in the summer of 2019, titled His Only Son, which is currently in post. So far this is my proudest achievement as a filmmaker.

The most challenging project you worked on. And why?

Probably His Only Son, changing of hats (swath of responsibilities), remote locations, and severe lack of sleep – I might have been the sole cause of Red Bull's revenue spike for the two months of production of the film.

What are your short term and long term career goals?

Short term is to finalize His Only Son and wrap up one of the documentaries I'm working on.

Your next projects?

Currently have 3 narrative projects in development. One period piece and two contemporary stories. And also have two documentaries in production both of which tackle personal hardships.

If you could work with anyone in the world, who would that person be?

I want to work with Tony Kaye, also the director of Ratatouille, Guillermo Del Toro, Martin Scorsese, Joaquin Phoenix and the director of Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson.

Tell us something most people don't know about you.

Most people don’t know that I’m really good at math, science, Legos, reading, writing, dancing and dribbling a soccer ball. I’m especially good at writing my own songs.

The one person who has truly believed in you throughout your career.

My mom is the one person who has believed in me. Also my Nonno.

What was the most important lesson you had to learn as filmmaker?

I’m learning green screen now. It’s a lot of focus even to do some of the credits. It’s a lot of work to write the script, filming it and editing it. Scripts I can write pretty fast but sometimes I am working all day just on credits. 

Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular thing that you had to conquer to do either?

Might be a bit harder to finish my ideas cause then if it’s a feature film it could be harder to get a lot of ideas. In Bird in the Wild and The Wishing Fountain there weren’t that many hard parts. In The Wishing Fountain the days that we were filming there was a bit of sun so I couldn’t look at the fountain, and the fountain was the shot so it was hard to get the shot.

What keeps you motivated?

The thought of seeing my movie on a big screen! The fun of it keeps motivated.

How has your style evolved?

I want to make movies in all styles. Right now I’m working on a documentary about Los Angeles. I learn about styles every movie I make and by watching them. Having a new iPhone 11 to use now changes the style because the lense is clearer.

On set, the most important thing is:

The most important thing is the lighting. And that everybody is collaborating. It’s important that you have fun filming. 

The project(s) you’re most proud of: 

The project I’m most proud of is in my opinion Bird in the Wild because it was my first. Then I have The Wishing Fountain and the one I’m doing now. I’m also proud that I wrote a 20 page script. And I’m doing editing on I-movie all by myself.

The most challenging project you worked on. And why?

The most challenging project is the one I’m doing now about LA. I have to get shots from the moving car a lot and film homeless people even though I don’t want to.

What are your short term and long term career goals?

Short term I am a filmmaker and a director and I am that long term too. Right now I want to finish 3 scripts I’ve written. I want to be a writer and an actor. I want to have lots of animals. I’m building two film companies. Their names are Doozie Productions and Walt Doozie. I want also to do animation films.  I want to edit films and make lots of my own music. And travel.

Your next projects?

My next projects are a documentary about LA, and a series of Doozie films which are also books. I’m also writing a screenplay with my mom that will take place in Italy.