Actor Jack Huston, scion of the Huston film dynasty, makes his directorial debut with Day Of The Fight, which premiered at this year’s Venice and tonight opens the Raindance Film Festival (October 25 - Nov 4)
Huston also penned the screenplay, which follows boxer Mikey through his day as he gets ready for a comeback fight at Madison Square Gardens that night, illuminating Mikey’s troubled past and his relationships with his friends and family. Michael Pitt, with whom Huston starred in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire headlines as Mikey, with Joe Pesci, who also executive produces, playing his father. The film also stars Ron Perlman and Steve Buscemi.
Day Of The Fight shot in black and white for 20 days on location in New Jersey, Brooklyn and Manhattan. Huston also produced the film along with New York-based Emma Tillinger Koskoff, whose credits include Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman and Todd Phillip’s Joker, Los Angeles-based Shrink Media’s Jai Stefan, whose executive producer credits include Beasts Of No Nation and The Irishman, and Josh Porter.
Huston sat down with Screen just ahead of the film’s Raindance screening to discuss making his first feature, and the support he has received from his filmmaking family.
Why make your directorial debut with this particular story?
I have been writing things for the vast majority of my life, always tinkering, trying to get to a place where I felt confident that it was something I could direct. The idea for what would become Day Of The Fight was one of those lovely moments where you feel it in your bones. I remember my uncle [actor Danny Huston] talking to me about those moments where lightning strikes. It’s been an experience unlike anything else I’ve ever done. It’s been blood sweat and tears, a labour of love.
How did the film come together?
From the moment of conception to filming was about five years. I pitched the film to [producers] Emma Tillinger Koskoff and Jai Stefan, as well as Michael Pitt because I imagined no one but Michael in this role. We’d worked together on Boardwalk Empire and I knew what a wonderful, soulful and deep character actor he was.
Why did you shoot in black and white?
There’s a quality to black and white that I think makes a film timeless. You have to spend money if you need something to look period, and we didn’t have a lot of money. Shooting black and white worked as a beautiful tool to give us that period feel. We added little flecks of colour in the memories, just little bits, which helped enhance certain moments.
Did your experience of being an actor help in your direction?
On set, being an actor, I understand the process, [and] that every actor has a different process, I understand how to act and react and talk to cast in a way that never became jarring, never became demonstrative. My grandfather [filmmaker John Huston], one of his sayings was 90% of making movies is cast. If you’ve got the character, it’s theirs, let them own it, let them have it, that’s the point. I get to point the camera and I do my job, and I let you as an actor exist within that.
What was the most challenging moment?
Producing the movie as well as directing it. We started with 24 days, and it became 20 days. Having to think completely on your feet at a moment’s notice, knowing that we don’t have time to do this was challenging. One of the great things taught to me is you don’t really learn much when everything is going well, but you learn a hell of a lot when it goes wrong.
Would you like to be known as Jack Huston, director or Jack Huston, actor-director?
I would hope to be multi-hyphenate. I am never going to get ahead of myself. I feel incredibly lucky and grateful that I got to make this film. I can’t explain just how much I adored being on the other side of the camera, because acting sometimes completely consumes you but it’s all about a view and a single character. There was something wonderful about being open to all the elements and all the crew, and feeling you can give answers.
How much did being a Huston help?
My family loves film. I’ve been lucky enough to have a family that is so incredibly supportive, and a family that I idolise and inspire me, their body of work has inspired me. I’ve always felt incredibly lucky that I don’t feel pressure from them or I don’t feel the shadow of expectation from them.
