Interview (Written): Sean Baker (“Tangerine”)

An excellent interview with Sean Baker, director and co-writer of the indie film Tangerine and one of its lead actors Mya Taylor. Plot summary: “A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart.” The film is notable for several reasons not the least of which it was shot entirely with iPhones.

ZACK ETHEART: What did your research process look like?

SEAN BAKER: I think the first thing when Chris [Bergoch, Baker’s co-writer] and I decided that we were going to attempt to make this film and to write this script, we literally went to Donut Time, which is on the corner of Santa Monica and Highland, and we just started walking around that area and introducing ourselves, getting to know people. There were a few women who were talking with us, but for the most part, we didn’t get anybody embracing us for the first week or two or something like that. But eventually we went over to the LGBTQ center on McCadden. It must have been midsummer, so it was a nice summer day, and they have a courtyard there. I remember seeing a group of friends, and Mya was there, and I told Chris, “Let’s go, let’s go approach them.” [to Mya] I think you were with maybe four friends, so we were a little apprehensive at first about approaching, but within a couple of minutes I saw that Mya was very interested in our project and really enthused by it. And that was exactly what we were looking for — somebody who was enthusiastic and who would want to collaborate. We traded information and I called her and we started setting up meeting times where we would meet at the local fast food joint and talk for a while.

For more of the interview in “Interview,” go here.

Movie website here.

The movie opens this weekend in North America. Declare Your Independents. Go see Tangerine!