Creative Producer & Stowe Mentor Jonathan Duffy:

Advocating to tell Real Truth while still Entertaining

Interview by David Rocchio

Tell us what made you want to get into creative producing, and how you started your journey into this world?

I have loved films for as long as I can remember, but my path to creative producing took some exploration. While I was in film school at The University of Texas at Austin I felt pretty certain that the thing that I wanted to do was to write screenplays. Up to that point I had watched countless films that entertained me or provided me an opportunity to expand my world in one way or another. These films inspired me to jot down my own sort of mission statement for me: "Write stories that tell a real truth while also being undeniably entertaining". I also knew that I wanted to write something that felt a little magical. I still feel now that the movies that are often the most meaningful for me have some magical spice at their core, something that makes me as an audience member believe.

I did not seriously consider producing until I was working at The Austin Film Festival as the Director of Development. This was a fundraising job, primarily sponsorships - but the work allowed me to advocate for an organization that supported and celebrated the recognition and craft of the screenwriter.

While working at the Festival, I met countless writers at all phases of their careers. Somewhere along the way it occured to me that what a lot of these storytellers needed was someone who believed in them and who wanted to advocate for what they had written. They needed someone to help get their vision from script to the big screen. They needed a producer. 

As my interest in producing grew, my now producing partner, Kelly Williams, shared a couple scripts with me that excited him. I knew that Kelly and I shared a similar taste for films so I read them immediately. One was a hopeful love story between two gay men in rural Texas. The magic for me in this script was the hope for love. The script, written and directed by Yen Tan, felt truthful and entertaining. What followed was a leap of faith, filled with many sleepless nights as we worked to help build a larger team around Yen to make the film happen. The film was Pit Stop, it premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. It was somewhere in the process of making Pit Stop that my addiction to do this work was born. 

What do you love most about the work? For those starting out, what pitfalls do you observe?

What I love about creative producing and movie making... Well I love character and story development. I love casting actors and locations. I love seeing the things that great actors bring to characters. I love walking onto a set that captures the spaces and feelings described in the script. I love seeing departments work alongside one another. I love that filmmaking is truly a collaborative process that requires a great deal of trust. 

Something that I have learned, though it may seem obvious, is that film making is also a process that is benefited immensely by preparation, optimism, experience, sufficient time, and patience.

A friend and colleague once told me that comparison is the greatest enemy to creativity. I'd encourage everyone to focus on the film you are working to make and avoid comparing your film or yourself as much as humanly possible. Wanting to make a film is connected to desire, which comes along with urgency. This is understandable and very relatable but we all have to give the process time which means we have to be patient with ourselves and others. 

What are you working on right now?

Speaking generally, the independent producers that I know tend to have a slate of films in various phases of packaging and development in addition to something in production and or post-production as well as a film on the festival circuit or in distribution on one platform or another. This is a pretty good reflection of my work week. Today, I am very excited to share that Rob Connoly's beautiful film BLUEBACK, which had its world premiere at TIFF earlier this year will now have its US premiere at Sundance this January. [EDITOR’S NOTE: You can see the compelling trailer to that gorgeous film here.]

Additionally, I am involved with three other features and one short film that are also in post production, one of which is presently titled WHAT HAPPENS LATER - starring Meg Ryan and David Duchovny. I am also working with a number of great folks to package some really exciting films and television projects that we aim to move into production in either 2023 or 2024. 

So many proclaim the death of independent film, but here you are. What advice - or caution - do you have for emerging artists hoping to produce independent cinema?

When I hear or read these sorts of sentiments it can at times feel like a headwind. It can feel like the hill ahead is maybe a little steeper than it was the day before. That said, if we take on projects that we love, and we think audiences will love as well, the determination to get them made persists. 

I hesitate at giving broad advice or being a voice of caution because I understand the feeling of deeply wanting or even needing to turn an idea into a film, and I don't find any joy in raining on someone's parade.

Emerging artists are often encouraged to "just go make something" - and I do believe that practice makes better but I also think this advice sometimes pushes film teams into making something that is underdeveloped or poorly packaged. So with that in mind I would caution readers to avoid letting urgency becoming the loudest voice.

Anything else you want emerging talents to think about as they begin their journey? 

I would encourage everyone to celebrate the successes of others working in the indie space. Be patient, be grateful. Instead of simply, "go out and make something," I strongly suggest working alongside your team as much as you can to make something GREAT. I would encourage anyone starting out to make films with people they know (whenever possible). Understand and work within the budget available to you. 

Jonathan Duffy is a creative producer & co-founder of Ten Acre Films. 

Jonathan recently completed Blueback, which premiered at TIFF and will open Sundance, 2023. He is as well completing production on a feature comedy starring Meg Ryan & David Duchovny titled What Happens Later. In addition, he has a number of feature films and a short film in post, including: The Senior; Stranger With A Camera; Prepartum

Jonathan produced numerous feature films which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival including: Light From Light; Sorry To Bother You (2019 Independent Spirit Award winner for Best First Feature); The Long Dumb Road; Hellion; Beaver Trilogy Part Iv; Pit Stop (nominated for the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards’ John Cassavetes Award). Sundance short film premieres include: The Send-Off and Don’t Be A Hero. 

He produced the award winning Mark, Mary & Some Other People and No Future, which premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival as well as the following films that premiered at SXSW: I Used To Go Here; 6 Years; 1985; and the jury award-winning films The Suplex Duplex Complex (created for Adult Swim) and A Bad Idea Gone Wrong. 

Jonathan executive produced The Sound Of Silence and Before You Know It, both of which premiered at Sundance 2019. He also executive produced the short film Rules For Werewolves (Toronto IFF 2020) and the award-winning film Buoyancy which premiered at Berlin in 2019. 

Jonathan is a mentor for Stowe Story Labs. He was also a fellow in the following programs: 2018 Rotterdam Producing Lab, 2016 Cannes Producers Network, The 2015 Sundance Producing Summit, 2015 Catalyst Program, and SFFILM’s inaugural Producers Fellowship.