Moviefone Editorial

Tag: Eminem

  • ‘Stans’ Exclusive Interview: Director Steven Leckart

    Eminem (Center) and his fans at the New York City premiere of 'Stans'. Photo: Jeremy Deputat.
    Eminem (Center) and his fans at the New York City premiere of ‘Stans’. Photo: Jeremy Deputat.

    Premiering on Paramount+ August 26th is the new documentary ‘Stans’, which was directed by Steven Leckart and chronicles both the career of rapper Eminem (Marshall Mathers) as well as his relationship with his fans.

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    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Steven Leckart about his work on ‘Stans’, the decision to focus on the fans, finding them for the film, working with Eminem, the legacy of the song ‘Stan’, and the moment when Eminem became the GOAT.

    Related Article: Director Kevin MacDonald Talks Documentary ‘One to One: John & Yoko’

    'Stans' director Steven Leckart at the SXSW London Screen Festival. Photo: Joe Maher/Getty Images.
    ‘Stans’ director Steven Leckart at the SXSW London Screen Festival. Photo: Joe Maher/Getty Images.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about how this documentary came together and was it your idea or Eminem’s to focus on his fans?

    Steven Leckart: So, the project predates me in terms of the original conceit, and Paul Rosenberg, who is Eminem’s longtime manager and is a producer on the film with us was an incredible collaborator. Paul has made it clear that they didn’t want to make anything conventional. They didn’t want to just look at his career and put him in a chair and tell his whole story. Paul has said very clearly and said this to me that the idea of doing that, I think it’s twofold. One, he’s such an unconventional artist that to do something so straightforward would be just not interesting, but also not very on brand for them. I think the other piece of it is, and Paul has said this, that apart from just that’s who he is as a person, you don’t necessarily do a whole retrospective of your career and life when you’re only in your early 50s and you’re still putting out music and doing things. The story’s not over. So why would you do that? So, I was delighted when I met them about five years ago and that they didn’t want to do anything conventional. Then because of the song ‘Stan’ and the way it’s impacted pop culture and become part of the ethos, so to speak, they thought, ‘Well, why don’t we turn the camera around on the fans?” Because if you know about the song ‘Stan’, it’s written from a fan’s perspective. So, when I came along, that was kind of all sitting there, but it was like, “Well, how do we navigate?” I think it’s important that we find a way to weave Marshall’s perspective through interviews and do some filming, but where’s the line in terms of when it’s him versus the fans? So, figuring out that balance is something we all collaborated very intensely on together, and as a filmmaker, it added to the challenge and that’s why I was so grateful and excited about this project.

    Eminem in 'Stans'. Photo: Paramount+.
    Eminem in ‘Stans’. Photo: Paramount+.

    MF: Can you talk about working with Eminem on this project and what was it like to sit down with him and interview him?

    SL: Well, by the time we sat down to do the interview, obviously we’d met each other and he’s a producer on the movie. It was a long time coming. So, by the time we sat down, it was like I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve for the film. We had already been in the edit. When I met everybody, my promise to them was that we would be incredibly mindful of his time, and we wouldn’t waste his time. That’s not just because I think that’s a better way to manage the situation. It’s just, as a filmmaker, I like to be efficient. So, I wanted to make sure that what we did was we got a lot of depth in as little time as possible while simultaneously serving the needs for the film to have some balance between just being fans and needing his perspective. Because the film, if you think about it, is very much about the double-edged sword of the relationship between an artist and the fans. So, to not have the artist’s perspective to come in and punctuate it at times would’ve been a real missed opportunity. So, by the time we sat down, one, I’d met him before and we had, I think from the beginning, a nice rapport. He’s incredibly funny, sharp, witty, and all the things you’d probably expect. But what I found to be profound for me and very moving, was the way he could turn on a dime and become incredibly sincere, earnest and thoughtful. I think that’s what will be ultimately surprising to a lot of people in the film is just how much depth is there. But if you go to the records, it’s there. We just don’t necessarily know that if you haven’t listened to all the records or if you just know the singles. It’s in the albums. So, to me, he was exactly what you see in the movie, and I’m proud of that interview.

    Katie in 'Stans'. Photo: Paramount+.
    Katie in ‘Stans’. Photo: Paramount+.

    MF: Can you talk about finding the “Stans” to interview for this project and did any of them alarm you?

    SL: No, there was no one that was scary to me, and there was nobody that I was concerned about being in a room with, partially because we just vetted people quite a lot on the front end. We did casting-tapes and calls with people. So, we started with a link that went out over Eminem’s social media, which was fantastic because basically we put out this link to a questionnaire and we presented all the questions. So, we were able to kind of go through all of that and get a sense of each person already. Then we also asked for a 60-minute video. So, then we sort of culled from that. Then we worked with a great casting team, and they would go through the stuff, and they’d set up Zooms with people, and we would talk every few days about, “What are you seeing? Who are you finding? This person seems charming. Okay, but do they have all the story points that we’re looking for?” The thesis in POV of the movie is one of the lyrics from the song ‘Stan’, which is, “I’m just like you.” So, Stan in the original song writes to Marshall in his letter and says, “I’m just like you. Here’s how I’m just like you.” So, we looked through the profiles for people who felt they were just like him and could articulate why they were just like him. We found people that reflected on different parts of his life. Some people were like Venn diagrams, they had it all. Some people only had one kind of piece. Then we were looking for people that just popped off-screen, people that would be memorable, whether you like them, or you’re intrigued by them or you’re not sure. That was really by design. But everyone by and large was incredibly sweet. Then there were several people that I also talked to before we went to film with them, partially because I understood that if you’re going to make a film about people who will open-up about very deeply personal things, I wanted them to know who I was before we showed up on set. It was important to me to sort of, I think give them a safe space, and made them feel like they knew the interviewer before they showed up. It’s been great seeing and hearing from so many of them since they all now seen the film and that feels good that they expressed such vulnerability and they’re okay with it. Some people could feel a little either embarrassed or exposed, but they’re just like Eminem in that way because Eminem exposes so much of his own vulnerabilities in the music. It’s an interesting fun house mirror.

    (L to R) Eminem and Zolt at the New York City premiere of 'Stans'. Photo: Jeremy Deputat.
    (L to R) Eminem and Zolt at the New York City premiere of ‘Stans’. Photo: Jeremy Deputat.

    MF: Can you talk about the legacy of the song ‘Stan’ and how it has managed to stay in the pop culture zeitgeist for so long?

    SL: I mean, I think it’s a perfect storm and confluence of everything that you hear in the song coming together. You have this Dido sample, which was a huge pop song that wound up in this movie ‘Sliding Doors’ with Gwyneth Paltrow. It’s just a love song, and it starts with a conga beat, and it’s just so soothing and gentle. Yet to make something that takes that and flips this on its head in terms of the narrative that was created by Eminem and his rapping, that’s what makes it so fascinating because it’s dark and light running together. I think that’s what we wanted to do in the movie was to have dark and light running concurrently together. I think what’s made it sustain is the fact that there was really nothing like it at the time. The song’s also been prophetic. Having a major artist write something about fame was I think a little bit interesting and new, right? Because he was newly famous when he wrote that song. I think that struck a chord, and then the video itself, which was co-directed by Dr. Dre, is cinematic. They shot on film; they had a crane. I mean, there’s stunts involved where a car is driving over a bridge. I think at the time it came out, people were really stunned by it and shocked. Then I think even people discovering it today, it’s just a masterpiece.

    Eminem performing on stage in 'Stans'. Photo: Paramount+.
    Eminem performing on stage in ‘Stans’. Photo: Paramount+.

    MF: Finally, since you’ve done so much research on Eminem and his career, when do you think was the exact moment that he went from a respected rapper to the GOAT?

    SL: I’m trying to remember if I can, when I feel like I heard about the GOAT conversation coming up, but I can’t remember exactly. I think looking back, I really think ‘8 Mile’ solidified the legacy and the legend of him because it gave a glimpse of where he came from, which is battle rap, which so many fans didn’t know about, but for fans who did know, it provided a sense of deep authenticity to him to come from that scene. I think the movie made average people who don’t know anything about hip hop aware of it. I think for people who are hardcore, I’m going to argue with you about this rapper versus this rapper, to see his old battle raps, which you can do on YouTube now, and find those raps, you realize just how preternaturally talented he was. I think the other aspect more recently that’s become clear about him as why people argue he’s the GOAT, is that he treats it like a 9 to 5 job. He goes to the studio in Michigan five days a week and works five days a week on music. I’m not the first person to say that. People know that. It’s hard to imagine any other rapper that’s going to work as hard as he works to create the art that he creates for as long as he’s planning to create it. I think that’s the other aspect that leads to people feeling he’s the GOAT. To me, he’s certainly on the Mount Rushmore. That’s not debatable.

    Eminem at the New York City premiere of 'Stans'. Photo: Jeremy Deputat.
    Eminem at the New York City premiere of ‘Stans’. Photo: Jeremy Deputat.

    What is the plot of ‘Stans’?

    A revealing, edgy, and disarmingly personal journey into the world of super-fandom, told through the lens of one of the world’s most iconic and enduring artists, Eminem, and the fans that worship him.

    Who is featured in ‘Stans’?

    'Stans' premieres on Paramount+ August 26th .
    ‘Stans’ premieres on Paramount+ August 26th .

    List of Rock and Roll Documentaries:

    Buy Eminem Movies On Amazon

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  • ‘Bodied’ Director Joseph Kahn on Bringing Battle Rap to the Big Screen

    ‘Bodied’ Director Joseph Kahn on Bringing Battle Rap to the Big Screen

    YouTube Premium/Neon

    Chances are you know filmmaker Joseph Kahn even if you don’t know who he is.

    He’s directed countless commercials and music videos (most recently for Taylor Swift, with whom he enjoys a fruitful creative partnership). Also, he occasionally directs really amazing feature films. His first film was 2004’s “Torque,” a movie that should have been a cheap, “Fast & the Furious” knockoff but, thanks to Kahn’s sense of humor and heightened visual sense, was turned into something much weirder and more lovable. His second feature was 2011’s “Detention,” a little-seen but truly incredible horror comedy. And now, finally, he’s back with his third film, “Bodied,” in theaters now.

    “Bodied” is a raucous comedy that is also super insightful and perfect for today’s political climate. It follows a nerdy graduate student (Calum Worthy), who is writing his thesis on battle rap and soon gets sucked into that world. Sure, it’s offensive and occasionally callous, but it’s also beautifully directed and smartly written, the kind of thing that would be more shocking if it weren’t so authentically true. It’s one of this fall’s must-see movies and, really, you should see it.

    We got to chat with Kahn about why he chose “Bodied” as his third feature, what he learned from his experience trying to get people to see “Detention,” and whether or not he’s interested in taking on another big budget studio movie.

    Moviefone: You have a lot of other commitments, whether it’s commercials or music videos. What about “Bodied” made you stop and take the time to invest in a feature?

    Kahn: I love making feature films, even though I only make one once a decade or something. And I only like making them when I think I have something to say. And the entire offense culture of being hyper-woke and politically correct versus, on the flipside, people being incredibly incorrect in battle rap, seemed like a good prism to discuss the world as it is today.

    The film is based, in part, on a true story. Did you know the story beforehand?

    Oh, yeah. I’ve been a big battle rap fan since the early ‘90s. It had a very different incarnation back then. It wasn’t spoken word or acapella per se, and I’ve been working with Eminem for many, many years. But it wasn’t until the last couple of years, when the culture had gotten to a crisis point of people failing to communicate with one another, that a venue where people stand in front of each other and say the meanest things possible, would be an interesting thing to put out in the political climate of today.

    YouTube Premium/Neon

    What was it like working with Eminem as a producer and someone who helped shepherd the project along?

    Are you kidding me? The king of battle rap blessing us with his presence? I soaked up everything he said like a sponge. He had opinions on a lot of things. I think authenticity was a big thing for him and making sure there were no false beats. And the process of how people think of raps in the midst of battle was an interesting perspective. By the time we were done with it, I think Eminem actually thought that Calum could actually wrap, which I think is a huge compliment to us. The funny thing is that everything we did was pre-written, but by the time Eminem saw the finished film he asked, “Did Calum come up with a lot of that on the spot?” Because to Eminem, that’s what he would do. He would just come up with that on the spot. But no, they’re all pre-written.

    The movie premiered in 2017 at Toronto but is just now coming out, through an interesting partnership between YouTube Premium and Neon. Can you talk about how you made that decision when it came to distribution?

    For me, the agenda was to make sure I went with a distributor that would release it untouched, unedited. That’s the reason I made it independently, off the grid, with my own cash in the first place. I think going through the studio system, there’s just no way any corporate entity would let anyone watch two hours of racist, sexist jokes. No matter what the context is. So, it was difficult to even protect the movie itself, to make sure what came out was raw and unedited. And since it is an independent project, none of the mechanisms that you normally have with studio support were there, for instance the soundtrack. I had to go and get the rights to a lot of these songs and there are some big bangers in there. And finally, working out this unique situation. It’s YouTube’s first movie that’s theatrical, and signing up that distribution deal with Neon took a long time, just legally what the partnership would look like, how the responsibilities were set up, and we finally got it out there. And here we are!

    Is there any part of you that wants to go back to making a big studio movie? Or are you still smarting from your experience on “Torque?”

    No, I’ve learned a lot since “Torque.” “Torque” I shot 16 years ago. So that’s 16 years of experience. And I shoot mostly commercials now and that’s a whole different world than when I was doing “Torque,” when I was just a music video director. Now, I’m primarily a commercial director and I feel, quite frankly, that I’m weaponized for one of these studios if anybody would have me and it’s the right property. You know, obviously I know my style and I know my filmmaking and if anybody would unleash me on something … but it’d have to be the right project.

    I wanted to talk about your last movie, “Detention,” because I love it.

    Oh, that must mean you’re a genius. Because all geniuses love “Detention.”

    That movie kind of got lost. How did that experience help you in terms of figuring out how to handle “Bodied?”

    I didn’t really learn anything when it came to the distribution factor because, look … The lessons I learned from “Detention” were how to get distributed — get big stars in your movie, pick your genre, figure out the expectations, and just meet them. And what did I do with “Bodied?” I did none of those things. I didn’t learn a single thing. I didn’t use big stars. I picked a cross-genre movie that made it hard to figure out your expectations. And I flooded it with racist, sexist jokes that horrify people in a normal, polite society. How do you market this thing? Who is the audience? And why would they ever go into the theater to watch this? Those are all things that I did not answer when I made this movie. I just wanted to make a good movie. I am the world’s biggest filmmaking idiot.

    “Bodied” is in select theaters now and will be on YouTube Premium on November 28.