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| Richard Roll’s debut as a writer / director, DOWN DOG is adapted from his and Julie Piatt’s feature length screenplay of the same name. Inspired by their wealth of experience as long-time members of the Los Angeles yoga community, Richard and his co-writer, executive producer and wife Julie set out to make a film that would celebrate the comedic (and often duplicitous) elements of the modern Westerner’s “quest” for spiritual truth and enlightenment through the ancient practices of yoga and Eastern modes of thought. Just what exactly does it mean to have a Sanskrit “OM” tattoo or a “Free Tibet” bumper sticker? Is it just the current zeitgeist or is there something more going on here? DOWN DOG poses these questions and more. And the bottom line: yoga is funny.
An experienced entertainment attorney and independent producer, Richard’s first attempt behind the camera as director was an ambitious undertaking. The furthest thing from two characters sitting at a table talking, Richard and his team worked with a very large cast, several locations, dozens of extras and an experienced special effects wire rigging team responsible for physically “levitating” a character in the midst of a crowded yoga class to complete a rigorous shoot under extreme time pressure. Led by producer Brian Adler, the exceptional DOWN DOG creative team included casting director Scott David, cinematographer Matt Uhry, production designer Aaron King and editor Justine Halliday. Shot on Super 35mm using a Panaflex Millenium, Panavision lenses and a variety of Kodak 35mm filmstock, cinematographer Uhry (SPIN CYCLE, OREGON, ODD GIRL OUT) worked deftly and quickly to accomplish what was truly a five day schedule in just three days. All of the yoga class footage, including a complicated “levitation” effect was shot in one fifteen hour day. The “levitation” was achieved by an accomplished wire rigging team led by Pat Romano, Troy Brown, Dave Schultz and Christian Fletcher, the team behind many effects shots in movies such as SE7EN, THE SCORPION KING, THE MATRIX trilogy, VAN HELSING and COLLATERAL. In addition, most of the depicted events are satirizations (and exaggerations) of actual events observed by Rich and Julie. The yoga class extras were comprised mostly of friends from Rich and Julie's "yoga world" and the voiceover of Babajiji Yogananda was performed by real-life celebrity yoga teacher Steve Ross, who is the primary inspiration for the character of Guru Dave. A good friend of Rich and Julie, Steve performed the voiceover in good spirits, well aware that we were making a movie that in many ways spoofs his life experiences. In addition, Julie Piatt was nine months pregnant during the December shoot. The day after production wrapped, Richard and Julie dropped off the film for processing and went straight to Cedars Sinai, where Julie gave birth that very same day to a very healthy baby girl, Mathis Indigo Roll. Little Mathis held on just long enough to get the film in the can and to the lab. Editing duties were handled by Justine Halliday, a veteran editor who has worked as an associate and assistant editor with a variety of director luminaries, including Nick Cassavetes on THE NOTEBOOK, Mark Romanek on ONE HOUR PHOTO, Robert Altman on DR. T & THE WOMEN and James Gray on THE YARDS. In addition to writing, directing and producing duties, Richard also served as the film’s music supervisor, selecting all of the music tracks that accompany the film. He also conceived the opening title sequence, which was executed in After Effects by Dina Mande of New Wave Entertainment, with assistance by freelancer Scott Jackson. |
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