Ben Is Back with Peter Hedges and Craig Johnson (Ep. 187)

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Directors Guild of America

Tv & Film

4.6 • 806 Ratings

🗓️ 11 January 2019

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Director Peter Hedges discusses his film, Ben is Back, with fellow director Craig Johnson. The film tells the story of Ben Burns, a young man who unexpectedly returns home on Christmas Eve after spending time in a treatment center following a heroin overdose. While his mother is happy to see her son returned, she is worried about his ability to remain clean and ready to do everything in her power to keep him and the rest of her family safe. See photos and a summary of this event below: https://www.dga.org/Events/2019/Feb2019/BenisBack_QnA_1218.aspx

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, and thanks for tuning in to another episode of The Directors Cut, brought to you by the Directors Guild of America,
0:07.4	featuring today's top directors sharing behind-the-scenes stories of their latest films and insights into the craft of directing.
0:14.2	The Directors' Cut is now available on Spotify, so please take a second to subscribe to our podcast on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts.
0:30.8	This episode takes us behind the scenes of director Peter Hedge's new drama, Ben is Back.
0:36.6	The film tells the story of Ben Burns,
0:39.1	a young man who unexpectedly returns home on Christmas Eve after spending time in a treatment center
0:44.3	following a heroin overdose. While his mother is happy to see her son returned, she is worried
0:50.1	about his ability to remain clean and ready to do everything in her power to keep him and the rest of her family safe.
0:57.4	In addition to Ben is Back, Mr. Hedges' credits include the feature films The Odd Life of Timothy Green, Dan in Real Life, and Pieces of April.
1:06.1	He also shared an Academy Award nomination for Best Writing Adapted Screenplay with Chris and Paul
1:11.7	White's for their script to the 2002 feature About a Boy. Following a recent screening of the film
1:18.2	at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles, Mr. Hedges spoke with director Craig Johnson about filming
1:23.4	Ben is Back. During their conversation, Mr. Hedges discusses why he wanted to make a film about addiction,
1:30.3	courting surprise through his writing and directing, and how Julia Roberts helped convince his son Lucas Hedges to be in the movie.
1:40.0	Thank you all for coming out on Saturday night. It's Saturday, right? It is Saturday.
1:45.6	Friday, close though. You know, I'm sorry. That's embarrassing. I know I'm in L.A. I know that.
1:52.7	You know when those politicians say hi, hello, New Hampshire, and they go, you're in Oregon. And they go, I just have one of those moments. I'm so sorry.
2:01.9	I think I want it to be Saturday because I'm going home on Sunday.
2:05.0	That's it.
2:06.0	But anyway, forgive me.
2:08.0	I'm really happy you're here.
2:09.3	Well, that's a wonderful introduction that just lightens the mood after your beautiful and harrowing.
	...

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