Kelly Macdonald & Director Marc Turtletaub Discuss “Puzzle” And How Jigsaws Can Make A Great Film [Interview]

Marc, as a producer, you tend to look for first-time or very young screenwriters and directors.

Marc: We’ve worked with some very experienced directors. I mentioned Sam Mendes and Jeff Nichols who are, of course, pastors. But we’ve also worked with a lot of first-time directors – Collin Trevorrow and Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and Liev, it was his first directing opportunity. A lot of times, for me, it’s about the freshness of the voice when it comes to writing.

And I think a lot of those, either writer-directors or writers, Michael Arndt, who ended up winning two Academy Awards, it was his first screenplay that he sold to us. And there’s just a freshness – Megan Holly, who wrote “Sunshine Cleaning” – you read something and you go, “This is not something I’ve read anywhere else,” and that always attracts me.

It’s not a familiar story, and it’s not familiar characters. And so, that’s part of it, with some of those writers or writers-directors. And the other is I think it’s sort of happenstance that we’ve found a lot of talented, young directors who somehow or other demonstrated to me and my producing partner, Peter [Saraf], that they would have the capability of directing a feature.

Kelly, you’ve worked prominently in television and in film. Which visual medium do you prefer to work in?

Kelly: It’s not something I contemplate. It’s, first and foremost, the words on the page that I respond to. And I’ve worked on things, and I’ve been filming and asked if it’s for TV; it’s not something that would turn me on or off.

What about the stage or film and television?

Kelly: I’ve done one play, and it was horrible. It was two days a week. And so, by the second night, I would start to get less jangly and get into it. And then, I’d have to wait for it to get on it again. It was 10 weeks, and it was just 10 weeks of never feeling relaxed about it.

But it was fun, and it was with really good people. And I love going to the theater, but it’s not my area. I don’t perform to the back of the room, if you know what I mean. It’s quieter and more intimate, what I do.

So, what’s next for either of you, now that you have completed “Puzzle?”

Kelly: I’ve got a big, ridiculous [project]. Compared to this film, it was insane. It was three cameras. It was crazy. So, a big Hollywood, silly comedy [“Holmes and Watson“] with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly.

Marc: And I’m looking and reading for the next project to direct, and, in the meantime, wearing my other hat as a producer, and we’re going to start soon with Marielle Heller, the director from “Diary of a Teenage Girl.” She’s really talented. And [we’re] working with Tom Hanks.

Kelly: Never heard of him.

Marc: Yeah, it’s a really nice combination on the story of Fred Rogers, Mister Rogers, [“You Are My Friend“], a narrative. So, it’s a really nice combination of just a talented, young female director and acting icon. It’s going to be really fun.

“Puzzle” is released theatrically in the U.S. on July 27. You can watch the trailer below: