Movies & TV / News
Jordan Gertner On His Directorial Debut Sheroes, Working With Isabelle Fuhrman
Image Credit: Paramount Global Content Distribution
The 411 Interview- Jordan Gertner
Jordan Gertner is a writer, director, and producer who, according to imdb, has been working in the movie business since at least 1997. Gertner has produced such movies as Buffalo ‘66, Bully, The Killer Inside Me, and Spring Breakers. Gertner’s first movie as a director is the new action movie Sheroes, starring Sasha Luss, Isabelle Fuhrman, Wallis Day, Skai Jackson, and Jack Kesy and which will be in select movie theaters and available via digital starting June 23rd, 2023. In this interview, Gertner talks with this writer about making Sheroes, what it was like working with the cast, working in Thailand, and more.
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Bryan Kristopowitz: Why did you want Sheroes to be your first movie as a director? Was Sheroes always the title?
Jordan Gertner: Sheroes was ultimately inspired by my love of going to the movies. Growing up I enjoyed nothing more than getting lost in a great action film. But in those films, it was always the Stallones, the Willises, the Schwarzeneggers saving the day while rescuing a woman in distress. In directing my first feature I really wanted to go back and revisit and explore those kinds of films and give an opportunity for women to play that same kind of iconic, inspiring, heroic role. In doing so I worked to make a film that illustrated that women could kick ass and save the day as well if not better than men can. And yes – the film has always been called Sheroes!
BK: Where was Sheroes made? Is the house that we see the friends use throughout the movie as their base a real house?
JG: We shot Sheroes in stunning Thailand. All the beach scenes, full moon party and villa scenes were shot in Phuket. That villa is a real house. There are so many incredible homes in the region, and we were incredibly fortunate to find one that worked perfectly for the film and was made available to us! The rest of the film was shot in studios and on location in around Bangkok. Both were amazing places to make a film!
BK: How did you decide on the design of the interior of the private plane?
JG: The design on the interior of the plane was somewhat of a hybrid. We looked at various cool and unique designs and combined what we felt were the best of them all – we then added our own creative insight, added a sprinkle of magic and that became our private plane!
BK: How did you cast Sheroes? What was it like working with Isabelle Fuhrman, Sasha Luss, Wallis Day, and Skai Jackson? What was it like working with Jack Kesy?
JG: I spent months casting, having meeting after meeting with many incredibly talented actors for Sheroes. Casting a film is a process that relies on instinct, timing, and connection. I feel so fortunate that my instinct was to work with these four incredibly talented women, the timing worked out and we all had a likeminded understanding of who these characters were and how we could bring them to life. Working with Sasha, Wallis, Isabelle and Skai was the best creative experience I could have ever imagined. They are all such gifted actors, wonderful people, and super fun to be around. Jack, much like our “Sheroes,” was amazing to work with and awesome to be around. I feel so grateful to have had this opportunity to work with such a fantastic cast on Sheroes.
BK: What sort of training did the cast have to go through in order to perform the various fights and stunts we see in Sheroes?
JG: Sasha had previous training from her time on Anna. Wallis was proficient as well and spent a lot of time working with the stunt coordinators on her fight scenes. We also spent individual time with each actor providing them with proper training and instruction with respect to their individual character’s needs in the film.
BK: How did you decide on the tone for Sheroes? Is it right to call Sheroes an action comedy or is it more appropriate to call it an action movie with some comedic moments in it?
JG: The tone of film needed to be ‘fun”. The film is really a ride driven by the four Sheroes. I did my best to lean into that through photography, color, locations, wardrobe, and music. For me if the film isn’t fun for the audience, it’s just not working. I feel like Sheroes is more of an action film with comedic moments. But, to be fair, it really works both ways.
BK: What was the hardest part of making Sheroes for you as a director? What was the easiest?
JG: The hardest part was calling “cut” on the last day of shooting. Across the board the experience of making this film, with wonderful people in a beautiful location, was a gift. So, seeing that end was difficult. Now the fact that I got to make this film with wonderful, talented people also made the film making process as easy as it could possibly be. So, I guess the hardest and easiest parts reflected one other!
BK: How long did it take to make Sheroes, from finishing the script to completing post-production?
JG: It took just under 2 years from the time the script was finished to having a fully completed film.
BK: How did you put together the fantastic soundtrack for Sheroes?
JG: Thanks for that! I worked with an amazing supervisor whose experience and knowledge of music was endless. I was able to clearly describe the vibe and feel I wanted in the film in both score and music and he was able to either create or find songs that matched what I was looking for perfectly.
BK: According to IMDb you’ve been producing movies since the late 1990’s. How has the movie business changed since you started?
JG: Things really changed when the streamers started to become the most relevant source of entertainment. The upside to this shift is it allowed films that may have never had a chance of getting made an opportunity to do so and be seen. The downside is I feel a lot of the content out there now feels like it has lost that drive to provide pure popcorn entertainment.
BK: Any moviemaking heroes?
JG: There are so many. If I had to name a few I would say Steven Spielberg, and Tony and Ridley Scott.
BK: Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
JG: The next film I am directing is called CAM 48. The film explores a young woman, down on her luck, owing a significant amount of money to a sports bookie who you do not want to be in debt to. One day, hiding out in a pawn shop, she steals an old camcorder and soon discovers the camera films 48 hours in the future. All is great when she uses this newfound “power” to her advantage until she inadvertently films her own murder. Now with 48 hours to go she must solve her upcoming murder and figure out where this camera came from.
BK: What do you hope audiences get out of Sheroes?
JG: For me movies have always been this magical ride that takes you away from everything going on in the world around you. If the audience can just go on this ride with these amazing Sheroes and get lost in their world, they will hopefully laugh, smile, and feel inspired. That would be the biggest reward from making the film.
BK: Any possibility of further Sheroes adventures?
JG: Absolutely! There are endless beautiful locations to explore where our Sheroes can find themselves in some new trouble and be forced again to use those collective skills to get themselves out of it! I would be thrilled to continue building out this world and further exploring our Sheroes characters!
BK: Outside of Wallis Day and the actual fire dance performers, did anyone else get to/want to jump over the fire jump rope?
JG: Other than me? No one else!!!
BK: The yellow Porsche the Sheroes get to use is pretty sweet. How did you get it? Did you get to drive the Porsche?
JG: The incredible Thai crew on Sheroes was able to work magic constantly on the film to fulfill my vision. Getting a sports car to Phuket was not an easy task. But as with everything else they made it happen. We had a very short window with the car – so unfortunately, I did not get a chance to jump behind the wheel!
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A very special thanks to Jordan Gertner for agreeing to participate in this interview and to Camelia Adibi for setting it up.
Sheroes will arrive in select movie theaters and on digital starting June 23rd, 2023.
All images courtesy of Paramount Global Content Distribution Group.
