Kamal Ahmed Gets Brutal
Edgy New York filmmaker and Grammy nominee Kamal Ahmed, formerly of Jerky Boys fame, is getting ready for the NY premiere of his much-anticipated new gangster flick aptly titled “Brutal.” “Brutal” has been licensed and sold to the UK, Australia, All of Africa, Russian Pay TV and Ex-Yugoslavia. The film is slated for a domestic release in 2012. Kamal has a unique personality and possesses depth and courage when it comes to scripting, producing and directing his celluloid dreams. IFQ’s Briege McGarrity was delighted to catch up with him to find out more about “Brutal” as well as his take on the rollercoaster that is the independent film industry.
Independent Film Quarterly (IFQ): Tell me all about your latest film “Brutal”?
Kamal Ahmed (KA): It’s a gangster film. The original title was “1,000 Times More Brutal,” but people advised me that it sounded too 70s so I changed it to “Brutal.” I have always been a big fan of gangster films especially if it was shot in New York. I grew up in Astoria, Queens, which in the 70s was a very Mediterranean neighborhood mostly made up Greeks, Italians and some Irish and Maltese. I knew a lot of children of gangsters and I was amazed when I would go to their homes and meet the “Queens type” of gangster.
IFQ: With a name like “Brutal,” it must be a fairly violent film. Any romance in it?
KA: Yes, people expect it to be violent. Without giving away too much, the whole film starts over road rage that leads to revenge against a low-level Gangster. I wanted to make a point that one minute you could be minding your own business and if you don’t keep minding your own business, you could end up in serious trouble especially if you meet the wrong person. Every gangster story seems to have a sappy love story so I decided I didn’t want to go there.
IFQ: What was your strategy for finding actors who can bring your script to life?
KA: I was very lucky to get Kevin Corrigan (Goodfellas, The Departed) in a principal part. He’s a local guy, he’s fun on screen and he’s a really great actor. He plays the part of the drug dealer and plays it very ambiguously. After some hesitation, Peter Greene (The Usual Suspects) joined the cast. I had been a fan of the film “Laws of Gravity” for years and I recall Greene walking into my pizzeria in Williamsburg for a slice – that’s my pizza in the film by the way! I felt a connection. It was an honor to work with them both. In terms of a strategy for attracting good actors, I knew I had a hot script. The feedback was great. We all know the script is king. You must make sure of that otherwise the film will be a disaster. Good actors appreciate good roles – It’s that simple.
IFQ: Are you nervous about reviews and audience reaction?
KA: Of course! However, I feel it is a strong movie that audiences will like. Gangster films historically are low budget with a couple of names. Warner Brothers made gangster films a staple of American culture. It’s been a while since there was a New York gangster flick and I love New York so it was a good way to merge my interests.
IFQ: I can’t help hoping that “Brutal” will have some comedic elements?
KA: I feel my strong points are being funny and a little bit dark and sinister! If you put brass knuckles on a Jerky Boys prank call, that is what “Brutal” is. It was really interesting when we started shooting; I noticed that the movie was playing a bit like a comedy. I think because the guys are genuinely funny guys. There’s comedy with broken bones and blood.
IFQ: I know you’re a talented composer. Are you doing your own music for “Brutal”?
KA: I am in the process of doing the music. I play bass with my band the “Sacred Groove Posse” and we will be writing and performing original songs. I normally write my own stuff and have always done that. I was really sick of getting turned down by agents and managers especially when I knew I had good material. There comes a time when you stop wishing and hoping and just do it, and that is the main advantage of doing things yourself.
IFQ: What was your biggest challenge with “Brutal”?
KA: The movie was very low budget. I just had enough money to make the film. It’s the usual issue for filmmakers and I count myself lucky to have been able to make the film. A few people were interested in my film. Greene called me back and that was good. It took quite a while to find a good editor, then I found a real pro and we got a good flow going. Right now we are now spending 18 hours a day in the editing room in an attempt to get this film ready for the spring. When we finished the film, I crashed and burned for about two weeks. It’s a hustle making a movie.
IFQ: Any advice for filmmakers trying to shoot their dream film?
KA: Writing, Producing and Directing an indie film is tough! A valuable lesson from my filmmaking experience is to cast a known actor, and put likeable actors in likeable roles. In one of my movies, I put an unknown actor in an unlikable role and I believe it hurt the movie. Iit didn’t elevate me… in a way it was a step back for me. “Brutal” was shot on film, which I still think is the best. Also, I had no business plan. Next time, I will get all that stuff together as it does help with securing investment.
Locations are also important. I pride myself on being a born and bred New Yorker. It pisses me off that all the mom and pop authentic places are being replaced by Starbucks. I worked hard to make sure that some of the antiquated New York locations were featured in my film.
IFQ: Did you hire a locations manager?
KA: Yeah, the locations manager was me! [Laughs.] There was a lot of Guerrilla style filmmaking and we got permits whenever I knew we needed them.
IFQ: What are you plans for distributing the film?
KA: Distribution is always a difficult business. I am putting my trust in my old friend Stu Alson who owns ITN Distribution and executive produced “Brutal.” I trust him. He has great relationships with distributors worldwide and I know he’ll work hard to broker the best deal. I’d like to see a strong domestic release that will put the movie in a lot of theaters. I want to have a chicken in every pot. [Laughs]. It’s not really up to me, it’s up to the powers that be!
IFQ: Well, I wish you the best of luck with the film and I look forward to attending the Premiere.