Interview by Rafy Mediavilla, w/ Pete Cordova – Production Designer From The Lionsgate Movie, “Survive The Game”.
Bruce Willis (Pulp Fiction) and Chad Michael Murray (“Riverdale”) star in this explosive crime-thriller. When cop David (Willis) is injured in a drug bust gone wrong, his partner, Cal, pursues the two criminals who shot him to a remote farm owned by troubled vet Eric (Murray). As Cal and Eric plot their defense, more of the gang arrives — along with a wounded David — and, outnumbered, the three heroes must use stealth, smarts, and marksmanship to take down the drug-dealing mob.
Available in Select Theaters, on Apple TV and Everywhere You Rent Movies on October 8th! Available on Blu-ray and DVD on October 12th!
Criticólogos:
Because the story is so dynamic, there are too many pieces moving, what do you think is the most difficult thing in constructing this specific movie?
Peter Cordova:
Probably the location it was an hour away from pretty much everything on the top of a mountain. Something one thing breaks down. One car breaks down. It’s an hour and a half, you know? So that was the biggest thing getting everything we needed from down below. Let’s say up to the location at the top of the mountain and then placing it in the 12345 different locations on this. Property that was the biggest thing.
Criticólogos:
When it comes to talking to the director about where should I put what, do you want here, how much say do you have in that specific process?
Peter Cordova
A lot. I mean, it’s a 5050 thing, no matter it was a DP and the director will all get together and say what do you need? Uh, James knew what colors he wanted on this. He wanted to watch the skin tones against the walls. We had to paint all the walls in the house. It was like he think talking about colors he mentioned the few I mentioned that I’d like to go with a pale blue kind of thing and and he was like, yes, that works. So it’s communication, you know, compromise and we all want to make. The goal is all the same. So I’m there to enhance his vision and if he has something that I you know what ’cause I mentioned. One thing I said. Hey, let’s put the one guy in a kilt he’s like no. I’m like I just thought. I’d ask I’d like to see him in a kilt. Again, I think those version designers and Scimitar has such a huge base for few roles in the movies.
Criticólogos:
Is there a specific way that you already have sort of stuff that you want to do when you first get the project?
Peter Cordova:
Yeah, I mean it all starts with the process. When I get a script, I’ll look at it, break it down, but when I read it. Uhm, my vision. Like when you read a book, you’re in woods. You’ve you make the woods in your head. So when I’m reading something, I’m already thinking OK, alright, we’re in a house. What are what can it look like? What do we need on the walls? What’s the character like? So I start putting my feel on what I’m reading he put his feel on it. And then he’s like this is what I have in mind. And then he say OK, but can we do this, yes, let’s add that to it. That’s the texture the DP will say. Hey, I can shoot it like this and I think we do this. And then it becomes Oh yes, and then. And that’s how and that happens organically through the thing. For example, we would one of the turns. The car thing was like not why discussing how you know. How can we do this? Somebody says let’s just push it back a little further. And yes, that’s it good do it. So yeah.
Criticólogos:
Do you maintain yourself sane, you know to understand, where are we at right now, where are we going with this?
Peter Cordova:
Well, it’s like there was a lot of action before during Prep and there was a lot of action shooting. Movie kind of went hand in hand. It’s a process, you know, uh, I enjoy myself. Whenever I can all the time, because that’s the thing, I like what I do so throw it on at me. And, uh, and we’ll do it. You know, I try and but again, on a serious note, it’s making sure you have all your ducks in a row. That’s the biggest part know what you need, know what you don’t need, and that takes the what if, all out of the equation.
Criticólogos:
Is the approach with the actors’ changes through different project or it’s your approach the same?
Peter Cordova:
No, the approach stays consistent. Pretty much you know it’s like talking to you. It’s like, hey, how you doing? What do you need? You know, hey Pete, can we get, you know I want can we may have paint this wall? Different color maybe usually they don’t ask that. But it’s always a quick report and I see them when I can on these little ones I stay on set as much as possible, especially if there’s no art director and it’s just me. This way I could troubleshoot problems most of the time. We’re on call. But I’d rather be there in case anything needed anyway, you know so. So I always have a good report with talent I keep in touch with some of the guys.
Criticólogos:
Characters are so awesome and did you have any input in the way they’re presented?
Peter Cordova:
No, no on this particular one James knew what he wanted and all his reference photos. For wardrobe and stuff. Were pretty much that, so he knew, and as far as talent concerned, once he communicated that I want you like this. Oh, got it and then talent just runs with it and those guys are great.
Criticólogos
Oobviously you have to work hand in hand with the whole production crew. How much input did you give the wardrobe department the hair styling? How much do you have hands on with them?
Peter Cordova:
Normally a lot. Normally I’ll go with director into wardrobe, pick out outfits and looks and stuff like that. Hair and makeup the same thing. Some directors don’t, they know what they need, so and I’m not gonna don’t need to sway them for that you know if it if it fits in. Sometimes you’ll get hey, we should have went with a blue on the wall or change his shirt. Sometimes that happens on a lot of movies where talent will come on and even though you thought it be great against that wall, it doesn’t look good. That’s why they do color testing stuff beforehand so they know some of them. Pretty know some of them you can’t become, yeah.
See the full interview below”
