MANITO
Interview
with Franky G. & Director Eric Eason
I met
with “Manito” Director Eric Eason and star Franky
G. for my first interview assignment with LatinoReview
What can I say about these two? Well, they
both were the most down to earth industry folk I have met. Director
Eric Eason exhibits a great passion for his work and will undoubtedly
have a long directing career ahead of him. He’s one of the
rare directors that actually like to direct movies, as opposed
to making the movie equivalent to junk food that most directors
seem to be cranking out at breakneck pace.
And what can I say about Mr. Franky G.?
The man is just cool. He has a laid back personality, but is really
serious about his work, so serious that he is already making moves
in Hollywood and has two movies currently in theaters. Since there
are slim pickings in the "Larger-than-life Action Star"
category you would automatically assume that Franky G. would be
a natural fit into that mold. But the actor has other plans for
his career and a raw talent and sensibility that might leave a
certain action star trembling in his XXX sized britches.
Our roundtable discussion group was really
laid back, more like a good conversation instead of an interview.
Here are some of the highlights.
 Eric
I saw the movie yesterday and enjoyed it, it was a bit bizarre
watching it because growing up in NYC, and I’ve witnessed
some of the things that happened in the flick 1st hand. What was
your inspiration or basis for the film?
Eric: A lot of
the times, when I was thinking about being a film maker, I would
see films shot about certain groups of people or “The Hood”
or whatever and would always sort of cringe because it always
felt so fake. It always felt like some Hollywood Studio cast a
bunch of Hollywood actors and tried to make them look tough and
it just felt so false. So I knew I wanted to make the movie in
the most authentic way possible. Not just to make it authentic,
but also to make it emotionally engaging.
And the gritty look
of the film?
Eric: I feel
that an audience can connect emotionally if they believe what
they are seeing is real. So we made a whole plan to make the film
look ugly, to make the images look gritty, because it’s
very easy to mount a camera on a tripod and light a scene, but
then it feels like a thousand other movies you’ve seen.
So we decided to throw that aesthetic out the window and have
no aesthetic at all, we want it to feel almost as if you are watching
a home movie.
One of the things
I liked about the movie was that there is really no resolution
at the end of the film. That’s what made the film feel real
to me, because in real life there are no happy endings, just a
series of happy moments. I liked that.
Eric: Again it’s
typical of a Hollywood film to have you leave the theater on such
an upbeat note, but to be true to this particular story and end
on anything else, but sort of that emotional moment with Junior
(Franky G) running at the end, would have felt false and maybe
insulting to smarter people in the audience.
During our interview I told Franky
G. how I related to his portrayal of Junior Moreno. Every Latino
person pretty much knows someone like Junior. And for a 1st time
performance it’s a stand out. I began to ask Franky G. questions.
 What’s
next for you Franky?
Franky G: I am
now in “The Italian Job”, “Confidence”,
and have “Wonderland” coming up. The story of John
Holmes, I have a good role in that with Val Kilmer who plays John
Holmes. I investigate the Wonderland Murders. Right now I am just
reading scripts and having meetings. Even though I am Latino,
I don’t want to be stereotyped, that’s why I liked
“The Italian Job” “Confidence” and “Wonderland”
because it’s three different roles that showed what I can
do. Hopefully things will work out.
What’s next
for you Eric?
Eric: I am shooting
a film in Brazil,
Franky G.: I’m
in that too (laughs)
Eric: It’s
a crime drama about New York guy in Brazil for the last 17 years
sort of in exile.
Eric, after watching
‘Manito’ I think you are a director we should look
out for.
Eric: I appreciate
that. Hopefully people will come out and see the movie on June
13th. With audiences today, I myself would go see an amazing movie
downtown someplace and I’d be sitting by myself in the theater.
Audiences are becoming less and less ready to watch something
like this (Manito)
I agree audiences
are being programmed to look out for the next big movie, then
the next big movie after that, repeat cycle. Are you two ready
for success?
Franky G: It
doesn’t bother me as much. It’s how you carry yourself
I guess. My girl and my family keep me grounded. I am just myself
and handle it as best as I can. Just don’t get into trouble.
 Eric:
It’s little different for me I mean he’s the face
man. (They both laugh)
Eric: I don’t
think the movies I make will ever put me in the spotlight. I’ll
always be on the margin.
But you’ll be
well respected.
Eric: Yeah, I’m
just interested in making movies.
Franky G: Exactly,
I respect people like Robert Dinero who keeps a low profile and
does his thing. I’m not looking to be in the press, I am
looking to do good movies. That’s how I look at it.
Franky, has anyone
given you the Vin Diesel comparison yet?
Franky G.: (Laughs)
Yes, I respect him, I respect the guy, he did his thing, but we
do two totally different things. People look at the muscles, but
I am more than that. He does the action stuff, and I would like
to do the action stuff too. But I want more. I want longevity,
I don’t want to be stereotyped as just the “Action
Hero” I like to do other things and show what I can do.
But he (Vin) did his thing.
And now Mr. Franky G. is doing his thing.
Manito opens June
13th in NY and LA and will expand on later dates.
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