Interview with James Dunnison

Congrats on the Godiva’s gig. Episodic directing is relatively new for you but you’re off to a great start with Robson Arms and now Godiva’s. How did you find your experience working on the show?

I had a blast. The cast kicks butt, and so does the crew. But there’s one thing I haven’t got used to in TV land yet: You get dropped in on the heels of another director, you hit the ground running, and some weeks later you walk off the set as yet another director walks on and the machine continues without you. On Godiva’s in particular I felt like I’d suddenly become part of this big, talented, warm family, and it actually really saddened me to have to walk away as the next director came on. It’s sorta like you get to play in this amazing sandbox. But only for a day.

How much of your doc and feature background did you feel you brought to TV drama directing?

If somebody had told me 5 years ago that I’d direct a documentary one day, I would’ve been completely mystified. It was a thought that had never entered my brain. In fact I’m not even sure how I landed my first doc. It just sort of fell on my lap, and then I think I kept getting offered documentary gigs because – ironically – I’m a dramatic filmmaker to the bone, and so I went out of my way to make those documentaries as full of laughs and emotion and visual playfulness as I could. I like to think I brought some of the same stuff to Godiva’s. But I was also lucky – lucky to get invited onto Godiva’s in the first place and lucky to get two scripts that totally inspired me. It’s juicy, lively writing, with loads of opportunities to explode it out visually.

Some of the cast mentioned that you had done more preparation on their characters than they had (and they were impressed). How does that help you while you’re working?

I think it’s the only way to get through the complexities and chaos of shooting out of order, as we inevitably do. My notes are like a big road map for all of us, me especially. And maybe I go a little overboard on the detail cuz it’s so easy to forget about some important element in the mayhem. I also hate that feeling when you don’t know what the hell you’re doing. My notes for the actors are basic things like motivation and “Here’s where your character was in the last scene we saw you (which we might be shooting three days from now) and here’s where your character will be in the next scene (which we shot maybe a week ago).” They’re part of cheat sheet I make for each scene, with reminders of not just the character stuff but also what I think the scene is really about, what the key moments are, how I see the pace and mood in the big picture, etc.

A director has to do their homework. If you don’t know who the characters are in each and every scene, and what they want from each other, then you can’t direct the actors. And there’s nothing worse than seeing something on TV where the actors are clearly lost in the scene, over-investing in meaningless moments cuz they don’t know what the scene’s about.

What was the most stressful part of the job?

The schedule. Hands down. You’re basically shooting a feature film in a little over two weeks, with barely enough time to breathe, let alone think your way through the inevitable challenges and screw ups that happen on any given day of shooting.

What was the highlight?

I loved the cast, loved working with them, loved those moments when a performance gave me goose bumps – like Kate’s vulnerability in the Kate and Ramir “break up” scene or the scene where Ramir gets slapped by his dad in episode 3, or the Drew and Cordell fight in episode 4. The production team is also a class act. That feeling I mentioned earlier, like you’re part of a very cool family, is something that can only come from the top down -- so big kudos to Michael and Julia and Gigi. Strong leadership.

Given that this is a restaurant show, are you a “foodie”?

If I could never direct, then I'd have to cook for a living.  It's the only other thing I can do.  Or at least it's the only other thing I can do that's of any potential commercial value.  Cooking actually relaxes me.  It's the sensuality or something.  It's all about feel and taste and smell, and it's working with your hands and your senses as opposed to working with your brain.  I live with my 7 year old daughter and it's not uncommon for me to go through 4 or 5 pots and pans throwing together dinner just for the two of us, especially after a long day of directing.  Often I get so into it I don't realize how much of a mess I'm making until I've finished. 

For my birthday this year I splurged and bought myself a serious chef’s knife, the new pride of my kitchen. I now get why chefs value their knives so much. This particular blade is Japanese steel. Very “Kill Bill”. I haven’t slipped with it yet, which is a good thing – cuz it’s the kind of blade that would take your finger off at the bone.

Do you prefer to cook at home or to go out to a restaurant?

Yeah, much as I love to cook, I also love a good meal at a restaurant. I’ve been traveling a lot lately, and every time I hear about an upcoming trip I start salivating. Like a trip to Montreal is all about a smoked meat lean at Schwartz’s and the Mousse de foies de vollailles aux pistaches at l’Express. In Seattle it’s Steak David at 13 Coins, in Paris it’s oysters at La Coupole with the house reisling, in Toronto it’s a visit to Susur and a Panino Cubano at Bar Italia, yatta yatta yatta.

What TV shows are you digging right now?

I tend to like TV that looks a lot like good independent cinema and takes the same kind of risks. I just got into Deadwood (on DVD), which is addictive, especially the hilariously dirty language. The Entourage is great. Like most people I was big fan of The Sopranos and Six Feet Under. I’m a die-hard fan of The Simpsons, which seems to be the only show I could watch the same episode of a hundred times and keep on loving it. And The Larry Sanders Show is my favorite series of all time.

Did you ever wait tables or work in a kitchen while starting out?

No I’ve just bartended. At some tough-ass bar. In some former life. Where I used to say “I’m gonna get out of here some day and direct movies” and people would give me an ironic smirk and say “Yeah sure you are, buddy.”