INTERVIEW: A talk with Ian Niles, a filmmaker who wears many hats
Photo: Melanie Chandra and Ian Niles star in Lie Hard. Photo courtesy of Mutiny Pictures / Provided by Foundry Communications with permission.
Ian Niles does a little bit of everything when it comes to his new cinematic comedy, Lie Hard, arriving on VOD and digital platforms Tuesday, Aug. 16. The film was co-written by Niles (and his creative partner Harrison Feuer), directed by Niles and stars Niles as Rob Smart, a compulsive liar who borrows millions of dollars from a crime boss to purchase a mansion he has no business owning, according to press notes. Co-starring in the comedy are Melanie Chandra of Hot Mess Holiday, Patrick Kilpatrick of Black Water and Catherine Curtin of Stranger Things.
Bringing Lie Hard to audiences has been a DIY affair for Niles and company. The script was written in 2019, and the production wrapped right before the world hit the pause button with the pandemic. How the script came to be is a story in itself.
“The whole thing is that this guy buys this mansion to impress his girlfriend, and he borrows all this money from the mob,” Niles said in a recent phone interview. “So we were editing this Lifetime movie, and Harrison, who is my creative partner, just happened to be there for the edit. And he thought the idea of a Lifetime movie was so funny, and he had this true story about his grandparents buying a house where there was money hidden in the walls. So he made this combination script making fun of my Lifetime [movie] and his story, and he pitched it to me. I was like, ‘Dude, there’s no way I’m making this movie. This is the silliest thing I’ve ever heard.’ And he kept poking me and poking me, and I’m like, ‘Fine, I’ll make this movie if you can find a mansion.’ And I never thought in a million years he’d be able to find a mansion to film it, and five hours later, he’s like, ‘Hey, Ian, I got us a mansion.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, I guess I’m making this movie,’ but then the movie that we actually made is way different than that first Lifetime pitch he gave me because it’s nothing close to a Lifetime movie.”
During the pre-production phase, Niles was never planning on playing the lead character. He actually named the role Rob after a well-known comedic actor he was hoping would take the part, but then he realized that getting a big name meant big money. This needed to be a low-budget indie movie, otherwise it may not see the light of day.
“So we had about 30 shoot days over six months, and that’s why the production value looks insane because I was able to do a lot of work myself and take the time to get high-quality locations without spending a lot of money to do it in a quick burst,” he said. “I was the location scout, so there were times when we would go weeks without shooting because I was trying to secure the next location. … I would say a majority of it was shot in Long Island and then also the city [New York City].”
Originally the movie was called The Dream House, and the comedy bits were found in this guy buying a mansion only to destroy it trying to find hidden money within its walls. But Niles realized that premise was not what made the movie funny.
“It’s not this house; it’s that this guy is on fire, and he’s just lying about everything just so his girlfriend won’t leave him,” the filmmaker said. “Once we changed the title to Lie Hard, then we were like, oh, that’s key. So we went in, and we re-edited it to really make sure that worked.”
The ensemble surrounding Niles is impressive, including both up-and-coming names and established characters actors. Getting Curtin was a real coup; she and the rest of the cast of Stranger Things are the talk of the summer around the streaming water-cooler.
“I won the lottery with my cast,” Niles said. “I didn’t deserve any of them. Adam Lindo, who is one of my really good friends, he was in Orange Is the New Black, and he was like, ‘Hey, let me send it to some of these people that I’ve worked with. Maybe they’ll be interested.’ And the thing is, a lot of them read the script and were like, ‘Oh wow, this is really funny. I’d love to be a part of it.'”
Now audiences have a chance to see their collective work. Lie Hard premieres on VOD and digital platforms Tuesday, Aug. 16.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Lie Hard, co-written, directed and starring Ian Niles, is released on VOD and digital platforms Tuesday, Aug. 16. Click here for more information.
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