The Tutor Director Jordan Ross praises star Noah Schnapp (Stranger Things) in this exclusive interview with Mama’s Geeky. The film hits theaters on March 24th.
1. What was it about The Tutor that made you want to take on the project?
The setting, tone and characters immediately make me think of films of a similar genre that I love: Fatal Attraction, Jagged Edge, Body Heat, The Gift, anything/everything Hitchcock. It’s a style that keeps the audience guessing and questioning intentions until the final scenes.
2. Noah Schnapp is perfectly creepy in this. Can you talk about bringing him on and working with him?
Noah is wise and talented beyond his years – a consummate pro. I had to constantly remind myself while filming that he was only a senior in high school yet able to dig deep into dramatic performance take after take. He is very open to direction, easy to work with and brings a ton of wonderful ideas to set.
3. I love the thriller elements that are weaved into the film. How did you use the set, score, etc. to take that to a new level?
The score is an important element and a character on its own. In this film music is used to drive mood. Myself and composer, Alexander Bornstein, were methodical in giving scenes either an elevated feel with classical ensembles, to enhance the richness of this world, or tense compositions to create unease.
The sets had to feel grand – since Ethan is entering a world of opulence and wealth – and we filmed in primarily practical locations (Birmingham, Alabama for New York City). So being diligent about selecting houses to represent this world properly was important. Once at these homes we leaned into what was readily available to enhance the world; ie finding a garage that contained 50+ vintage motorcycles is just one example.
4. There is a quite a big twist at the end of the movie. Was it challenging to keep it a surprise throughout the movie so it would shock audiences?
We filmed our last Act first. So that was challenging however ultimately brought the cast together quickly on an emotional level. The trick was to then work at establishing sincerity; you have to feel that Ethan (Garrett Hedlund) and Annie (Victoria Justice) are in love and on solid ground so that any fractures that appear in their relationship seem motivated by Jackson’s (Noah Schnapp) presence.
5. Since this is such a dark subject matter, how did you keep things light on set?
A few actors stayed in character on set – which provided little room for levity once cameras were off. And we filmed our most dramatic material first. For example, Jonny Weston (Gavin) and Garrett Hedlund (Ethan) were living in the same house yet seldom interacted in order to maintain that level of inherent hostility that their characters have for one another throughout the film.
As production progressed, and we moved to lighter material, the mood on set became lighthearted and fun.
6. Was there any room for improv by the cast or did they mostly stick to the script?
I am proponent of actors bringing their own ideas to set/rehearsal and encourage collaboration to enhance a scene; even if that means deviating from what is written on the page. Garrett Hedlund is a true artist — he came to location a month prior to filming, by choice, and immersed himself in his role as THE TUTOR. We would discuss his role daily so by the time it came to shoot we were discussing details in performance or nuanced moments instead of character.
7. Any fun stories from the set? Or your favorite memory from filming?
Something novel: a few of us (cast, crew) lived in Jackson’s House that appears in the final act of the film. It provided the environment for a great bonding experience and gave me the opportunity to shot list scenes at any hour.
NEXT: The Tutor Review: Noah Schnapp Embraces His Creepy Side
About The Tutor
An in-demand tutor for the East Coast monied elite, Ethan (Garrett Hedlund) lands a high-paying assignment to instruct a billionaire’s son, Jackson (Noah Schnapp), at a remote New York waterfront estate. Almost immediately, Ethan realizes that his student’s interest in his life borders upon obsession.
As tension grows, Jackson’s accusations threaten to expose Ethan’s perceived dark secrets to his girlfriend (Victoria Justice) and the authorities. As sentiment turns against Ethan, it is up to him, and only him, to unearth Jackson’s accusations and prove his innocence.
