Everybody has aWillie Nelsonstory, including Willie Nelson himself.
So, we just went with it.
This is not a straight story that unfolds easily.
‘Willie Nelson & Family’Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Timothy D. Easley
That chaos is very different in a production when youre dealing with Willie Nelsons life.
The Willie magic really is an impossible task to define or categorize him.
MOVERMAN:Thats the magic.
(L-R) Thom Zimny and Oren MovermanCourtesy of Sundance Institute
You live one day at a time.
You embrace the present.
You see the joy and the tragedy.
Youd rather have the joy, but you deal with the tragedy.
Hes gone through so much in almost 90 years of life.
That special magic in his pocket is just his ability to not only survive but inspire.
Why did you choose to go that direction with this project?
We didnt want to just check boxes in the film.
Was that a factor in the decision to go to a TV series?
MOVERMAN:Not really
DEADLINE:No?
MOVERMAN:Honestly, we really treated it as one film.
So, we just went with it.
To be honest, we didnt know if it was going to be five hours or four hours.
We knew it was going to be long.
DEADLINE:Was that part of your own learning curve as a first-time documentarian?
On our end it didnt come from some kind of calculated marketing or sales approach.
It really came from the idea…because were not worried if anybodys interested in Willie or not.
We knew people are interested.
Really honoring what the story was asking us to do with it.
Lot of challenges there…
ZIMNY:For sure.
ZIMNY:Because for the first time he wasnt on the road.
For the first time he could sit down and reflect.
Now, I know Willie Nelsons fanbase is pretty broad, but so are your backgrounds.
So how did you come to co-direct this series together?
Weve been talking about making a film together or more over the years.
MOVERMAN:The third mind.
DEADLINE:Pardon me?
MOVERMAN:This idea that when you put two minds together its not two minds together.
Its actually a creation of a third mind.
Maybe thats part of the magic of Willie as well.
Once youre in it, the language is so clear.
The positivity is so apparent.
We talked about his story and the themes and all these things way in advance.
There wasnt a lot of second-guessing.
Up to the very last part of the mix or color correct, were still in that zone.
So that kind of conversation.
He doesnt have any structure.
His life is what it is in the movie, in the series.
Its in the moment and it just goes.
We were going to call them witnesses to ourselves.
What were those witnesses?
Where were they going to live?
Then everyone whos family with Willie would be in real environments.
DEADLINE:And every time, Willie nailed it.
ZIMNY:Thats a moment that we literally were talking about today.
Its an important moment for us because its placement at the end of the film…
DEADLINE:I dont mean any disrespect by saying that.
It was just so strong, and so telling.
ZIMNY:Not at all.
We didnt want that because the reality of it is, is that we never fade out on picture.
Willies still creating is my point.
Willie is still actively pursuing his musical ideas.
And also just him looking directly into camera and saying this is serious.
MOVERMAN:We really believe that theres something quite healing and inspiring about this movie.
Willies a very spiritual guy, however you sort of read him or look into his story.
I think that it will be, in a way, a nice break from the madness of Sundance.
DEADLINE:How do you mean?
MOVERMAN:It will just allow people to sit there and just get into the vibe.
Maybe there are substances to be brought in and maybe there arent.
But just really sit there and just kind of hopefully be absorbed into Willie world.
I think that kind of…because theres so little cynicism.
Theres a vibe to it that sometimes could be a little funny.
Theres so little cynicism to it.
