9-Ball

The project began the way many of my films do: with a video assignment and the search for a visual gimmick. Thinking back to subjects I had enjoyed, I remembered watching pool and snooker highlights in high school. Players such as Ronnie O’Sullivan, Efren Reyes, and Earl Strickland consistently captured my attention and showed up on my age-restricted school YouTube feed. Combined with the final Russian roulette scene from Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter, I found my visual device: a high-stakes duel over billiards.

My initial pitch focused on two apprentices facing off years after their teacher’s death. My instructor automatically retorted with, "You're pitching a feature.” Back to the drawing board. A few weeks later, my grandfather passed away. One of the hardest-working people I’ve ever known, he continued volunteering and tending a 400-plant rose garden long after retirement. This made me think to explore a question from the perspective of old age: when is it time to let go of the ambitions and passions that have defined your life?

To tell that story, I reunited with Jerome R. Marzullo, whose performance, along with those of Channing Scott and Georges Tawil, both brought depth and nuance that elevated the film as well as provided me with one of the most educational experiences as a director. The project ultimately spanned roughly eighteen months, with 5000 Years Carom Billiards and Studio 63 serving as key locations. Their owners, employees, and players generously helped us capture the world of the game authentically.

While it was by far the most difficult project I've ever completed, with hurdles at nearly every single point of the process, I'm proud of the end product. I literally could not have done it without my surrounding crew, actors, and support system. Their tenacity and willingness to approach whatever constant random challenges popped up were what the film was built on.