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CNN Live Today

Talk With James Foley, Ed Burns

Aired January 22, 2003 - 10:44   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm pleased to be joined right now by actor, writer, director Edward Burns and James Foley, director of the movie "Confidence." Thanks very much for being with us.

Your movie "Confidence," it already has a distributor, so it's already going to be seen in theaters. I think it comes out in April. Why bring it to Sundance? Why show it here?

JAMES FOLEY: Well, it's sort of the way to have the first public screening, a premiere, if you will, in an environment where the movie, I think, would be, frankly, most well appreciated. It is a small independent film. Even though it has a distributor it still needs to build up awareness, because you don't have the benefit of the $40 million ad campaign when it opens. So it's a way to kick start it.

COOPER: And Sundance can create buzz for a film?

ED BURNS, ACTOR: Oh, yes, first you have so many people coming here, just cinophiles of film fans that appreciate a movie like this. Another thing is, so many people in our business comes. Once that heat is generated within our business it can grow from there.

COOPER: By Sundance standards, your film is a big film. Big stars, your big stars, Dustin Hoffman is in it, Andy Garcia.

FOLEY: No, it's funny, because in a certain way, when we're in Hollywood, it's a small film, independent thing that trying to get some attention. But here, because it has movie stars in it, Eddie and Dustin, Andy Garcia, then it's treated like a big, fat Hollywood production. Maybe resented a little bit, I don't know.

COOPER: You really got your start, some might say, in Sundance, 1995, your film "Brothers McCullen" won the grand jury prize here, and you were basically sort of unknown overnight almost, became a star. What does Sundance mean to you?

BURNS: I mean, Sundance -- I mean, the theater right down there, The Egyptian, is the place where my life changed in an hour and a half during the first screening of that film. So just walking down the street, you're filled with memories of such a different time. There's a $25,000 film, you're unknown, you have no career. You come back eight years later, with James Foley, Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia. It's actually been at times a little surreal when you think about what's happened in those eight years.

COOPER: Does that still happen here, a young filmmaker can come to Sundance and find their life changed overnight?

BURNS: I met a guy yesterday, he just sold his film "The Cooler." I forget the filmmakers name. But you know, another million and a half dollar movie came here, sold it, has distribution, and he's on his way.

COOPER: Amazing. Your film opens up -- briefly, what is it about?

FOLEY: About a bunch of con men who are on the move, and takes place in L.A., and Eddie is the head of the gang.

COOPER: A con man in L.A.? I'm shocked.

FOLEY: Not involved in the movie business, though, and he meets up with Rachel Weiss and a lot of interesting things ensue, a lot of twists and turns.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: All right. And that theater that you're seeing, The Egyptian, that's where Edward Burns got his start in 1995. That's the dream here, someone will see their movie, buy it, and their life will change overnight.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired January 22, 2003 - 10:44   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm pleased to be joined right now by actor, writer, director Edward Burns and James Foley, director of the movie "Confidence." Thanks very much for being with us.

Your movie "Confidence," it already has a distributor, so it's already going to be seen in theaters. I think it comes out in April. Why bring it to Sundance? Why show it here?

JAMES FOLEY: Well, it's sort of the way to have the first public screening, a premiere, if you will, in an environment where the movie, I think, would be, frankly, most well appreciated. It is a small independent film. Even though it has a distributor it still needs to build up awareness, because you don't have the benefit of the $40 million ad campaign when it opens. So it's a way to kick start it.

COOPER: And Sundance can create buzz for a film?

ED BURNS, ACTOR: Oh, yes, first you have so many people coming here, just cinophiles of film fans that appreciate a movie like this. Another thing is, so many people in our business comes. Once that heat is generated within our business it can grow from there.

COOPER: By Sundance standards, your film is a big film. Big stars, your big stars, Dustin Hoffman is in it, Andy Garcia.

FOLEY: No, it's funny, because in a certain way, when we're in Hollywood, it's a small film, independent thing that trying to get some attention. But here, because it has movie stars in it, Eddie and Dustin, Andy Garcia, then it's treated like a big, fat Hollywood production. Maybe resented a little bit, I don't know.

COOPER: You really got your start, some might say, in Sundance, 1995, your film "Brothers McCullen" won the grand jury prize here, and you were basically sort of unknown overnight almost, became a star. What does Sundance mean to you?

BURNS: I mean, Sundance -- I mean, the theater right down there, The Egyptian, is the place where my life changed in an hour and a half during the first screening of that film. So just walking down the street, you're filled with memories of such a different time. There's a $25,000 film, you're unknown, you have no career. You come back eight years later, with James Foley, Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia. It's actually been at times a little surreal when you think about what's happened in those eight years.

COOPER: Does that still happen here, a young filmmaker can come to Sundance and find their life changed overnight?

BURNS: I met a guy yesterday, he just sold his film "The Cooler." I forget the filmmakers name. But you know, another million and a half dollar movie came here, sold it, has distribution, and he's on his way.

COOPER: Amazing. Your film opens up -- briefly, what is it about?

FOLEY: About a bunch of con men who are on the move, and takes place in L.A., and Eddie is the head of the gang.

COOPER: A con man in L.A.? I'm shocked.

FOLEY: Not involved in the movie business, though, and he meets up with Rachel Weiss and a lot of interesting things ensue, a lot of twists and turns.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: All right. And that theater that you're seeing, The Egyptian, that's where Edward Burns got his start in 1995. That's the dream here, someone will see their movie, buy it, and their life will change overnight.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com