Walden Woods is no stranger to directing phenomenal content for the various ASGmax brands, but he truly shines when he’s at the helm of the Next Door, Disruptive, or ASG “Films” brands. These story-heavy projects lean on the actors and crew to bring a different depth to the performances, and Woods has a knack for finding the best in the cast for each project.
His latest project “Hall Pass” marks the second multi-part Feature project for Woods, and we wanted to ask him a few questions about what it’s like to tackle a project of this magnitude.
You’d been away from the Next Door and ASG “Films” brands for a while. How did it feel to come back to this story-heavy, big production content?
It was great to dive right back into the thick of it all. My favorite part of directing has and will always be developing the characters and bringing to life what had been scripted. It’s incredible to see the models add their own unique spin to every line. It hadn’t hit me that I was away from it all for a bit, then halfway through script read I remember actively saying “I fucking missed this!”
Hall Pass is your second big feature as solo director on ASGmax. How did it feel to be at the helm of a big multi-part concept? How does this project differ from a one-off?
I don’t allow myself to think in terms of how big a scene is or the scale of it all, for me I have learned that’s when the nerves start to hit. I tackle each and every scene as if it were a standalone piece. It’s not till later on do I start to put the puzzle pieces together and see the bigger picture. That’s when I am able to go back and play with the scene a bit and add some extra pieces of flare.
Tell us about your experience working with this cast and crew?
I know this crew like the back of my hand so we hit the ground running. We all kinda grew up together in this industry; I mean I had been working with Big Mike since he was 18. It all felt very natural and really exciting to have the band back together again. We all work best in that creative environment when we can bounce ideas off each other and see what sticks. It’s such a collaborative effort. I love working with them all. Conrad and I have learned over the years how to read each other’s faces so I often look for his honest feedback; his intuition is always spot on.
Writer Micah Martinez was on set for this shoot. Was it a different experience having the writer so close on set for a film?
I think it must be hard to be the writer on a set for a film that they aren’t directing. Maybe you see something that you think to yourself you would have done differently, or a character acts in a way you wouldn’t necessarily write for them. For Micah, it seemed to be very easy for him. He was a fountain of resources and I was able to ask and check in with him to make sure that’s what he had in mind. Micah and I know each other from the Free Speech Coalition Board and have gotten along well for years. It was great to work so closely with such a great friend and team mate.
Do you have any funny memories from on set shooting this one?
This scene toyed with the idea that Derek is a bottom-virgin so when we would yell cut we all were in hysterics “pretending” he had never gotten it up the ass before. We were dying.
If you don’t know this about Kyle, he’s terrible at jokes but great….and I mean great with dad jokes. I spend most of my shoot days laughing my ass off with him.
What do you think ASG fans will like about this feature? What makes it special?
I think there are some real life nuances and situations that a lot of couples, specifically gay, face in their relationships; growth, sharing, sexuality, openness. It was really humanistic and familiar to play with those tropes regarding sexual growth and experiences. I really think people are going to love that.
The vibe during this shoot was super special and built on just everyone genuinely liking each other and being there to support one another. ASGmax films bond actors and performers, cause we all have to show up and bring our best to the scene.
Give us the big hype about why this project is one to be excited about!
The roster alone on this film is going to hype up our fans and get everyone very excited to see what we put together. There is such a sweetness to this film that I really love, and I can’t wait for the world to see it. It’s filmed well, written well, and produced well. Who could ask for anything more…oh yeah and directed perfectly!
“Hall Pass” from ASGmax Films is a 3-part Feature that begins on July 26th and continues through August! Check out this film and the rest of the story-focused on content from ASGmax, Disruptive Films, and Next Door Films on ASGmax.com
another month another boring triology with uncharming cast.