Joel Kim Booster

I was like, I'm going to write like a gay Pride and Prejudice set on Fire Island. And they were like throwing shit at me like boo. Like, no, that's a dumb idea. And I every year we would go every summer we would go. I would read a different Jane Austen book.

It was like my like tradition and like I just like it got in my head more and more and it was like I'm gonna do this eventually and so it was sort of a dare like my friends were like okay to do it and I wrote like a 30-minute pilot spec script that was loosely the same story that would end up in the movie and it was just like you know it was gonna be seven episodes and every episode would be a day on the island and

It was like my like tradition and like I just like it got in my head more and more and it was like I'm gonna do this eventually and so it was sort of a dare like my friends were like okay to do it and I wrote like a 30-minute pilot spec script that was loosely the same story that would end up in the movie and it was just like you know it was gonna be seven episodes and every episode would be a day on the island and

And I took that out and no one wanted to buy it. No one was interested. Again, we were talking before we got on mic a little bit about people being like, this is a little niche. And it's like, okay, I know what you really want to say. And it's a slur. Yeah. But then, you know, I met with Quibi.

And I took that out and no one wanted to buy it. No one was interested. Again, we were talking before we got on mic a little bit about people being like, this is a little niche. And it's like, okay, I know what you really want to say. And it's a slur. Yeah. But then, you know, I met with Quibi.

r.i.p quibi and say what you will about quibi they were taking some big swings and i was one of those swings and they were like actually though can you make this into like a movie that we can then cut down into 10 quick bites and so i developed it there at quibi got the green light there and we're supposed to start shooting summer of 2020.

r.i.p quibi and say what you will about quibi they were taking some big swings and i was one of those swings and they were like actually though can you make this into like a movie that we can then cut down into 10 quick bites and so i developed it there at quibi got the green light there and we're supposed to start shooting summer of 2020.

and yeah and we were like in pre-pro we were like trying and there was like a moment before we really knew what deep shit we were in as a country um like we were like maybe we shoot it in north carolina and like shoot it like cheat it for fire island like you know go to one place where that's open and like it quickly became apparent that it was just not gonna happen and then quibi shut down in december and we were like well shit

and yeah and we were like in pre-pro we were like trying and there was like a moment before we really knew what deep shit we were in as a country um like we were like maybe we shoot it in north carolina and like shoot it like cheat it for fire island like you know go to one place where that's open and like it quickly became apparent that it was just not gonna happen and then quibi shut down in december and we were like well shit

um but they were very kind they gave us the script back right away like they reverted the rights back to me oh that's really nice because they were like we believe in this and we want it to happen if it's not going to happen here and so um we took it out and searchlight was pretty quick to like scoop it up and and um and i really didn't have to make i didn't make that many changes from quibi to searchlight it was like a pretty completed package already um

um but they were very kind they gave us the script back right away like they reverted the rights back to me oh that's really nice because they were like we believe in this and we want it to happen if it's not going to happen here and so um we took it out and searchlight was pretty quick to like scoop it up and and um and i really didn't have to make i didn't make that many changes from quibi to searchlight it was like a pretty completed package already um

And of course, like little like edits here and there as we started to cast and like, you know, originally Margaret Cho's character was like an older gay man. I love Margaret here. It was like, I think I can say this. It was supposed to be Alan Cumming, but then he had to drop because he had to shoot something in Scotland. Damn. We realize now.

And of course, like little like edits here and there as we started to cast and like, you know, originally Margaret Cho's character was like an older gay man. I love Margaret here. It was like, I think I can say this. It was supposed to be Alan Cumming, but then he had to drop because he had to shoot something in Scotland. Damn. We realize now.

was traitors and I was like oh it all worked out exactly as it was supposed to work out because it was like Alan would have been amazing but like Margaret was made it so much her own and we like it was so funny she reached out to um Andrew and I and our people and the studio and her reps were like she would love to be a cameo in this movie she would like you know this was right after it was announced with me and Bowen starring she was like she would love to and we and we just found out we needed to replace this part and we were like oh like

was traitors and I was like oh it all worked out exactly as it was supposed to work out because it was like Alan would have been amazing but like Margaret was made it so much her own and we like it was so funny she reached out to um Andrew and I and our people and the studio and her reps were like she would love to be a cameo in this movie she would like you know this was right after it was announced with me and Bowen starring she was like she would love to and we and we just found out we needed to replace this part and we were like oh like

this could be really easily rewritten. I wouldn't have to change that much at all to make this fit Margaret. And so we met with her and like rewrote, you know, the part to fit her. And, um, yeah. And we did that with a lot of the people that we cast.

this could be really easily rewritten. I wouldn't have to change that much at all to make this fit Margaret. And so we met with her and like rewrote, you know, the part to fit her. And, um, yeah. And we did that with a lot of the people that we cast.

Like once we, once we had like certain people on board, like, um, you know, we rewrote a lot of it for them to be specific and it was a really wonderful process. And, um, a really quick process, which is not normal because they needed to thank God for Bowen being the busiest man in Hollywood. I have to say, because that made it so like, they were like, we got to rush this through.

Like once we, once we had like certain people on board, like, um, you know, we rewrote a lot of it for them to be specific and it was a really wonderful process. And, um, a really quick process, which is not normal because they needed to thank God for Bowen being the busiest man in Hollywood. I have to say, because that made it so like, they were like, we got to rush this through.

We got to get this shot before Bowen goes back to SNL. Yeah. And so I'm very lucky in that regard. The best thing, experience filming in my life, like just getting to make something with my best friends. Yeah. And like all of these wonderful people, very like low budget. So we were like making a lot of concessions. Like, let me tell you, that rain scene.