Q&A With Directors of ‘It’s Kind of a Funny Story’

Based on the Ned Vizzini novel, It’s Kind of a Funny Story tells the story of a 16-year-old (played by Keir Gilchrist) who checks into the psychiatric ward at a local hospital when he believes he is in danger of committing suicide. During his week-long stay he befriends fellow patients Bobby (Zach Galifianakis) and Noelle (Emma Roberts) and is reminded of everything he has to live for, while in turn helping them deal with their own issues.

Writing-directing team Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson, Sugar) were careful not to mock people who suffer with mental health issues, while crafting a wonderful, light-hearted comedy-drama that delivers a lot of laughs and emotion.

CityNews.ca spoke with Boden and Fleck about the film during the Toronto International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere. Read our Q&A below.

Brian McKechnie: How were you introduced to Ned Vizzini’s novel?

Anna Boden: Kevin Misher, one of our producers, gave us the book. We read it and immediately were drawn in by the tone and the voice of the lead character.

BM: Could you see it as a movie while you were reading it?

Ryan Fleck: Yeah, it seemed pretty clear how we were going to make the movie in the way that it was structured.

BM: Did you have actors in mind as you were reading the book or writing the script?

Ryan Fleck: Not really. That sort of all came later. We wrote the script with a blank slate and our casting director fleshed out a lot of the supporting roles in a really wonderful way. Kier, Emma, Zack, and Viola Davis all did exceptional work.

BM: Were you ever concerned with offending people who might suffer with mental health issues?

Ryan Fleck: The book, even though it is fiction, is semi-autobiographical based on an experience Ned Vizzini had in a mental hospital. I think he really balanced the tone really nicely and respectfully and we had that as a guide.

BM: Has Ned seen the film?

Ryan Fleck: Thankfully, he’s been our biggest fan. It’s not a direct interpretation of the novel. We did change quite a few things and you never know how that can go.

Anna Boden: We really wanted to retain the spirit of it. It really is his story and it means a lot to us to have him excited about what we did with it.

BM: How do you guys divide the directing duties?

Ryan Fleck: We work close throughout every stage. The writing and preparation for the shooting is where we really get on the same page and hash out all our arguments and make sure the story we’re telling is as strong as possible. That way when we’re on set it doesn’t feel like a stressful environment for the actors to be in. And when we’re finished and back in the editing room, it’s just the two of us again and we can have those more heated debates again.

BM: How did you get involved with Toronto band Broken Social Scene, who did the score for the film?

Anna Boden: They’re like our favourite band. Our first movie, Half Nelson, we used a lot of their music, so that’s when we met them. And when we got halfway through editing It’s Kind of a Funny Story we realized it was not going to have a traditional score and they would be awesome for it. We gave them a call and asked them what they thought and they agreed to do some composition for it. We got to work with them in a totally different capacity because this was the first time they were composing for a film for us.

BM: What do you hope the audience gets out of the film?

Ryan Fleck: I hope they have a good time and are not intimidated by what appears on the surface to be serious subject matter.

It’s Kind of a Funny Story is now in theatres.

brian.mckechnie@citynews.rogers.com

Top image: A scene from It’s Kind of a Funny Story. Courtesy Alliance Films.