Filmmakers, producers, actors, mega influencers and many more gathered this past weekend to kick off the annual New York Film Festival. The highly anticipated documentary Hamilton’s America, which follows Lin-Manuel Miranda’s creative journey that led to the creation of Hamilton the musical, premiered at the festival and we got the chance to chat with Lin-Manuel, the cast and creative team. They talked about the process of filming the documentary and the importance of the film.
Tell me a little bit about why you decided to start filming the show and Lin?
Alex Horwitz: I decided to start filming it because Lin played a demo for me of the first song that he had written and I just thought it was the coolest thing. It wasn’t a show yet, he was just writing songs and I said, “Look, I think what you’re doing with history is amazing whether it’s a show or an album, I don’t care, just let me start rolling on it.” Then the show just got bigger and bigger and the film got bigger and bigger.
Which song did he play for you? The one he performed at the White House?
Alex Horwitz: Yes, the first song, “Alexander Hamilton.”
How do you know him initially?
Alex Horwitz: We went to college together so I met him late freshman year at Wesleyan University. We were housemates in senior year so I’ve been around.
Have you always been impressed by him? Has his genius always been evident?
Alex Horwitz: Certainly his talent has always been evident. If everyone starts throwing around the word genius about your friend it’s like I am in no position to disagree but I’ve seen him at 7 O’clock in the morning when he’s, at senior year, when he’s not at his best so yeah sure he’s a genius. Yeah, absolutely, I’ve known.
Obviously I see that you get to interview presidents and so many amazing people on the list, what was that like for you as a filmmaker?
Alex Horwitz: It’s a rare gift, I don’t expect it to be that good ever again. That’s us taking advantage of the fact that the show is beloved by everyone so we just used that to our advantage and called everyone we wanted and they all said yes. I owe that to Lin in the success of the show. You don’t usually get everyone returning your calls like that.
Are you originally a filmmaker?
Alex Horwitz: I’m mostly an editor by trade, I’ve been editing mostly for the last seven years or so mostly documentaries. I’ve worked a lot with Joe Berlinger, acclaimed documentarian but I also made a short horror film a few years back so yeah my principle interest these days is in writing and directing but also I’m an editor.
What was the most exciting moment for you in the filming process?
Alex Horwitz: It’s probably the obvious answer but filming in the White House in the West Wing with President Obama is pretty great. Lin and I are big West Wing nerds going way back so to be in that room with Lin, we are just looking around like oh my God, it’s like we are on the show man. That was amazing.
Can you speak a little bit about the cultural impact of the show and just being there and seeing every moment of it?
Alex Horwitz: Where do you start with that? We’ve seen shows be hits before and we’ve seen shows make their mark on pop culture. Lin’s show has changed musical theater obviously but it changed popular music in America because the album was top of the charts. It changed political discourse in America. We had a major party’s candidate quoting the show, it changed educational curriculum. It just doesn’t seem to end the reach of this wonderful piece of work.
How do you edit, since you’ve been filming since the beginning. You are an editor but how do you go through everything? How do you choose those moments? Was Lin involved?
Alex Horwitz: Lin was an executive producer in the film, he was around but we knew from the beginning that Alexander Hamilton’s life was the backbone of the film. If we just told that story and have Lin and the cast of the show chiming in to just keep that narrative going, that would be the main through line. We filmed about 100 hours but we had to cut a lot of that out. The film’s 81 minutes and we’ve filmed 100 hours so a lot got cut out.
You’re one of the producers of Hamilton, that must be a crazy fun ride. Can you reflect on it?
Jeffrey Seller: I’ve produced many beautiful shows. Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights. Hamilton is a miracle, it’s a gift. My job is to honor it every step of the way.
Speak about the decision to have filmmakers come in, and what that was like.
Jeffrey Seller: Alex Horowitz is a wonderful filmmaker. He’s a college buddy of Lin’s. He had the unique idea that won me over, in which he wanted to follow Lin’s spiritual, soulful, intellectual search for Alexander Hamilton. What happens when one young man-artist wants to research and discover the essence of another man? In this case, Alexander Hamilton, an American hero. By going on that journey, he makes a documentary about a Broadway musical that is different than any documentary that has been made here to fall.
I’m excited to see it. Speak about having the Presidents participate. That’s pretty massive.
Jeffrey Seller: I think that one of the things this documentary manifests, is the ways in which it honors Lin as an artist. It honors Alexander Hamilton as an American hero. The ways in which it honors our musical, and the ways in which it honors our democracy in that this musical is that unique work of art that brings together Democrats, Republicans, and all Americans who find their own sense of patriotism enlivened, enriched, and invigorated by Hamilton, an American musical.
Now Hamilton is going to be everywhere. Can you tell us, as a producer, what that process has been like to bring it to Chicago and other places?
Jeffrey Seller: Our Chicago company is now performing, I think, their 5th show tonight to 1900 euphoric audience members in Chicago. What is so gratifying is to see that effect on people in Chicago is every bit as powerful as it’s effect on people in New York. The same I’m sure will be true when we go to San Francisco in March. The same will be true, I’m sure. I hope but I don’t know, when we go to London next year.
I’m sure it will. I’m sure Hamilton has been keeping you quite busy, but do you have some other things in the works that you’re working on?
Jeffrey Seller: No doubt. I like to think that my own producing career is a 4 stove top. I always like to have a 4 oven. Yes, I like to always make sure I have 3 more pots simmering on the other burners. Indeed, I do. Those projects will come to life when the time is right.
Can you speak about why it was important to have a documentary made about Hamilton, and what it was like participating?
Renée Elise Goldsberry: I think people love this work so much. They’ve been inspired to read the book, and to study history, and to look up other musicals that they love. Anytime people have a desire for something, it really is the right thing to do to give them access. There are a lot of really beautiful people that were a part of the creation of Hamilton, and a lot of really smart things that happened, and a lot of things that have nothing to do with us, that just happened because of God’s grace. I think those things happen and you have to be responsible with them, which means you have to share it. I’m grateful that they made this documentary. I’m really excited to see what the film’s eye sees, having been somewhere.
How was it collaborating with your college friend on this doc? Why was it important to have a documentary?
Lin-Manuel Miranda: We actually met in college when we were both trying to be film majors. He succeeded. I failed and went into theater instead. There’s very few people I trust more with my life. That’s what he had in his hands. I mean, he’s there filming me writing songs. He’s there filming me moving into my apartment. He gets these intimate moments. Then he also just made a great movie and got access to a who’s who of the world to weigh in on Hamilton and the journey.
Speak about PBS and why that was an important partner with you guys.
Lin-Manuel Miranda: Oh, it’s the most important part. The thing I’m proudest of with this whole experience has been the educational initiative that we’ve done. We got 20,000 students seeing the show on Broadway every year. That will multiply once we implement that program with our touring companies. Every social studies teacher is going to press record on their DVR on October 21st, and that’s another part of the teaching tool that they’re going to use with their kids. I’m proud of that.
