Tom DeNucci directed the film called The Collective, which will be on Digital and On Demand on August 4, 2023.
This film focuses on a group of assassins called The Collective, whose mission is to target untouchable billionaires who feel the laws don’t apply to them. In an attempt to end a sophisticated human trafficking ring, characters Sam Alexander and Hugo, played by Lucas Till and Tyrese Gibson, must complete the mission with their backs against the wall. The Collective offers fan an enticing storyline that focuses strictly on the mission at hand and isn’t distracted by many subplots, allowing for an action-packed movie.
In addition to Till and Gibson, the film stars Rubi Rose, Don Johnson, Paul Ben-Victor, and Mercedes Tornado. The dynamic between each character adds to the overall story and showcases their talents, creating a space that keeps the audience engaged and invested in the plot. The Knockturnal spoke with DeNucci about the film and what he feels fans will enjoy about it. He also discussed what it was like working with the cast and his creative process while filming on a short schedule.
The Knockturnal: Tell me a little bit about the film and what do you hope fans and viewers will take away from it?
Tom DeNucci: This film is all about a secret group of assassins called The Collective. They target evil billionaires that are above the law. The Collective provides a unique brand of justice. They’re the judge, jury and executioner. I think viewers will find that the story doesn’t get bogged down or convoluted with too many extraneous sub plots. We stay focused on the mission and there’s truly never a dull moment.
The Knockturnal: What was your creative process like for this film? How long did the overall process take?
Tom DeNucci: Producer Richard Switzer sent me the script just a few months before we began principle photography, so the second I read it – it was on. I have a very methodical prep process and really try to map out every single shot long before I step foot on set. I knew I had to be on point because we filmed the entire movie in 15 shooting days. There was no time to be thinking on set. All the thinking had to be done in prep, so that once we got to set, it was all about executing the plan.
The Knockturnal: What was the hardest artistic choice you made in the making of this film, at any stage in production?
Tom DeNucci: The biggest challenge was just capturing all this complex stunt work in such a short shooting schedule. Aside from simplifying some of the fight scenes, we really went by the numbers on this one. I had a really great producing team, stunt team lead by coordinator Anthony Hoang, and of course the entire crew was focused on the mission, so fortunately it really went without a hitch
The Knockturnal: What was it like working with the entire cast? What was a typical day like on set? Any fun memories?
Tom DeNucci: This cast was just phenomenal. Lucas Till was our quarterback. Aside from being a talented actor, he’s a great athlete and took to the stunts and fight choreography really well. I had worked with Don Johnson before on my 2019 film VAULT, so this was a great chance for us to team up again. He’s a legend and sprinkled some really nice subtle comedic moments into his performance. Ruby Rose was so dedicated to the authenticity of her character. She brings so much positive energy to set, it really trickled down to the entire cast and crew. Tyrese Gibson brought a lot of edginess to the role of Hugo. He really made the character pop off the page. The action sequences came so naturally to him. You can tell he’s been in a few movie fights before! Paul Ben Victor brought this maniacal throwback Frank Sinatra style charm to his character. Like a missing member of The Rat Pack. I just loved working with him. He really went for it. And of course I feel very fortunate to have directed Mercedes Varnado in her feature film debut! She’s legit one of the best, if not THE BEST female wrestlers on the planet. She could literally watch the stunt team lay out a fight sequence, one time – and then go replicate it to a T. Her athleticism is off the charts and I think people are really going to like what she brings to the table.
As for fun moments – There was a piano at one of the locations. One day I heard some beautiful sounds coming from that piano. I went downstairs and walked in on Tyrese singing and playing the piano and got to take in a little impromptu concert on set. He’s such a talented guy.
The Knockturnal: If someone were to ask you to describe this film in 3 words, which words would you use?
Tom DeNucci: NON STOP ACTION
The Knockturnal: Along with being a director, you’re also a producer, actor, and writer. So when you step into each role, what’s something that you keep in mind?
Tom DeNucci: I think being a director is kind of like being a band conductor – so it helps when the conductor knows a little bit about each instrument in the orchestra. Having some acting experience helps me get inside the minds of the cast. I have a better understanding of some of the things they might be concerned about in terms of blocking, timing, etc. These are things you can only really learn from actually having done it before. So that helps. As far as writing goes – oftentimes you’ll have to rewrite something on the fly due to a potential production hurdle. It’s nice to be able to make a quick change if need be without losing anything creatively.
The Knockturnal: Please tell us about your upcoming projects or anything else you would like to mention?
Tom DeNucci: I have a weekly podcast called AND ACTION that streams live from my YouTube channel (@TomDeNucciFilm) every Tuesday at 11am ET. Each week we do a deep dive on either a past project of mine, or a film related topic, like writing or editing. I like to share a lot of my past experiences and discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly. The ups, the downs. Things I did right and things I did wrong.
We’ve built up a really great film community on the channel and I look forward to growing it.
Myself and my co-host Mike Messier like to interact with the live feed and we’re all about answering questions and being helpful to up and coming filmmakers. And for me it’s very cathartic to air it all out!
Feel free to subscribe to the YouTube channel and tune in to AND ACTION every Tuesday!
