Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Haymaker’s Nick Sasso

Haymaker‘s Nick Sasso is throwing a knockout punch with his debut as a director, editor, producer, and writer. We caught up with Nick ahead of the release of Haymaker to chat about the film, what he learned from the experience, the storytellers that inspired him, collaborating with costar and coproducer Nomi Ruiz, and what’s next for him!

PC: Tell us about Haymaker and the inspiration behind this film.
Nick: It’s been a while since it was actually written, but I was eager to get a movie made and was unsure how to do it. I’d gotten a few scripts really close, but none of them popped off. I realized that in order to get one made, I needed to bring as much to the table as I could. I knew I had an ability with boxing and figured that was the way to go. If the person that’s required to be there the most is me, that seemed pretty cheap to pull off.

I knew I didn’t want to do a classic fight movie. I wanted there to be authentic fighting, and I was really inspired by Silver Linings Playbook and films like that. I asked myself, “Is there a movie that could be a good date movie?” That’s when I got the idea of a love story between these two characters.

PC: You’ve been a storyteller your entire life. Who or what’s had the biggest influence on your craft?
Nick: Wow. That’s a good question. There have been so many different things, from rap music and hip-hop to filmmakers like Sidney Lumet; it’s been a hodgepodge of influences. Other filmmakers are probably the most inspirational.

Leading up to this movie, the Safdie brothers were a standout. They did a film called Heaven Knows What, and when I saw that movie, I said, “I love what these guys did here.” They used these very real characters, and it was very docu-narrative in style. I loved how it had a flavor that I haven’t seen in other films. That was a huge inspiration for this one, because at the time, I was like, “I fight. If we get Nomi [Ruiz], which we did, maybe we’ll do it in a docu-narrative style.” That’s why Nomi and I kept our names in the film, because we were going to shoot it like a documentary.

PC: This is your debut as a writer-director. Did anything surprise you about the overall process?
Nick: One of the hardest parts was acting in it, too. I always heard stuff goes wrong on set, but I didn’t realize they meant everything. [laughs] It was like a real exercise. That’s why writing is so important, because when you write the story, you have a sense of the kernel of the story, so that when things change, you really know where due north is.

That was really the biggest challenge. I’m trying to grease myself up for a fight, but at the same time, this actor didn’t show up or we lost this location. I’m trying to get ready for a fight scene, but then all these curveballs are coming my way. It’s an exercise in trusting your instincts.

PC: You’ve also said in your director’s statement that this film doesn’t work without Nomi. How did that collaboration shape the overall story?
Nick: It was an amazing collaboration. I wasn’t even going to try doing this if I didn’t feel like there was a raw connection when we started rehearsing. The second we started reading the script with my acting coach, I looked at her (my acting coach) and I could see on her face that we had something.

I knew Nomi really loved the script. I was like, “I want you to be a producer on this movie.” I want you to really help us push this conversation forward and move the ball. Together, we grew this story. I couldn’t have done any of it without her help.

For example, there’s a scene where my character is running after Nomi. That was a scene that was almost cut due to scheduling and the fact that it wasn’t originally planned that way in terms of who was in it. Nomi was very clear and said, “This is an important scene.” Then, she outlined why. I realized she was a hundred percent right. So, I talked to my producer and I was like, “Let’s figure out a way.”

That happened throughout the whole process; it was a constant process of where these two characters are coming from and how can we include everybody’s voice while staying true to the storyline. I think we accomplished what we set out to do.

PC: You wore a lot of different hats for this project. What was the big takeaway for you?
Nick: That’s another good question. At the end of the day, it comes down to the script. We had under a million-dollar budget; we had a small production. What I wrote is not what we ended up making, but the heart is still there, and that’s because we were very clear about the story.

From a craft standpoint and camera movement, we didn’t have the time or ability to block the camera the way that I would have liked to. Moving forward, I’m going to write the script in a way that has a little more consideration for camera blocking. I’m thinking about how Robert Zemeckis, Spielberg, and Soderbergh block using the camera. That’s something you get to experience with time and money—all things I didn’t have.

PC: With the film out now, what do you hope audiences take away?
Nick: I hope they’re entertained. At the end of the day, I hope it gives them a break from their consciousness. But beyond that, it’s a story about love, connection, and friendship. All of that can occur and take place in the most unexpected ways. The more we have our hearts open to that, the greater the chance we have towards finding peace in this life. I don’t want to sound too preachy, though. I also hope they don’t call iTunes and ask for their money back. [laughs]

PC: What’s next for you?
Nick: I’ve got two things in the works. One is very plot driven and the other…I will say that I’ve seen many UFOs living in Los Angeles.

To keep up with Nick, follow him on
Instagram. Haymaker is out in select theaters, On Demand, and Digital now!

Photo Credit: Gravitas Ventures and Kamikaze Dogfight