‘Produced By’: Clint Eastwood

Finally, a bigwig who wasn’t a wuss when it came to press coverage. (Unlike Larry Gordon and James Cameron.) At the “Produced By” Conference today, Clint Eastwood and his production company partner Rob Lorenz talked about The Malpaso Way. Eastwood spoke briefly about his latest film, Invictus, staring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela. Producers Guild Of America executive director Vance Van Petten, who moderated the event, noted that he’d heard the film had a budget only in the $50 milion or so range, and the shoot was scheduled for 55 days, but, in typical fashion, Eastwood and company came in under budget and 4 to 5 days under schedule. Eastwood looked embarrassed to discuss his budgeting and scheduling accomplishments, and said he often tells press not to mention them. Besides, he added, ”studios don’t really care if your last picture was under budget when considering your next”. In what turned into a wide-ranging sit-down, Eastwood said he wasn’t completely opposed to doing another Western someday, even though “when we did Unforgiven, I always felt that story lent itself to being the last western, at least for me,” he said. But he noted he hadn’t seen a Western-themed script he’d loved in a long time. — posted by DHD stringer Rebecca Ford