British filmmaker Scott Weintrob first made a name for himself with his eye-catching work on major commercial campaigns for brands such as Audi, Volvo and Cadillac. With his gift for shooting glossy, alluring promotional material that heavily emphasized the thrills that can be derived from the simple act of driving a car it was only a matter of time before he began working in the action genre. With Paradox Effect (2023), a splashy yarn that is full of intrigue and atmospherics, he makes good on the promise displayed in his earlier work. The economical storytelling methods and visual excess that are typically associated with the very best of luxury brand advertising are on full display in this debut feature. However, it is also important to note that the film also represents a significant stylistic evolution for Weintrob and a remarkably quick adjustment to the demands of feature filmmaking.
Zita Short had the opportunity to discuss the film with Weintrob.
Zita Short: You have directed this very exciting thriller on a relatively low budget. What are the challenges that a director faces when putting together a film of this scale with those financial limitations and do you think that budgetary concerns can inspire filmmakers to be more creative?
Scott Weintrob: Can it be more creative? I come from commercials and there, we shoot thirty seconds in a day or two. Here, on Paradox Effect, we have to aim for eighty to ninety minutes. It is very apples to apples but you just have to be so definite about what you’re shooting before you shoot it. A lot of planning goes into your work and you have to be kind of mathematical when thinking about the shooting process. You have to think about the fact that you only have one hour or thirty minutes to shoot something. There’s not going to be any wiggle room. The big difference between an eighteen day shoot or a bigger movie, where you might have 45 to 60 days to work with, is that, with the former, you have to make effective use of every bit of time that you have.
Zita Short: You also come from a very prestigious background in luxury brand advertising. What are the specific demands that come with working on something like the advertising campaign for Savage x Fenty and how have those experiences fed into your overall directorial ethos?
Scott Weintrob: When you’re working with big talent it’s really important to cater to their needs and understand what they bring to the table. They’re either going to turn up, get through the day and head home or really be inspired and want to be there. It’s your job to make sure that you learn how they are and get them into that inspired mindset. You have to be able to display your vision for the project and get them invested. Olga (Kurylenko) is brilliant in this film and she does a ton of movies but because I have a background working with big talent I know what makes them tick. I understand that the reason that they are big movie stars is that they care about the projects that they work on and want to make good work. When you really are clear on your vision it becomes an easy process. They are going to be there and allow you to build up a rapport with them. Those are the sorts of things that give you the chance to really succeed.
Zita Short: You have also worked extensively on the television series Orlando Bloom: To the Edge (2024). Would you mind walking us through how this project has shaped your directorial style?
Scott Weintrob: I have also worked on loads of car commercials. When you work on those you’re really always trying to ramp up the tension. In this film you actually have a relatively limited number of car chases, gun battles and fights. Having said that you do accept that these scenes are the center of the movie. When you’re setting up shots for the car chase scene, you try to shoot it chronologically. That way you know what the scene is building to. It was also easy to film the interior sequences. I asked Olga whether she wanted to make use of a body double in the interior shots and she said “give me the keys and get out of the way.” There’s always an element of luck involved but Olga is really good at driving car. She’s a pure professional. It makes it much easier for me because I don’t have to cut around her face.
Zita Short: I also wondered which directors within the action genre have inspired your work. Are you a Johnnie To fan or a John Boorman devotee?
Scott Weintrob: I grew up on two big directors. For me it was Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay. I like those big action movies. I went through my Jim Jarmusch years when I was in film school but, in truth, I like these blockbusters. I like the vast world that Spielberg and Bay create. Even on Ambulance (2022), Bay’s most recent film, he strives to create something big and over the top. I enjoy watching those movies and seeing huge jumps and big explosions. It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s realistic or not.
Zita Short: The action genre has historically been acclaimed for providing a platform upon which to experiment with new, groundbreaking technology. In the case of Ambulance, for example, a lot of reviewers praised it for its innovative employment of drone technology.
Scott Weintrob: There’s always a new toy to play with. I’m not really into those kinds of toys. I appreciate watching them and think they’re fun but I have a deeper appreciation for the more classic action. The Tony Scotts of the world are in my wheelhouse. He really informs my approach to filmmaking. I like classic action cinema. I know the director of photography who worked on Ambulance and he’s a brilliant, brilliant filmmaker.
Zita Short: The tone of this film gets quite dark at certain points. Did you want to lean in to some of the nourish elements of the plot?
Scott Weintrob: I think when you have a female lead in a gritty setting there’s always gonna be a sort of nourish take. I would have liked to have gone even darker but we’re aiming this at a mass audience. At some point you have to draw the line. You do want your film to reach a wide audience and you have to consider how you can present your own artistic vision on screen without alienating too many people. How do you appeal to a Michael Bay audience? That’s the big question. How do you establish car chases and narratives involving fish-out-of-water comedy? I had to consider how to create a blend of traditional Italian cinema and tropes from films made within the American film industry. There are elements of American cinema that are completely foreign to cinephiles from all around the world.
Zita Short: It’s also of note that you were a documentarian before transitioning into making narrative cinema. What is your stance on the realm vs. formalism debate?
Scott Weintrob: I like it when a story feels like it is grounded in a realistic, authentic context. When you watch Baby Driver (2017) you understand that it’s coming from a believable place. That story actually happened. On the other hand, you have something like Drive (2011), which features cartoonish characters, but still reaches viewers on an emotional and intellectual level.
Zita Short: How was your collaboration with Olga Kurylenko and what influenced her starring performance?
Scott Weintrob: I think Olga was aided by the fact that she herself is a parent and channeled her emotions into the role. She is a bit of a mummy bear and that was certainly a part of her character’s personality. It’s also important that this character is very grounded. She’s not a typical action heroine. There’s never a scene where she reveals that she has secret CIA training and can fight off anyone who dares to cross her. She’s a normal woman trying to pull her life together.
Zita Short: In looking ahead to the future, are there any upcoming projects that you currently have lined up?
Scott Weintrob: I’m looking forward to doing more work in the action blockbuster genre. I have an even bigger project lined up for the future and we’re looking at more car chases, more big stars and more big explosions. This is a type of cinema that still excites and I hope to keep expanding the scale of the projects that I work on.
Paradox Effect is currently available to stream on Apple TV+ and digital on-demand.
