‘Bulldozer’s Creators Reveal Their Self-Financed Sundance Comedy Sequence Almost Received Shut Down by the Cops

Abstract

• Collider’s Steve Weintraub talked to Andrew and Joanna Leeds about Bulldozer on the 2025 Sundance Movie Pageant.
• Of their interview, the Leeds siblings reveal on-set shenanigans together with tough stunts, discovering the feelings for scenes in distinctive methods, and the police crashing the set.
• Andrew Leeds additionally discusses earlier roles on hit collection like Barry and Veep and the way they influenced his personal route.

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival hosted the premiere of Bulldozer’s pilot episode, which is borne from the collaborative effort of the Leeds siblings. Joanna Leeds created the present, and it’s instantly impressed by occasions from her life, from dishonest boyfriends to the psychological pressure on a regular basis life places on an individual. As such, she naturally takes the lead function because the “undermedicated, chronically impassioned younger lady [who] lurches from disaster to disaster of her personal making.”

Although she has appeared briefly in reveals like NCIS or Superstore, Bulldozer can be a healthy dose of pure Joanna the place her performing receives the limelight. Her brother, Andrew Leeds, takes the function of director within the present, guaranteeing her imaginative and prescient is delivered to life alongside the star-studded solid of Mary Steenburgen, Nat Faxon, Harvey Guillén, comic and actor Chris “CP” Powell, and Kate Burton.

This yr, the Leeds siblings sat with Steve Weintraub in Collider’s media studio on the Rendezvous Cinema Middle, the place they talked concerning the premiere of their pilot episode. They reveal the stresses of financing the venture independently with COVID disrupting their course of, getting shut down by the police and coping with on-set quirks like stunts, screaming, and cranes. Andrew Leeds also reminisces about his previous roles, about how he realized from their directing kinds and gained supportive connections that helped them get Bulldozer off the bottom. Hear about these filmmaking hurdles and the way they overcame them straight from the siblings within the video above, or you’ll be able to comply with alongside to the interview with the transcript beneath.

What Is ‘Bulldozer’s Pilot About?

“It was impressed by true occasions.”

COLLIDER: To start with, congrats on the pilot, however nobody may have seen it but. Who’s going to chunk the bullet, and clarify how you’ve got been describing it to family and friends?

ANDREW LEEDS: She’s going to chunk that bullet.

JOANNA LEEDS: It is me, however heightened 11%. [Laughs]

ANDREW LEEDS: Or heightened 5%.

JOANNA LEEDS: I might prefer to say it is heightened 80%, however realistically, it is most likely 11%. It is impressed by true occasions.

ANDREW LEEDS: Then it goes off in its personal route, nevertheless it was impressed by true occasions. It is mainly the story of an under-medicated, chronically impassioned younger lady who lurches from disaster to disaster of her personal making.

‘Bulldozer’ Portrays Psychological Well being in a Common Approach

“It is that common psychological well being disaster that we’re all experiencing.”

One of many issues about Hollywood is that there are lots of people who’re attempting to get work, and infrequently, it is individuals writing themselves a task that helps get to a different degree. How a lot was that the inspiration? “I wish to write one thing simply to indicate what I can do as a result of I am humorous.”

JOANNA LEEDS: It is humorous, I do not know that I even had that endgame in thoughts. It was simply, I had to make this. I needed to write it. I needed to make it.

ANDREW LEEDS: I’ve a query for you. Do you are feeling a part of why you probably did it was due to all of the ache that you just skilled, that the one factor that made it price it was to jot down about it?

JOANNA LEEDS: Upon getting far from issues, it is type of humorous.

ANDREW LEEDS: That is true.

In your pilot, your character goes by means of a relationship breakup and stuff like that. How a lot is every little thing in it actually stuff that occurred to you?

JOANNA LEEDS: What’s cool about it’s, if any specific ex watches it, it isn’t about him as a result of they’ve all cheated for essentially the most half, give or take a pair. So, that is good. It is a mixture of all of those males. Additionally, a part of what I wished to hit on is it has a little bit of a psychological well being component to it. Psychological well being in cinema often focuses on one sort of psychological sickness. You see OCD, you see melancholy, you see schizophrenia, and it has to suit right into a field. And so, with this character, it is that common psychological well being disaster that we’re all experiencing and the concept it does not have to suit right into a field and that in the correct, unlucky circumstances, we will all be triggered. That’s a giant portion of the present, simply the frustrations of life and the injustices and attempting to plow or bulldoze proper by means of them.

ANDREW LEEDS: I additionally assume that a part of what the present in the end is about is her attempting to know who she is and what it’s that causes her to behave the way in which she behaves, whether or not it’s psychological sickness or whether or not it’s bodily sickness, or whether or not it’s, “I’m only a human being and I put on my coronary heart on my sleeve just a little bit greater than different individuals.”

JOANNA LEEDS: And why life is so exhausting. Like, it is so exhausting and it is exhausting.

Andrew Leeds Discusses the Assist of His Earlier Colleagues

From Invoice Hader to Hugh Laurie, Leeds has realized rather a lot through the years.

[Andrew], you have got labored as an actor on 1,000 issues. Particularly, I’m going to shoutout Barry. What did you be taught within the completely different reveals that you have labored on and the completely different roles that you just had been mentally remembering, “For the time I get behind the digicam, I wish to do that?”

ANDREW LEEDS: I additionally wish to contact briefly on her scripting this factor. I do not know what her thought course of was when it comes to what she wished to see from it, however from what I wished to see from it and why I jumped in to direct it was as a result of she’s in each single scene. She’s additionally an incredible director, and she or he’s directed her personal stuff earlier than. I felt like, and I believe she felt like, this was a giant endeavor, and it wanted an additional hand to do it. For me, it was a possibility to let the world see how gifted I do know she is and at all times has been. The script was so good that I’d love to have the ability to assist carry this to life.

What was nice is that I’ve had the chance to be on some very, excellent reveals, and I’ve realized rather a lot watching, whether or not it is Invoice Hader or Alec Berg on Barry or Michael Showalter on The Dropout or any variety of nice administrators that I’ve had the chance to work with. Our DP, [Michelle Lawler], was the DP on The Dropout. I acquired to type of gather individuals as I went alongside, and actors as effectively. This solid is wonderful. Over the past 5 years, I’ve labored with some wonderful individuals, and what was so cool is that I acquired to present them her script, and it is so uncommon that individuals simply say, “No matter you want.” They are not going to do it until they like it. And he or she wrote an incredible script and other people had been like, “I will present up”. We’re very fortunate to have a ton of wonderful individuals.

Simply name-drop a couple of of the individuals.

ANDREW LEEDS: Mary Steenburgen, Nat Faxon, Allen Leech and Harvey Guillén, Kate Burton, Tim Bagley, and comic Chris “CP” Powell.

As I used to be watching, I used to be like, “Oh, Jesus.”

JOANNA LEEDS: We had been so fortunate.

It was like a assassin’s row of individuals within the pilot.

ANDREW LEEDS: All of them simply mainly volunteered. They confirmed up. Mary Steenburgen had her personal wig. She was like, “I will do it, however I wish to put on a wig. Can I’ve one made?” And I used to be like, “Nicely, I really feel dangerous.” She’s like, “No, I wish to do it.” And he or she did it. As we’re capturing it, actually the day that she’s there, as a result of we’re doing this for no cash, as we’re getting her protection, the cops got here to this home. They’re attempting to kick us out. They’re attempting to bust down the door. My manufacturing designer’s holding onto the door whereas I am simply rolling on her simply earlier than we get kicked out. Ultimately, we did get kicked out.

JOANNA LEEDS: However then the very best half is without doubt one of the officers mentioned, “Is that Mary Steenburgen?” He goes, “She’s sizzling.” I used to be like, “Oh, effectively, if we allow you to speak to her, may we keep?” and he is like, “No.” [Laughs]

The Cops Kicked ‘Bulldozer’s Crew Out

Even the police cannot shut this manufacturing down!

I’ve to ask, what occurred? Did you hire one thing on Airbnb?

JOANNA LEEDS: We really had all the proper permits.

ANDREW LEEDS: We had these very large vehicles that the neighbors did not like, regardless that we had the correct permits. We realized after the truth that we must always have been in a position to keep, however on the time when there are actually eight policeman saying, “We will are available and take the digicam…”

JOANNA LEEDS: And bodily take away it, which, as you recognize, the insurance coverage on that…

ANDREW LEEDS: We had been like “We’re going, we’re going, we’re going.” So one after the other, individuals would come out with a espresso cup and a wrench whereas I used to be nonetheless rolling on Mary as a result of I knew this was the day we had Mary. We weren’t gonna be capable of get her again.

JOANNA LEEDS: Really, in that scene, all of my protection is to nobody.

ANDREW LEEDS: From one other day as a result of we had to return.

I want extra individuals understood film magic. Like these Avengers motion pictures, oftentimes in an eight-person scene, they’re all doing particular person days which might be being put collectively in publish.

ANDREW LEEDS: Completely. She got here out, and she or he was like, “What is going on on?” We’re like, “Oh, the police got here, they shut us down. We will go shoot down the road at this flower store.” She’s like, “Okay, effectively, let me know the place to go.” She acquired within the automobile and simply drove there. That is an Academy Award-winning actress, who was simply so beneficiant and simply excited to play a personality she hadn’t performed earlier than.

However to return and reply your query, once I’m on the set on Barry, I am asking Invoice Hader, “Hey, why did you determine to do this? Why did you determine to let that whole scene play from 200 toes away?” I wasn’t fairly as ballsy as maybe he was in that present. We wished to ship one thing that felt contemporary.

I might argue that Barry has its personal distinctive type and that type wouldn’t match with Bulldozer. It is two completely different worlds.

ANDREW LEEDS: Completely. However that was at all times the query in making this was, “How have you learnt?” As a result of that is the primary episode. So, how have you learnt? Ought to it’s handheld? Ought to it not be handheld? You attempt to guess and hope for the very best. We realized some issues. We did some reshoots, and also you be taught as you go.

Let’s speak concerning the financing and getting this off the bottom. It is inconceivable for everybody to get cash. How was it for this? Who was the miracle person who got here in and mentioned, “I will assist you?”

JOANNA LEEDS: We’ve Rhett Reese. We’ve Rhett Reese’s brother, Caleb Reese, after which the 2 of us. We every did a 3rd of our personal cash.

ANDREW LEEDS: Mainly Rhett wrote Deadpool.

I am acquainted. He is made no less than $5 in revenue from the Deadpool motion pictures.

JOANNA LEEDS: He is by no means put his personal cash right into a venture. He learn the script, he is a buddy of mine, and he actually wished to see it get made. We had impediment after impediment. We had been about to make it. As we’re closing the deal, the lawyer known as me, and he is like, “There’s some virus, so I’ve to depart the workplace for 3 days.” I used to be like, “Okay, don’t fret about it. We’ll simply shut it.”

ANDREW LEEDS: There was a studio that was going to present us some cash to make it.

JOANNA LEEDS: Initially. So, I used to be like, “No worries.” After which three days became a yr and a half of COVID the place nothing was being made.

ANDREW LEEDS: Then the studio was like, “Really, we won’t do it anymore.” It is simply most likely more durable for her to say, however Rhett actually believes in Joanna, and he cherished the script and, actually, he simply wished to see it occur. We knew that the one manner that it was going to occur together with her starring in it and me directing was if we simply did it ourselves. So if we walked right into a room, they’d’ve been like, “We love the script, so who can we get to play that half and who can we get to direct it?” And all these issues. Rhett, I believe we will all agree that he is fairly silly. [Laughs]

[Laughs] My headline goes to be, “Can all of us agree that Rhett is fairly silly?” – the solid of Bulldozer.

JOANNA LEEDS: I do not assume it is stupidity. I believe he is simply so good. He’s the nicest human being I’ve ever met.

ANDREW LEEDS: Simply very supportive. I believe all of us simply understand how gifted she is. It is such a tough business and it is so random. As he says, “Put my cash the place my mouth is.” I consider in her and I consider within the script and I consider within the present. I actually assume that if we went to Rhett tomorrow and mentioned, “Hey, what do you consider us simply funding your complete three seasons?” He’d most likely be like, “Alright.” And I might be like, “No, Rhett! Do not do this, Rhett!” [Laughs]

The Leeds Siblings Plan to do Six Episodes for ‘Bulldozer’

“I’ve, no joke, like a 265-page doc of tales I am simply raring to inform.”

It is actually humorous, although, Helen Harper is right here, they usually shot an eight-episode collection independently. The present is on the market right here, they usually’ve already shot all eight episodes. It is a fully completely different mannequin. Additionally, with Kiss of the Spider Girl, which Invoice Condon did, they did that with Artists Fairness. Everybody labored for scale, each single individual, however all of them owned a bit of it. When it sells right here, they will get cash.

ANDREW LEEDS: Oh that is cool. I did not notice that is how that labored. That is actually sensible. We’re speaking about do one thing related now and make a season of this factor. She’s writing further scripts.

How a lot now have you ever been writing? Did you determine, “I believe I may do a six-episode season or an eight-episode season?” As a result of it takes time to jot down. What occurs if somebody right here is like, “Oh, that was actually good. Allow us to make a season. The place are the scripts?”

JOANNA LEEDS: Mainly, I depart my home and once I come house on the finish of the day, a brand new episode has written itself. I’ve, no joke, a 265-page doc of tales I am simply raring to inform. However I’ve written two different scripts, after which the opposite ones are outlined.

Are you pondering six or eight episodes?

JOANNA LEEDS: I will do regardless of the individuals need. I’ll do three episodes and be content material. No matter you guys need.

ANDREW LEEDS: I believe six would really be an incredible place to begin until somebody mentioned they wanted eight. Particularly as a result of we might clearly be doing this on a price range not directly. If you do give it some thought, you find yourself doing a whole lot of jobs like craft providers and modifying and issues that perhaps you would not usually do in the event you had a full employees. I do not know that we may bodily…

JOANNA LEEDS: It relies on how a lot time.

Completely. The opposite benefit of LA, which is the place you shot, is that there are a whole lot of nice actors which might be accessible for a day, in the event you’re capturing in LA, the place they’ll sleep in their very own mattress, drive to set and drive house.

ANDREW LEEDS: That is the opposite factor is we all know if we exit of state, we will get a tax credit score or one thing like that, however you lose entry to all these nice individuals. These individuals, like Nat Faxon, are essentially the most great. He was identical to, “I will be there. No matter you guys want.” We felt so dangerous as a result of we made him come again and do reshoots. He is like, “I really like this.”

JOANNA LEEDS: These photos on the finish, he got here in simply to shoot photos the place we glance in love. He is wonderful. That really has been so unimaginable to see how supportive these very profitable actors are who need not come and do favors.

ANDREW LEEDS: It is a good lesson for us.

Nothing Like Sibling Dynamics to Deliver the Emotion to Set

“We instructed one another to be imply.”

Clearly you had written the script, however whenever you noticed the capturing schedule, what was the day you had circled when it comes to, “I am unable to wait to movie this,” and what had been you pondering, like, “How the F are we going to movie this?”

JOANNA LEEDS: It was so quick and blurry that I do not know that I had my consideration on…

ANDREW LEEDS: We knew the scene the place she will get taken away to the psychological hospital was good.

JOANNA LEEDS: That was going to be scary.

ANDREW LEEDS: We deliberate that for the final day as a result of if she will get harm, she needed to be tackled onto the bottom. She acquired harm fairly badly.

JOANNA LEEDS: I did get harm.

What precisely occurred?

JOANNA LEEDS: Oh my gosh. I would like again surgical procedure. No. Nicely, I do, however most likely not due to that. But it surely was terrible. I am not a stunt individual.

ANDREW LEEDS: You realize what’s humorous about whenever you deal with somebody on a mat? Mats are exhausting. They’re not comfortable.

JOANNA LEEDS: We want a mattress.

ANDREW LEEDS: A mattress would have been nice. Anyway, it was only a hard-hitting mat. However we did that within the final day. Additionally, working collectively along with your sibling is at all times an fascinating expertise.

JOANNA LEEDS: I used to be like, “What if with all these individuals in a crew, what if I am unable to get emotional?” He is like, “Don’t be concerned, I’ll get you emotional.” So behind the digicam he is yelling, “Do your fucking job!”

ANDREW LEEDS: I used to be screaming at her, and the editor that acquired the footage, I used to be like, “Oh, I ought to’ve talked about to you…” He goes, “That did frighten me just a little bit.”

JOANNA LEEDS: We instructed one another to be imply. I mentioned “Be imply to me simply to upset me.” However that wasn’t the imply I meant so that you can do to get me emotional.

ANDREW LEEDS: The factor is, that day particularly was so exhausting as a result of we have this large crane that is not within the pilot anymore.

JOANNA LEDS: The attractive crane shot that we had.

ANDREW LEEDS: Like techno crane. It held us up for 3 hours, and that did not even find yourself within the pilot.

JOANNA LEEDS: Additionally, that location was proper by Burbank airport. No joke, you needed to say your strains actually rapidly as a result of in 60 seconds one other aircraft was coming.

100%. I am unable to consider you bought a crane for this, and it did not find yourself in it.

JOANNA LEEDS: We should always ship you the clip as a result of it was a wonderful crane shot.

ANDREW LEEDS: It was the transition from the, two years later—now it is 4 months later. It was above the ambulance, after which it went up and the ambulance pulled away, after which it got here down, and she or he pulled up within the automobile.

JOANNA LEEDS: It was magical.

We’re at Sundance. What does it imply for each of you to be accepted into Sundance and premiering right here?

JOANNA LEEDS: We’ll begin crying. It is such an enormous deal. I really feel so extremely fortunate. You talked about earlier within the interview, it is so exhausting to get even a small break on one thing. So, to get this chance is big.

ANDREW LEEDS: Our premiere is tomorrow. What’s so thrilling is that we get to observe it with a giant viewers and to see what that’s. We don’t know what that is going to be.

JOANNA LEEDS: We’ve not even had a screening for family and friends. We have had nothing.

ANDREW LEEDS: We may simply sit at our pc till the top of time. We despatched it out to individuals, however to get to see it with an viewers is admittedly thrilling. That is the Sundance Movie Pageant. I used to return right here in school. I used to return simply to observe motion pictures and assume, “Oh, would not it’s wonderful to sooner or later get to be right here?” I by no means actually thought in one million years that that may be capable of occur. So it was all because of this individual.

JOANNA LEEDS: All because of this individual.

It is nearly such as you like one another.

ANDREW LEEDS: Typically.

JOANNA LEEDS: And typically we do not. We undoubtedly revert to these childhood dynamics. Do you have got a sibling?

I do.

JOANNA LEEDS: So perhaps you recognize what I am speaking about.

I 100% know what you are speaking about.

ANDREW LEEDS: But it surely’s actually particular to stroll round these streets and see photos of outdated issues that premiered right here and to get to fulfill different movies.

JOANNA LEEDS: Additionally, it really is particular to get to be right here along with your sibling. That is loopy that we each labored on a venture.

ANDREW LEEDS: And that we lived to inform about it. [Laughs]

JOANNA LEEDS: That too.

Andrew Leeds Realized a Lot From His Earlier Roles

He is made appearances on hit collection like Barry, Veeps, and The Affected person.

[Andrew], you probably did a whole lot of one-episode appearances on, like, 1,000 reveals. Which is one that you’ve got robust reminiscences of, or is there one that you just had been so excited to be on?

ANDREW LEEDS: My favourite experiences had been Veep. Veep was unimaginable, largely due to that group of individuals. To start with, there is a rehearsal course of, which is wonderful, they usually type of improvise, after which they rewrite stuff. Any time you have to act with any individual like Julia Louis-Dreyfus or Steve Carell, Hugh Laurie involves thoughts, these individuals, there’s simply one thing about them. Performing with them, you do not really feel such as you’re speaking to an actor. You are feeling such as you’re speaking to the true individual. It is simply a tremendous expertise. [They are] people who I look as much as.

The Affected person was an unimaginable expertise. It was so distinctive as a result of there have been so many scenes with no dialogue. There could be days after they would simply comply with me round filming, simply strolling down the road, placing up images of Steve, as a result of we’re looking for him or using my bike or no matter it was. That was a very fascinating expertise. Additionally, studying all of the Hebrew stuff and studying play the guitar and all that stuff. And Barry was wonderful as a result of it is like a murals in a sure manner, however in a bizarre, comical manner.

The opposite factor about Barry is when one thing like that’s within the zeitgeist and everybody’s watching, you are getting in entrance of each casting agent with out getting a gathering. They’re simply seeing your work.

ANDREW LEEDS: Sure. And attending to act with Henry Winkler was nice. It was nice. I’ll say The Dropout was significantly enjoyable. The individuals there have been nice. It was only a enjoyable world to get to exist in as a result of it was simply such a bizarre story. All people else there’s just about enjoying an actual individual, and I wasn’t. My character was identical to a made-up individual, so I type of acquired to only make one thing up they usually type of let me do it.

This can be a query for each of you. Moreover this pilot, if somebody has by no means seen your work earlier than, what’s the very first thing you need them watching and why?

JOANNA LEEDS: Cellphone voice primary, in episode 305 of Particular person of Curiosity.

ANDREW LEEDS: [Laughs] I’d need individuals to see her in Bulldozer.

I believe you are nice on this.

JOANNA LEEDS: I’ve achieved visitor spots on NCIS, Superstore.

That is purely her.

JOANNA LEEDS: That is the kind of performing I wish to do.

Pay attention, you might be very, excellent on this, and I actually hope individuals watch this. I hope studio individuals see it as a result of it is clear that you just’re humorous, and also you’re actually good on this. [Andrew], you did not suck. You had been okay as a director. [Laughs] You did not destroy her performances.

ANDREW LEEDS: I respect you. That was the objective.

Particular because of our 2025 companions at Sundance together with presenting associate Rendezvous Capital and supporting companions Sommsation, The Wine Firm, Hendrick’s Gin, neaū water, and Roxstar Leisure.