*Interview* Christian Sesma Talks Paydirt & More

AR: Hey Christian, how are you? Thank you for coming to chat with me about your latest movie ‘Paydirt’

CS: Hey Jeff, I’m all good man! Thanks for your time!

AR: You wrote and directed ‘Paydirt’ starring Luke Goss and Val Kilmer, while writing the movie did you always envision them in the lead roles?

CS: Well i always wrote it with Luke in mind as the lead and I wanted to create a fun crime heist movie, like an independent film version of Oceans Eleven. I’m also a Guy Ritchie fan too so i wanted to have that kind of indie style aswell. Val was a later addition to the cast.

AR:The film had a Robert Rodriguez/ Quentin Tarantino vibe too it. Was that intentional?

CS: I don’t think it is necessarily intentional per-se but like Rodriguez and Tarantino i mean those guys, Rodriguez for the most part, he’s the reason I got into making movies, i remember reading Rebel Without A Crew in a hospital bed and that’s what inspired me. So it’s those guys with the kind of rogue crew at the time infused me as a film maker. I like to have a good time with different genres and mash them up, like be serious one moment and then cracking jokes the next and having a heartfelt moment after that so we wanted to make this movie a fun little ride.

AR: I know Val had been out the limelight due to his health, how did he find coming onto the movie?

CS: You know we shot long hours with Val and his physical health was fine, i mean he was doing alot of stuff. He is in remission from cancer. I don’t know if you know, he has the tracheotomy and his entire performance is 100% dubbed. Which we took alot of care in. We shot long days and Val game, we had a blast.

AR: There was a scene towards the end, where Val picks up an assault rifle. The body language, stance etc was pure Heat!! Right!?

CS: I literally said to Val “give me the Heat Val” and he gave me a wink and said “I got you” I said im not making this movie unless he gave me the Heat shot. That was the very first shot of the very first day we worked together. It was funny and nerve racking because the first five days i was totally geeking out, because I’m a film nerd. Then I got into my directing hat and it was like okay Val. It was all natural to him, he knew how to hold it and sell it. It was unreal! But I’m glad you noticed man.

AR: Paul Sloan also stars in Paydirt, he is a Sesma regular, how did your partnership form?

CS: Yeah he’s one of my best friends. We met through a mutual manager in 2007. I always see where that film making bunch like Sandler, Seth Rogan even Scorsese, they’re always working with the same kind of guys who are friends and they can always write characters very specifically for them. I like that.

AR: Going back to 2015, you directed Night Crew, which I loved. It seemed it was set to be a franchise, was that ever a plan?

CS: I loved Night Crew too. It was meant to be. I mean that’s a movie I would love to do a sequel too. I mean we would love to do another one, but the people who put it out Premiere Entertainment Group never followed up on it. I think between Night Crew, Vigilante Diaries and Paydirt those I would say are my signature works.

AR: I was going to mention Vigilante Diaries and it seemed the same, set for a follow up..

CS: Same thing as Night Crew, no one followed up on it. Vigilante Diaries that’s an easyone that can be shown on HBO Max or Cinemax, its an easy sequel! We will be lucky if we see a Paydirt 2.

AR: Companies are green-lighting some absolutely dreadful sequels and skipping on ones that fans have cried out for..

CS: I absolutely agree, I am right there with you Jeff. Put this in bold print Sesma Needs Sequels *Laughs*

AR: Out of interest, with the movies mentioned. Are there sequels written for them?

CS: Not full scripts, but we have full treatments for Vigilante 2 and Night Crew 2 we have the first couple acts that me and Paul Sloan wrote and Paydirt 2 we are hoping to do something with that in the UK.

AR:Will Goss and the gang return?

CS:Yeah absolutely!

AR: Random throw-in, what’s your ONE favourite movie from your filmography?

CS: hooo mmm i still like Night Crew!

AR: Your next movie is a Michael Jai White vehicle, Take Back. Can you tell me anything about it?

CS: Yeah sure, it’s Michael Jai White, Mickey Rourke and Gillian White and it’s basically a female version of Taken. We are to start filming soon. We’re excited to start that.

AR: Will it be Michael Jai White centric martial arts?

CS: No it’s not. Its an action thriller and Michael plays a very non Michael Jai White character. He plays a sort of dorky school teacher who is supporting his wife, who really is the star of the show. There’s some fighting but it’s not a martial arts movie.

AR: If someone asked for advice on how to get into the world of writing and directing, what advice would you give?

CS: I would say do it! Grab your laptop and start typing out stories, that’s what i did. I didn’t even know how to screen write. I purchased some of my favourite screenplays, American Beauty, Pulp Fiction just to see the structure and what it looked like. Write from the heart and what you know.

AR:Out of all the genres you have been involved in, what’s the one you haven’t made a movie in, but would love too?

CS:Probably like a Period Drama. I am a huge fan of Dancing With Wolves. Something like that would be amazing.

AR: Apart from Take Back, what else lies ahead?

CS: Yeah there’s a few things. Another hardcore action movie with Michael Biehn and we have a rom-com in the works and some action stuff. 2020/2021 are looking really promising.

AR:Thank you for your time, Christian. It was a blast!

CS:Thanks very much man, glad you dug the movie.

Paydirt is currently available on VOD and Digital.