Table Read - Run Rabbit Run: Unmasking the Madness – A Writers’ Room Special

Episode Date: September 17, 2024

Run Rabbit Run: Unmasking the Madness – A Writers’ Room Special Join Executive Producer Shaan Sharma as he sits down with "Run Rabbit Run" writers Jesse Carter and Thomas Beaudoin for a post-recording conversation that peels back the curtain on the creative process. With the table read still fresh in their minds, the duo opens up about their writing journey, the story’s most gripping moments, and the art of crafting characters that leave a lasting impact. In this behind-the-scenes look, nothing is off the table—impressions, inspirations, and even the unexpected twists that made their way into the script. Whether it's discussing key themes or breaking down those suspense-filled scenes, Jesse and Thomas offer an unfiltered glimpse into the mind of a storyteller at work. Tune in for an episode filled with insights, laughter, and a deeper appreciation for the wild ride that is "Run Rabbit Run."

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so you see here we are live recording. It's some other lady. They don't recognize Jackie O. You're rolling. We're rolling. We can just go now? Okay. I can't believe it's already over. Yeah.

All right. Well, let's get into it then. This is Sean Sharma, one of the partners of Table Read Podcast, sitting here with Jesse Carter and Thomas Beaudoin, who are the writers of Run, Rabbit, Run, which we just finished recording. How are you guys feeling? Thomas, I'll start it with you. A little on edge, to be honest. Not on edge, but what's the word? Euphoric? Euphoric.

Just the nerves are vibrating right now. Exactly, exactly. I think i think jesse is he's got the words for me really um the energy was great the acting was phenomenal i just wanted to i just i can't wait for you guys to put all the sounds on it it's like now the anticipation is it's like the the anticipation has a few levels you anticipate to come here you're shaking all the way here and then now that you're recording you're shaking because you're anticipating all these lines and now you're anticipating the final product and it's like all of it is anticipation and and it's uh yeah it's it's a great feeling to be going through. Absolutely. How about you, Jesse?

Yeah, I mean, I knew we were in good hands just by reviewing the other episodes and the other content you guys had done. So I had a lot of confidence just based on that, which alleviated a lot of anxiety as to where this was going to go or what it was going to be like. So that helped tremendously. And then, you know, of course the casting, getting the talent involved, you know, you really start kind of seeing the picture come together. And it just, it went so well, the chemistry, the banter, just, it all, it all came to, it all jived in, in the way that it was designed to, because, you know, words sound different than they read. And so, you know, when you're stuck on the paper with it, until you hear it in that way and performed in the way it's supposed to, it's not quite alive yet. And to see that leap from the just words on a paper to, you know, you know, life projected, it's just it's just an unbelievable feeling to see it you

know it's like music it's like writing a score or a symphony and then you have the idea of what the violins are going to sound like with the drums you know you have an idea in your head and then when you watch it performed and you watch the instruments play it's you know it's just like with everyone's flair into it it's like a flair you don't, it's, you know, it's just like... With everyone's flair into it. Yeah, and a flair you don't expect. Yeah, exactly. Because, you know, you write a certain way, but yet, you know, there's all these interpretations.

But in good writing, you have the guidelines. You kind of know, you know, it's like a roadmap. But then from there, you can do your own exploring. You mean like with Floyd? Exactly. One of... And i was nervous about him because he's such a unique not the actor such a unique character but yeah the character it's hard to hit it on the head oddball and it's coasting such a strange line of you know perversion

and charm and and he had fun with such a unique flair yeah nailed it knew exactly what to do and uh and brought it to life because that character could have been a belly flopper. He could have just tripped off the curb and just face planted, and nobody would ever know what it could have been. It soared like a phoenix. Right off the page, man. He took it to the stars. Yeah, it was Matt Curtin who did that role. Well, you make an interesting point that actually being able to review the projects that we already have up for any other writers who want to potentially do this project with us. They have all these different episodes they can look at to see the quality and all of that.

What's fun about today, too, is that in putting the cast together, it was such a collaboration between the two of you and with me and with me and jack although it was really the three of us piecing it together yeah and uh so because a lot of times in the past we're doing all of the casting but the fact that it was kind of like almost like half and half like half your friends half people that we've relied on the past yeah we worked really well together how but we just did a table read of this it's actually how you and i met jesse right is that the table read of this that we did in back in january february yeah so how is today different than that table read oh wow i think maybe they i think the actors had maybe a little less prep for the first table read yeah it's more raw so it was a little yeah it was a little more raw um and and even though it's a

little more raw sometimes the lines didn't make as much sense back in January and February. But there was also the same kind of genuineness in terms of discovering the characters and also, you know, pulling them out, pulling them off the page. The difference, I think, of course, you know, as actors, we want to perform and we want to um you know do a good job so with the mics you know there's a certain kind of um not necessarily a composure but there's something that that happens when you have a group of actors we're here to do a job it's like the energy you can feel it yeah in the room it was powerful i'm sure the mics have picked up on it like i have no doubt about it the vibration is there um so i think that you know maybe it was a little more intimate back in january and now this time it's like it's a production it's something a little bigger it's

like okay let's go let's take it to the next level now when you have so many accomplished performers in the room we're also wanting to like be there for each other and help elevate each other and all that absolutely um so what was the inspiration for those who are listening to this what was the inspiration for the film in the first place well i'll tell you one scene reference that kind of sparked the whole roland thing is there's this out of sight it's 1998 old sodenberg there's a scene where uh george clooney robs a bank without a gun and he never robs a bank with a gun but he comes out of the bank and there's this freeze frame of him just yanking the tie off his neck because he can't stand the tightness of the tie it kind of represents the working you know

lifestyle you know just you know it represents so much constriction and it's an iconic image when he comes out he just yeah freeze frame he hated that he had to wear the tie he hated that he had to be so phony and then his car won't start and so the luck that he has because if his car had started he would have been able to get out of there and the cops bust him in the car and that kind of led to that was kind of the nucleus or the seed that led to you know rolling in the luck kind of aspect and and just and butch cassie in the sundance kid that kind of the nucleus or the seed that led to you know rolling and the luck kind of aspect and and just and butch cassidy and the sundance kid that kind of that movie when i was a kid and it still holds up now so well just the chemistry between those two you know just the magnetism of those

guys and the humor of it and the pace and the style it timeless. And that always stayed with me, you know, kind of like a lethal weapon, but even better, even richer. And, you know, I always wanted to kind of bottle that kind of, you know, and it's hard to go and find it. You kind of have to, you know, it kind of has to land on you. And then you grab that idea and then you just start sowing. And the rest, you know, and then Thomas and i just took those seeds and it's like playing tennis or something just hitting the ball back and forth to each other but eventually the rally gets faster and next thing you know you're hitting it back to each other 80 miles an hour and that's where the real ideas you know one idea leads to another and you know yeah i saw you guys like

slapping each other's shoulders at parts we've been in the melting pot with this for years and years of and sometimes it gets real heated because it's the best idea that wins it there's no ego it doesn't matter whose idea it's the best idea and we're both and this is rare because some people they want it to be their idea they don't care if there's a better idea they want to stick to theirs both of us are really good about recognizing. What's the best idea who gives a shit whose idea? It was what's the best idea and it's through that Sometimes it's friction, you know, yeah Absolutely, you know you have to communicate your ideas and you know Sometimes you're lacking the words or you're stumbling on your words

And then the other one is just waiting for that idea to come out. And the way it comes out, it doesn't reach the other one, and the other one is already somewhere else. Especially with a story like this where it's a multiple-character plot, it's all over the place, it talks about luck, and you lose characters in places that you don't expect them to. Poor Tyler. Yeah, poor Tyler.

I'm glad we didn't have to see that. Exactly, exactly. On that scene in particular, when we were discussing that, we were like, do we show that? And we were like, absolutely not. Absolutely not. Let them imagine. Yeah, we love him by now.

Don't show us him. We can't show, because we know it's a saw blade, and you can just imagine how horrific that was we don't need to spell that out let the let the individual create that scenario how they want and that's the thing as as far as this as we've taken this script the things that happened in this script a lot of it actually happened in real life like these things like like the saw blade saw blade actually comes from newsreel. It's something that actually happened. This guy was walking into a deli or a grocery store.

And as he's closing the door, this saw blade just wham, rams into that door right behind him. It broke off from a construction site and rolled at like 40 miles an hour. He was just unlucky. And right when he walked in the like, 40 miles an hour. He was just unlucky. And right when he walked in the door, it stuck into the, and shook the whole shop. And he stepped back out and realized if he had paused or taken a moment longer, that salt blade might have just cut him in half. Oh, so he survived. He survived. He didn't get touched.

He won't get it. No, no, it's not as bad as Tyler. We took that and, you know, injected some movie magic. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like, but it happened. Those are things things that happen like car chases or you know well and that's what we want to do with this movie is it's it's it's outlandish and it's absurd by design but we had to keep it tethered to reality in some regard otherwise they would just disconnect from it and not go on the adventure. But it's intentionally absurd and just kind of...

Yeah, but you guys pull it off. So one of my favorite parts of it that is like, I can't imagine how you guys came up with it. And there's other times throughout the script where I'm like, it shows the years you put in to kind of work these scenes out and see how you can enhance them or these sequences. But like when all this drama over where's Samantha, then she's in the trunk the whole time. kind of work these scenes out and see how you can enhance them or these these sequences but like when all this drama over where samantha then she's in the trunk the whole time and then they pop the

trunk she runs in the woods and it's just this comedy of errors of people not knowing what the fuck is going on yeah you know like comedy of errors that's comedy of errors so it's like that kind of stuff is really fun you know because it's it's it's you have to conceive of it and figure out how you can sell it and whatever and so there's little moments like that like what happens on the yacht and whatever so like are there moments or scenes or lines of dialogue that you're particularly proud of like that stick out to you where you're like yeah that was a good find when we did that i i personally i think i mean boy there are too many, to be completely honest. I think there are too many.

Pick one. What's one line? I think it's as an actor, I think every actor wants to do a monologue. And I think both monologues that we've worked into this, there's something about those monologues that have a beginning, a middle, and the end, and the message through them are just going straight to the heart. You're talking about the one, the two of Roland's monologues, the one about the snake and then about love. About the true love.

The cotton candy. But then at the same time, like, the ideas, like, it's funny because often we'll be talking about ideas, and then, you know, somehow, like, I'll give an example. Like, I'll have an idea. Okay, well, okay, we have to change this character. We have to give the runaway car to someone else. And then we'll have the idea about, like, oh, it's got to be, you know, it's got to be Floyd. And then we're both like, oh, shit, we got goosebumps.

That's how we know it's real. That's how we know it's real. Okay, we got the goosebumps. We're on to something good. Exactly. You feel it and then and then jesse in the middle of the night or you know in the middle of the evening he's like i got the scene down he's sending it to me i'm like that's brilliant that's brilliant and the whole scene reads perfectly and well we have to go and tweak it

like i'll have some raw scenes they you know when they you know it's like bottled lightning but then you gotta iron it iron it and then but it's fun to work on it once you have it because that blank paper, that's what discourages a lot of writers. The blank page. What do I, where do I start? What do I do? Just put it down. And then what happens is it's just like clay or a painting. Once the paint is on the canvas, you can then go and play with it. but until it's on the page it's daunting how about for you jesse is there a line a scene a character something you're particularly i mean it's all so close to me that you know it's hard but one that has that's been there for a long time is when they're 16 with the motorcycle and he's revving the engine and roland's like

where's the gas oh yeah and he's seriously, because that anybody that rides bikes knows that if you have to ask that, you have a fucking clue what's going on. Yeah, yeah. Where's the gas? Like, and in the way Roland plays it off, if this guy handles, I can handle it. And to bring that line at the end, when Monty knows he can't handle it. And that ending, it's changed a lot. But the fact it was a very crucial one when we kind of came to that conclusion. Because Roland, it's such a selfless act.

He knows he's probably going to die. And he's already brought Monty into so much trouble and all of them. He decides right there, he's not. And that's why he doesn't let Monty in the car. Like he doesn't, he's already caused him so much, so many close calls and risked his life. He's going to take that one for the, and he knows his odds aren't good. He knows he doesn't have a chance in hell. But it's like take, jumping on a grenade, literally for somebody like that, it's like jumping on the grenade so that like in the thin red line, Woody Harrelson's character jumps on that grenade.

And he kind of saves all his, not teammates, but his platoon. Yeah. And he died for that. And that's the, because we love the anti-hero. All the heroes have to be a little flawed because then the viewer has to be able to think, hey, I could do that. That could be me. Because if they're perfect and they have no error,

you can't relate to it. And we're all flawed. And so the anti-hero is, is you know that's where it's at because you then feel like i could do that i could be in that situation and then that's when it's transcendent that's when the audience those are the movies that that really stand the test of time or do what they're supposed to do because you then put yourself there. And that is, you know. We're also very reminiscent of the movies

we've watched growing up. Yeah. You know, as children or as teenagers. And that's also the way we write. That's what inspired us. Absolutely. To either become an actor or to become a writer. And so we're very much inspired by all the greats that we look up to.

What are some of those films? Just And Tornado Solare Conclude a stretch at Ella a jujitsu al Samanguay onero peperoni a mirai on the Bocconi la pia di Neri a the people make it you see ya. Oh Look, you know, I mean like we have another script called for Adam And that's, that was. I saw that on your IMDB. It's like a goony Stand By Me meets Stranger Things. But with three young girls as leads. Instead of boys.

Instead of boys. It's like a girls adventure. Yeah, exactly. Because they don't really have anything like that. Having a daughter, I'd love to, I'd love to, I would love to see a movie where my daughter can actually relate to the characters. Yeah. And see how courageous these girls are. And just be yeah i could be that you know but also like for run rabbit run like he said earlier out of sight it's funny because when he came up to me with the idea or

the like the first draft of the script i i was reading it and then and then when we you know when we saw each other again i said said, look, I'm reading it. I have to reread it again. But right now, the feeling that I have is kind of like out of sight. He was like, you're right in the ballpark. I appreciate it. Let's go. So, yeah.

Because we love the mixing of genres. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And this is what's taken so much time with it, the transitions and the mixing of genres. How many years of time? I mean, off and on. I mean, there were years where you just, cause sometimes you got to set aside and cause you're so close to, you got to let it marinate and cook for a while and then re-approach it. So, I mean, over the course of, you know, nine year, nine to 10 years, but not the entire time. But see, that's what's so important. Like for any writers who are listening or anybody, actors who are listening, you know, we owe it to our writing partners to do our work and come

prepared because the amount of time they've spent to create this story. And then we get to roll in at the last second and have the fun doing the stuff like to phone it in or to not rise to the occasion is so disappointing when it's like look at the work you put in to create this world it's fun work it doesn't feel like work yeah it is a lot of work but it doesn't feel like work it's not like mowing the lawn or something like you know like when we wait when you create something that you're really into of course like yeah it's not it doesn't feel like work yeah sometimes like you know depending on the job that you're working on but like scripts like this or scripts that we actually work on

or that we we come up with is literally both of us sitting down and just giggling and laughing if we're not necessarily you know arguing about a line or and it's not necessarily an argument but sometimes it's a banter again it's a a banter. Because it's out of passion for the... Exactly. And then we put it on the page. It's like... Well, you decided not to act today. Right. Why?

I just wanted to hear it. I didn't want to be... I didn't want to influence the actual read. I just wanted to... First of all, Tom is an incredible actor, and I wanted him to have a go at it. Does Monty's a character that you probably most relate to or play? I relate to all of them.

I relate to all of them. Killian, Jameson. I literally relate to every single character in this story. Even Floyd. Even Floyd, absolutely, despite his perversion. Dude's all heart. Yeah, and these ideas came out. Dude's all heart. Yeah. And these ideas came out like,

it's like you grab them, you're like, oh yes, this is so good. Yeah, him lecturing Monty on driving is classic. Yeah, absolutely. Well, you want to know a funny thing is that was originally Wyatt. It's all changed to look like it. Yeah.

Honestly, the hardest thing with this one was the meshing of the genres. Because just a comedy, it's linear. You know, it's easy to maintain if it's just a comedy. But to have like kind of that Magnolia drama, you know, that Coen Brothers kind of drama, but then kind of fuse it with, you know, outlandish comedy. And it's kind of like boxing in that way. Like if you're laughing at something, you're disarmed and you're not ready for the violence.

You know, where if it's just like violence, you know, you're always at something you're disarmed and you're not ready for the violence you know where if it's just like violence you know you're always ready for it but the humor disarms you so that when the violence or the drama sets in it actually gets you because you're not you know tense ready for it you're laughing and then from the drama you go to comedy and so it's you know and that was the most difficult thing we had to do was kind of balance all the genre because it is, you know, a drama, but it is also, you know, ridiculous comedy and there's tension and thrilling, you know. So it was kind of making all that work where it didn't feel disjointed. Like, wait, what kind of movie is this? A drama? Who gives a shit?

It doesn't matter. You know, it's like, who cares what the rules are? If it works, it works so and yeah yeah no I do more questions yeah cuz I know it's been a long day good so it's always good to talk about it a lot of people are gonna get a chance to experience the story now audially which is you know we all grew up listening to stories. So it's just reaches us. We can use our imaginations and stuff. But so my first question is,

what do you want people to take away from the film when they listen to it or eventually one day when they watch it? What do you want them to take away from it? I mean, above all, just to be in it, really for me, what it's all – is just to entertain them. And if they're moved at times and they laugh and, you know, just – but just to be entertained. And, you know, and just the undertone is luck, you know.

I mean, there is a metaphor all throughout it. And that's how much luck shapes our lives, good and bad. And sometimes bad luck is good luck. Things that happen bad in our life – and we all – I don't care where you are, who you are, what creed, color, wherever you are in the world, that is a human condition. Sometimes bad things often turn out to be treasures. And you don't recognize it at the time. And it takes time sometimes for the journey to unfold to realize that that was a blessing. There's this old expression like, thank god for unanswered prayers and that always stayed with me too because it's like when

i was young i didn't know what that meant like what does that mean but when you get older you know it makes more sense because you have to live enough life to see things unfold yeah but really just that you know just i mean really just to be entertained is... Is that the same for you, Thomas? Yeah, I think the entertainment is the major factor or the major takeaway of this movie because, like Jesse was saying earlier, there's something about the drama starting with really strong drama and then, boom, going straight into some dark comedy. And then it just takes you by surprise and to go along with for the ride it's you don't you know not that i

want to throw our i don't want to throw us some flowers here it's just like it's the kind of movies or the kind of stories and scripts that it's the kind of script that I personally really enjoy reading and working on. And I think the takeaway as the audience is to just go along for the ride and let your imagination flow into this crazy world and be entertained by all these crazy characters. Yeah, just have fun with them because, you know, once this movie gets made, I want the crew and the cast to just have fun as well because that's what it's all about. That's really what it's all about. It's entertainment. So that's the last question that I have for you guys, which is… What now? Yeah. It's that part of the reason why we do this podcast in the first place is to bring these scripts to the public in a way where producers, you know, lit people like production companies and network studios.

They don't have to read the script. They can listen to it and it's brought to life. Right. Yeah. So the so the hope for all of us is that we can be a platform to expose great stories that ultimately get picked up and made into shows and films. So my question is like, if I'm a production company or a studio and I'm listening to this movie on the, this podcast, like what's the budget? Like what is, what's, what are you guys looking like? How would you pitch it to like somebody in production? How would we pitch it? I is it's not well i think as comps we would probably say bullet train meets seven psychopaths um and that's probably where

we would try to land in terms of style and and uh you know and genre so i'm trying to think of what's really expensive in the film. Well, the action sequence, certainly at the end, I mean, that could all be toned down. I think location, yeah, the action, like the rolling, the stunts, the car chase.

Yeah, it's pretty... I mean, of course, like the car going through a wall is definitely something that will cost a pretty penny. Yeah, that's right. There's a lot of stunts in there that would probably be like yeah a couple cranes here it's like we have to we need 15 walls for 15 takes to for a car to go through that 15 times you know for all the different angles or you know um probably know, I think I'm not too sure in terms of budget. I'm not too sure. And it's not necessarily my forte. I'd rather leave that to someone who really knows about it.

But we're definitely not shy of – that's the thing. We're definitely not shy of working and collaborating with people who actually know what they're doing in terms of that kind of storytelling. And let's go. I mean, let's play ball and let's go. It is a collaboration. Oh, yeah. If producers or directors see the vision and they see where we want to take it,

yeah, let's go. That's awesome. Let's make it happen. Our emphasis, and see, the characters come and go so it's like you could come in and do your part and not have to spend six months doing it right but yet it's juicy and potent and so that was in the same way not to compare to pulp fiction or anything like that or big lebowski because you know it's like i'm not saying it's anything like oh but it's got flavors of flavor but it's like i you know, but the idea, though, is if you make those characters potent enough, you draw the attention of names like that.

And you get names like that filing in to play the part. Sky's the limit. And that's why. That is the dream. It's definitely the dream. That is the dream. And by no means we're actually, you know, we're actually. No, yeah.

I mean, you know. We're telling everybody like, oh, yeah, that's what we are. No, no, absolutely not. No, but you've got to dream. These guys are inspirations. Like these guys inspired us in the work that we do they started right where we all did exactly exactly and listen this is the truth too if you don't believe it no one you have to believe it that's right you have to it doesn't nobody else can believe in you but if you believe in it that's

it everybody can believe in you but if you don't it's not going to mean squat. So you have to believe it and you have to see it or you'll never make it there. It will never happen. I think the vision is actually pretty clear on the page now after all these years and after ironing all the creases or at least most of the creases out. And I think that whoever reads the script or even listens to it, they'll get the vision. They'll get the sense of it. Well, when we put the episodes up, we also, on the website, put a link to the script

so they can read along with listening to it. Oh, really? So they can see it come alive. That's a great idea. I didn't even know that. I didn't know that either. That's a good surprise, man. That's a great surprise.

No, it's a great idea. So what a great way to read the script while it becomes fully in bloom. Because I don't know about you, but sometimes That's a great surprise. That's a great idea. So what a great way to read the script while it becomes fully in bloom. Because I don't know about you, but sometimes it's nice for me to have a second screen up where I can just like read along and see what's happening. Well, this is the first time I didn't read the script while we were doing it today. I know. I saw that. Both of you guys were just watching.

I wasn't even like, whoa, I was just listening because the script I spent too much time with. And we know it so well that I know all i know all the lines like you know you're part of the thread right like we just kept on shooting lines at each other even with you it's like oh and you know we're talking about something and then the line pops up from the script like just because it's well placed within our conversation with you or you know between the two of us it's like it's so fresh in our mind. It's always there. Yeah. It's almost like. Yeah.

I mean, we're just so close. Just looking over you. Yeah. I'm just like. Well, I just, I want to thank you both for trusting us with this opportunity to tell the story in this format. And I am so excited for other people to hear it and to see what energy this generates. No, it was a pleasure working with you guys.

I had complete confidence when I saw the quality of everything i knew i had no reservation at all and i really want to prove is in the pudding they say yeah yeah and i really want to say thank you sean for having us on board because no i mean you you were kind of our lightning rod absolutely kind of trail blade like yeah yeah well i didn't have you guys to be up for it because we just read the script together earlier this year. Yeah.

And I was just like, hey, what the heck? Well, just toss it because we needed another really fun piece. Yeah. Well, I'm glad it worked out the way it did.

No, thank you. And I appreciate that. Yeah, sure. And thanks for spending some time talking about it. It'll be fun for people to get some insight into. Absolutely.

All right. Looking forward to it.