Part of ESPN’s “30 for 30″ series of films is an interesting documentary called “One Night In Vegas”, which tells the story of Mike Tyson…and Tupac Shakur. Our own Jonathan Hailey reviewed this film at a special screening in New York City, at the end of Harlem Week [check his review HERE ]. But the other day, as it looked like a looming storm named Earl would be canceling flights out of New York, I got to spend a few minutes talking to the filmmaker, Reggie Rock Bythewood.
TBBO: So, how did you end up working on this documentary?
BYTHEWOOD: Originally ESPN had someone else working on it, and that didn’t work out, so they called me in. This wasn’t originally my project.
TBBO: What’s been the reaction so far from people who have seen it?
BYTHEWOOD: It’s been really good. You know, I don’t read reviews of my work. I don’t get into it at all. But people have so far been really pleased with it. Mike (Tyson) really liked it.
TBBO: What was he like at the screening?
BYTHEWOOD: Well, he’s a really private guy, you know, so he gets there and he’s all closed off and doesn’t say much. But after the film was finished, he gets up on stage and was really open and honest with people…answered questions and everything. He said it was like having an out of body experience, you know…like he was watching someone else. But he remembered that night very well.
TBBO: What was he like to work with?
BYTHEWOOD: I learned a lot about Mike while we were making this. He was nothing like what you’d heard or seen in media at the time. And I think that’s one of the important things about this story. What we were being shown at the time is not the same as the man I met and talked to. You’ll see a more human side of Mike in this movie.
One thing to remember is that this night is the last time Mike Tyson walked out of a ring as a champion. A couple of months later he lost the title to Holyfield.
TBBO: So we lost two icons that night, in a sense.
BYTHEWOOD: Yeah, you could say that!
TBBO: Is it your goal to cover every iconic hip-hop figure of the 90s? Because you’re on your way…
BYTHEWOOD: (Laughs) I know it looks that way. Hip Hop has been a part of everything I’ve done for many years now. I’m not sure if it’s that I’m chasing it, or that it’s chasing me, but it’s a natural context for my work, I think.
What I wanted to do with this film was create a collision of hip-hop and boxing. Show the fascinating relationship between these two men. This documentary is pretty Tupac-heavy for an ESPN piece, man.
TBBO: Yeah what’s up with that? How did you get so much hip-hop in an ESPN documentary?
BYTHEWOOD: They really let me do my thing, and I’m thankful to them for it! I mean, I have Maya Angelou…spoken word poets…Mickey Roarke — in a sports film! It’s so much more than a sports film, and I hope people get that. To my knowledge, this has never been done!
TBBO: Mike’s alive, so it’s sorta easy to have him illustrate himself. But what about Tupac? How did you set out to represent him in this film?
BYTHEWOOD: People saw Pac — and Mike, for that matter — as superheroes. So I set out to create “graphic novel images” that represented both men well but captured their essence as a little larger than life.
I always like to challenge people’s thoughts, make them question, stop and think — in a commercial context and I think this film does that.
TBBO: Has making this film changed you? How has it affected your art?
BYTHEWOOD: Oh that’s a good question. I think when I was 21 I would have approached this project in a totally different way. But now, a few years later, I think I would have made the same film, I just would have had a different reason.
TBBO: Now that this is done, what’s next? What are you going to be working on next?
BYTHEWOOD: Not sure. I definitely have a few things to choose from.
TBBO: What’s up with a return to episodic TV? Would you consider it?
BYTHEWOOD: Wow, you know what — you may have helped me decide! So many people close to me have asked me to consider TV — and there have been some projects offered — now here you are, asking! If it turns out that my next project is TV, this conversation may have been what put me over the edge!
TBBO: Do you think you’re responsible, as a filmmaker, to the audience you reach?
BYTHEWOOD: Some people do this for money. Some people do this just to make people laugh. And that’s them. I know that I see the world the way that I do. I don’t wanna preach, I just want to make the statement I make, and hopefully, get you to think a little bit in a different way.
TBBO: Which of your projects has been your favorite to do?
BYTHEWOOD: That’s like “which of your children is your favorite?” (laughs) ALL of them! I mean, I really liked “Get On The Bus”. I loved “New York Undercover”. But I have really enjoyed all of them.
TBBO: Have you seen anything lately that you liked?
BYTHEWOOD: I’m a really big Gina Prince-Bythewood fan!
TBBO: Good answer!
BYTHEWOOD: No, really! She’s working on something now, it’s really good, man. Can’t talok about it right now. But I like the work she does. Otherwise, you know, I’m enjoying the debate and discussion about “Inception”, that was good…I haven’t seen a lot else that made that much of an impression.
TBBO: Anything you wanna say about “One Night In Vegas”?
BYTHEWOOD: This film was done with no regard for people’s comfort. It’s the real story, and people’s real feelings. I’m thankful to ESPN for letting me do my thing, and I hope to keep doing projects like this, if I can.
TBBO: Thanks for your time!
BYTHEWOOD: Thank you! Stay in touch, man!
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