The Making Of
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Producer Christine O'Malley talks about the audience response to WORDPLAY, finding celebrity solvers and what Jon Stewart is really like.
What led you to make WORDPLAY?
We had been searching for several years for a great topic for our first documentary feature. People with really unique and fascinating jobs were very intriguing to us so we were kicking around ideas of that nature. We have been fans of The New York Times crossword for a long time so when the thought of telling the story of Times crossword editor Will Shortz hit upon us, we knew we had our film.
What were some of the challenges you faced in making the film?
We are based in Los Angeles and most of this film was shot on the east coast. Because we had such a tight budget we had to be very creative in our travel plans—we relied on the kindness of our friends and relatives. We slept on a lot of couches.
How did you seek out the featured celebrity crossword fans?
Will Shortz keeps a list of celebrities that are crossword fans. We looked over that list and looked for people that were exceptional in their field, because we thought it would be interesting to see what common threads, if any, were there.
What didn’t get included in your film that you would have liked to show?
There were many great moments in the interviews and at the tournament that did not make it into the final cut of the film—so we have a fantastic DVD with A LOT of material.
Tell us about a scene in the film that especially resonated with you.
Watching President Clinton solve the puzzle while he answered our questions during the interview was incredibly cool.
What has the audience response been so far? Have the people featured in the film seen it, and if so, what did they think?
The audience response has been fantastic. The film grossed over three million dollars at the box office and received over 100 positive reviews from critics around the country, and was the winner of Rottentomatoes.com’s “Best Reviewed Documentary of 2006.” All of the puzzle participants have seen the film many times over. Most of them have done Q&As after screenings—the audience can’t get enough of them. As for the famous solvers, I think most of them have seen it by now. President and Senator Clinton saw the film together at their local theater in New York and, reportedly enjoyed it very much. All the feedback has been very positive.
The independent film business is a difficult one. What keeps you motivated?
Our three children and our mortgage.
Why did you choose to present your film on public television?
We feel that the PBS audience is a great fit for this film. This film was created for a general audience—not just people who love crosswords. The characters in this film are fascinating and endearing and the topic is very interesting. Intelligent and witty audiences seem to really respond to this film which is why we felt that it WORDPLAY would be a perfect fit for Independent Lens.
What didn’t you get done when you were making your film?
Nothing. We don’t have a single regret. This is the film we always dreamed of making.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Yes. Jon Stewart really is that funny in person. He was a joy to work with.
Learn more about the filmmakers >>
Solve the crossword puzzle created especially for WORDPLAY >>
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