The No Film School Podcast Why Producer Ken Kao (Cuckoo, The Nice Guys, Mid90s) Wants More Mid-Budget Films
How can you break into the film industry? Especially if you're not in Hollywood or you come from a different profession, like law. Is thick skin essential? Can you balance business with creativity? Producer Ken Kao, co-founder of Waypoint Entertainment, shares insights on these topics, some of his experiences, and recent projects.
Ken’s latest feature, CUCKOO, written and directed by Tilman Singer, stars Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, and Jessica Henwick and premiered at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival. With a diverse portfolio spanning films like Academy Award-winning THE FAVORITE and THE NICE GUYS, featuring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, Ken's expertise and vision have shaped the landscape of modern cinema.
In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Ken Kao, co-founder of Waypoint Entertainment and producer of some of the most anticipated films of 2024, to discuss:
- How Ken started in the industry, moving from lawyer to producer without film school
- Advice for emerging filmmakers and indie producers
- The Waypoint x Neon partnership and the opportunity in mid-budget films
- How he selects projects, being a genre-agnostic producer
- How Waypoint stays nimble and adaptive in the ever-changing industry
- What every producer or aspiring producer should be consuming and Ken’s media diet beyond movies
- Living in Hawaii and maintaining distance from Hollywood
- His latest feature, "CUCKOO," by Tilman Singer, starring Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, and Jessica Henwick
- Waypoint’s involvement in the release of “Longlegs,” directed by Osgood Perkins and starring Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe
- Other projects currently in development
Memorable quotes:
“You never know what's gonna happen when you start making a film” [12:02]
“We're all just trying to make good movies that touch people and that we can be proud of” [20:05]
“I think the vast majority, especially this younger generation of people, if you're gonna get them off their sofas, getting to put their phone down, take 10 to 20 minutes to drive to a theater park and get it and sit there and give up two hours of their time, you need to give them some kind of authentic experience. I think what's good is subjective, but I think their ability to sniff the BS is high.” [21:55]
“As difficult as the film business right now is, I think as a creator, and I'm not just speaking for myself, I'm just speaking for aspiring creators, people that are creating already, in some ways it's as strong as the time has ever.” [41:00]
“A good number of people know when actors are choosing movies to make a buck. And when they really love the material and they're putting themselves in that role, in that movie.” [46:07]
“Trust your taste, trust what you're trying to say to people, and trust your instincts.” [47:33]
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