Since the world witnessed the recent pandemic, the dynamics of many industries have shifted and changed completely. One industry that saw a 360-degree shift was the entertainment industry. Concerts were postponed, and film productions were halted following the Covid-19 precautionary protocols. Due to the closure of cinemas and theaters, movie releases were delayed, and some were forced to be released on OTT and streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney Plus. Healthcare experts and doctors put in their efforts and hard work to revive the industry and bring movies back to the theaters. But when it comes to the contributions to restoring the entertainment industry, one cannot ignore the efforts of only physician-owned and directed advisory body, A Safe Way Forward. The company offers a comprehensive medical approach to safely opening film, TV, music, and festival productions in a Covid-19 environment. Despite making numerous contributions to the health sector and reviving the entertainment industry, President and CEO of A Safe Way Forward, Dr. Savoy Brummer, considers producing ‘Asking For It’ and getting it accepted into Tribeca as his biggest achievement.
Action-thriller movie ‘Asking For It’ made its way to the US cinemas this year in March. Though the film was scheduled to be released in 2020, the production took over two years, owing to the restrictions during the pandemic. The movie revolves around a plot of vengeance led by a group of women who have been victims of sexual assault or harassment against a misogynist society. In an earlier interview, Dr. Savoy Brummer revealed how his production partner, Luke Daniels, wanted to give life to this magnificent story. “My production partner Luke Daniels came to me and said he had a film he wanted to produce about minority women fighting out against racist and sexist fascists. I read the script but wanted to ensure the execution was correct,” shares Savoy.
The drama begins after small-town waitress Joey is sexually assaulted after a date with her old friend Mike. Later, she befriends mysterious stranger Regina, who introduces her to The Cherry Bombers, an all-femme gang including Beatrice, Lily, Sal, Jett, Angie, and Fala. All suffering from past traumas, together they fight a misogynistic society by targeting violent frat boys, a corrupt police force of human traffickers led by Sheriff Morel, and the dangerous alt-right group MFM (Men’s First Movement) headed by Mark Vanderhill. The story continues as Joey, alongside Regina and her all-female gang of vigilantes, is drawn further into their chaotic world. The movie heads on to a thrilling showdown as Logan County Sheriff Vernon investigates MFM.
‘Asking For It’ was written and directed by one of the experienced directors of Hollywood, Eamon Ororke. The movie became a masterpiece due to the phenomenal acting skills of its star cast and some big names, Alexandra Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens, Kiersey Clemons, Ezra Miller, Leyna Bloom, and Luke Hemsworth. Acknowledging the efforts of this A-List cast, Savoy Brummer says, “The cast, in general, was very supportive. They were willing to come together away from their homes to Oklahoma to act.” Production was tough due to extremely cold weather conditions in Oklahoma. However, according to Dr. Savoy Brummer, there were days during the shoot when the temperatures went below freezing, and they had to maintain artistic integrity. They had to film for days in very frigid weather with no more than a t-shirt. But the cast was quite professional, and they handled it well.
Despite the delay and discrepancies during the post-production and editing phase of the movie, ‘Asking For It’ made it to the Tribeca Film Festival. It is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Productions. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic series, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. Praising the efforts of the director and post-production team, Savoy Brummer states, “Apart from the disruptions you would consider during production, Covid-19 restrictions actually delayed our ability to edit together in one room during post-production and slowed down the process of pick-up shots and typical items that add finesse to your films.” He adds, “However, we did manage to take a step back, prioritize the film and not rush it to be completed until we got all of the shots.”
There was a lot of hard work and team effort behind the movie’s creation, which cannot be ignored. Dr. Savoy Brummer, alongside the production team and crew, considers it one of their lifetime achievements as ‘Asking For It’ made it to one of the biggest movie festivals such as Tribeca. Besides this movie, Dr. Brummer has contributed as an Executive Producer in various projects that have premiered on Netflix and cable television. Indeed the Savvy Doc has played a crucial part in bringing Hollywood back to the big screens and is ambitious to continue doing the same in the coming years.
