Entertainment · Film · 3 hrs ago
Nathan Fielder secured the option to scrap his Elizabeth Holmes documentary
Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim made a documentary about Elizabeth Holmes that is now in theaters.
Holmes’ scandal had already been covered in a podcast, a book, a documentary and a TV series.
Fielder worried that the story had been told too many times and was unsure what new angle they could find.
Before filming, he negotiated with distributor A24 for the option to abandon the film if the directors found nothing worth making.
Holmes was due to go to prison in 34 days, and the directors began filming to see what might emerge.
Oppenheim said the deal gave them room to explore freely without pressure to deliver a finished film.
Nathan Fielder negotiated a contract provision allowing the filmmakers to abandon their Elizabeth Holmes documentary if they found no viable story.
Co-director Lance Oppenheim said A24 agreed to the provision before filming began.
Fielder was concerned that Holmes’ story had already been told many times.
The provision gave the filmmakers freedom to explore the story without pressure to deliver a film, Oppenheim said.
The filmmakers were still uncertain how the documentary would take shape with 34 days left before Holmes was due to go to prison.
- Who
- Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the documentary’s co-directors, negotiated with A24.
- What
- Fielder secured a provision allowing the filmmakers to abandon the Elizabeth Holmes documentary if they found no story.
- When
- Before filming began. The article says Holmes was due to go to prison in 34 days at one point during the project.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- Fielder worried the story had already been told many times and wanted the freedom to see whether a new angle emerged.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Fielder asked A24 to let the filmmakers abandon the project if they found no story, and A24 agreed.
Oppenheim said the filmmakers remained hesitant about how the documentary would take shape.
- Directors
- Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim
- Studio
- A24
- Contract provision
- The filmmakers could abandon the project if they found no story
- Time before prison
- 34 days remained before Holmes was due to go to prison at one point during the project
What people are saying
And they thankfully agreed.
This was the first time where I’ve ever been like, ‘Oh, we actually have room to explore something without any pressure of anyone looking [over us],
I don’t really know what the angle is, but there is something tickling in my brain,
But we need the ability to deliver nothing to you guys if it doesn’t work out.