The Art of Masterful Direction: Alex Buono Unveils Gripping True Stories, Hitchcockian Influences, and a Mind-Blowing Cliffhanger!

Content: Based on a True Story takes a satirical approach to the true-crime obsession. This dark comedy thriller series revolves around Ava and Nathan, a married couple who are searching for excitement in their lives. Ava, a pregnant realtor, and Nathan, a former tennis star, stumble upon a golden opportunity when they discover the identity of a local serial killer. They decide to capitalize on this by creating a podcast where they interview him.

Starring Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina, the ensemble cast of Based on a True Story also includes Tom Bateman, Priscilla Quintana, Liana Liberato, Natalia Dyer, Alex Alomar Akpobome, Aisha Alfa, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, and Li Jun Li. With a blend of satire reminiscent of Wes Craven's Scream movies and the edgy style of Prime Video's The Boys, creator Craig Rosenberg delivers a hilariously thrilling and refreshingly original take on the true-crime trend.

Screen Rant exclusively spoke with director and executive producer Alex Buono about the ongoing success of the show. They discussed the collaborative process with Rosenberg, their wide range of influences including Hitchcock and Sam Raimi, and also delved into the major cliffhanger of season 1. SPOILERS ahead!

Alex Buono Talks Based on a True Story

Alex Buono: The project piqued my interest when Roxie Rodriguez from Aggregate and Jason Bateman's company approached me during the pilot stage. We arranged a meeting, which I initially thought would be just another generic one that leads nowhere. However, during our discussion, Roxie mentioned a script titled Based on a True Story. Although they were not ready to proceed with production at that time, she assured me that she would reach out to me again in six to nine months. I was intrigued and agreed to wait.

Six months later, she contacted me, informing me that the show was going into production and asking if I was prepared to direct the pilot. I was taken aback by the sudden news. She introduced me to the show's creator, Craig Rosenberg, who had conceived the entire concept. During my meeting with Craig, we immediately connected and shared a similar vision for the show. Personally, I was drawn to its intelligence and satirical nature - it aligned with the type of comedy I had become interested in after working on dry, grounded and visually-driven comedy in my previous background. While at SNL, I wasn't involved in the sketches or the live show; instead, I worked in the film unit, creating realistic and grounded commercial parodies and short films that didn't rely heavily on jokes. Documentary Now! shares a similar approach, as I just completed a season of Russian Doll where humor was interwoven with drama. I enjoy the balance of a story that is authentic, high-stakes, yet also fun. This is precisely what I saw in the pilot script, which included a murder, intense bloodshed, and genuine consequences. It also revolved around a couple desperately trying to salvage their failing marriage.

The content was not purely humorous but had a genuine aspect to it. It presented a significant tonal challenge: a combination of dark and bloody themes with comedy elements. This challenge excited me because I did not want to work on something predictable or mundane. Instead, I wanted to tackle something that I had not experienced before.

The main challenge revolved around capturing the intricate tone of the piece. It needed to be both funny and violent, while also maintaining the distinctive rhythm of the eccentric couple. Additionally, introducing a serial killer into their dynamic created an interesting trio. The project was intense and enjoyable, particularly because it allowed me to delve into the satire of the true crime industry. The various elements of the content captivated my interest.

The task of capturing the exceptional blend of tones presents a formidable challenge. While you have previously worked on other projects, these have already established a unified visual style determined by someone else. However, here you have the opportunity to shape the visual language for the show. How does this distinction affect your approach to finding the perfect direction?

Alex Buono: This show was an interesting experience for me. Similar to shows like Russian Doll, I wasn't the creator or showrunner, but rather came on board as a directing producer. It was important for me to align with the showrunner, the creator of the show. In the case of Russian Doll, it was Natasha Lyonne and her unique vision, and my role was to understand her vision and help bring it to life. In this particular show, it was Craig Rosenberg who had a clear vision.

Craig had a specific idea of what he wanted to create - a dark comedy with a touch of horror and sci-fi. He had a background in genres like comic books, and his goal was to incorporate smart, satirical moments in the couple's relationship, while also delivering intense and gory murder scenes reminiscent of Sam Raimi's style. I found his vision to be really cool and unique. We spent a lot of time discussing various influences, and I could tell he was inspired by Hitchcock, but with a contemporary twist in the writing of the pilot.

We discussed the concept that merely replicating Hitchcock's style would make our work seem outdated and cliché, as many others have already done that. Instead, we examined other filmmakers whom we both admired, such as Brian De Palma and Sam Raimi. These directors also drew inspiration from Hitchcock but interpreted his influence through their own unique lenses. Similarly, in movies like Burn After Reading, the Coen Brothers created their own version of a Hitchcock film, while Tarantino incorporated Hitchcock elements in his distinct signature style.

Stanley Kubrick was another significant influence. However, when mentioning esteemed and revered filmmakers like Kubrick, the Coen Brothers, Hitchcock, and De Palma, it becomes crucial to avoid simple imitation of our idols. We need to understand not just what they did but also what they aimed to achieve. Therefore, we invested significant time discussing our intentions and the visual language we wanted to employ. Through these deliberations, we managed to establish a visual language that would effectively capture the complex tone we aimed to convey.

Did you and Craig ever feel like you were pushing the boundaries too far while filming the brutal murder scenes in this series, just as he intended?

In the opening scene, we initially went too far but then decided to dial it back. There were bloodier and more intense versions of that scene, but we realized it might be too extreme. It would have been difficult to transition from that to Chris Messina's character on a toilet watching himself play tennis. So, we toned down the level of blood and violence in the opening scene.

However, it was a challenging process. We shot different versions of scenes and discovered during post-production that you don't truly understand the final outcome until you're editing it. There's a lot of refinement happening in post-production, whether it's through excluding or including certain shots. But when it comes to the opening scene, we knew that the close-up shot of the knife entering the woman's body would be quite graphic.

Craig had a strong and decisive vision for the content fragment. He wanted it to be intense, gory, and far from subtle. This determination was one of the reasons I was drawn to it. Meeting with Craig and hearing him suggest toning down the violence, removing the on-screen murders, would have made me reconsider my involvement. What made this project so enticing and thrilling to me was the complex and original blending of genres.

I couldn't agree more. When discussing it with Tom and the rest of the team, I mentioned how it feels distinct from Only Murders in the Building, despite sharing a similar true crime foundation. After spending considerable time conversing with Craig and being deeply moved by his vision, I am curious if there were ever discussions about you directing the entire series. Or was it always the plan for you to bookend it, with others helming the rest?

Alex Buono was initially hired to direct the pilot episode of the show. After successfully completing this task, he was asked to stay on as the directing producer for the rest of the series. This offer felt like a promotion and a validation of his work. As the directing producer, Buono helped the other directors maintain the desired tone of the show. It was only later, around episode 4 or 5, that he was invited to direct the finale.

And I believe - you'd need to inquire with him - that some of that was simply due to the fact that I was thoroughly enjoying myself, and he was witnessing the other episodes taking shape, generating a sense of consistency throughout the entire series. By that time, I had established a strong connection with the actors, comprehending the essence of the show, and he and I had dedicated significant time discussing the conclusion of the series and how to wrap it up, both from a narrative and technical perspective. Consequently, they extended an invitation for me to direct the finale when we were approximately at the midpoint of the season. There wasn't any predetermined plan for me to direct all of them, no.

I'm pleased that you were able to get that promotion and now work with all of the directors. I'm curious, how did you navigate your relationship with the other directors to ensure that their individual visions for the episodes were not stifled, yet still maintaining consistency throughout all the episodes?

Alex Buono: It's interesting because on Russian Doll, Natasha Lyonne and I were the only directors for all the episodes. For Documentary Now!, I usually directed all the episodes either by myself or with my directing partner, Rhys Thomas. This job was unique because it required me to assist other directors in directing the show, even though I had just met them for the first time.

In this particular case, I have had the opportunity to direct numerous episodes of Documentary Now!. However, the directors they brought in were exceptional and often had more experience than myself in directing. Anu Valia was the first director to join the project, having just finished working on She-Hulk and The Big Door Prize, with significant television experience. Following her, Jennifer Arnold, a seasoned TV veteran, directed the next block of episodes. Francesca Gregorini, who had recently worked on The Dropout and earned an Emmy nomination, also contributed her expertise. This presented an exciting and rare opportunity for me as a director to observe and learn from other directors in action. It allowed me to gain insight into their unique processes, techniques for working with actors, and handling the crew. Overall, it was a truly valuable and distinctive experience.

I believe observing and learning from others helped improve my directing abilities. Simultaneously, my role was to guide them in understanding the essence of the show. When working as an episodic director, you are not fully in charge as it is not your own show and you are not present throughout. The main goal is to receive clear instructions and ensure we accurately portray the show. It is important to be well-regarded and to be seen as successfully contributing to their production.

As a directing producer, a significant part of my job involved being present on set and affirming when the shot was captured perfectly. When overseeing performances, I would confirm when an actor portrayed their character exactly as intended. I also provided guidance on tonal adjustments, suggesting if a scene should be more or less serious. The aim was to ensure everyone involved was aligned in creating a cohesive show.

The key is to prevent the other directors from unintentionally creating a different show than what Craig intended. While Craig is busy writing the other episodes and not present on set with us every day, it is essential for someone to ensure that Craig's show and his vision are being faithfully produced. My responsibility was to guarantee that regardless of any circumstances, his show and his vision remained the central focus and we didn't inadvertently stray into someone else's concept for a show.

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With a show like this, there are numerous vulnerabilities to explore, both from a character's perspective and the reality that some characters are being killed. What are some key aspects for you in cultivating trust and establishing a strong rapport with your actors during productions?

Alex Buono: In the case of this show, as in the case of exceptional films and television shows (without merging the two), it all comes down to effective casting. The casting process plays a significant role in directing, with many directors claiming that it encompasses around 90 percent of the job. When you cast the right individuals, like Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina in this instance, there is this magical synergy between them. Their chemistry is astounding, especially considering they had never met before and were unfamiliar with each other. Yet, they portrayed the love and intimacy of a married couple of ten years, making it truly believable.

They had an absolute blast on set, laughing the entire time and constantly making jokes. Their acting styles were distinct; Chris had a New York approach, heavily focused on the process and willing to do multiple takes to get it just right. He was open to trying different approaches and genuinely enjoyed experimenting. Kayley, on the other hand, had grown up in front of the camera and had a natural talent for comedy. She instinctively knew how to deliver her lines and didn't require many takes. She effortlessly found the comedic and dramatic moments, showcasing her versatility.

Their dynamic on set was fantastic. Chris brought a sense of lightness to Kayley's performance, while she brought a grounded presence to his. It was a perfect blend of their strengths. As the director, my role on set often consisted of observing their playful interactions and laughter. It was amazing to have a cast that got along so well. Tom Bateman seamlessly joined in their goofiness, making the trio a bunch of delightful goofballs. Their enthusiastic energy and enjoyment spilled over into the more serious and intense scenes of the show, adding a touch of levity. The entire cast, including Priscilla Quintana who played Ruby, effortlessly meshed with them and had a fantastic time.

Liana Liberato, who portrayed Tori, Kayley's sister in the film, had such a great rapport with the cast. We all had a fantastic time on set, filled with laughter and enjoyment. As the director, part of my role involved balancing the lightheartedness with the serious moments. I would often remind the actors that certain scenes required a sense of fear or gravity, especially when their characters were facing danger. On the other hand, I also encouraged them to explore their performances and bring a looseness to their roles. Collaborating with the talented writer Craig, I requested a bit of flexibility in sticking to the script, allowing the actors to play around with the dialogue and even improvise at times. This approach helped them fully understand the scenes and find the right tone, ultimately bringing them back to the scripted lines once they grasped the essence and enjoyment of each scene.

I have extensively explored this style in the comedy industry through my work in improv comedy, sketch comedy, and collaborations with various talented comedians. My intention has always been to create an environment where actors can freely express themselves, have fun, and avoid being overly constrained. Instead of dictating precise movements and specific actions based on storyboards, I focused on encouraging spontaneity and enjoyment. This approach became a prominent aspect of my work and something I aimed to inspire other directors to embrace.

During my conversation with Tom, he mentioned that Craig has a well-developed plan for multiple seasons of this show and has a clear vision for season 2. Although nothing has been confirmed so far, have you heard any news or discussed with Craig about the potential future of this show?

Alex Buono: I am aware that Craig has a plan for multiple seasons, but the specifics are unknown to me. We have brainstormed exciting ideas for season 2, and considering the intense cliffhanger ending of this season, we have contemplated the possibilities of "What happens next?" Craig has several different scenarios for the future, but I believe he has yet to make a final decision. Our intention was to create a starting point for season 2 that leaves the audience's imagination running wild with anticipation of what could unfold.

About Based on a True Story

Based on a True Story is a captivating dark comedy thriller that delves into the entangled lives of a charismatic realtor, a skilled plumber, and a once-acclaimed tennis star. As their paths intertwine, a chilling truth is unveiled, shedding light on America's insatiable fascination with true crime and the macabre world of murder.

Check out our previous Based on a True Story interviews here:

Liana Liberato & Priscilla Quintana

Tom Bateman

Based on a True Story season 1 is streaming in its entirety on Peacock.