The new Apple+ Series Dope Thief is based on a bestselling book about two friends who rob drug houses only to have their grift blow up in their faces as they get involved in deeper trouble in modern-day Pennsylvania. Executive Produced by legendary director Ridley Scott and Starring Academy Award Nominee Brian Tyree Henry. Editor Eric Litman (Hot Zone Anthrax, Star Trek: Picard) was brought on for three exciting episodes. Litman recently spoke to Immersive via Zoom.
[This conversation has been edited for clarity and length]
How did you get involved with Dope Thief?
I worked with Scott Free on a series called Hot Zone Anthrax and had a terrific experience with them. While working on another project, I saw that they were doing the show Dope Thief. I remember reading the book. I’ve always wanted to do a show set in Philadelphia.
I reached out to executive David Zucker, and he said,”Let me get you in the mix.” This led to a successful meeting, and then I was in. I met the showrunner, Peter Craig, who is just incredible. His writing is next level. His credits are impeccable: The Town, The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick…
That’s excellent. Let’s talk specifically about your episodes and your approach to them. Brian Tyree Henry is certainly a good lead to work with because he’s very controlled and seems to be doing improv at the same time.
He is a terrific actor and very smart. His choices are incredibly thoughtful. Depending on what’s happening in the scene, he can modulate his performance to be rapid-fire. He could be soft-spoken or get emotional. His eyes are so powerful in conveying emotion.
He came into the cutting room several times, and we asked him to add some lines to the show. Not everybody has that skill. He also has good editing sense. He came in with suggestions, and we took his notes very seriously.
What was your relationship like with the different directors…
Tanya Hamilton was great, and I worked very closely with Marcela Said—I did episodes 4 and 7 with her. She’s a powerhouse of a director. She got nontraditional creative footage, which made the episode stand out. We found ways to incorporate this unconventional footage to make it work for the story. We always try to serve the story; she has a terrific sense of story.
Any challenges… favorite scenes?
The scene that was shot in the pawn shop was intense. I had watched the dailies and thought it was well filmed. I was scared for this character. Then they had an actual squib go off, and the guy’s head was blown off. It startled me. I wasn’t expecting it.
What’s interesting to me about the show, tone-wise, is that it’s never gratuitous. It shows grit and realism, but it never goes too far.
Yeah, we were careful about that. We could have gone further with that stuff, but we wanted to be responsible. There are some scenes in later episodes that I worked on that do it, but we don’t go in your face on this type of stuff.
What’s in the box? The moment you see the box, did Se7en come to mind?
We had a lot of discussion about the box. This guy was a good guy. He was looking out for Ray. He didn’t sell Manny guns. He sold him a ring. The twists and turns the story takes show you the kind of writing Peter Craig does. There are multi-layers here. That’s what was tricky and fun about putting this story together.
What was it like being part of a Ridley Scott production? Did you have any interaction?
We had a little bit. He was very involved in the pilot (which he directed), which Billy Rich edited. He was very engaged with the show’s overall tone, ensuring pacing was replicated throughout the episodes. I did hear that when he saw the pilot put together, he said, “This is one of the best things I’ve been involved in.”
How much exposure did you have to the other episodes? You’re working on a continuous thing that, if you watch together, feels like the same pacing. So talk a bit about that, like having your flare and being part of a whole thing.
When I come onto the show, I read the scripts for all the episodes leading up to my episode. I try not to read past what I’m cutting. I don’t wanna know where these characters are going. I wanna stay grounded in what they’re doing in that moment. I’ll see the episodes once they’re cut and ready to be viewed. Once I get started, I’ll know which aspects I like while making the episode I’m working on stand on its own two feet.
The episodes almost feel like films…
When I came onto the show, I did episode four initially, and that cut initially came in at 90 minutes. There was a lot of story there, a lot of stuff we had to shape. Peter and I would jokingly call the episode a film. We try to shape it down while preserving the story. How can we do this in less time?
Let’s talk about the scene between Brian and Ving Rhames… When Ray visits his father in the hospital…
When I first saw the footage, I was looking at two powerhouse performances. I couldn’t go in any wrong direction and go wherever I wanted. There were a plethora of options. The father’s health and Ray’s situation made for even more tension. It was an emotionally charged scene because even though Ray hates his father, I think he loves him, too.
And that comes out through the edit. People have multiple emotions at the same time.
When I put that scene together, I left for the day, kind of sad. Ray leaves his ailing father and then walks into the unknown… We had the music playing, then tight shots of Ray’s face and the shots of the gates opening.
I don’t like saying this, but sometimes it’s very simplistic in how it’s put together. There’s a lot of time and energy that goes into crafting those beats and making sure each one of those shots was cut deliberately for the emotional arc of that scene.
What’s it like being on the other end of this now… This is a well-received show…
When you’re working on a show, and this had a long post-process, it was a long shoot. There was also a long strike in the middle of all this. You are always proud of what you do. I think this is good. You don’t know how it’s going to be received, but I think this is good. I’m proud of it.
I’m proud of my collaborations. I hope people appreciate this as much as I do. Then, when you start seeing the reviews, you’re like, “They get it.” I wasn’t wrong. This is a really good show.
Dope Thief is now streaming on Apple+.
