If you enjoyed the recent Disney+ presentation of Hamilton, you’ll dig Global Digital Releasing and Broadway HD’s HAM: A Musical Memoir. Based on the play of the same name, and featuring Sam Harris in a chronicle of the stage superstar’s own life, the musical will play virtual theaters December 3 before a digital bow in January. PopWrapped caught up with HAM’s director Andrew Putschoegl to talk about his career and find out more about the musical.
You come from Minnesota, Andrew. When did you move out to Hollywood?
I left the frozen tundra in 1998.
And was the goal to chase a filmmaking career?
I came to California to finish school, graduating from Chapman University with a degree in film production.
Where did you get your start?
I was fortunate to find my passion early – around 10 years old. I spent a lot of time in my teenage years at the local public access tv station, learning basic production and post-production. I have a lot of fond memories of those early days – it really did form the basis for everything that came after, and I’m grateful for the opportunities it presented.
Do you remember your first paid job? Frame that check?
Hell yes! It was for Mattel Street Sharks – action figures that never really took off. I was 15 and my mom had to drop me off and pick me up from set. My good friend Ginny Heuer was the producer and brought me on board because she recognized my enthusiasm. I didn’t frame the check – I cashed it!
Have you intonationally tried to do projects that are diverse?
Greater inclusion in front of and behind the camera has been a long time coming. I’m certain that I haven’t been as proactive in the past as I have been recently when it comes to ensuring that the cast and crew I work with is as representative of the world around us as possible, but everyone in this business has the responsibility to ensure that the ladder is extended to people who haven’t traditionally had the same opportunities we have. So, yes, I absolutely gravitate toward projects that have diversity as a focal point, for everyone involved.
Is there a genre you gravitate more towards though?
I’m probably most comfortable in the comedy or documentary realms, but why stick with something that’s comfortable just because it’s familiar? I welcome opportunities to explore other genres and ways of filmmaking — that was one of the reasons I said yes to HAM, because I hadn’t directed a live performance since my public access days when I would film high school plays. This was a chance to do that on a much bigger scale than I ever had before.
How would you classify HAM: A Musical Memoir? A meeting of a doc and a concert film?
I think that’s a valid perspective. It’s all Sam’s real life, so there is a documentary aspect to it. It’s not just about putting on a show for a live audience – these are stories that shaped who Sam became, the highs and the lows. I think that his willingness to be open about the challenges he faced, while celebrating the successes, is something that makes the story relatable to audiences. We can all find something in Sam’s story that feels familiar.
It’s more Hamilton than Eddie Murphy: Raw – – I believe one-hundred percent of it are moments from Sam Harris’s life?
Thank you for that observation – actually, when I watched Hamilton on Disney+ this summer, one of the things that struck me was the similarities in how both of our shows were filmed, and of course they’re biographical as well.
Where did you stand the cameras to shoot it? Or did you follow him around with a couple of shoulder-cams?
We had a total of five cameras – four in the audience and one on stage. Most of the film was shot with a live audience in attendance. That energy was understandably important for Sam. We did a few takes of more intimate moments in the show on a second day, since those camera angles would have been disruptive with an audience present. We were so fortunate to have such a talented crew who worked seamlessly together to capture the performances – it was a genuine collaboration.
Have you got the bug for directing concert films now? Keen to do more?
I’d love the chance to do more. I loved the experience of making this film, and I hope that there are more opportunities to bring theatrical shows to larger audiences around the world in this way.
HAM: A Musical Memoir will make its theatrical debut on Laemmle’s virtual platform December 3rd before heading to BroadwayHD, the premiere subscription service for live theater, where it will begin streaming exclusively January 7th, 2021.
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