THE PREMIERE: A Conversation With Sam Pezzullo, Star And Co-Director Of The Hilarious Mockumentary

Introduction

The Premiere is a mockumentary about a narcissistic theater producer, Sam (played by Pezzullo himself), who creates a documentary about his journey to stage a musical version of his favorite movie, Scream. Along the way, he clashes with quirky characters played by real-life Hamptons locals, to awkward and outrageous results. Drawing inspiration from cringe comedy classics and crafted largely through improvisation, The Premiere is a keen satire about the Hamptons with a biting love letter to the community at its core.

Interview

Cinema Scholars’ own Glen Dower recently interviewed co-writer/director Sam Pezzullo about his new mockumentary film, The Premiere, starring Christina Brown. The Premiere is available on VOD now, from Tribeca Films.

Lightly edited for content and clarity.

Glen Dower:

Mr. Pezzullo, how are you, Sir?

Sam Pezzullo:

Hi Glen, doing great, it’s been an exciting week.

Glen Dower:

I bet! Firstly, congratulations, I had such a blast with The Premiere. I laughed out loud from the opening prologue and just sat back and enjoyed the ride. As of this moment, it’s sitting at 8.8 on IMDb. How does that feel?

Sam Pezzullo:

That’s news to me! I haven’t really checked the stats, but it feels great. It’s been such a journey. We first premiered last year at the Hamptons Film Festival, where the screenings were mostly friends, family, and locals. The reaction was positive, but of course, that was from people who knew me. I was anxious to see how it would be received by audiences who didn’t know me at all. To see people enjoying it now—very rewarding.

Glen Dower:

You play “Sam,” and all of the cast use their real names. So I wondered walking into this interview—was I going to be meeting movie Sam? Is your character a dark reflection of yourself, or just a creation for the screen?

Sam Pezzullo:

He’s definitely an exaggerated version of me. Some of the mannerisms might resemble mine, but the character’s choices and behavior are very different. I drew inspiration from a lot of archetypes—Valerie Cherish in The Comeback, a Larry David type—those quirky, delusional, egomaniacal figures. I blended those traits into something new.

Glen Dower:

The description of the film says it all: A painfully narcissistic theater producer attempts to realize his delusional creative vision—a musical version of Scream. Despite his narcissism, I sometimes felt sorry for him, especially in moments like the bathroom interview setup that completely collapses. Were you deliberately balancing empathy with disaster?

Sam Pezzullo:

Exactly. We didn’t want the audience to just hate him. He’s insufferable, yes, but there had to be moments where you root for him or at least sympathize. Those small, redeeming beats make him more likable, even when he’s at his most disastrous.

Glen Dower:

And he never gives up—whether working in a coffee shop, washing dogs, or just grinding forward. It makes him almost endearing. The film was mostly improvised, right?

Sam Pezzullo:

Entirely improvised. We didn’t have a single page of script. I had a few lines or jokes in mind that I hoped to drop in, but it all depended on what the other actors gave me. Editing was the hardest part—lots of funny material didn’t serve the story, so we cut it. Even the narrative evolved: Ruby wasn’t meant to be such a central nemesis, and she certainly wasn’t meant to die. That emerged as we went.

Glen Dower:

That improvisation really works in a mockumentary because if it were scripted, it might have felt staged.

Sam Pezzullo:

Exactly. We worked scene by scene, A to B, knowing the intention but never rehearsing lines. That rawness is what made people wonder if it was real or not, which I love.

Glen Dower:

You mentioned Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Comeback—I also thought of Spinal Tap, Best in Show, The Office, Parks and Rec, and even Borat. Did you study mockumentaries beforehand or avoid them so as not to be influenced?

Sam Pezzullo:

I’d seen all those, of course, but I didn’t use them as direct references. The biggest influence was The Comeback, because of its desperate, fame-chasing protagonist. And given our resources, the mockumentary format was ideal—lower production value was built into the style while still serving the story.

Glen Dower:

Why Scream as the musical within the mockumentary? Were there other choices when you were searching for the most unsuitable film inspiration for a musical adaptation?

Sam Pezzullo:

That was the origin. In 2021, my co-director and I pitched promotional ideas for Scream 5 to Paramount. We made a fake trailer proof-of-concept and realized it could expand into something bigger. The Scream connection became the foundation, but the story quickly evolved into a character piece about Sam and the Hamptons.

Glen Dower:

The cease-and-desist letter from Dimension Pictures, the studio behind the original Scream, had me howling. Was that always planned?

Sam Pezzullo:

Yes, partly because we couldn’t actually stage a musical—no songs, no resources, no time. So we pivoted. That legal gag let us drop the musical while giving Sam a new motivation. It also fit perfectly with the meta, fourth-wall-breaking Scream spirit.

Glen Dower:

The casting scenes are comedy gold. The title cards—“Simon’s not aware…” sequence—also had me in stitches. Were those conceived later in editing?

Sam Pezzullo:

Yes. Originally, we shot talking-head interviews with the characters, but it felt like too much dialogue. The text cards were a late-stage solution. They were quick, funny, and gave the audience breathing room.

Glen Dower:

Let’s talk about Ruby. At first, she feels like another eccentric side character, but then her storyline just keeps growing, darker and funnier, until it becomes the spine of the film. How did that evolve?

Sam Pezzullo:

I knew Ruby from improv classes at Bay Street Theater. She was always hilarious and unpredictable. Once we started shooting with her, it was clear she needed to be Sam’s adversary. The dynamic—this young man versus an older woman—was inherently absurd. Her storyline grew naturally, and ultimately her death gave us the climax we needed while tying the film back to Scream’s murder-mystery DNA.

Glen Dower:

IMDb even lists you as gaining 30 pounds for the role. True?

Sam Pezzullo:

(Laughs) Not intentionally. We filmed from 2021 to 2023, and my weight fluctuated a lot. My hair length, too, which is why I wore hats so often—continuity!

Glen Dower:

Speaking of hats, I thought the colorful choices reflected Sam’s “I’m an artist” persona. Any truth in that?

Sam Pezzullo:

None whatsoever. Purely practical to cover my hair and match the seasons! But I love that interpretation.

Glen Dower:

Lines like the plastic surgeon worrying about masks denting his nose, or the Oscars/Will Smith riff—were those prepped or improvised?

Sam Pezzullo:

Some were prepared, like the “Gale Weathers”/Oscars gag. Others, like the mask indent on my nose, were just real things I’d said in life. I genuinely believe masks reshaped my nose!

Glen Dower:

Finally, distribution. Tribeca Films is attached, which must feel incredible.

Sam Pezzullo:

It’s a dream. Yes, Tribeca partnered with Giant Pictures on distribution. I’ve worked with Tribeca on and off since interning there in 2009, so it feels full circle. They’ve always championed new voices, and I couldn’t imagine a better partner for this film’s release.

Glen Dower:

Perfect. Thank you, Sam. The Premiere is a gem, and I’ll be recommending it widely.

Sam Pezzullo:

Thank you, Glen. Great to connect.

The Premiere is available on VOD now, from Tribeca Films.

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