‘Bulldozer’s Creators Reveal Their Self-Financed Sundance Comedy Series Nearly Got Shut Down by the Cops

The 2025 Sundance Movie Competition hosted the premiere of Bulldozer’s pilot episode, which is borne from the collaborative effort of the Leeds siblings. Joanna Leeds created the present, and it’s instantly impressed by occasions from her life, from dishonest boyfriends to the psychological pressure on a regular basis life places on an individual. As such, she naturally takes the lead function because the “undermedicated, chronically impassioned younger girl [who] lurches from disaster to disaster of her personal making.”

Although she has appeared briefly in reveals like NCIS or Superstore, Bulldozer can be a healthy dose of pure Joanna the place her appearing receives the limelight. Her brother, Andrew Leeds, takes the function of director within the present, making certain her imaginative and prescient is delivered to life alongside the star-studded solid of Mary Steenburgen, Nat Faxon, Harvey Guillén, comic and actor Chris “CP” Powell, and Kate Burton.

This 12 months, the Leeds siblings sat with Steve Weintraub in Collider’s media studio on the Rendezvous Cinema Middle, the place they talked in regards to the premiere of their pilot episode. They reveal the stresses of financing the challenge independently with COVID disrupting their course of, getting shut down by the police and coping with on-set quirks like stunts, screaming, and cranes. Andrew Leeds additionally reminisces about his earlier roles, about how he discovered from their directing kinds and gained supportive connections that helped them get Bulldozer off the bottom. Hear about these filmmaking hurdles and the way they overcame them straight from the siblings within the video above, or you’ll be able to comply with alongside to the interview with the transcript under.

What Is ‘Bulldozer’s Pilot About?

“It was impressed by true occasions.”

COLLIDER: Initially, congrats on the pilot, however nobody could have seen it but. Who’s going to chunk the bullet, and clarify how you’ve got been describing it to family and friends?

ANDREW LEEDS: She’s going to chunk that bullet.

JOANNA LEEDS: It is me, however heightened 11%. [Laughs]

ANDREW LEEDS: Or heightened 5%.

JOANNA LEEDS: I would wish to say it is heightened 80%, however realistically, it is most likely 11%. It is impressed by true occasions.

ANDREW LEEDS: Then it goes off in its personal course, however it was impressed by true occasions. It is mainly the story of an under-medicated, chronically impassioned younger girl who lurches from disaster to disaster of her personal making.

‘Bulldozer’ Portrays Psychological Well being in a Common Manner

“It is that common psychological well being disaster that we’re all experiencing.”

One of many issues about Hollywood is that there are lots of people who’re making an attempt to get work, and sometimes, it is folks writing themselves a job that helps get to a different degree. How a lot was that the inspiration? “I need to write one thing simply to point out what I can do as a result of I am humorous.”

JOANNA LEEDS: It is humorous, I do not know that I even had that endgame in thoughts. It was simply, I had to make this. I needed to write it. I needed to make it.

ANDREW LEEDS: I’ve a query for you. Do you’re feeling a part of why you probably did it was due to all of the ache that you just skilled, that the one factor that made it price it was to write down about it?

JOANNA LEEDS: After getting a long way from issues, it is sort of humorous.

ANDREW LEEDS: That is true.

In your pilot, your character goes by way of a relationship breakup and stuff like that. How a lot is all the pieces in it actually stuff that occurred to you?

JOANNA LEEDS: What’s cool about it’s, if any explicit ex watches it, it is not about him as a result of they’ve all cheated for probably the most half, give or take a pair. So, that is good. It is a mixture of all of those males. Additionally, a part of what I wished to hit on is it has a little bit of a psychological well being aspect to it. Psychological well being in cinema normally focuses on one sort of psychological sickness. You see OCD, you see despair, you see schizophrenia, and it has to suit right into a field. And so, with this character, it is that common psychological well being disaster that we’re all experiencing and the concept that it would not have to suit right into a field and that in the precise, unlucky circumstances, we will all be triggered. That’s an enormous portion of the present, simply the frustrations of life and the injustices and making an attempt to plow or bulldoze proper by way of them.

ANDREW LEEDS: I additionally suppose that a part of what the present finally is about is her making an attempt to grasp who she is and what it’s that causes her to behave the best way she behaves, whether or not it’s psychological sickness or whether or not it’s bodily sickness, or whether or not it’s, “I’m only a human being and I put on my coronary heart on my sleeve slightly bit greater than different folks.”

JOANNA LEEDS: And why life is so exhausting. Like, it is so exhausting and it is exhausting.

Andrew Leeds Discusses the Assist of His Earlier Colleagues

From Invoice Hader to Hugh Laurie, Leeds has discovered so much over time.

[Andrew], you’ve gotten labored as an actor on 1,000 issues. Particularly, I’ll shoutout Barry. What did you study within the totally different reveals that you’ve got labored on and the totally different roles that you just had been mentally remembering, “For the time I get behind the digital camera, I need to do that?”

ANDREW LEEDS: I additionally need to contact briefly on her penning this factor. I do not know what her thought course of was when it comes to what she wished to see from it, however from what I wished to see from it and why I jumped in to direct it was as a result of she’s in each single scene. She’s additionally a terrific director, and he or she’s directed her personal stuff earlier than. I felt like, and I feel she felt like, this was an enormous endeavor, and it wanted an additional hand to do it. For me, it was a possibility to let the world see how proficient I do know she is and at all times has been. The script was so good that I’d love to have the ability to assist deliver this to life.

What was nice is that I’ve had the chance to be on some very, superb reveals, and I’ve discovered so much watching, whether or not it is Invoice Hader or Alec Berg on Barry or Michael Showalter on The Dropout or any variety of nice administrators that I’ve had the chance to work with. Our DP, [Michelle Lawler], was the DP on The Dropout. I obtained to kind of gather folks as I went alongside, and actors as nicely. This solid is wonderful. During the last 5 years, I’ve labored with some wonderful folks, and what was so cool is that I obtained to present them her script, and it is so uncommon that folks simply say, “No matter you want.” They don’t seem to be going to do it except they adore it. And he or she wrote a terrific script and folks had been like, “I am going to present up”. We’re very fortunate to have a ton of wonderful folks.

Simply name-drop just a few of the folks.

ANDREW LEEDS: Mary Steenburgen, Nat Faxon, Allen Leech and Harvey Guillén, Kate Burton, Tim Bagley, and comic Chris “CP” Powell.

As I used to be watching, I used to be like, “Oh, Jesus.”

JOANNA LEEDS: We had been so fortunate.

It was like a assassin’s row of individuals within the pilot.

ANDREW LEEDS: All of them simply mainly volunteered. They confirmed up. Mary Steenburgen had her personal wig. She was like, “I am going to do it, however I need to put on a wig. Can I’ve one made?” And I used to be like, “Properly, I really feel dangerous.” She’s like, “No, I need to do it.” And he or she did it. As we’re capturing it, actually the day that she’s there, as a result of we’re doing this for no cash, as we’re getting her protection, the cops got here to this home. They’re making an attempt to kick us out. They’re making an attempt to bust down the door. My manufacturing designer’s holding onto the door whereas I am simply rolling on her simply earlier than we get kicked out. Finally, we did get kicked out.

JOANNA LEEDS: However then the most effective half is among the officers stated, “Is that Mary Steenburgen?” He goes, “She’s sizzling.” I used to be like, “Oh, nicely, if we allow you to discuss to her, might we keep?” and he is like, “No.” [Laughs]

The Cops Kicked ‘Bulldozer’s Crew Out

Even the police cannot shut this manufacturing down!

I’ve to ask, what occurred? Did you lease one thing on Airbnb?

JOANNA LEEDS: We really had all the proper permits.

ANDREW LEEDS: We had these very huge vans that the neighbors did not like, though we had the precise permits. We realized after the truth that we should always have been capable of keep, however on the time when there are actually eight policeman saying, “We’ll are available and take the digital camera…”

JOANNA LEEDS: And bodily take away it, which, as you recognize, the insurance coverage on that…

ANDREW LEEDS: We had been like “We’re going, we’re going, we’re going.” So one after the other, folks would come out with a espresso cup and a wrench whereas I used to be nonetheless rolling on Mary as a result of I knew this was the day we had Mary. We weren’t gonna be capable of get her again.

JOANNA LEEDS: Really, in that scene, all of my protection is to nobody.

ANDREW LEEDS: From one other day as a result of we had to return.

I want extra folks understood film magic. Like these Avengers films, oftentimes in an eight-person scene, they’re all doing particular person days which can be being put collectively in publish.

ANDREW LEEDS: Completely. She got here out, and he or she was like, “What is going on on?” We’re like, “Oh, the police got here, they shut us down. We’ll go shoot down the road at this flower store.” She’s like, “Okay, nicely, let me know the place to go.” She obtained within the automotive and simply drove there. That is an Academy Award-winning actress, who was simply so beneficiant and simply excited to play a personality she hadn’t performed earlier than.

However to return and reply your query, once I’m on the set on Barry, I am asking Invoice Hader, “Hey, why did you determine to do this? Why did you determine to let that whole scene play from 200 toes away?” I wasn’t fairly as ballsy as maybe he was in that present. We wished to ship one thing that felt recent.

I would argue that Barry has its personal distinctive model and that model wouldn’t match with Bulldozer. It is two totally different worlds.

ANDREW LEEDS: Completely. However that was at all times the query in making this was, “How have you learnt?” As a result of that is the primary episode. So, how have you learnt? Ought to it’s handheld? Ought to it not be handheld? You attempt to guess and hope for the most effective. We discovered some issues. We did some reshoots, and also you study as you go.

Let’s discuss in regards to the financing and getting this off the bottom. It is inconceivable for everybody to get cash. How was it for this? Who was the miracle individual that got here in and stated, “I am going to assist you to?”

JOANNA LEEDS: We’ve got Rhett Reese. We’ve got Rhett Reese’s brother, Caleb Reese, after which the 2 of us. We every did a 3rd of our personal cash.

ANDREW LEEDS: Mainly Rhett wrote Deadpool.

I am acquainted. He is made no less than $5 in revenue from the Deadpool films.

JOANNA LEEDS: He is by no means put his personal cash right into a challenge. He learn the script, he is a good friend of mine, and he actually wished to see it get made. We had impediment after impediment. We had been about to make it. As we’re closing the deal, the legal professional referred to as me, and he is like, “There’s some virus, so I’ve to go away the workplace for 3 days.” I used to be like, “Okay, don’t be concerned about it. We’ll simply shut it.”

ANDREW LEEDS: There was a studio that was going to present us some cash to make it.

JOANNA LEEDS: Initially. So, I used to be like, “No worries.” After which three days become a 12 months and a half of COVID the place nothing was being made.

ANDREW LEEDS: Then the studio was like, “Really, we won’t do it anymore.” It is simply most likely tougher for her to say, however Rhett actually believes in Joanna, and he beloved the script and, actually, he simply wished to see it occur. We knew that the one manner that it was going to occur together with her starring in it and me directing was if we simply did it ourselves. So if we walked right into a room, they’d’ve been like, “We love the script, so who can we get to play that half and who can we get to direct it?” And all these issues. Rhett, I feel we will all agree that he is fairly silly. [Laughs]

[Laughs] My headline goes to be, “Can all of us agree that Rhett is fairly silly?” – the solid of Bulldozer.

JOANNA LEEDS: I do not suppose it is stupidity. I feel he is simply so good. He’s the nicest human being I’ve ever met.

ANDREW LEEDS: Simply very supportive. I feel all of us simply know the way proficient she is. It is such a tough trade and it is so random. As he says, “Put my cash the place my mouth is.” I consider in her and I consider within the script and I consider within the present. I actually suppose that if we went to Rhett tomorrow and stated, “Hey, what do you consider us simply funding the complete three seasons?” He’d most likely be like, “Alright.” And I would be like, “No, Rhett! Do not do this, Rhett!” [Laughs]

The Leeds Siblings Plan to do Six Episodes for ‘Bulldozer’

“I’ve, no joke, like a 265-page doc of tales I am simply raring to inform.”

It is actually humorous, although, Helen Harper is right here, they usually shot an eight-episode collection independently. The present is on the market right here, they usually’ve already shot all eight episodes. It is a fully totally different mannequin. Additionally, with Kiss of the Spider Girl, which Invoice Condon did, they did that with Artists Fairness. Everybody labored for scale, each single individual, however all of them owned a chunk of it. When it sells right here, they will get cash.

ANDREW LEEDS: Oh that is cool. I did not notice that is how that labored. That is actually sensible. We’re speaking about methods to do one thing related now and make a season of this factor. She’s writing further scripts.

How a lot now have you ever been writing? Did you determine, “I feel I might do a six-episode season or an eight-episode season?” As a result of it takes time to write down. What occurs if somebody right here is like, “Oh, that was actually good. Allow us to make a season. The place are the scripts?”

JOANNA LEEDS: Mainly, I depart my home and once I come dwelling on the finish of the day, a brand new episode has written itself. I’ve, no joke, a 265-page doc of tales I am simply raring to inform. However I’ve written two different scripts, after which the opposite ones are outlined.

Are you pondering six or eight episodes?

JOANNA LEEDS: I am going to do regardless of the folks need. I’ll do three episodes and be content material. No matter you guys need.

ANDREW LEEDS: I feel six would really be a terrific place to begin except somebody stated they wanted eight. Particularly as a result of we’d clearly be doing this on a funds indirectly. Once you do give it some thought, you find yourself doing lots of jobs like craft providers and modifying and issues that possibly you would not usually do if you happen to had a full employees. I do not know that we might bodily…

JOANNA LEEDS: It is dependent upon how a lot time.

Completely. The opposite benefit of LA, which is the place you shot, is that there are lots of nice actors which can be out there for a day, if you happen to’re capturing in LA, the place they will sleep in their very own mattress, drive to set and drive dwelling.

ANDREW LEEDS: That is the opposite factor is we all know if we exit of state, we will get a tax credit score or one thing like that, however you lose entry to all these nice folks. These folks, like Nat Faxon, are probably the most fantastic. He was similar to, “I will be there. No matter you guys want.” We felt so dangerous as a result of we made him come again and do reshoots. He is like, “I really like this.”

JOANNA LEEDS: These photos on the finish, he got here in simply to shoot photos the place we glance in love. He is wonderful. That truly has been so unimaginable to see how supportive these very profitable actors are who need not come and do favors.

ANDREW LEEDS: It is a good lesson for us.

Nothing Like Sibling Dynamics to Carry the Emotion to Set

“We instructed one another to be imply.”

Clearly you had written the script, however whenever you noticed the capturing schedule, what was the day you had circled when it comes to, “I can not wait to movie this,” and what had been you pondering, like, “How the F are we going to movie this?”

JOANNA LEEDS: It was so quick and blurry that I do not know that I had my consideration on…

ANDREW LEEDS: We knew the scene the place she will get taken away to the psychological hospital was good.

JOANNA LEEDS: That was going to be scary.

ANDREW LEEDS: We deliberate that for the final day as a result of if she will get damage, she needed to be tackled onto the bottom. She obtained damage fairly badly.

JOANNA LEEDS: I did get damage.

What precisely occurred?

JOANNA LEEDS: Oh my gosh. I would like again surgical procedure. No. Properly, I do, however most likely not due to that. But it surely was terrible. I am not a stunt individual.

ANDREW LEEDS: what’s humorous about whenever you sort out somebody on a mat? Mats are exhausting. They’re not delicate.

JOANNA LEEDS: We’d like a mattress.

ANDREW LEEDS: A mattress would have been nice. Anyway, it was only a hard-hitting mat. However we did that within the final day. Additionally, working collectively along with your sibling is at all times an fascinating expertise.

JOANNA LEEDS: I used to be like, “What if with all these folks in a crew, what if I can not get emotional?” He is like, “Don’t fret, I’ll get you emotional.” So behind the digital camera he is yelling, “Do your fucking job!”

ANDREW LEEDS: I used to be screaming at her, and the editor that obtained the footage, I used to be like, “Oh, I ought to’ve talked about to you…” He goes, “That did frighten me slightly bit.”

JOANNA LEEDS: We instructed one another to be imply. I stated “Be imply to me simply to upset me.” However that wasn’t the imply I meant so that you can do to get me emotional.

ANDREW LEEDS: The factor is, that day particularly was so exhausting as a result of we have got this big crane that is not within the pilot anymore.

JOANNA LEDS: The attractive crane shot that we had.

ANDREW LEEDS: Like techno crane. It held us up for 3 hours, and that did not even find yourself within the pilot.

JOANNA LEEDS: Additionally, that location was proper by Burbank airport. No joke, you needed to say your strains actually rapidly as a result of in 60 seconds one other airplane was coming.

100%. I can not consider you bought a crane for this, and it did not find yourself in it.

JOANNA LEEDS: We must always ship you the clip as a result of it was an exquisite crane shot.

ANDREW LEEDS: It was the transition from the, two years later—now it is 4 months later. It was above the ambulance, after which it went up and the ambulance pulled away, after which it got here down, and he or she pulled up within the automotive.

JOANNA LEEDS: It was magical.

We’re at Sundance. What does it imply for each of you to be accepted into Sundance and premiering right here?

JOANNA LEEDS: We’ll begin crying. It is such an enormous deal. I really feel so extremely fortunate. You talked about earlier within the interview, it is so exhausting to get even a small break on one thing. So, to get this chance is large.

ANDREW LEEDS: Our premiere is tomorrow. What’s so thrilling is that we get to look at it with an enormous viewers and to see what that’s. We don’t know what that is going to be.

JOANNA LEEDS: We’ve not even had a screening for family and friends. We have had nothing.

ANDREW LEEDS: We might simply sit at our pc till the tip of time. We despatched it out to folks, however to get to see it with an viewers is actually thrilling. That is the Sundance Movie Competition. I used to come back right here in faculty. I used to come back simply to look at films and suppose, “Oh, would not it’s wonderful to in the future get to be right here?” I by no means actually thought in 1,000,000 years that that will be capable of occur. So it was all due to this individual.

JOANNA LEEDS: All due to this individual.

It is virtually such as you like one another.

ANDREW LEEDS: Generally.

JOANNA LEEDS: And typically we do not. We positively revert to these childhood dynamics. Do you’ve gotten a sibling?

I do.

JOANNA LEEDS: So possibly you recognize what I am speaking about.

I 100% know what you are speaking about.

ANDREW LEEDS: But it surely’s actually particular to stroll round these streets and see photos of previous issues that premiered right here and to get to fulfill different movies.

JOANNA LEEDS: Additionally, it actually is particular to get to be right here along with your sibling. That is loopy that we each labored on a challenge.

ANDREW LEEDS: And that we lived to inform about it. [Laughs]

JOANNA LEEDS: That too.

Andrew Leeds Realized a Lot From His Earlier Roles

He is made appearances on hit collection like Barry, Veeps, and The Affected person.

[Andrew], you probably did lots of one-episode appearances on, like, 1,000 reveals. Which is one that you’ve got sturdy recollections of, or is there one that you just had been so excited to be on?

ANDREW LEEDS: My favourite experiences had been Veep. Veep was unimaginable, largely due to that group of individuals. Initially, there is a rehearsal course of, which is wonderful, they usually kind of improvise, after which they rewrite stuff. Any time you have to act with any individual like Julia Louis-Dreyfus or Steve Carell, Hugh Laurie involves thoughts, these folks, there’s simply one thing about them. Performing with them, you do not really feel such as you’re speaking to an actor. You’re feeling such as you’re speaking to the true individual. It is simply a tremendous expertise. [They are] those who I look as much as.

The Affected person was an unimaginable expertise. It was so distinctive as a result of there have been so many scenes with no dialogue. There could be days after they would simply comply with me round filming, simply strolling down the road, placing up photographs of Steve, as a result of we’re looking for him or using my bike or no matter it was. That was a very fascinating expertise. Additionally, studying all of the Hebrew stuff and studying methods to play the guitar and all that stuff. And Barry was wonderful as a result of it is like a murals in a sure manner, however in a bizarre, comical manner.

The opposite factor about Barry is when one thing like that’s within the zeitgeist and everybody’s watching, you are getting in entrance of each casting agent with out getting a gathering. They’re simply seeing your work.

ANDREW LEEDS: Sure. And attending to act with Henry Winkler was nice. It was nice. I’ll say The Dropout was notably enjoyable. The folks there have been nice. It was only a enjoyable world to get to exist in as a result of it was simply such a bizarre story. All people else there’s just about enjoying an actual individual, and I wasn’t. My character was similar to a made-up individual, so I sort of obtained to simply make one thing up they usually sort of let me do it.

This can be a query for each of you. Apart from this pilot, if somebody has by no means seen your work earlier than, what’s the very first thing you need them watching and why?

JOANNA LEEDS: Telephone voice primary, in episode 305 of Particular person of Curiosity.

ANDREW LEEDS: [Laughs] I’d need folks to see her in Bulldozer.

I feel you are nice on this.

JOANNA LEEDS: I’ve completed visitor spots on NCIS, Superstore.

That is purely her.

JOANNA LEEDS: That is the kind of appearing I need to do.

Pay attention, you’re very, superb on this, and I actually hope folks watch this. I hope studio folks see it as a result of it is clear that you just’re humorous, and also you’re actually good on this. [Andrew], you did not suck. You had been okay as a director. [Laughs] You did not wreck her performances.

ANDREW LEEDS: I recognize you. That was the purpose.

Particular due to our 2025 companions at Sundance together with presenting accomplice Rendezvous Capital and supporting companions Sommsation, The Wine Firm, Hendrick’s Gin, neaū water, and Roxstar Leisure.