Dorkaholics catches up with filmmakers Robert Olsen and Dan Berk to dive into their latest cinematic venture, Novocaine, featuring Jack Quaid in a role that promises to unveil new dimensions of the actor. The interview explores the unique blend of action and comedy in their upcoming film, the distinct narrative voice tailored for Quaid, and the collaborative spirit that defines Olsen and Berk’s approach to filmmaking. From discussing the nuances of genre blending to the integration of K-pop into the soundtrack, the conversation sheds light on the creative process behind the scenes and the excitement building up to the film’s release.
Neil Bui: Hey everyone, Neil here from Dorkaholics, where we believe there’s a dork in everyone and our job is to bring that dork out to the world.
Robert Olsen: It doesn’t take much to get the dork out of Jack Quaid or us. You know, our entire first dinner with him was about video games, Dungeons and Dragons, and all sorts of things. He’s a great guy and perfect for this role. People loving him from The Boys is a huge thing because there’s a lot of overlap with the audience for this movie. He did a really good job making his character, Nate, completely unique.
Dan Berk: Yeah, when we took our pass on the script, we were actually watching The Boys, and Jack was the voice we were writing for. He was our number one choice, and getting him was amazing—it’s very cool when things work out like that. It’s been an amazing collaboration.
Neil Bui: The film seems to blend genres. How would you describe it?
Robert Olsen: It’s an action movie bordering on action comedy. We think it’s funnier than a typical action movie but has more stakes than a typical comedy. It’s more like Lethal Weapon—lots of humor, but it’s real, taking place on planet Earth with human dynamics.
Neil Bui: How much influence did you have on the trailer released by the studio?
Dan Berk: This is our second film with Paramount, and they’ve been really collaborative with the marketing of this and our last film. They’ve been great, and honestly, when they showed us the trailer, we loved it. They understood that this film was unique and the marketing reflects that, which makes us really happy.
Neil Bui: Was using Blackpink in the trailer a hint that they’ll feature in the movie’s soundtrack?
Robert Olsen: You’ll have to wait and see!
Dan Berk: One of our favorite scenes is actually in the trailer—it’s the one where Nate is being tortured and has to feign feeling pain to buy time. That scene was not in the original draft; it was something we added, and it turned out to be our favorite, maybe that we’ve ever directed. Jack’s comedic talent really shines through, especially in his improvised takes.
Neil Bui: Can you share how your collaboration works? Do you push each other creatively?
Dan Berk: We’ve been working together for, I don’t know, 10 plus years now. We both do everything; it’s not like one of us is just handling one aspect. It could be challenging, but we have it dialed in so well that it’s a big asset on set.
Robert Olsen: Honestly, we’re having so much fun all the time. We’re either cracking up while writing together or high fiving after flipping a car on set. We make sure everything we do is safe, especially given the constraints of a smaller budget for an action movie.
Dan Berk: Directing Novocaine felt like the right fit for us. It was a great project that felt like a positive pivot in our careers, and we’re so glad we got to do it with Jack and a script we really love.
Neil Bui: Thank you both so much for your time today. I’m really looking forward to Novocaine.
Dan Berk: Thank you, Neil. Great talking with you!
Catch Novocaine in theaters on March 14, 2025.
