Late last year, you directed your first feature film called Interstate 60. Please give us the general premise and background of this road picture about a young man searching for answers along a mysterious stretch of highway.

Gary Oldman plays "O.W. Grant," an American mythological character, descended from a leprechaun, who can grant one wish to anyone he chooses. James Marsden plays "Neal Oliver," a young man trying to figure out his life. On his 22nd birthday, he wishes for "an answer" in the presence of Grant, and his wish is granted via a very weird road trip along Interstate 60, which is a highway that can't be found on any map. Along the way, he encounters some very unusual people and places, all of which combine to help him figure things out. It becomes a sort of Gulliver's Travels/Alice in Wonderland trip with some Twilight Zone thrown in.

The one-sheet poster for Bob Gale's ''Interstate 60''

It's been widely circulated that you drew inspiration for writing the script to Back to the Future upon reviewing your father's high school yearbook. What other events in your life provided inspiration behind the creation of a story you've turned into a screenplay? What inspired you to write Interstate 60?

I'd had the idea of doing an off-beat road movie for a long, long time, but it was the frustration over not getting another of my projects, Jimbo's Stand, off the ground that made me sit down and write it. I figured that in order for me to direct a movie, it needed to be cheap and castable, so I wrote in a number of "eat-the-scenery" characters who appeared in just a few scenes so that I could afford to get some great actors for only a few days. In terms of the story itself, I looked at my own journey and tried to use things I thought everyone could identify with. It turns out that many people have told me that the story of Neal Oliver reminded them of themselves, so I think I managed to tap into something.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the budget you had to work with was $7 million. In film making, there are obviously pros and cons to every film, whether it's a big budget feature or an independent production. What would be your impression of those pros and cons as pertaining to your experiences on this film production, which you shot last Fall in Toronto?

No matter what your budget, you never have enough money or enough time. I-60 was shot in 30 days in Toronto and 5 days in Arizona, with an extra Arizona reshoot day because one day's film got lost in transit and we had to reshoot it all. With a lower budget movie, you can't afford to hire people who are the best, so I try to make up for that by finding people who are hungry — enthusiasm can sometimes make up for lack of experience. It also means pre-planning is even more important; I have to know exactly what I need, and when it's good enough. But the secret is always the cast. As long as you have great actors, you can keep the audience interested. Nobody cares if you have a fancy dolly shot if they're interested in the characters.

You were once quoted as saying that you became a producer as a way to keep your hands involved in the scripts you wrote and protect your writing. Is directing a further extension of nurturing your creation?

Absolutely. I'd been fortunate to have as a partner one of the world's greatest directors, Bob Z. He put our words and ideas on the screen better than anyone could have — because they were his words and ideas too. So I didn't get the urge to direct because he was directing our scripts perfectly — I didn't have the frustration that writers get when their work gets ruined by directors who don't get it. But as Bob wanted to stop writing and look for scripts that he could direct that had already been written, I started writing on my own and decided the only way to do it right was to do it myself.

You've got quite a remarkable cast in this film — Gary Oldman, James Marsden, Amy Smart, and Ann-Margaret, to name a few. What was it like to be able to work with some of your friends again, such as Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Kurt Russell, as well as directing several actors whom you had never previously worked with before?

I love actors and I love the process of working with them. And it was a total blast working with Michael, Chris and Kurt again — and they had a blast too. One nice thing for many of the featured actors was that they knew that there was no way this movie could hurt their careers — their parts were too small for that. So that gave them permission to just go for it without worrying. Obviously, a cast like this wasn't doing it for the money, which was also a plus — no one was in this movie who didn't really want to be there. They all loved their characters, so here again, enthusiasm adds a lot. Jimmy Marsden was a champ — talented, a sweetheart, a trooper, funny, a joy to have around — and having a guy like that as the center made everything easier. Chris Cooper and Chris Lloyd are both theater trained actors — they're a writer's best friend — so they were totally prepared with every word locked into their brains. Chris Cooper really "got" his character and I didn't have to give him much direction. Gary Oldman is a total pro, very funny, and an unbelievable talent. He doesn't suffer fools much, but that was no problem because as long as you're a pro, he's right there. He and Jimmy really hit it off well, and it comes across on screen. Amy Jo Johnson gave me the best audition I've ever had, and she did it on camera at least as well; Amy Smart was wonderful — she did her homework and brought a lot to the part. And Ann-Margret was a trip — delightful, full of wonderful Hollywood stories. I also cast my friend Art Evans in a small role (he played "Bradlee" in Trespass) which I actually wrote specifically for him. What a wonderful actor and a fine human being. Also, there are some wonderfully talented actors and actresses based in Toronto, and I couldn't have cast those parts any better in the U.S. They include Wayne Robson, Rebecca Jenkins, Deborah Odell, Melyssa Ade and John Bourgeois.

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