Timing is everything, isn't it? Hot on the heels of a Floyd Mayweather heckling at the LA Clippers game last night, with fans calling for a drawn-out, $200 million Manny Pacquiao mega fight, eight-time world champ Pac-Man is the subject of a new documentary. Out today, Manny profiles the ruthless boxer’s rise from childhood poverty in his native Philippines to Guinness World Record holder. Now in his prime, Pacquiao, 36, has gone from celebrated boxer and hometown hero, to doting husband, father, actor, singer, philanthropist, and even statesman. If ever there was an underdog posterchild to that question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” (Fun fact: Pac-Man's mother thought he would become a priest.)
For his directorial debut, Ryan Moore followed Pacquiao nearly halfway around the globe for close to five years to document the fighter's life. We caught up with Moore, now 34, just ahead the documentary's big-screen debut. Read our chat below for all the scoop, including how he was able to wrangle Marky Mark to come on screen (hint: it's pretty scrappy).
CHARLES ELLIS: Why Manny Pacquiao?
RYAN MOORE: I came up with the idea to do this film in 2009, and started filming in 2010. There were heavy talks of a [Floyd] Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight, so I was hoping my timing was right and that I'd be able to document "the fight of the century." Unfortunately, that fight never came to fruition, but over the course of these five years, Manny's life evolved dramatically so I couldn't stop rolling cameras. Believe me, I wanted to release it much sooner, but Manny's life kept unraveling and the more we filmed, the more we had to watch.
How did you zero in on the story line?
I traveled to the Philippines regularly. During each trip, I talked to people who knew Manny in completely different ways. Tracking them down always seemed like such an adventure, because sometimes I would have to fly to a small province and find "the house next to a basketball court.” His mom talked about how Manny worked so hard to help feed his siblings when all they had to eat was water. The more I discovered, the harder it became to choose the stories, but ultimately, it felt like the best way to share his story was to allow Manny to tell it himself.
How was working so closely with Manny?
Manny was a challenging subject to capture, because he was literally always on the move. When the final bell rings after a fight, Manny The Boxer ends, and Manny, the politician, movie star, singer, actor, celebrity, philanthropist, and so on begins. Everyday was unpredictable and schedules changed at the drop of a hat. My crew and I thought that we could've made a documentary about the making of this documentary entitled Chasing Manny.
Would you say he sees himself as invincible?
Absolutely not. I don't think anyone is invincible, especially Manny. During the course of production, I wished that Manny would slow down a bit. My biggest concern was that one o
For his directorial debut, Ryan Moore followed Pacquiao nearly halfway around the globe for close to five years to document the fighter's life. We caught up with Moore, now 34, just ahead the documentary's big-screen debut. Read our chat below for all the scoop, including how he was able to wrangle Marky Mark to come on screen (hint: it's pretty scrappy).
CHARLES ELLIS: Why Manny Pacquiao?
RYAN MOORE: I came up with the idea to do this film in 2009, and started filming in 2010. There were heavy talks of a [Floyd] Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight, so I was hoping my timing was right and that I'd be able to document "the fight of the century." Unfortunately, that fight never came to fruition, but over the course of these five years, Manny's life evolved dramatically so I couldn't stop rolling cameras. Believe me, I wanted to release it much sooner, but Manny's life kept unraveling and the more we filmed, the more we had to watch.
How did you zero in on the story line?
I traveled to the Philippines regularly. During each trip, I talked to people who knew Manny in completely different ways. Tracking them down always seemed like such an adventure, because sometimes I would have to fly to a small province and find "the house next to a basketball court.” His mom talked about how Manny worked so hard to help feed his siblings when all they had to eat was water. The more I discovered, the harder it became to choose the stories, but ultimately, it felt like the best way to share his story was to allow Manny to tell it himself.
How was working so closely with Manny?
Manny was a challenging subject to capture, because he was literally always on the move. When the final bell rings after a fight, Manny The Boxer ends, and Manny, the politician, movie star, singer, actor, celebrity, philanthropist, and so on begins. Everyday was unpredictable and schedules changed at the drop of a hat. My crew and I thought that we could've made a documentary about the making of this documentary entitled Chasing Manny.
Would you say he sees himself as invincible?
Absolutely not. I don't think anyone is invincible, especially Manny. During the course of production, I wished that Manny would slow down a bit. My biggest concern was that one o