Making The Last Dance | Interview With Jon Weinbach
Josiah Johnson talks with The Last Dance producer Jon Weinbach about his time on the project and his thoughts after the documentary's success.
Video Transcript
JOSIAH JOHNSON: Here with legendary producer Jon Weinbech. He was a producer on "The Last Dance," here to offer some inside info to the greatest doc that the 'rona has ever seen. How hard was it for you and your team to get that doc ready to go-- I know it was slated to go out in June-- to get it ready for an April release date?
JON WEINBACH: The reality is the guys in New York-- I mean, Jason Hehir, the director, team veterans Jake Rogal, Matt Maxson, Nina Krstic did all the archival, and like this incredible team editors. I mean, they pulled off a miracle. I mean, we had to move all of the footage, basically clone it five times for each of the editors working on remotely. Jason was editing. I mean, it's crazy. The last-- you have to understand-- the last interview we did was the Stockton interview.
JOSIAH JOHNSON: Yeah.
JON WEINBACH: I was actually going to-- Jason couldn't go, and because he couldn't run the risk of being-- remembered, it was in Spokane, Washington. It was the heart of the coronavirus at the time. That was the epicenter, and so he couldn't go. He asked me to go, I couldn't go, because I was going to go, but my wife was like, no, you're not going. So we sent up Bruiser from Seattle. But like that's how recently we were working.
JOSIAH JOHNSON: How great is it for you now to be at the finish line? This is kind of your last dance to celebrate this moment.
JON WEINBACH: It's incredible. It's surreal. I mean, one A, that we're finished after like this four plus year journey. That you know, Mike Tollin, who's my partner, who's Executive Producer of the show got Michael to say yes. It's been since February of 2016, and then to have land now is very special. Also, because the whole world is watching. Because they're watching on Netflix outside the United States, and it's going to be on Netflix here in, you know, July. So it's happening at the same time globally, like you could pray to have a project that would get a third of this attention, and so to have it is pretty incredible.
JOSIAH JOHNSON: Obviously we're both LA guys. You grew up Laker fan. I know you were a big Magic guy growing up, so what were your feelings towards MJ going into the project? And then, you know, did they change at all after working with him and kind of the aftermath?
JON WEINBACH: I mean, among many incredibly impressive things that Jason did, and the edit team, and everyone involved with it is, you know, this was not like just a full on PR ad for Michael Jordan. I mean, we went there on all the hot button issues, and in terms of dealing with-- the best part is, you know, Michael was part of the process. You know, there's no surprises, and it's like what more can you say? Like I think so much of that criticism is, I mean, to the extent that it exists, it's just naive and also just not true. If you watch our show, I don't think you can walk away saying that.
JOSIAH JOHNSON: Yeah. For sure. Most definite. Obviously, were both LA guys. You grew up a Laker fan. I know you were a big Magic guy growing up, so what were your feelings towards MJ going into the project? And then, you know, did they change at all after working with him and kind of the aftermath?
JON WEINBACH: Well, the interesting thing is like, look, I'm a massive diehard Laker fan. I went to the '91 finals. I went to game four. You know, I hated the Bulls but always had this appreciation for Jordan even though I, you know, it's funny. Like I could never fit into Nike's, so I never had Air Jordans. Like I never had Nike's. My appreciation for Jordan's from '84. It's one of my earliest memories. I went with my dad to the US Olympic games, the basketball games at The Forum and Jordan on the team, and it was like he was unbelievable.
And I remember as a vivid thing, my dad was like, how did North Carolina not win more championships with this guy, him and Sam Perkins. Like they were unbelievable people. So yeah, always had an appreciation for Jordan. I just-- to me, the thing that stood out immediately when I saw footage from the first Jordan interview, and the candor, and the like willingness, and you know, he's here to play-ness of Jordan and what Jason was at a game to get out of him. I was just like, this is going to be f-ing awesome.
JOSIAH JOHNSON: And then last question for you. I appreciate you for taking the time. MJ security guard, the late great John Michael Wozniak, was one of many kind of unsung heroes from the dock. Obviously, I'm heavy on NBA Twitter, and when you hit a hitters with a shrug, literally at that very moment, my eyes lit up like, yo, this thing is about to go. It's probably one of the greatest things that I think I've ever seen. Like what was it for you like when you're watching this stuff before it gets released? Did you kind of have a feeling that some of these guys would get some of the attention that they got?
JON WEINBACH: I would not have predicted the vitality of former Chicago resident, the lower third, on President Obama. You know, it was just like that became a whole thing. Like oh my god, we were so cheeky. I mean, I think even Jason would tell you, it was just like it made sense for where we are in the story. It wasn't like trying to be, you know, funny or understanding or whatever. It was just like, that was there. So, man. I thought-- one of the things, I really like the Instagram mash-ups. Michael giggling and cackling. That's fantastic. I mean, people are super creative, and the thing is also just like that's happening around the world, you know? That's the trip. So yeah.
JOSIAH JOHNSON: So Jon, man, I just want to thank you again for blessing us, helping us get through this rona pandemic. I don't know what we're going to do now. Everybody's kind of trying to figure it out.
JON WEINBACH: Well, no, thanks for having me on.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
