Marshall Cook is not only a writer, actor, producer and editor, but he was also a football player. It is his experiences as a football player that helped inform him when he wrote the script for comedy “Division III: Football’s Finest.”
Cook, who played quarterback for 10 years, said that there are few things that people don’t take into consideration when it comes to football players.
“We have to deal with each other,” he said. “There’s always the guy who takes it more seriously, or the guy that is a jerk. The coaches, whether they were introverted or extroverted, were always weird father figures that you’d want to please. There’s also a lot of class work, a lot of game film you have to watch. You have the struggles within your own program.”
People such as the teammate who takes everything too seriously or the crazy coach also make for great comedy, and Cook’s ability to notice the comedy in sports stems back to how he viewed himself in the program.
“I am a jocky nerd,” he said. “I’m into art, computers and sports, and so I would go to theater rehearsals and I’d get a lot of crap for that from the other players.”
Cook came up with the idea for “Division III” during his freshman year of college. “There are so many colorful characters and degenerates, and I wasn’t really fulfilled with the football comedies that were out there, so I decided to make my own.”
The film boasts a lot of comedic talent, such as Andy Dick, Adam Carolla, Mo Collins, Will Sasso Bryan Callen and Debra Wilson, to name a few, and for Cook, the toughest thing about starring and directing the cast was not laughing.
“It’s hard when you’re playing opposite them and you’ve gotta play it totally straight. Or, when I’m watching the playback and I have to direct them–I can not just watch them as a fan.”
Other projects Cook has down the pipeline include more comedies. “It’s going to be a thriller/horror/comedy drama,” he said. “I’m also working on another comedy, too–I always want to do two different types of films…It’s always best to be working on more than one idea.”
“Division III: Football’s Finest” is available now in stores. “I hope people give the movie a chance,” said Cook. “I think you’ll have a good time.” So, if you want some new football humor, do give the film a chance.
