Q&A: O.J. director on making a near eight-hour doc in the shadow of a hit series

TORONTO – A dramatized re-telling of the O.J. Simpson trial fascinated viewers earlier this year, but a new documentary series strives to bring the real story of the fallen football star to light.

The five-part, ESPN-produced “O.J.: Made in America” will test whether audiences are eager to sit through another extended examination of Simpson’s torrid life.

It’s a question that has plagued director Ezra Edelman ever since he first heard about FX’s smash hit series “The People v. O.J. Simpson.”

Edelman’s approach is an entirely different take. It sets aside the tabloid headlines and digs into the details of Simpson’s upbringing and hugely successful sports career, juxtaposed against the social and racial pressures of Los Angeles.

“O.J.: Made in America” begins Saturday on CTV and will air in five parts throughout the following week. It has already been garnering rave reviews and could be in the running for both Oscar and Emmy nominations.

Edelman talked to The Canadian Press about releasing his project in the shadow of a hit TV series and whether he thinks O.J. will watch his documentary.

CP: What was your initial reaction to hearing about “The People v. O.J. Simpson”?

Edelman: What would your reaction be if you were working on a long piece and heard someone was doing something (on) the same topic and as long? That was my reaction. Not happy?

CP: Theoretically it could draw more attention to your film.

Edelman: Maybe and hopefully. I don’t really look at it that way. There’s no doubt there’s been a resurgence in interest in the story and O.J.

I would’ve liked people to have … discovered the story for the first time through (my) film. That’s the only frustrating part. My hope is that someone wants to actually devote (more time) to the subject.

CP: You sound skeptical that will happen.

Edelman: I’m skeptical about everything. It’s already a lot to ask somebody to watch something that is 10 hours long (with commercials), so you’re asking someone to do it twice about the same thing? I’m not at all skeptical about the value of our film. I think it’s worthy and should be seen by as many people (as possible). I didn’t watch the (FX) series.

CP: Do you plan to watch it?

Edelman: (sigh) Maybe later. The way my brain works it just wouldn’t be good for me. There are things you can do when you have dramatic licence that you can’t do in documentary form. You can sort of delve deeper into characters’ relationships, (something) I would be interested in doing, but can’t do. I want people to discover who he is through watching a (documentary) about him. I would like the conversation that has happened (already) to have happened because we did the film, not because somebody did a 10-hour fictionalized version of it.

CP: What drew you to O.J?

Edelman: Nothing. (ESPN) asked.

CP: But you could’ve said no.

Edelman: What drew me to O.J. — we were talking about the FX show — was not that. I know how much people have picked over it since (the trial), so my initial instinct is: what can I say about it? What’s new, what’s different? What is this about to me? Well, it’s about race primarily to me, so the story I want to tell starts way before.

I was interested in less of what happened to O.J. after the acquittal, but sort of, what do you do when you get away with murder — whether you’re guilty or innocent — how do you go back into the world? The marco, greater tragedy is everything about O.J.’s story — who he is, what he was running away from, how he identified in the world and where he is now. He’s a black man in prison. I wanted to tell a story that got him to that place.

CP: Watching the documentary you see O.J. eagerly consuming his own media coverage. Do you think one day he’ll sit down and watch your film?

Edelman: He might…. From what I understand he has TV in his cell.

CP: How do you feel about that?

Edelman: I don’t need to know. I don’t know what O.J. would think. I could make a case either way.

CP: You’ve been in a gruelling post-production stage since you previewed “Made in America” for audiences earlier this year. Are you ready to move on to something else?

Edelman: Yes, I’m on the one hand very much ready to be done with this. But I also know in some ways this is just starting.

— This interview has been edited and condensed.

Follow @dfriend on Twitter.