What's The Deal with William H. Macy?

Academy Award nominee William H. Macy’s fifth visit to the Sarasota Film Festival next week won’t be as leisurely as before.

In past years, Macy touted TV-movies that already had network slots, picked up a career achievement award then watched his wife Felicity Huffman awarded the same.

Macy also made friends who helped finance The Deal, an inside-Hollywood satire opening the 10-day festival on April 4. Tickets for that event and others are available at the festival Web site.

Investors and friends they wish to impress will attend opening night, in a social scene where impressions are everything. Nearly half of the film’s $8-million budget was raised in Sarasota and Manatee Counties (plus Chicago and New York), from well-heeled silent partners adding a touch of Hollywood to their lives.

“There’s an astounding amount of money in that part of the state,” Macy said during a telephone interview. “People would give us their cards and say: ‘If you ever want to make a movie, maybe I’d be interested in investing.’

“Well, the joke was on them because we kept the cards.”

Macy co-wrote the screenplay for The Deal with director Steven Schachter, ironically starring as a conniving movie producer desperately seeking a hit. Macy approached his first hands-on producer’s credit with humility and transparency his film character wouldn’t understand.

“For the first time, I was the one looking people in the eye, saying: ‘Give me your money and I think we’ll get it back,’” Macy said. “That comes with a heavy responsibility. My reputation and my word are on the line.”

On the phone, Macy sounds like the kind of guy I'd trust with a few thousands of my dollars, if I had any to spare. Read the rest of his interview Friday in Floridian, advancing the Sarasota festival opening next week.