Oscar-winner Neil Jordan casts a wide net in the recession

Oscar winner Neil Jordan, the director of "The Crying Game" and "The Brave One," knows times are hard. That's why he delivered a feel-good story about folks in poverty."Ondine," released Friday, May 7, on Video on Demand, Xbox Live, Playstation, Amazon and Vudu before opening in theaters June 4, features Colin Farrell as a fisherman who catches a gorgeous woman in his net. But sharks from her past must be dealt with before the couple can live the fairy tale.

"It reflects people's need for reassurance and fantasy in a seriously deprived market," the 60-year-old Jordan told WalletPop in an interview at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Jordan once made 10 shillings a week picking vegetables in his native Ireland. He was glad for the work, he said. That's $8.

Now he's looking for a bit more cabbage: about $20 million to put the pieces in place for his $60 million adaptation of "The Graveyard Book." Donors nearly sign a check, then back off, he complained. The global financial meltdown has become personal.

"You might find yourself not getting paid a lot," he said. "I'm just not being paid. They're cutting fees all over the place. I think actually that Hollywood is in an absolutely perfect position because of the recession. They've been able to cut staff and cut their enterprises down to the absolute bone and yet people are going to the movies more and more."