T h e W indow
Directors share their favourite acts
M
w rit t e n By Mark Le ire n-Yo u ng y favourtie part
It’s not the rehearsals, or the shoot-
I, coming up with a concept that
there ‘cause they’ve got a good sto-
of interviewing
ing, or the preproduction. The only
we love and just trying to subvert
ry, there was a good story to be told.
someone
has
thing I can tell you is there’s one part
it, you know? Take what is an es-
So I focus a lot on the writing.”
always
been
of it that’s the dullest part that I don’t
tablished convention and twist it
asking
people
like -- and that’s the mix. That’s where
on its head. You know what they
Michael McGowan
why they do what they do. What do
you put all the soundtracks together.
say, they say there are only a cer-
Score: A Hockey Musical
they love about it? So almost every
But other than that, everything else
tain amount of stories and they’ve
“The most real part is the writing.
time I’ve interviewed a director I’ve
is fun. You’ve always got the specific-
all been told before. And all it is
The most fun is directing - you’re
asked about their favourite part of
ity of what you’re doing -whether it’s
is rehashing that same story, but
the closest to being a rock star that
making a movie.
in the shooting style, whether it’s the
dressing it differently. And that is
you’re ever going to be.”
Kevin Smith (aka Silent Bob and
way you want to cast it. It’s the won-
true. And Leigh and I always try to
the Vancouver Film School’s most
derful thing about our work, that it’s
make the effort, man. Sometimes
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
famous dropout) joked that his fa-
never boring.”
we fail, sometimes we succeed, but
Amelie
we definitely make the effort to try
“Everything. It’s true. I love to write.
vourite part of making a movie is the question and answer session
Lasse Hallstrom
and do something that feels fresh.
I love to shoot. I love to rehearse. I
after it screens. Or maybe he wasn’t
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
I think that’s very important. It’s
love everything - because I love so
joking. This is a guy who does Q&As
“It starts to become more and more
okay to sit down and think about
much to make. I am really a film-
– minus the movies - where he’ll
shooting. It used to be something I
a movie and think about what’s
maker. When I was eight I built a
field questions for anywhere from
hated or really had a problem with
something different that someone
small theatre with puppets and my
four to eight hours.
because it was a combination of
hasn’t seen before?”
parents paid to see the theatre. I
Here are a few of my other favou-
war and circus. But now I’m enjoy-
rite answers. The credit for each di-
ing it more and more. It used to be
Amy Berg
was producer too. But I love to make – the sound, the picture, the colour,
rector (many of whom wear multiple
my least favourite part. Editing is
West of Memphis
everything. All the process.”
hats on their projects) indicates the
probably still the most fun, because
I love the research. I love shooting. I
Jeunet was so excited when we
movie I was meeting them about.
that’s when I really start directing.”
love writing. I love editing. I think if
talked that I had to ask if there was
someone had to make me pick one,
anything he disliked about making
Sidney Lumet
Richard Linklater
it would probably be editing - but I
films.
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Waking Life
can’t do that without all the other
“No.” Then he reconsidered, rat-
“Everything.
I feel lucky because I
“The fun part’s working with the ac-
stuff. And I do love really getting a
tled off some rapid fire French to the
can’t think of a better profession. I
tors, coming up with all the business.”
good interview. I like it all.”
translator and turned back to me
to spend their time. I’m sure there are
James Wan
Michael Moore
ration is less interesting because
better professions, better ways for
Insidious
Capitalism: A Love Story
sometimes you can’t find a set, you
people to spend their time, but I can’t
“The best part is always, for Leigh
“I’m a writer. My filmmaking comes
can’t find an actress. That’s not my
see it… There’s no best time for me.
(Whannell, his writing partner) and
from my writing. All good films are
favourite part, the preparation.” n
can’t think of a better way for anybody
to continue in English. “The prepa-
@reelwestmag 30
Reel West Winter 2014