The Campaign’s Dylan McDermott on unleashing his inner political enforcer, with just a hint of Karl Rove…
Wednesday, June 10
Quentin Tarantino: see the full interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Quentin Tarantino gets a little hot under the collar in an interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy…
You know the interview isn’t going well when QT puts an imaginary gun in his mouth.
And all you have to do is ask him why he believes there’s no link between movie violence and real violence.
See the full interview – or, as the director claims, an extended advert for Django Unchained – below…
Django Unchained opens is out now in US cinemas and opens in UK cinemas on 18 January 2013.
Warm Bodies: Nicholas Hoult interview
Nicholas Hoult (Skins, X-Men: First Class) tells us what it’s like to play a hot zombie in unusual love story Warm Bodies, and how eating brains isn’t gory if it’s well shot…
How would you describe the character of R?
The most compelling thing about R is his need to connect. He wants to connect with the other zombies in the airport, even though they’ve got nothing to really say to him and can’t even say their names. He wants to connect with Julie and to feel alive. That’s one of the most human instincts ever – to want to feel a part of something and to connect with another human.”
What made this part stand out for you?
The idea of this zombie who I have to try to make an audience care about and root for, that was interesting to me. In the script, he was very funny and eloquent in his voiceover, so there was a charm about him and a humour as well.
Was it challenging to play a character who barely speaks?
A lot of the time I had to communicate just through movement, my eyes, the things I do, or the records R plays for Julie. The idea of not being able to say what you’re thinking was something that was exciting for me. It makes you think in a slightly different way than you normally would.
Director Jonathan Levine said the first on-screen conversations between R and Rob Corrdry’s M saw you both crack up, but by the fifth take you were both properly groaning…
There were moments where we’d both zone out in each other’s eyes. It was just very weird stuff.
You eat another person’s brains in the film. Is that going to gross out the audiences who come looking for a love story?
That’s a slightly violent moment in the film, where R is cracking Perry’s head open, but it’s shot very beautifully. The way Javier Aguirresarobe framed and lit everything, it just looks fantastic – even the more gruesome aspects, there’s still something very cinematic about them.
Did it gross you out?
Eating brains is fun! They made the brains out of kind of a cold, wet sponge. The idea Jonathan came up with is that because these brains are memories it’s like being alive again, it’s kind of like a drug to the zombies.
A lot of R’s thoughts are revealed via voiceover in the film. Did you have to keep that in mind while acting?
Sometimes the script supervisor read out the voiceover on set so I could hear what the character was meant to be thinking during the scene. It helps with the timing of the scene to make everything link together.
Warm Bodies, which stars Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Cordry, Dave Franco and Analeigh Tipton, opens in cinemas on 1 February in the US and 8 February in the UK.
MUST WATCH:
Warm Bodies: first four minutes with Nicholas Hoult’s zombie [VIDEO]
MUST READ:
Warm Bodies: Jonathan Levine interview
Warm Bodies: Jonathan Levine interview
Jonathan Levine (50/50, The Wackness), scriptwriter and director of zombie romantic comedy Warm Bodies, talks humanity, musical shorthand and breaking zombie conventions…
You were initially resistant to doing a movie based on a young‐adult novel. What changed your mind? I identified with the main character, and the book Isaac Marion wrote really allowed for these incredible directorial flourishes and aggressive style. I was excited about the opportunity to push the envelope visually. And it was a great character piece, as well. It’s an adventure, it’s a romance, it’s got comedic elements, and it’s got horror elements.
Were you worried it would be hard to create a believable relationship between a zombie and a living girl?
The arc of their relationship was the most important thing to me to get right directorially – the push and pull of guys and girls, the way relationships start and people are nervous at first, maybe even repulsed, and then come together.
Zombie films often speak to the audience about humanity. Is that true of Warm Bodies?
The salient theme at the heart of it is that people have forgotten what it means to be human and, through the interaction of these two characters, other people re‐learn what it means to be human. Not just the zombies, but the humans, too.
What made you cast Dave Franco (21 Jump Street, Superbad) as the boy who gets his brains eaten?
He has to make a very big impact in a very short time and he really does it. He’s so charming and likeable, and so talented, that he sticks with you throughout the movie.
The most zombie-like zombies, the Boneys, were created using CGI based on the movements of stunt performers in motion‐capture suits. How was your first time using that kind of technology?
The great thing about CG is, not only can you create these characters, but you can do things stylistically that I feel like some people aren’t taking advantage of remotely enough. When we go into R’s dreams, for example, we do surreal transitions. At the very beginning of the movie, about the first 10 minutes, there’s a lot of really interesting, stylish CG that is used to tell the story in a way that people haven’t seen before. I’ve never previously had it as a tool in my arsenal. It allows for the editorial process to be as creative as the production process.
Aside from R’s relationship with Julie, he also has a lot of screen time with his best friend, M…
M, in many ways, is the heart of the movie. R’s change sparks everything, but M’s change is representative of everyone else.
Was it a challenge to have the zombie characters communicate?
They’re able to have conversations based on short, one‐word things and to interpret each other’s groans. That led to a lot of on‐set laughs. We were shooting this scene at the very beginning of the movie and it’s basically just two guys groaning at each other. The guys kept cracking up. By the time we got to take five, they were literally groaning and having conversations with each other.
There’s an interesting use of music in the film, too…
R’s use of records to communicate with Julie was a clever feature of Marion’s novel that helped draw me to the project. Music really does help set tone. It’s another way to have a shorthand with the audience. Music is, in a big way, how I access the world in a movie and the characters. It’s really nice that it was already written into the story.
This film has less gore and physical disintegration than many other examples from the zombie genre. Was that intentional?
I don’t even look at it, really, as a zombie movie. I look at it as a monster movie that turns into a love story. We’re working within the zombie mythology, but we’re using that mythology as a means to an end, as shorthand for something else.
Apparently your inspiration came from Depression‐era photos and images of coal miners, instead of traditional zombie movie references…
We wanted to make a movie that appealed to all ages, so we couldn’t necessarily get involved in some of the fun stuff that other zombie movies do. The process of designing the looks of both the zombies and the Boneys was a lengthy one that started early in pre‐production. We had people doing sketches, artists taking a picture of Nick Hoult from Skins or X‐Men, and tweaking and playing with it. It would be back and forth internally, and then we would take it to the studio and do make-up tests.
Are you worried horror purists might disapprove of the way the film plays with zombie‐movie conventions?
I have a great knowledge and love of films like 28 Days Later, Shaun Of The Dead, Day Of The Dead and Return Of The Living Dead. But one of the great things about making movies is you can use genre and mythology to tell different kinds of stories.
Warm Bodies, which stars Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Cordry, Dave Franco and Analeigh Tipton, opens in cinemas on 1 February in the US and 8 February in the UK.
MUST WATCH:
Warm Bodies: first four minutes with Nicholas Hoult’s zombie [VIDEO]
MUST READ:
Warm Bodies: Nicholas Hoult interview
Sachiko Yumi: Cosplay interview
Sachiko Yumi
Ashley Spence (AKA Sachiko Yumi) has been cosplaying since 2007 where she attended the London MCM Expo as Gunner Yuna (Final Fantasy X-2). Ashley has a great amount of skill when it comes to making costumes, having made detailed dresses such as Zelda (Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess) as well as beautifully crafted armour with her Lightning cosplay (Final Fantasy XIII).
Q: Hi Ashley, Thanks for agreeing to participate in this interview. Firstly, could you let me know what cosplay means to you?
Ashley: It allows me to dress up and be someone I’m not. Essentially bring a character to life all the while doing something I enjoy and love.
Q: What was it that made you want to start cosplaying?
Ashley: Browsing YouTube when I was younger I came across some skits of cosplayers ‘acting’ like the characters or doing segments from the game/anime/movie. Kids always love to dress up so I immediately looked it up and found it was called cosplay. I ended up buying a few costumes from the internet until I decided take my hand at trying to make my own. I discovered a passion for it and 26 costumes down the line I’m still going.
Q: Do you prefer making your costumes to buying them?
Ashley: Most definitely, I’ve only bought one costume and that was alright but you can never whack making your own.
Q: What skill do you prefer when making cosplay? For example, do you prefer sewing, prop making, wig styling etc?
Ashley: I prefer the wig styling and prop making. Prop making is really interesting and you learn so many new skills out by doing so. Wig styling… well I love messing around with hair so it’s fun to be creative and even better when taking on a big wig project.
Q: What have been the hardest challenges you have come across and explain how you overcame them?
Ashley: Wig’s that have to be tied up into ponytails or armour. I got over the wig situation by looking into wigs a bit more, realising that to make a wig go up into a ponytail the weaves had to go up as well and not down like they originally do. So I did that, unpicking the wig and sewing it back up the way it needed to be. Results were as good as I had hoped and it was kind of rewarding to know a new technique.
Armour, well that’s a whole different kettle of fish. Tackling armour was hard to get the hang of at first, being it had to fit your body and getting something straight to bend to the shape you want isn’t as easy as it looks. But by practicing I got there in the end, now I have the hang of it (to some extent).
Q: What advice do you have for those wanting to start making cosplays?
Ashley: Advice I’d give to those who are wanting to start cosplay is to not take it too seriously. If you can’t get something right or you’re not sure on how to do something, then that will always come with practice and also to use the internet for ANY questions you have on materials or tutorials. Overall cosplay is a hobby you can excel in but also have fun while doing so.
Q: How do you learn the skills needed to make cosplay?
Ashley: A lot of it is due to the internet, trial and error and asking about things I’m unsure about. But most is due to personal experience. Even though this is the case, I did study Fashion and Textiles for a year which did help me a tad when working with material.
Q: Would you like to progress a career in costume making or do you see it as just a hobby?
Ashley: I would love to pursue a career in costume making or some other aspect involving cosplay, but for now it still remains a hobby!
Q: Are you attending MCM Expo in October? And if so, what are your cosplay plans for it?
Ashley: I sure am attending MCM Expo in October! My plans were originally; Friday – Porrim Maryam from Homestuck, Saturday – Liara T’soni from Mass Effect 3 and Sunday – Korra from Avatar: The Legend of Korra.
Q: Do you have a dream cosplay? And if so, what is it?
Ashley: My dream cosplay would most likely by Liara from Mass Effect, although they come and go. Yuna used to be my first, then it was Lightning and now Liara. I guess I’ve never really had a set dream cosplay.
Thank you Ashley for giving us the chance to interview you and we’ll see you at the next London MCM Expo in October.
BabemRoze: Cosplay interview
BabemRoze
BabemRoze AKA Emma Gallagher (known commonly as Rinny amongst her friends), has been cosplaying since May 2009 where she attended the London MCM Expo. Since then she has dressed in 38 different costumes. Emma has portrayed many different characters from a Female Mage Hawke (Dragon Age II) to Ariel (The Little Mermaid).
Q: Hello Emma, thank you for giving me the chance to interview you.
Emma: Not a problem!
Q: To start this interview off, could you let me know what cosplay means to you?
Emma: It means a lot to me. I was always bullied as a teen for liking anime or Disney at that age, so to be part of a community where it’s accepted is really nice.
Q: Do you feel the main reason you cosplay is to be part of the community or is it just for the enjoyment of dressing up as another character?
Emma: It’s a bit of both. I started out wanting to cosplay so many characters that I would make lists and lists for, but because I made such good friends that’s all changed. Now I’ve cosplayed characters I’d have never thought of doing before to fit in with a group, I find it a lot more fun cosplaying within a group than on my own.
Q: What is it about a group cosplay that makes it more fun than an individual one?
Emma: You look epic! *laughs* There’s something awesome about being part of a big group that makes you feel really included. Also the look on peoples faces when they see most of the characters from their favourite game or anime etc is brilliant. I think it’s also the really funny and awesome pictures you can get because you’ll know how the characters respond to each other.
Q: On the subject of pictures, it seems cosplayers get photographed a lot when they are in costume. How do you feel about people asking to take a photo of you?
Emma: I don’t mind it at all. It can be awkward if you’re rushing somewhere or maybe resting but I feel honoured when people ask because it makes me feel like they think my outfit is good enough to be recorded.
Q: When it comes to the construction of cosplay itself, do you tend to buy your cosplays or do you make them?
Emma: The majority of them I buy. I’d love to be able to make them from scratch but I need to build up some skills and I want to take some lessons in sewing and stuff. I’ve made a few I thought weren’t half bad but would still like to improve before getting onto the more complicated stuff.
Q: What is it that makes you want to start making costumes? Why not continue buying them?
Emma: Ummm, it’s mainly the pride you feel when you look at the work you’ve done and think “I made that!” and it’s a brilliant feeling. It also has benefits that you can enter competitions and masquerades which are always fun to do!
Q: Do you think that cosplayers who make their outfits are treated differently from those who buy them?
Emma: It’s hard to say. Some people don’t care but some others think the ones who buy their outfits are lazy and not “true cosplayers”. I can understand the frustration if someone who’s bought an outfit gets more praise for a good cosplay over those who made them, but it’s not really their fault in my opinion. I do think that everyone should try and make something at least once though.
Q: You mentioned earlier about masquerades, have you entered any of these before? And if so, what has the experience been like?
Emma: I’ve been part of a few masquerade entries but only one competitive. I love doing them! The judging was difficult because I had to try and remember how I made certain parts of my outfit. I would definitely recommend taking photos or a step by step list. They can be nerve-wracking though but once you’ve been on the stage once you wanna go on again!
Q: Have you ever tripped over?
Emma: No, luckily! But I bet you’ve jinxed me now *laughs*
Q: When you participate in a competitive masquerade such as the one at MCM Expo, do you enter to win or just for the fun of it?
Emma: Just for the fun of it mainly. It would be awesome to win but if I don’t it’s not a big deal.
Q: Are you cosplaying at the next London MCM Expo in October? And if so, which character will you be?
Emma: I am, yes! I’ll be Belle from Beauty and the Beast on Friday. Isabela from Dragon Age 2 on Saturday and I haven’t decided about Sunday yet.
Q: Are there any big projects in the future that our readers should keep their eye out for from you?
Emma: I hope to do Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty! But it will be a long while away because it’s one I aspire to make from scratch so will probably drive me insane!
Thank you Emma for giving us the time to interview you. Looking forward to seeing your cosplays at the next London MCM Expo.
Xaerael interview: the EuroCosplay 2011 winner speaks!
Cosplay comes in all shapes and sizes, and Cosplayers come in all levels of expertise. From those who buy costumes, to those who enter high level competitions, and beginners learning to make their own costumes and are looking to improve, the MCM Expo has room for everyone. In 2011, the UK EuroCosplay representative Xaerael (aka Neil Lockwood) and his Skeksis costume went on to win first place as the EuroCosplay champion. He was nice enough to chat with me about how he got into cosplay making, the process of making his winning costume, and his future plans.
Laura: Hello. For those who don’t know you, could you introduce yourself?
Xae: Hi there. I’m Xae (or Xaerael). I was MCM Expo‘s 2011 representative for that year’s Eurocosplay Championships, and went on to take first place in the final.
Laura: How did you get in to Cosplay? How long have you been Cosplaying for?
Xae: I visited MCM Expo London in May 2008 and saw loads of people Cosplaying, and thought, “heyyy… that looks like fun!” By October Expo the same year I’d made my first costume, Alphonse Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist.
Laura: What was the process of making Skeksis like? How hard was it, and how long did it take you?
Xae: It took a LONG time. Far longer than any other project I’ve worked on. Even after I’d worn it at the ECC qualifier in May I still had 3 months of work to do on it. It’s hard to guess how hard it really was, as there’s been so much lead up to doing this project. It certainly took a lot of learning, research and experimenting before I even got started. While making it, I broke the costume down into its separate parts and built each part as an individual project, more or less how a professional studio would, except they would give each part to a different person!
Laura: What were the most difficult parts of the costume?
Xae: The robes. By far. Everything else was easy to pattern or size up, The robe literally had to be guessed in every way.
Laura: How much of your spare time is devoted to Cosplaying?
Xae: A lot. I’m almost always spending my free time developing my current project, and my work time is now filled with commissions for Cosplay props for other people. For all the time I spend on projects though, I usually only produce one personal costume a year, spending as much time as possible on that one costume.
Laura: Where did you learn the techniques you use?
Xae: Early on, from asking about online and experimenting. Now, I spend a huge amount of money on courses and video tutorials from professional studios.
Laura: What advice do you have for people looking to get into Cosplay?
Xae: RESEARCH!!! I’ve always felt that the more you research,
the better the end result. Experiment with materials. Watch tutorials. Read articles. Watch makings of movies.
Laura: What is your favourite costume you’ve made?
Xae: I don’t think I have one really! I guess the Skeksis is the one I feel most satisfied with. If I was pressed to choose, I suppose Twighlight, my werewolf based on my old Werewolf the Apocalypse character.
Laura: Do you have any costumes you would love to make, but haven’t? If so, for what reasons?
Xae: Do you want the list? Haha. I usually have a list of around ten costumes that are waiting to have some technical issues worked out before I start making them. It’s usually either that or component sourcing that stops me from starting a project.
Laura: Do you have any future costumes you can tell us about?
Xae: I’ve enjoyed making “monsters“, so my next few are all monsters. I was planning on making Valkenhayn‘s werewolf form from Blazblue next, but I’m having trouble finding some important parts, so he’s been shelved for now. Next one I’ve confirmed is Flammie the Mana dragon from the Secret of Mana franchise by Square Enix (actually had it planned for around 2-3 years now!). I recently learned how Hollywood studios deal with wings, which was a major hangup on that project since he has four wings, but without that in the way anymore it’s all go. Part of the hang up with the costume design was that I really wanted the wings to fold, so I’ve had to do a lot of bird wing anatomy study, and maquette building (see? lots of research!).
Laura: Do you have any final words?
Xae: Always spend as much time as you can on a project. Try to manage your time, plan when you want things to be complete, and ALWAYS try to be ready a good month in advance of the event you’re planning to wear a costume at.
If you wish to find out more about the EuroCosplay Championships, then be sure to visit EuroCosplay.com, or alternatively you can visit the EuroCosplay Facebook page.
Interview: Super 8 creature designer Neville Page
That Film Thing caught up with creature designer Neville Page to chat about monsters, Alien prequel Prometheus, the lost Captain Nemo film and the Star Trek and Avatar sequels.
Interview: JJ Abrams talks Super 8
TFT caught up with Lost and Cloverfield maestro JJ Abrams to chat about monsters and the Star Trek sequel. He was in LA on the red carpet for the official DVD and Blu-ray launch of Super 8.
Interview: Super 8’s Beau Knapp
Beau Knapp, who plays Breen in the JJ Abrams/Steven Spielberg movie Super 8, chats to That Film Thing on the red carpet in LA for the official Blu-ray launch…