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Sundance 2012 Interviews: 'Robot and Frank' Writer Christopher Fordby Luke Hickman [teaser]Ever since attending NYU Film School a few years back, Christopher Ford has written a slew of features and shorts, but 'Robot and Frank,' this year's Salt Lake City opening night gala film, is his first to ever be made and seen by the masses. This is also his first time at Sundance. If this is what he's capable of pulling off as a newbie, it will be fun to see what he does as he becomes a more seasoned writer.[/teaser] 'Robot and Frank' is the story of a senile old man (Frank Langella) whose son (James Marsden) buys him a robotic caretaker. Before long, Frank learns that he can manipulate his robot, so the two head off on a heist-filled adventure. HDD – Luke Hickman: Alright. First time at Sundance and - Christopher Ford: Yes! HDD: - how is it? Christopher Ford: It's amazing! This is my first fully produced movie script, so it crazy to me. I haven't gotten to see any movies. HDD: Are you going to see any? Christopher Ford: I want to – uh – but it's kinda too crazy. But it's cool because I have other friends that I went to school with that have movies here. It's weird. My friends are here so it seems like "it's happening." HDD: Where did you all go to school? Christopher Ford: NYU. HDD: What are some of the movies that your friends have here? Christopher Ford: There's 'Bachelorette,' which has an awesome cast - a lot of fun people to work with. There's the Mike Birbiglia one – 'Sleepwalk with Me' – with one of my producers from film school. And a lot of short films. There are so many people here that I know. HDD: Being your first film produced, this has to be extremely surreal. Christopher Ford: Oh, yeah. And it all happened really fast. We obviously had the right content, but then we shot it this summer, [director] Jake Schreier started editing in September, and we had to get it ready for January. It's kinda crazy, right? HDD: Yeah. I was at the premiere when you guys were talking about this at the Q&A after the movie. Wasn't it a 21-day shoot? Christopher Ford: 20. We wanted one more day, but … . Yeah, it was during the summer too, so it sucked. HDD: When did you find out that you were accepted to Sundance? Christopher Ford: Ummm. About Thanksgiving. HDD: From your position, how did the whole application process go? Christopher Ford: Our producers did. That was their job. Galt Niederhoffer put together our cast, our application to Sundance and made it happen. So, I wrote a script, got notes for everybody, was there when they shot it, and they made all of this happen. It felt really good to be in their hands. HDD: Good producers! Christopher Ford: Yeah! HDD: Do they include you on all of the business aspects of it from here - like any bites you've received about distribution? Christopher Ford: Oh, yeah. We're definitely buzzing with that stuff right now. But that's kinda their business. They keep me informed though. It's involves Jake more in the actual decision, but they let me know. To me, this is all a bonus from having it made. HDD: How long ago did you write the script? Christopher Ford: I guess I started writing the feature script in 2010, or maybe the end of 2009. But it's funny, it was short before from back in film school, so the idea is from 2002. HDD: Was it one of the first shorts you ever made? Christopher Ford: No, it was actually the last one – my senior thesis film that I directed and Jake produced. I basically learned from it that I wanted to be a writer over a director. HDD: Is it hard handing you scripts over to a director, to Jake? Christopher Ford: No. No. I trust him. I'm really lucky because I'm really good friends with the director. I was on set the whole time. He wanted me there for my writer's viewpoint on what we were shooting. HDD: Seeing the final product, is it how you imagined it? Christopher Ford: Yeah. Pretty much. It's actually better. It's collaborative. Everyone brings something with them. Like Frank Langella – he brought so much to the character of Frank, even when I was still in the writing phase. Actors, they read the script and see everything from their character's point of view. That could be bad, but because they were experts, they were like, "No way. Why would the character do this?" And that's actually really helpful. HDD: So it's a learning process at the same time? Christopher Ford: Oh, yeah. Absolutely. HDD: How did you get this cast? Christopher Ford: It was Galt. It helped that we got Frank interested first. Maybe there's not a lot of parts for older guys – and it's playful. We met him at some restaurant. He wanted to see if we were passionate about the script. And he said, "Sure I'll do your movie … if it happens." And when it all came together, he was like, "Oh! Ok. Here we are." And he was great. HDD: What about the rest of the cast? How did you land Susan Sarandon, James Marsden and Liv Tyler? Christopher Ford: I think once we landed Frank, it peaked their interest in the script. I think they wanted to work with him. It's funny how James Marsden has been in two other movies with him – not as his son, but as his nephew. And again in 'The Box.' Marsden was also Susan Sarandon's kid in two movies. I think there's a family resemblance here. HDD: It's an awesome cast. I'll tell you, part of the fun for me when watching the movie was that I had no idea that it was turning into a heist film, that Frank would coax this robot in breaking and entering. Christopher Ford: (laughs) We originally did not have that part. In the short, the son drops the robot off. It's all sad. Frank dies in the end. HDD: Do Frank and Robot become buddies like they do in the feature? Christopher Ford: Yeah-yeah-yeah. There was also the whole library plot, but it was more focused on reading. HDD: Well, with books disappearing and everything going digital, it looks like things might be going the way of the movie. It's applicable. Christopher Ford: Oh, yeah. What's crazy is that in 2009, when I was thinking all this up, I thought, 'What would they have? Maybe a little tablet computer? What would I call it?' At the time there was no iPad, but now it's all happening. I swear! My thought of tablet computers became totally real. We caught up to reality. HDD: Now we just need them to be see-through like yours in the film. Christopher Ford: Exactly! Maybe the robot is next. HDD: I was laughing at the Q&A after the premiere when someone in the audience asked you how far away we are from this technology. Jake plead the fifth and you said 2025. Christopher Ford: (laughs) HDD: How have the Q&As been? You get your handful of good questions and the occasional weirdo one. Christopher Ford: Oh, it's fun! It's crazy because I went to a lot of Q&As in film school and it's odd to be conducting one. It's funny because Jake it is kinda shy. When he comes out to introduce the film in the beginning, he's quiet and small. It isn't until they begin asking questions that he warms up. HDD: So, what's next? Have you written anything? Are you writing anything? Christopher Ford: I think the biggest thing right now is that I'm writing a horror movie for Eli Roth that he's producing. Another friend from film school is going to direct. It's called 'Clown.' HDD: Oh, you know what? I saw this on IMDb, right? Christopher Ford: Yeah. It's a cool story. Me and my other friend John made a fake trailer for a horror movie called 'Clown' as a joke, we put it on YouTube and it got some attention. We put in as part of trailer – to make it seems real – that it was directed by Eli Roth. It was the perfect note to make this really horrible movie about a clown killer. And then [Roth] saw it because someone sent it to him and he called us up and said, "This is a really good idea. Let's do it!" HDD: He loves that viral stuff, doesn't he? Christopher Ford: Yeah – and it's awesome! HDD: So, first you're working with your buddies, now you're working with Eli Roth. Christopher Ford: And my buddies! And [Eli Roth] is a really nice guy. HDD: Which part of the process are guys in with 'Clown?' Christopher Ford: Right now we're just locking up the script, pre-production stuff. I'm not exactly sure when we're shooting – probably in the summer again, which I'm kinda dreading because of the whole 'Robot' thing. We were shooting in upstate New York and we were in almost record-setting heat. Humid times. The woman in the robot suit, Rachel – it was dangerous. We had to stop every once in a while so she wouldn't pass out. That was not fun. There are parts on the suit that you can kinda see through, so she had to wear this black suit. If you saw it, it was supposed to resemble circuits. And she was just sweating it up in that thing the whole time. She's short - like 4'11" - but she's a dancer – a sexy go-go dancer. HDD: Go figure. She had the robotic movement down. There's not a time in the movie where she doesn't seem robotic. Christopher Ford: Exactly. It was weird. There was this zen sort of things she had to do to focus on standing still while Frank was yelling at her. It was kinda bizarre. HDD: I've got to tell you, I enjoy the typical Sundance movies, but it's always fun to see something like this here – like a PG-13 heartfelt dramatic comedy - because it unexpected. We need more of it. Christopher Ford: It's got a lot of genres mixed together, so it's unique in the end.Posted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 01:45 PM PST by: -
Sundance 2012 Interviews: Lizzy Caplan from 'Save the Date'by Luke Hickman 'Save the Date' is one of the many great R-rated female-centric comedic dramas at Sundance this year. Lizzy Caplan stars as an aspiring artist who has to take life in small steps. As if moving in with her boyfriend wasn't traumatic enough, when he proposes to her in front of a large crowd she freaks out and ends the relationship right there. [teaser]Lizzy Caplan sat down mid-festival to talk about 'Save the Date,' female-driven comedies, and horror movies.[/teaser] Lizzy Caplan: It's nice to be sitting down, not made-up and not in front of a camera! HDD: No on-screen stuff today? Lizzy Caplan: Not that I know of. I'm done – done with those bitches. (laughs) HDD: But you don't mind if you're shoot for a movie, right? Lizzy Caplan: Not at all. That's fun. The shoot [of 'Save the Date'] was quick, super quick – the best kind. HDD: How were the rehearsals? Lizzy Caplan: I'm not generally a huge fan of rehearsals, but I think it's important to spend time with the people you're going to be working with – especially if you're supposed to be sisters or have some kind of long relationship. But in my rehearsals with Alison [Brie], we'd read one scene and both think, 'Oh, this is going to be just fine.' I think it was more of a confidence booster for [director Michael] Mohan than it was for us, to see if we'd be able to pull this off and have a hopefully believable sister relationship. HDD: They didn't test you two together first? Lizzy Caplan: (sarcastically laughs) Screen test? This isn't the sort of filmmaking that screen tests. HDD: You know what I mean – to see if you two worked together well, which you do. Lizzy Caplan: Thanks! I knew Alison's work and she knew mine and Michael Mohan knew both of our bodies of work so he could tell that we were both from similar worlds, that we had a certain cadence – no, "cadence" is the wrong word for it – a certain kind of way of doing comedy that, when you're working with someone who does as much comedy as Alison does, it's easier. Plus, we both have blue eyes – what else do you need to be sisters? HDD: (laughs) I've read that 'Save the Date' is being called a comedy, a romantic comedy, and a dramedy. How do you see 'Save the Date?' Lizzy Caplan: It's strange. We saw it with just the cast a few weeks ago and I think those first cast screenings are just everybody sitting there quiet, freaking out about their own performance, but all of us were cuddling up and saying, "You were good - No, you were really good! I was terrible, but you guys were really good." It's one thing to get through that and another thing to get through it with an audience. I was weirdly uneasy about calling it a romantic comedy, but watching it with an audience, it got some big laughs. We weren't expecting that. 'Mad Men's Alison Brie showed up, not the one from 'Community.' (in an attitude-filled teenage voice) She's on two shows – one's a comedy, one's a drama. HDD: Do you think 'Bridesmaids' sort of opened the door for more female-driven R-rated comedies? Lizzy Caplan: It's funny to answer the 'Bridesmaids' question for this movie [and not for my other movie here at Sundance]. Of course ['Save the Date'] is centered around this wedding that never occurs [in the narrative] – it's more of a plot point for [Alison's character] than mine – but 'Bridesmaids' for sure opened tons of doors for comedic actresses. Without that movie doing so well, tons of [movies with those types of] actresses, especially at the studio level, would never be made. I don't think it affected ['Save the Date'] directly, but just the fact that more people want to see women being funny now is, of course, super helpful. HDD: Does it bother you having to do so much sex in a movie? Lizzy Caplan: They actually cut one scene out - thank God - a very graphic one with Mark Webber. I texted Mohan saying, "Haha! You cut out that thing, right! Hahaha," just totally joking and he said, "Yes." And I said, (sigh) "I can totally watch this movie now." Both of the guys [I had to fake sex with] were terrible, terrible, terrible at it and I found them both completely repugnant. (laughs) ... I love it when guys have to wear embarrassing kind of stuff in movies because we girls are always forced to wear embarrassing stuff. HDD: What else are you working on right now? Lizzy Caplan: I have another movie here called 'Bachelorette.' (sarcastically) It's scary, very very scary. It's got a great cast. They're awesome, very awesome. Both of these movie have amazing casts – for hanging out with as well as working together. HDD: After 'True Blood,' any chance you'll return to the horror genre? Lizzy Caplan: I'd love to do more, but it's hard to find horror movies that are good. I don't know why they can't make them good. Although I hear the one that's here [at Sundace] - what's it called? HDD: 'Black Rock?' Lizzy Caplan: 'Black Rock!' I hear that one's good. HDD: It's another female-centric comedic genre movie here at the festival. Lizzy Caplan: I love a good comedy horror. HDD: What about 'Scream 5?' Lizzy Caplan: I can try to dip in on Alison's territory!Posted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 01:00 PM PST by: -
Sundance 2012 Interviews: 'Community's Alison Brie on 'Save the Date'by Luke Hickman Each year there seems to be a reoccurring theme that pops up in films at the Sundance Film Festival. 2011 was all about religious fanatics, and 2012 seems to have been heavily influenced by 'Bridesmaids.' 'Save the Date' is one of the many great R-rated female-centric comedic dramas at Sundance this year. Lizzy Caplan stars as an aspiring artist who has to take life's changes in small steps. As if moving in with her boyfriend wasn't traumatic enough for her, when he proposes to her in front of a large crowd she freaks out and ends the relationship right there. Alison Brie plays her sister, the encouraging and supporting figure in her life. [teaser]Halfway through the festival, Alison sat down with me to talk about 'Save the Date' and the uncertain fate of her network series 'Community.'[/teaser] HDD – Luke Hickman: So how has all the media been? Alison Brie: I love the movie and I forgot how fun it was going to be to talk about it. We haven't been talking about it every day since we shot it – it's not like we call each other on the weekend and talk about it. (laughs) HDD: When did you shoot? Alison Brie: Recently. Summer. Like the end of July. HDD: Playing sisters, did you and Lizzy know each other before shooting the film? Alison Brie: We did not. We got together and had dinner once before [shooting] and had one rehearsal. We did one sort of crash-course rehearsal with just the two of us and [the director] in a plain room, mapping it out. And I don't even think we rehearsed every scene, just the key scenes – outside the bridal shop and outside the club in the beginning where Lizzy first gets proposed to. We talked through the dialog to make it our own. It was more about making sure that we were all on the same page about what was happening in a scene. It was more talking it out than reading it and working at it. HDD: Well, it works really well. You two are great together. Alison Brie: Thanks! And you saw [the movie]! HDD: Of course I saw it! Alison Brie: It was funny doing the interviews on the first two days when people were like, (in a low dumb manly voice) "Soooo, what's it about?" Which is fine, just funny because people were asking us about something they knew nothing about. HDD: You've seen the movie, right? Alison Brie: Yeah! HDD: I spoke with Mark Webber a few days ago about 'The End of Love' and we talked about him having three movies up here this year and he said he hadn't seen one of the movies yet. I can't remember if it was this one. Alison Brie: It must be 'For A Good Time, Call …' because we had a "cast screening" [of 'Save the Date']. HDD: And it's a very funny movie! Alison Brie: There were laughs in places where I didn't expect them to be, like when it shows my character's mom at the bridal shower. Everyone cracked up [at the premiere] and I thought, 'That is kinda funny,' but when we were in it, it seems to have more depth and to be more dramatic because we were just playing the reality of these scenes. We weren't (in a vaudevillian voice) "playing it for comedy." We weren't bringing that (in a vaudevillian voice again) "comedy razzle dazzle." (laughs) HDD: I've got to ask – any word on the return of 'Community?' Alison Brie: Hmmm. HDD: We need it back. Alison Brie: Thank you! We're still shooting episodes, so we're finishing up the rest of the season. We have three more episodes to shoot and [NBC] keeps on saying vaguely, "It may come back in March or April." It's going to depend on what's going on with other shows. They really want to air the rest of the season. We're all feeling optimistic because it's better to feel that way than - uhh - the other way. The fans have been really great about it. The flash mobs have been awesome - HDD: - the beard pictures - Alison Brie: - the beard pictures! People have been sending in a lot of letters to the network. It's been really awesome. I feel like – I've never been prouder of our show than witnessing how it's affected all these other people. HDD: I interviewed Brit Marling about 'Another Earth' and she talked about how great it was to appear on 'Community' because the writers have had the freedom to do whatever they want. Alison Brie: Yeah! They do! [Creator] Dan Harmon really fights for that. He's got such integrity when it comes to his work. The network had been great to let us get away with a lot, but they also take a lot of prodding from Dan let him get the things that he want onto the show. [NBC] is such a great place for supporting really creative shows. HDD: What else are you working on right now? Alison Brie: I have a movie coming out in April called 'The Five-Year Engagement' with Jason Segal and Emily Blunt and Chris Platt. HDD: I love that cast. Alison Brie: Yeah! It's another wedding movie. It's all about wedding movies right now, it seems like. (goofy voice) Girls be getting married.Posted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 12:30 PM PST by: -
SlingPlayer for Kindle Fire Available Now[teaser]$30 will get you Slingbox functionality on your Kindle tablet. [/teaser] The Kindle Fire is a slick tablet for those not looking to spend a bundle, but it lacks in a bit of functionality that bigger, more expensive tablets have. Mainly, it lacks access to the Android Market, which puts it behind a bit when it comes to apps. SlingPlayer has been on the Android marketplace for a while now and it's just been added to the Kindle Fire. For the same $29 as on other platforms, you'll have the ability to watch shows from the comfort of your office, your hotel, your Wi-Fi enabled plane or wherever your travels may take you. You can pick it up now on Amazon. Source: EngadgetPosted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
'Madonna: Truth or Dare' Blu-ray Dated and Detailed[teaser]Madonna's controversial 1991 documentary is getting the high-definition treatment in April. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Lionsgate is preparing to release 'Madonna: Truth or Dare' on Blu-ray on April 3. From the rain of Japan, through threats of arrest for 'public indecency' in Canada, and a birthday tribute to her father in Detroit, this documentary follows Madonna on her 1990 'Blond Ambition' concert tour. Filmed in black and white, with the concert pieces in glittering MTV color, it is an intimate look at the work of the music performer, from a prayer circle with the dancers before each performance to bed games with the dance troupe afterwards. The Blu-ray will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack, and the original theatrical trailer. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is still undetermined at this time. You can find the latest specs for 'Madonna: Truth or Dare' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 3.Posted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 10:00 AM PST by: -
Element Sets Up New Production Facility in Michigan[teaser]They're not known for high quality sets, but Element will soon be the only American-owned TV maker producing sets in the US. [/teaser] Element is a name you've heard of and one that likely make the lists of what not to buy. They're a company that imports inexpensive China made TVs and sells them at stores like Walmart. Things are about to change though, as Element is about to start manufacturing in the US. The company's new production facility in Canton, Michigan, will be set up to produce sets that are 46 inches and larger. The sets will still be the sort of budget sets the company is known for, and according to president and owner Michael O'Shaughnessy, they're not going to get any more expensive. O'Shaughnessy says that production costs are rising in China and considering shipping costs it's actually cheaper to manufacture large sets in the US. The company will be employing 100 workers in both assembly and in a new call center. Production will begin in March. Source: Detroit Free PressPosted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 09:00 AM PST by: -
'Melancholia' Announced for Blu-ray[teaser]The acclaimed sci-fi drama from director Lars von Trier will take a bow on Blu-ray in March. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Magnolia is working on 'Melancholia' for a Blu-ray release on March 13. The film stars Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Kiefer Sutherland, and was nominated for numerous awards including the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival where Kirsten Dunst won for Best Actress. Specs have yet to be revealed, but the Blu-ray will include: About Melancholia, The Universe, The Visual Style, Visual Effects, HDNet: A Look at Melancholia, and Theatrical Trailers. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $29.98. You can find the latest specs for 'Melancholia' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 13.Posted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 08:00 AM PST by: -
HDD Spotlight Bargain: 'Amadeus: Director's Cut' Blu-ray $7.99 at Amazon[teaser]The digibook release of this classic film is now under $8 at Amazon![/teaser] The online retailer is selling 'Amadeus: Director's Cut' (digibook) for just $7.99 (78% off suggested list price). Click here to be linked to the offer. Don't miss out adding this must own release to your Blu-ray collection for a terrific price!Posted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 07:32 AM PST by: -
Sharp is Cutting Osaka Plant's LCD Production in Half[teaser]The LCD panel industry hasn't been doing well as of late and that's resulted in quite a few companies having to scale back production in their plants, switch to something else, or shut down entirely. [/teaser] Sharp is no stranger to this, and is cutting LCD production in its Sakai, Osaka plant in half. The cut is expected to be temporary, though no timeline is given for a return to full production. This will be the second time Sharp has altered production in the last year, though not quite as severe as April's production stoppage. Sharp's plant has been running at between 80 and 90 percent of capacity, but even then is producing too many panels to sell. Source: ReutersPosted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 07:00 AM PST by: -
'Hugo' Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D Announced[teaser]Martin Scorsese's acclaimed family film will debut on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D at the end of February. [/teaser] In an early announcement to retailers, Paramount is preparing 'Hugo' and 'Hugo - 3D' for a a release on February 28. Recipient of more Academy Award nominations than any other film, 'Hugo' was honored with 11 total—including Best Picture and Best Director—and has already won Martin Scorsese the Golden Globe for Best Director, was named the best film of 2011 by the National Board of Review, and was cited by more than 150 critics as one of the top 10 films of the year including writers for Associated Press, New York Times, Rolling Stone, Time, Entertainment Weekly, New Yorker, New York Daily News and The Hollywood Reporter, among others. Called “magical and enchanting” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times) and “one of the wonders of the world you need to see” (David Edelstein, New York Magazine), 'Hugo' is bursting with dynamic action, sumptuous imagery and a heartwarming and magical story that audiences of all ages can enjoy. Welcome to a magical world of spectacular adventure! When wily and resourceful Hugo discovers a secret left by his father, he unlocks a mystery and embarks on a quest that will transform those around him and lead to a safe and loving place he can call home. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese invites you to experience a thrilling journey that critics are calling “the stuff dreams are made of.” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). The Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet Digital Copy combo packs will feature 1080p video, a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack, and supplements include five featurettes: Shoot the Moon, The Cinemagician: Georges Méliès, The Mechanical Man at the Heart of Hugo, Big Effects - Small Scale, Sacha Baron Cohen: Role of a Lifetime. Suggested list price for the Blu-ray $44.99 and the Blu-ray 3D is $54.99. You can find the latest specs for 'Hugo' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 28.Posted Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 06:00 AM PST by:
