Ep23 - Denis Villeneuve / "Arrival"

think she's gonna be all right. D g a U the a S c American Society of Cinematographers. That was a throw loop there, Yeah, a little bit um, you know. I Greg Fraser Lion DP, he won Camerone Mage, so I kind of thought there was gonna be a surprise. I just didn't know what. I didn't know, maybe Bradford Young would win for Arrival or if uh, you know. I didn't know that La La Land was gonna win that and it didn't. But I talked to Gregg Fraser at the Nomineese lunch and he said his money was

on Lena's. What are we supposed to say, though, Like, oh, no, I'm totally gonna win this thing, right. Like, I don't know if you saw the little snappy of me and Emmistone at the Oscars luncheon, but she was talking about premiering La La Land in Venice, and I said, well, you're being modest, but you also won Best Actress there, and she does, that's not being modest, Like am I

supposed to just announce that? Like, oh, and by the way, I won Best Actress And I was like, yes, you should talk on your forehead put resume forward every time. Uh so, you know, what can you really say? D g A went to Damien obviously. Yeah. I mean it's like except in those boring below the line categories. Oh whoops, sorry, I fell asleep for a second there. What were you saying? Yeah, so I hear the words below the and it's like a you know, a trigger, I just fall asleep. This

is a joke. By the way, Chris seems to think that I am not impressed by which is hilarious, because you know, I have a thing for editors. Really why, I don't know. I just dated a lot of editors in a row. I also went through a magician phase because they spend time in dark rooms by themselves growing their facial hair, and that could pretty much describe any living on um. You know, so I was just like, let's talk about some other stuff, Like what else can

we talk about? You've seen Lego Batman movie. Yeah, I was really pleasantly surprised. And let's you know, when um is it Chris Miller and Phil Lord did the first Lego movie. I was like, I'm not going to see that. That That looks terrible. What a dumb idea? Then it's amazing, which was sort of how I felt about their twenty one Jump Street movie and also how I felt about their series Last Man on Earth. And I realized these guys just take terrible ideas and make wonderful things from them.

That seems to be their brand. Let's see how Han Solo Han Sologo. Yeah, I'm very excited, but uh so I didn't. I thought that, you know, Lego Batman Batman is very funny in the Lego movie. You know, he's an eggsty orphan. But I was like, are they going to sustain that joke for a full movie. It turns out they did. It's in the music there and this isn't there like a song and the songs about me

being an orphan. No, no, there's like there's some there's some like death metal thing that happens there where they're like no parents anyway, who's the guy Will Who's like might be one of the best Batman's ever, I'll say him in Christian Bale are my favorite Batman's or Batman Batman? I don't know if I'm going to be into that or not. I like the Lego movie. I thought that the call to worship on that movie was a little overblown, though.

I was like, come on, I don't disagree with that, and I think I had such low expectations that I was like, oh my gosh, this is actually clever um like how Batman was really everyone. Yeah, for the most part, it's really really well done. I saw John Wick Chapter two. Did you see the first one? I did? But we have discussed my triggers before, and this is an entire movie built around my trigger. Oh well, the second one is not okay. Can you say that twenty dogs die

in this one? New dogs die? I'm in In fact, I think I would say that there's something in this movie that specifically for the people they triggered as an apology. That's fantastic. Then I am. I am all in on John Wick too. Hear great things about I loved it. I mean I told I mean, look, I'm turning my brain off when I go into these things. But like I saw it like two nights ago or something. Uh, they're just yeah, it's ultra violent and I'm desensitized as hell,

but like it's awesome. There's a place for that. I think our critic Bruges was writing about it like it was like it's like a dance the way that just choreography of the action, And yeah, it totally is. And but there's there's funny character elements, and there's this whole built in mythology that they've expanded further in this movie, just this underworld of Hitman essentially, and and and just it's it's really fascinating. And I walked out of there.

I was like, I could do John Wick movies forever. I totally could just do one every other year or something. I want to get Kanu in here to talk about that who, by the way, everyone says, the nicest person alive and I would never talk too. No. I don't know if you know this, but he looks exactly like my brother, because my brother is also actually from the

same town that I believe. I don't know if he grew up in or he was born in, but his half Hawaiian, and my brother gets stopped all the time and given that, like, you know, you look like and it's kind of ery. And I've actually been told that I look a little bit like a sister, but I've never seen a picture of her that's true or not.

But I saw him out I think it was outside of like Alien three years ago, and there was this weird moment when I was like walking down the street and I locked eyes with Kanda Reeves, and you do sometimes you're just like, oh, hey, there's that person I know and then you realize, oh my god, I don't know you at all. You're you're a celebrity, and I just recognized you. But he was looking at me like we were kind of kind of like this weird, quizzical look, and I was like, maybe I really, like, do look

like someone from his family? Well, he's he is one of the nicest guys I've ever talked to. But amazing stories, Like a couple of pieces a few years ago on the twentieth anniversary of Speed, which is unequivocally one of my favorite movies of all time. You know, one of my best friends is in that movie, that Grant because I talked to all of the passengers on the bus. Yeah, I think two of them had passed away, but that was a fun story. And she just sings canons praises. Yeah,

they all do. Because he had there was somebody on that bus, one of the we're on a tangent now, one of the one of the passengers, one of the actors that played one of the passengers like taught him Shakespeare and can it really? So it was like his Shakespearean teaching was that when he then went and did Hamlet. Oh interesting. I remember there was a review of his Hamlet, um and it was mints a compliment, I believe. But the poll quote was funny because it was something like

he gets all the words in the right places. Okay, what else? So? Um, can I ask a questions? At the end of John Wick, he adopts, well, he steals actually a sweet little baby kit Bull. Is that dog in this movie? That dog is in this movie? I'm so in Okay, Uh, we've got a Tony Erdman remake on the Way that I'd love to talk about kind of amazing casting. I'm looking at the story now and Variety.

It's got a hundred and thirty six comments. Like, I don't think any story about Tony Erdman has a hundred thirty six comments, But the fact that there's a remake with Jack Nicholson finally back in the saddle is a big deal. I was excited about that. Then I was really excited that it looks like Kristin Wig Christian Lady's daughter. Yeah, I'm not a huge fan of Tony Ordman, but I'm there for this. I liked it. I think you should have been about three hours shorter. I'm sorry it was

six hours long, right, Yeah, it felt like it. It wasn't necessarily long. I feel like, yeah, there's like a rhythm you can get into watching it, but like it's a little arbitrary, like you don't you don't need that. But he's he's back. I think everyone thought he was just done. Yeah, I mean it's not like he needs the money, like just go hang out at Lakers games.

This feels like an Oscar nomination. Like, I mean, I find retily, but come on, come on, He's perfect depending on where they take, like what direction they take the movie. If it's if it's like you know, like they go to uh glossy comedy with it, then know. But like I suggested somebody like Kelly Fremont Craig to direct it, some somebody like that's the name, right, I don't know. You're looking at me. Oh gosh, that would be amazing. Yeah,

like you seen I haven't seen it. I suggesting they need to have a female direct this film because if they if Paramount remakes a film, a foreign film from a female director and then just swaps like Alexander Payin on it or something. I was gonna say, Alexander Payne, it would be so great. That would be a great movie. But like, come on, they would probably get hit with

some bad press for that, I think. And this day hadn't even occurred to me, which is funny because I don't know if you know this, but I'm a woman. I noticed. I just think, you know, like Kelly would be great because there's the James Brooks connection there too that I'm sure that you know Brooks would have a great recommendation for Jack about that. But anyway, I was trying to think of directors who are mainstream but quirky enough. You know what, let's let's let's do h Phil Lord

and Chris Miller. It does seem to be able. They were a little busy though. Right now we were talking briefly about the luncheon. You were backstage talking to the peeps. I was not backstage. I was in a hotel room. It's the weirdest set up. UH. Publications and media basically get hotel rooms at the hotel where the luncheon is held, and then you wrangle all the nominees who are there twitting the luncheon to come into your hotel room. And

it's um sounds kind of peculiar. They just basically popped from where you're in an aquarium or something. What do you say that? Oh? I know everyone, I'm curious what was going on like it was and we were trying to be atmospheric and different everyone else. I'm making fun of a creative choice. I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry again, No, I mean it does look odd when you watch the video, but I have to say

the photos look amazing. There's this photo of Mel Gibson that it's just you look at that and you're like, yeah, that's that's a star. Yeah. Mel was really wonderful. You know. He came by and talked about working with Vince Vaughn and how some people thought it was a little strange to cast Vince Vaughn in such a serious role in Hacksaw Ridge, and he's like, it didn't even occur to me. You know, he's just a great actor. He is. But

it threw me out of it. I know, I think Vine is fantastic in the movie, and you that that's one of your problems. I don't think he's bad in the movie. I just think it it just takes me out of the movie. And that's all Like It's it's like, like he's clearly committed to the part and playing a serious role. But I'm looking at dude from Swingers playing a drill sergeant and it's you know, it just takes

me out a little bit. Also, Sean Levy dropped by, you know, because he's the producer on Arrival, and uh keeps insisting he's also an EP on Stranger Things, keeps insisting Barb is not alive. People, you need to let go. Barb is dad. I hate to be the want want guy here, But I'm not feeling Stranger Things either. You didn't like the Prost season like stranger? Did you make it through it? I did, and it just felt like the same kind of nostalgia that the entire community that

embraced that show usually just dumps all over. So I didn't know what. I couldn't figure out what this had did other things don't have, you know. But I felt the same way about Super eight. I could not. I didn't like Super eight at all. I thought this this succeeded were Super eight failed? Um? You know. One of the things I really liked about it was that it gave answers, and even though those answers might be kind of crazy, it committed to them. Like on The o A,

which just was announced for a new season today. Um we we we get some answers, you know. And again I admire that they went with like crazy answers, um, but they also leave a lot open ended and Stranger Things just felt very satisfying because they answered pretty much all my questions. Did you see I'm gonna watch it again. I'll check it out again with Ryan Reynolds. Do you ever see what we call the Nines with Ryan Reynolds.

I remember that movie not And I freaking love this movie because and I don't want to give any spoilers, because I think it's on Netflix. A different one should watch it because all these crazy things happen, and it tells you why, and you almost kind of have to laugh at how absurd the explanation is, and you also have to admire that they committed to this batschick crazy premise. Yeah, well,

I'll go back and watch again, I promise. Okay, we're talking about I was at a table with Rich Moore, director of Utopia, one of the makeup guys on Suicide Squad, Andy Nelson, sound mixer for La La Land, and Just Goneta, the production designer for He's Awesome. Yeah, he did her. I think he might have been that. That was KK Barrett. You're right, just does uh. I don't know if he has he done this bite movie. He does been at Miller's movies, He does Coen Brothers movies. He did Live

by Night this year. He built an entire town. The production design't Live by Night was fantastic. Yeah. Yeah, I'm glad he at least had Hail Caesar for like a backup this year to get nominated. But he's fun. Um, what is it like in there? Like do they have I hear that they tell the nominees like keep your speech is short, and you know, well this year they did that really fun in a really fun way. They had this short film that they made with Kate McKennon as like a Golden age starlet. Oh is it the

character she plays in? Said night Live? So what he was like, I was addicted to pills? Is that is that the I couldn't tell if it was because it was ringing a bell, Yeah, but I don't. I don't know if it was an actual would you recognize the name was like Olivia Concave or something like that. I know Concave was the last name, so it was it's

hilarious last name. But anyway, the idea was she it was a short film that was made for the nominees of the eleventh Annual Academy Awards, and it's like tips for for your speech and stuff, and it was they kind of put this online. It was hilarious. I hope they do. There's no reason not to, but they do that. They have you know, the producers come out and Goldry is the name of the character she plays on Somebody

Wasn't different Hollywood Golden Age Starlett. But the producers come out and talk about like the same thing, like no one wants to hear about your agent, and you're what's kind of annoys me? Did they come out and tell people what they should say? Well? And also like every year we have like six tributes to shoes and then they give the speakers what is it seconds to give a speech, like they should be able to say what

the hell they want. If I want an oscar, I'm gonna if and I don't want to get there and chew gum and stare at the camera forty seconds and I'm gonna do that. Oh my god, I would pay money. I hope herschel Ali. If you're listening, just chew gum and stare at the camera to gom like Melissa McCarthy

did on Saturday Night. Great Sketch. But yeah, it's just you know, everyone sits, everyone eats every you mill around because you random, right, Yeah, there's like a little lottery bol do they do it their live like they call it Chris Tapley. It's a little more low key. You go over to the corner of the press table and you you spend the wheel and thank you, here's your table. Because I think I saw Denzel in Viola were sitting together and was that coincidence or people they placed the nominees,

but the press actually is the whole thing. Was that? Okay? Um, so you know, and then everyone gets up yet for the big class photo, which is I'm sitting there listening to two or fifty names be called by Laura Dern and she does it well. And then ever you have to applaud for people, and some people getting such a plod and yeah, you biggest applause and not this ever means anything. The biggest applause I could tell was Viola

bridges naturally like you know, everybody loves him. Yeah. I thought the Law all End team early on got some some nice pops, but then by theminators were like, okay, we get it. Oh, by the way, I dropped her name to the Cubo um VFX team and Travis Knight and was telling him, you know how much you loved the movie and how you predicted the nominations after the bake off, and um they were they instantly were like, oh, Chris has been so great they took it was funny.

They were one of those people who like, they're coming down the hall, They're coming down the hall, and like five minutes would go by and they're like, no, I swear they're coming down the hall now. And I was like, is it because they have to come down the hall one frame at a time? Yeah, well that is such a nerdy, obscure joke. And if anybody out there got it to marry me, they got it. If they're listening to this, they got it. We have a smart audience.

Well I agree, but a very intelligent Let me rephrase that. If anybody out there got it and found it amusing, okay, marry me. Uh yeah. I wrote this thing last week that just you know, I'm not being overly passionate here. I love Utopia too, but I think like has been in the mix for a couple of years and it's probably time at some point to give them an Oscar. And a lot of people weirdly threatened by that post.

I don't know. I don't I wouldn't be so threatened on behalf of a movie that made a billion dollars and is guaranteed to win the Oscar for animated feature. That's all I'm saying, isn't that funny? Two fans and to studio people. I find like the most innocuous things I write sometimes cause the biggest blow ups. It's it's it's it's like, just let it go people. Anyway, Well,

what do we have this week? Denive Llaneuva. Oh so wonderful he was, you know, he is just so upset about and stay upset because these are champagne problems, but like really really bumps about Mami Adams was not known. We talked about. Yeah, I'm sure we dive into uh she is, I'm pretty sure, and uh we'll talk about Dune a little bit and a little bit of Blade Runner, you know, try to get him to talk about it. Yeah.

I did the same, and he told me the most I think I've ever heard him say, which is basically like I was a big fan of the original and Ryan's great to work with. And I was like, that's a scoop because because he won't talk about oh you know what he did tell me that I found fascinating. You might already know this. He's never seen a rival with an audience because he's been working and traveling he couldn't go to any of the premiers or the festival showing.

They re expanded it, so he's got his opportunity if he wants that. Just being stuck in post on runner right now though, so he's in a room somewhere. Does that just mean re expanded? Does that mean it's back in theaters or they've added stuff. I think they've added get out. Yeah, that was the plan. I think, like, you know, try to get it closer to a hundred million or over a hundred million domestic. It's close to two hundred worldwide. So they've added like scenes, no, no, no,

added screens, screens, I said, added stuff that would be weird. Well, I didn't know what the hell that, man. I'm sorry anyway, it's better to just agree than yeah. Basically all right, so that I'll be talking to me right after this stick around for that. This is the day they arrived, the object touchdown forty minutes ago. It's going to happen. I don't know, Dr Banks. You're at the top of everyone's list when it comes to translations. Do you hear any words? Is that? Am I the only one having

trouble thing aliens? That's what it look, you'll see soon enough. You need to see me. Dr Brake. That's a proper introduction. Jets have landed around the world. It's fair language God twenty one hours four based mark moment more. They're not our enemy. We need to talk to them. It's more complicated than how is it more complicated? Are you dreaming in their language? What does this say? How do we clarify their intentions? I go back in. What's he doing?

You are committing an active pretty talk me? Welcome back everyone, I'm here with the director of Arrival, Dnievil Nuve. Did I say that correctly? Awesome? Okay, because I I do wonder if I'm saying it correctly all the time. But thanks for coming on, man, I really appreciate it. They're happy to be here. Congratulations on your Oscar nomination for Best Director for the film. Had that feel that is uh, I must say, I must stop to see that. I'm

digesting this news because it's been a while already. But it's just that being very you know. It's it's strange because I'm living in parallel to parallel universe as the award seasons, and I'm the same time, I'm I'm working on my next project. So I'm like always one feet and both realities, and and it makes the award seasons seems more unreal, like a dream. And and so I think that I will feel the impact of this nomination

in the future. But the way I feel about it is that when I think about it is that I'm feeling that there's a lot of directors that for who I have, for whom I have a lot of respect, that never got a nomination, or or that that nominated very late in their career. So to have to be nominated, I feel it's it's a it's a massive honor, but at some time it's a pressure because it means that I have to earn it in the future. Now seriously,

I can not. Yeah, that's the way I feel. I hear you in regarding being being involved in your next project. I mean I I I've always found in talking to people and doing this for a number of years now, it's good to be working when you're involved in the award season. Actually, otherwise you kind of just you can get really two swept up and all of that makes sense, that makes sense, And so maybe it's a salutary is just that I'm lacking our sleep. But besides that, yeah, no,

it's true. It to me, it's a good way to to to embrace that little madness. It's as people problem. But I'm just yeah, yeah, well, uh, I want to let's let's talk about screenplays, because just your last couple of films, Prisoners was there were a lot of strong characters, obviously,

but it was pretty plot driven. But beyond that, I feel like Enemy and Arrival and Cicario, these are screenplays that really allow room for you as a director to come in and put your own stamp on it, to really inject it with the atmosphere that I think you're so great at. So it just kind of made me wonder what you look for out of screenplays, particularly since you haven't written in your own work in a number of years now, So what are you looking for out

of screenplays? But the thing is that it's it's always I think you're you just put your finger and it's just that it's like, there's like I choose screen screenplays in the past, in my past movies that were not necessarily perfect screenplays, but that had a strong potential to create strong cinematic moments, and that that I was I will be inspired, deeply inspired by as a filmmaker. Uh,

there's always an element of where I feel in a screenplay. Exactly, a screenplay that as some elements of a very strong poetry in it, a fresh voice. But I like when it's it's a bit raw and I have space to evolve as as a filmmaker in it, which means that I will and I said that always to the screenwriter, that I will be his best friend because I will give everything to protect his poetry, and and at the same time that I will be his worst enemy because as I will, I would be a traitor. I will

deform scenes. I will I will, I will cut dialogues, I will make it my own. I will be a bit of a barbaric asshole with the material because I need to invade the screenplay. I need to make it. It's a bit like when I was adapting a play, a stage player, or or a book. I have this relationship with the screenplay. I mean through the specifically through the storyboarding process. When a storyboarder, it's a way for me almost to rewrite the material the screenplay. I'm trying

to be as faithful as possible. I mean, uh say is still tear teller certain screenplay. I mean, I'm trying to be faithful, but still I make it my own. Yeah, Arrival. It comes from this really kind of brainy short story that isn't something that immediately you would think would make an easy film adaptation. Certainly, so, whenever I'm curious if there was anything, any element of the script that I felt like you and Eric really needed to work on to get it, there was there any specific thing that

comes to mind? The thing is that when I read the short story Story of your Life written by Tenchion Tenching, I, I You're right, it doesn't pop out as as something that could be an easy cinematic adaptation. It's a it's an intellectual, a little short story that describes a process, and there was not really a cinematic dramatic structure, obvious

cinematic dramatic structure that pops out out of it. And I think that Eric I had the genius to find an arc, to create an arc out of it, and to to something that I would had not been able to do myself. But once that was done, I worked with Eric uh specifically, I will see in on two things. First, I wanted the language to be really at the center of the story. And we worked together to to make sure that the ending will even if it was different

then much different than the short story. To make sure that the geopolitical resolution of the of the conflict of the story will be a link with the language. And that was very important for me, and that we work hard too two achieve that together and here get the great ideas. Um. Also I U there was something about the two I tried to in phase UM, the intimacy of Louis experience being in relationship with that this civilization

coming coming out of out of space. I tried to uh train face that by changing the geography where that the spaceship was landing at the beginning, it was like very close by to the you. It was like a little walking distance to to the camp. And I decided to create space to to make make sure that for the logic of it, because I felt that the military will never put their their camp nearby the space ship, but also to have time to create tension, to to to make sure that I will be with her to

see the evolution of our tensure or fear apprehension. Um. The wish, if to the wish will feel as a as a school teacher being in a relationship with this object coming out of space and our journey. Basically, I we worked hard to make sure that we will the story will be seen from the intimacy of Louis point of view, that I worked hard on that. Yeah, and

that speaking of that's another tricky element here. I mean Amy's performance is a bit of a tire rope because so much of her journey is is in her head. So it's really inwardly driven as opposed to outwardly driven, which is difficult to pull off. So when you guys started to you and Amy started to build this character, what what kind of things did you talk about? The thing is that in that regard Eric Screenpley was pretty precise about where she was or she would have felt.

What were the the specific elements of our journey if I can say, I don't know what makes sense in English? And and so that for me, that the main point with Amy was to make sure that, um, no, no matter where we were in the in the story, we will make sure that if someone was seeing the movie at first, a second or third time, it will always make sense. You know, when you experience the movie first

time you you it's I think intellectual challenge. When you sit the second time and you knew the resolution, you know what what is the movie is about, and you know the plot points. Uh, then you can enjoy embrace the genius of Emmy Adams because she was able to act uh, and all those layers in the same time to make sure that it will be logically so it would be emotionally logic from from one viewing from the other.

It's it's what we talked about. So it was really we made sure in each shot we were making that where was she emotionally very precisely. That was like it's a maybe of a borrowing answer, but it was not easy to make for Amy, and and the movie owes her everything. Yeah, yeah, absolutely and uh, but I must say that from a emotional point view, the I would

say the mother's part was not easy. If you know, it's not difficult for earth to imagine, you know, um, the grief of a child is the most rrefecting and and for her to relate to that was not It was maybe difficult from an emotional point of view, but not difficulty imagine. Um. The the challenge of the being in contact with a civilization coming out of space that was more playful for her. Yeah. Amy was one of

the first guests on my podcast. Actually we recorded and I Tell You Right one of your favorite places that you weren't able to attend this year, though, I'm sure you were bummed out by that. Huh yes, because tell Right from me is a devout that it's goes straight to my heart because it's the only place almost where you can actually be in relationships with other filmmakers. There's no protocol, there's no praise praise edge, and there's no autourage.

There's no pressure, there's no it's it's just human beings, artists together in reltionship with the audience. I honestly it's my wo cinematic and unfortunately I was shooting in Europe, so I was I wasn't able to be there with you guys jealous. I think listeners probably get tired of me hearing talking about tell You're Right, But it's it's true, it's amazing. Last week I had Barry Jenkins on the show the same thing, just you know, talking about tell

You Right for about five minutes. It's a great event. Every year I want to talk about Bradford Young, your cinematographer, who's amazing, and uh, but what's interesting is, you know, I love Brad's work, but I don't think he was necessarily obvious for this material. And I'm wondering. You know, you've been working with Roger Deakins for a number of years, so you know, whoever was going to be able to tackle this had some big shoes to fill. I guess it's the best way to put it. But why did

Brad seems so perfect for you? I think as Uh. The truth is at the beginning that the Roger was supposed to be part of the project, and for several reasons, he was not avidly Bill at that moment, and so I found myself an orphan without reference. And we all know for a film directors, the reference the closest partner. I mean, so I was looking for his specific qualities and I looked at the animus, synographer, synographer reels that

I was. I started to to see who was around and to say, okay, well, I was saying to myself that not being able to to work with Roger, I said to myself, it's an opportunity to to try to to be in total different waters to try with some an artist that has a total different sensibility and just

to inspire myself and to challenge myself. And I I I saw and them Body Saint and The Most Violent Year, and I was very impressed by his skills as a as a camera operator, but also or that we more more important that we was using natural light and that's the strain that he was able to and the personality and the sensuality that we was able to develop with natural light. And we had a few conversations and I just felt in love with the guy. Is humility is

that the weez listening is. And I was looking for someone that would have the patient, the warmth that the to be someone that would be very open to work with kids that because I was trying to capture My goal was to capture some something very delicate and specific with the child, the children and and and UH and instance and the Reford that will be very flexible also.

And I was also very excited by the idea of working with someone that I had never had one sci fi before and that will approach the movie that our goal was to approach a movie not like a sci fi movie, but more like UH intimate drama about a woman who was dealing with the that of of of our daughter, and to shoot it this way, as naturalistic as possible, with a very specific atmospheric condition, to develop

exactly the light we were wanted to do. And and I felt also that the Bradford is a very creative, very it's a very very fresh voice. I love artists that that are singular, that that are are There's nobody like Bradford, And that's just that I was already for me. It's a big quality. I like them to reform that strong personalities and and and then are flexible in the same time, so that that's why I mean, I would say what I worked with him? Did you guys? Uh? Like,

do you put together look books? I'm just like the look of the film? What what inspired you was their photography? Was their artwork and not you know, I know filmmakers hate to talk in those terms because it makes it sound like what you've done is derivative, but that's not true. I mean, I'm just curious what inspired you visually? Me? It was like really uh for me, it was that light of August, that summer August, the humidity in the atmosphere.

I was saying to Bradford, human, remember school rights when you were young, and it was like a bad Tuesday morning rainy borrowing. Everybody was bored to death. But there's a kind of joint and happiness and that beauty of the rain. I'm gonna it's like today. Yeah, I like today exactly, but me it's it's it's I know it. It's a it's a without being too much going to

watch personally. Maybe it's it's coming from the fact that those were my favorite daste when I was young, because the day I was allowed to to to read that I'm going to work outside or to go to school, I mean just to read read, read and and reading sci fi and so no more seriously that this this um kind of light I was looking for. That meme was really something very specific that that Bradford was able

to capture. Um had the references Bradford, I will I will sound stupid because there's I just don't remember the name of that photographer that Bradford was came with at that moment. I will remember it later, but I will send you that. Sure, he's often inspired by by photographer stuff imagined that when I don't SuperStor something like that. I apologize, I will remember, um, but um. It was very often my projects are inspired so inspired by a

painter or by a specific photographer. For this one, it was very inspired by, as I said, by personal references, personally personal nostalgia. Yeah, personal nostalgia and and and and personal references that we were sharing together Bradford and I. So I must say, strangely, it's a project that I

did without a visual reference. From the start. Bradford did a lot of tests took I never saw us an refer doing that amount of test, testing lenses, testing different ways of lighting too, so we were exploring before in prep. We we did tons of those tests to find the right look for the film. So there was no real

reference for me. But usually my when I'm doing a movie, and I always love to create a kind of as you said, the look books as I put on my walls, photographs are of artists or references that will be a guideline for arrival. It was totally intuitive we started it. It was that in in in that regard, it was very singular for me to work like that. I ever worked like that before, just to go with pure intuition without any references interesting. Um, are you committed? Are you

like fully committed to digital and the Alexa cameras? And I'm sure part of that had to do with Roger and his preferences. Why are you saying yes, no, no, no, no, no, not at all? I I, UM, I don't see that the digital world obviously as an enemy. I'm I really loved before the Alex. I didn't like the digital cameras, but when I started to work with Alex, I felt

you need a strong silo refer beyond the camera. But there's are images that are possible to do with the Alexa that are quite stunning and and impressive, and that all the sense so as soity required. It is not thirty five millimeters for me. It's a different kind of medium. I love both. Hirty five is thirty five. I mean, I have I hope I will work with thirty five again one day, But I'm feeling that there's like sometimes a strong advantage to work on with the Alexa. Well.

I mean, you see the images coming back from certainly from Arrival and in your other films, but Blade Runner Man, that trailer looked amazing. Some of Roger's best work. I think that I've been witnessing what he'd done for a month of work. I think it's will be Roger Deakins's best work. It was very impressive. I think he was deeply inspired by the project and uh, yeah, it's quite impressive. Yeah.

I think one one of the exciting things for me when I heard that you were attached to that project was I knew that meant that Roger would becoming all you know, so I was just like, oh, this could be good. Uh and you know, speaking of filling big shoes, I mean, I guess take some balls to take on project, right, I mean, did you feel that kind of daunting thing? I feel it every day still. Yeah. Yeah, in the same time, I never had I was never I've never

had been that inspired and excited. And it's difficult to talk about it because obviously I'm still I'm just in the middle of it and the editing room right now. So it's I don't talk about projects where they are not finished, but I can say, yes, yes, it's a it's a big pressure. But I love risk. I all my projects in my life, specifically the last ones I had been related with a certain amount of artistic risk

or sometimes some risk regarding how your portrait reality. You know, like I did want a movie about a school massacre, I had a huge responsibility ah with the regarding the victims of those events. That that was a huge responsibility. I did a movie about conflicting in Lebanon, so it's like that again, you have a strong responsibility with reality.

When I did Secario, I felt I was responsible. How I will partray the Mexican society there and say so that I'm used to have pressure for bul runners, artistic pressure and by far the biggest ever amen and that will be by far the It's the most risky project of my life and it will be the most I think coming out of it. There is also it created a lot of, honestly a deep excitement to work in that.

I'm sure that fuels you as well. And I respect you don't talk about projects, but I do have one question, and you can talk generally if it's easier. But I tried to get Johanna to speak to this, but your your composer, Johann Johansen, what what kind of ideas do

you have for music and that world? Because simply I asked, simply because the evangelous stuff is so iconic I don't of itself, so any any comment you can, but that's really because we are right now that But definitely I will say that one of the elements, one of the elements that is so iconic and the runners a sound design and of course Vangelist music, and it's something that I think, like the movie we are doing, we will need to find our own identity and territory and in

the same time being faithful and and linked to the first project. It's like that equibrium that we are trying to find on all the So it would be the same with the music. Yeah, and a movie like that kind of makes me think about practical effects versus c g I, And I'm just curious just in general what your philosophy is when it comes to that. Me, I'm very old school. Yeah, I mean, I wish I have

had a chance to do my aliens as animatronics. That was my dream at the beginning with Bradford, we were dreaming to put them in a gigantic aquarium with gigantic bees that will be moved by puppeteers. But sadly it would have been too expensive. And so I hate green screens. I hate pre screens. It's just it's colors that suck out all my energy. I get me depressed when I'm a relationship with It's like I have I don't know. I have an admiration for directors that can work with

that and the they they bases me. I tried to avoid it as much as possible, to do as much practical effects as possible, like for instance, and on the arrival we had we did build the whold room, the road, the old chamber of the spaceship with the corridor we we there was like that gigantic screen with shadows behind h. I really and why because it's I think it's ten thousand times easier for actors, specifically when they have to deal with something that is linked with imaginary, that has

no relationship with reality. And it also was much more easier for Bradford Young because he had he knew what he was lifting and out lit it and where it was coming from and then pact on the walls. And and for me too because we found tons of shots because we were um in a real room, you know.

And it was the same for a blade Runner. We try our best to do as much as possible on camera, building everything, uh and Roger was insane impressive and and how he was able to recreate landscape with tricks I was for me, it was beautiful because yeah, a lot, I think I can come to the finger of my on my fingers on my end. How many times I saw a green screen on all those months of shoot thing and almost most of that time there was no

It was all done on camera. They will be c g and smens, of course, because I think, but as much as possible, and I think that will make a lot of people happy. Uh. Last question here, and if if you are reticent to talk about projects you're working on, I imagine projects that are in the future even more so.

But regarding the news that you will be directing Dune, the thing is that I was able to do Blade Runner thinking that I would do nothing after because I was out of a secary arrival and and there was like a rhythm in the past years that was like very exciting. I learned a lot as a filmmaker, but I I got slowly a bit a bit more and

more tired physically. And as I was doing Blade, which was like a very very long shoot, ah, I knew that I remember thinking that that might be my last movie that that after I'm going to bed for three years after I'm like, now that i'm editing, I'm finding back my energy. And the thing is that since I'm twelve years old, there's a book that I read twelve or thirteen members not important, but which is like June that it's my my favorite book. I think it's um

and I am after Prisoners. The producer asked of ALcom, asked me what you would like to do next? And I said June spontaneously, if ever someone can get me the rights for June. And I was and I knew that it was very difficult to get those rights, and it for me, it was just a dream. That's something that I like. I I guess I'm lucky because it happened that the right Maria from legendericat the right and offer me, and I can't know to it's my and and I have images that are haunted by it's a

thirty five years or something like that. I will not say not to that. No, Yeah, that's awesome. Is that the kind of thing? I mean? Do you perceive that world as one that reaches beyond one movie? And you're getting pressure maybe too franchise something like that, or it's far too early to talk about it. It's very early to talk to give you an easier no, no no, because it's it's a it's an honestly, there's it's we are at ground zero right now. There's nothing done. There's

like it's just the birth of the talk. But that's going to be again a massive challenge, but the project of my life. Definitely awesome. Good luck with it and congratulations again on arrival. Eight nominations. I think, uh, sad that Amy could not be one of them. Very sad because if I grant, I took progranted that this one would be a given because everybody was we're so impressed by what she did and I she was my music or everything. She she's arrival, She's done one that made

it happen. So I was very sad. Yes I be for my crew, but sade for you. Indeed. Well, congratulations again and then good luck on the circuit and just soak it all in, man keep working, but soak it all in. Right. Thanks for listening everyone, Remember to subscribe and check back next week when I'll be talking to Manchester by the Sea writer and director Kenneth Lonergan you've been listening to playback at right