Interview with Rise of the Guardians director Peter Ramsey

FOLLOWING THE RECENT home video release of DreamWorks Animation’s Rise of the Guardians – in which Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and Jack Frost come together to battle Pitch, aka The Boogeyman – I spoke with the film’s director, Peter Ramsey.

Before joining DreamWorks Animation in 2004, Ramsey amassed an impressive resume as a storyboard artist and illustrator for live action films, including Minority Report, Cast Away, Fight Club, Being John Malkovich, Men in Black, and Backdraft. He was also second unit director on films such as Godzilla, Higher Learning, and Poetic Justice. Ramsey spoke about the impact of Guardians on adults as well as children, the importance of nailing Jack Frost’s character, how he got his start in animation, and what’s next for him and the Guardians.

Congratulations on the home video release of Rise of the Guardians.
Thank you very much.

The film does a tremendous job of stressing the importance of children to believe in the Guardians. Do you feel it gives adults a chance to relive that childhood feeling of believing as well?
If all the people who’ve spoken to me after tons and tons of screenings is any indication, then yeah, I think so. I can’t tell you how many people have come up and said, “You brought me back to my childhood,” “You made me feel like a kid again,” and variations on that idea. I knew going in to this project that dealing with and embracing these characters might have that effect, but I was kind of surprised by how much it actually did.

In a way, the film really focuses on one character’s rise to the level of Guardian: that of Jack Frost. Was his journey always the focus of the film, even in the early development stages?
It took a while from the time Bill [Joyce, author of the Guardians of Childhood books] first brought us the project to get to that point. When I came on, I felt pretty strongly that we needed one character to track through this incredible fantasy world. You need to have an emotionally relatable idea that you can hold on to in the midst of Santa Claus, and the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, and all that stuff. If you have one character you can experience it with, who can be the audience’s eyes…that’s really important. Pretty early on, we all felt we should do that through Jack.

Jack is introduced to many aspects of the Guardians’ world at the same time as the audience. Do you see him as a sort of surrogate for the viewer?
Oh, yeah. Very much so. In the beginning of the film, it’s pretty clear he’s not up to the level of these legendary figures. He’s just a normal kid who wants to go out and have fun. He doesn’t want a lot of responsibilities, yet he has questions about his place in the world. All of that makes him a pretty good audience surrogate.

The film also does a great job of establishing a truly challenging villain in Pitch. He really embodies the classic animated villain: He's scary, sinister, condescending, resentful, smart, and even a bit of a sociopath when trying to convince Jack to join him.
Yeah, exactly. In the way that the Guardians each have centers that are positive things, Pitch’s center is fear. We modeled that fear after what kids fear in the real world, how they react to it, and what fear does in terms of limiting or preventing you from living a full, rich life. Kids deal with fear every day of their lives. They know it’s real, they know it exists, and they look for ways to deal with it. To not take the “fear” part of the story as seriously as the “wonder and hope” part felt like a cop-out. A story like this is only as good as its villain. If [the Guardians] don’t have something real to push against, their stature is going to be diminished as well. So we dealt with the theme that while there’s fear in the world, there are also forces out there that are going to help you deal with it if you open up to them.

With Pitch and Jack Frost, they’re literally the black and white of the situation – the dark and light sides of the same personality.
Yes, that was another important point for me. We have Jack Frost, who has these powers and can do amazing things, but he doesn’t have a context or a real picture of who he is. He’s ultimately shown that he has a choice: You come into the world, you have things to offer, but it’s up to you which path you’re going to take. So we dramatized that between Jack and Pitch to demonstrate that, once upon a time, had Pitch done things differently, he could have accomplished what Jack does. We tried to keep the story clear yet entertaining, but there’s a lot of stuff working underneath in the same way that the old fairy tales do.

You started out working on live action films, then moved to animation with Shark Tale in 2004. What prompted that transition?
Actually, the film [where I started in animation] was Shrek the Third. I only worked a little bit on Shark Tale, maybe a week, while I worked on Shrek the Third for about a year. What happened was, in my live-action days, I worked with a producer named Aron Warner on a movie called Tank Girl. He went on to produce the Shrek films. Several years [after Tank Girl], he called me and asked if I’d be interested in animation. He said I should check out [DreamWorks], that they could use a guy with live-action experience. So I checked it out, I liked what I saw, and I starting learning the craft of animation. It was the beginning of the journey that got me in the director’s seat for Guardians.

Rise of the Guardians was your first time directing a feature film for a major animation studio. So, no pressure, right?
[laughs] Yeah, right [sarcastically].

Prior to directing, you worked on dozens of films as a storyboard artist and illustrator. How far were you able to immerse yourself in the storyboarding for Rise of the Guardians while still dedicating yourself to the responsibilities as director?
Not as much as I would have liked, but I had a pretty good dose of it early on when we first began digging into the story. It was a very small story team. I did some of the initial storyboarding just to get the ideas rolling and the feel of the film. For the first four or five months, it was just me and Hamish Grieve, who’s head of the story department [at DreamWorks Animation]. But later on, there were spots where I would come back in, board something myself, and take it to the layout team and the animators. I definitely jumped in wherever I could.

My family watched Rise of the Guardians together for the first time last week, We all enjoyed it immensely, then my nine-year-old son ran off with it and immediately watched it two more times.
Oh, wow. That’s great! That’s so cool.

So when I asked him if he’d like to ask you a question, he instantly blurted out, “Will there be a sequel?”
[laughs] We all want one. We’ll have to wait and see what the moon says.

In the meantime, what’s next for you?
I’m trying to figure that out. I’ve got a couple of projects I’m thinking about, but it’s all in the very early stages. We only finished Guardians at the end of October, then it was three straight months of press, publicity, and awards season. It’s only been within the past month that I’ve been able to actually stop working on it. I’m talking to a bunch of different people. Nothing firm or definite yet, but that’s kind of nice.

Thanks for taking time to speak with me today.
Thank you. I’m so happy your son enjoyed the film. Tell him from me.

Interview with Cowboys & Aliens’Brendan Wayne

EARLIER THIS WEEK, I got to speak with one of the stars of Cowboys & Aliens, Brendan Wayne, who plays Deputy Charlie Lyle. He was friendly, enthusiastic, and open for any topic of discussion – whether it was his new film (opening today), his grandfather John Wayne (yes, that John Wayne), watching movies with his kids, or his professional crush on Sigourney Weaver.

FilmFather: Brendan, thanks for taking time to speak with me today.

Brendan Wayne: Hey man, anytime, I appreciate it...I appreciate you taking time to talk to me!

FF: First off, congratulations on the premiere of Cowboys & Aliens at Comic-Con last week.

BW: It was amazing. It was the most overwhelming thing I’ve ever been a part of, to sit there and see those people. I mean, I was excited, and to have that energy flying onto you, was pretty amazing.

FF: That’s a first for a major motion picture and for Comic-Con, isn’t it?

BW: Yeah, and [director] Jon Favreau understands the importance of a movie like this, that it’s taking a chance. It’s incredibly important to get it out there to try to remove some of the silly ideas or the misunderstandings [about the film].

FF: What was the coolest, craziest, or most ridiculous thing you saw among the attendees there?

BW: Well, [co-star] Adam Beach had two tickets, and he was only one person, so he pulled someone from the crowd to go in with him. I thought that was pretty amazing.

But at the Comic-Con, I can’t even think of just one thing…I went inside with my 12-year-old…I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like another world. Imagine a car show, and people went dressed up as their favorite car. I mean, you’re bumping into people and you’re like, “Oh, pardon me, fat Captain America” or “Sorry, naked Mystique.” You’d think as an actor, I’m pretty crazy, but these guys are putting it all on the line.

FF: How did you get involved with the role of Deputy Lyle?

BW: The old-fashioned way: I auditioned. Then about two months later I had a horseback riding callback, which was bizarre – not because they knew that I ride, but because it usually doesn’t take that long. Usually you find out within a couple weeks, yes or no. It was pretty crazy that it took as long as it did. Then not only did I get the part, the role grew while I was on set, which was really gratifying.

FF: The pedigree behind Cowboys & Aliens is pretty amazing. Not just the cast, but the writers, producers, and director all have proven track records of both quality filmmaking and box office clout. Was it at all intimidating to join the film?

BW: It’s intimidating, but it’s also really important to remember that not only do you have pressure to perform in the film, but these guys – they have pressures, too. And to have a pedigree [like this] means that people expect a certain standard from you. So you know that they’re coming in and they’re gonna works their butts off because it matters to them, and so much is riding on it. It bred a really wonderful community on the set – that we were all in it together.

FF: You performed your own stunts in Cowboys & Aliens.

BW: Yes I did. It’s one of the proudest things I’ve ever done. I’ve done stunts in other films, but not to the extent of what was asked of me here. I got to work with guys like Terry Leonard, who is the greatest living stuntman today and who started out with my grandfather. He really took me under his wing and made sure I looked good.

I love to get physical with whatever I’m doing. For me, it’s one of the great ways to get into character. I spend most of my time with the stunt guys because they are very real. They’re having fun, they’re all adrenaline junkies. They’re like, “I’m about to go flying through this roof at a hundred miles an hour. Whoooo!” I admire the heck out of that.

FF: So Cowboys & Aliens gets the honor for most and hardest stunts you’ve ever performed?

BW: Yeah, by far. I was on my horse every time you see me. When I jump off the horse, that’s me. And that was a point of pride.

FF: You’ve taken the Wayne name [he used his birth name, Danny LaCava, earlier in his career], and you’ve been in several westerns before Cowboys & Aliens, including a remake of your grandfather’s film, Angel and the Badman.

BW: [laughs] That was a valiant effort.

FF: Are you ever concerned about being compared to a Hollywood legend like John Wayne? Does it factor into the roles you choose?

BW: As long as the story’s good, and they’re willing to pay me, I couldn’t care less about that. Because at the end of the day, there’s no comparison. At the end of my career, if somebody wants to compare [our careers], let ‘em. It’s not something I can control. I don’t mind it. Being mentioned in the same breath as John Wayne…it’s a pretty nice place to be.

FF: Do you remember what it was like to visit him on his sets?

BW: I have a recollection from The Shootist; that’s the only one I can really recall. It’s relative to me in the sense that I thought that everybody did that. As I got older, I started to marvel at the fact that not everybody’s grandpa does that.

He was always prepared and ready to go, regardless of what happened the day before or the night before. He was a professional. And he cared about his craft as much as any actor before or since.

FF: One aspect of the reviews on FilmFather is describing whether a film is suitable for kids. According to your bio, you have three kids of your own. What’s your policy or philosophy when it comes to deciding what movies they’re allowed to watch?

BW: Subject matter is first and foremost, and how that subject matter is treated. Things that are gratuitous or don’t compel a story…they’re not things I’m bringing my kids to. I brought my 12-year-old to Cowboys & Aliens, and I think that’s as low as I’d go age-wise for a kid to be prepared for this movie. I think there are elements to it that are scary, that younger kids may not enjoy.

The most important thing for me is the overall theme of a movie. Is it hopeful? Is it something you can draw from and start a conversation with your kids? I would show my 12-year-old the Andy Garcia/Meg Ryan movie When A Man Loves a Woman. They deal with these struggles that are very hard, but very real…

FF: It’s been almost 20 years since I’ve seen that movie, yet I still remember the scene with Meg Ryan and her daughter when Ryan’s staggering drunk, and the abuse she hands down, then putting the girl in the most horrible situation when Ryan passes out and crashes through that glass shower door…

BW: Oh my God, I was in tears when that happened. That whole movie was so moving to me, and the subject matter was so important. [Alcoholism] is something that affects all our lives. It’s like cancer in a lot of ways; everybody knows somebody.

How you relate a movie’s theme to your kids in a way that’s not preachy, in a way that affects their decisions through examples that are valuable…those are the kind of things I love.

I was able to watch Zombieland with my oldest daughter, and the things I thought were inappropriate, I was able to explain them [to her]. Again, it starts a conversation, and that’s what stories – movies – are able to do.

A good movie allows you to walk away afterwards and have a conversation. That’s kind of what Cowboys & Aliens can do, in the sense that it can bridge generations. People who are older, who have westerns in their blood, can say to younger filmgoers, “You should also watch Red River. That’s a great western.” Or Shane. Or The Magnificent Seven. Then you have the younger crowd telling the older folks, “You should see Alien,” which was one of my favorite sci-fi movies growing up. I love Sigourney Weaver. I dream to work with her. She is amazing.

FF: I’ve already heard rumors of a possible sequel for Cowboys & Aliens. Perhaps they can get her for the next film…

BW: I’ll be the first one to vote for it. I’ll be like, “Hey, can I carry your bags?” [laughs] She’s sexy, and powerful, and strong. I have three daughters, and I want them to know that women can be bad-ass, too.

FF: James Cameron made the most of her in Aliens. He always makes a point to have a strong female lead.

BW: Cameron does do that, I’m glad you mentioned it. In a lot of ways, Quentin Tarantino does the same thing.

FF: Are there certain films you enjoy watching with your kids?

BW: We’re hooked on Despicable Me right now. I also like to take them back to classics. Anything with Cary Grant; I’m a big fan of his. It’s fun to see my kids stick with those films and enjoy them. It’s great to know they’re capable of watching a classic movie with a long story.

My daughter’s very creative, and she’s really interested in becoming a director. So we watched Cowboys & Aliens and we broke down those things that we loved, and things we’d like to see done differently. Movies are a great way for her and I to connect right now.

Her school allows for a lot of what I would call “hippie talk.” I had a Catholic school upbringing, and now I’m being challenged by her curriculum. It’s the most learning I’ve ever seen children do; their approach to learning is the best I’ve ever seen. It’s not necessarily structured in the way that I remember [as a student]. They have a more free-flowing, experience-driven education where my daughter’s gaining much more knowledge than I ever did at that age. Her ability to perceive the world is much deeper that mine [at that age]. She read Kafka’s manifesto last year. I don’t even read Kafka! But I love what I’m seeing.

FF: Are your kids familiar with your grandfather’s work?

BW: Oh yeah. When his 100th birthday came around, a lot of theaters were showing his films, and we were able to go see The Quiet Man, Red River, and Rio Lobo on the big screen.

FF: What are some films you can’t wait to show them when they’re older?

BW: Funny story, going back to Tarantino: I remember watching Pulp Fiction with my mom [when it came out]. She was a classic, traditional woman, and you wouldn’t think she’d enjoy it. But when [John Travolta] shoots the guy in the head, I remember my mom laughing and turning to me saying, “This is so amoral, but it’s got me laughing!”

FF: I love the way Travolta underplays that line: “Oh man, I shot Marvin in the face…”

BW: [laughs] It’s like, “Oh, I just shot off my toes. Darn it.”


FF: I’d ask you about your next project, but I think I got a glimpse from a recent tweet of yours: “I love night shoots and horror movies. I am about to rip someone’s throat out.” Care to elaborate?

BW: I play a guy named Cole Callahan in The Red House, and it is a really fun role. I’m the sheriff, so I’ve got to do some business in this town to save some people.

And this fall, it looks like I’m going to Spain to shoot a western called Dollars from Hell, where I’ll play a Clint Eastwood-type of bounty hunter. I’m really excited about it, because we’ll be shooting on the same sets used by Sergio Leone. I’m hoping it's further in the fall, so I can continue to coach my 12-year-old daughter’s soccer team.

FF: It’s good to have that balance between work and family.

BW: It’s funny: I finished Cowboys & Aliens, got home, was able to be there for the start of soccer season, and I ended up having our director of photography’s daughter on my team. So I figured there was a good chance I was going to stay in the movie. [laughs]

FF: Thank you so much for your time, Brendan. It was a pleasure speaking with you.

BW: Well, I appreciate you giving me the time, and I appreciate you asking me about parenting, because that’s the most important thing to me.

Interview with ManCry

IT'S ANOTHER FILMFATHER FIRST: I've gone from interviewer to interviewee.

After conducting a couple of interviews with people in the moving pictures business (here and here), I was recently interviewed by Doug at ManCry, a blog where men can share thoughts and memories of films that have made them well up, weep, or flat-out bawl.
Of course, the patron saint of ManCry is the Kevin Costner baseball flick Field of Dreams.

"Hey...Dad...you wanna have a catch?"

If you're a guy, you're probably crying right now just reading that line, let alone hearing Costner say it.

So man up and go check out ManCry. It's okay...

My interview with ManCry
ManCry Home Page

Interview: Hans Dastrup, Lead Animator, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

I recently teamed up with Surfer Jay to interview his brother, Hans Dastrup, a lead animator at Blue Sky Studios for such films as Robots, Horton Hears a Who!, and the Ice Age series. His latest project, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, opened in theaters last month.

Surfer Jay: How did you get hired by Blue Sky? Is it true you animated a large singing and dancing sperm to get the job?

Hans: Uh...no, that is not true. There was no singing or dancing involved. Just a talking sperm quoting a line from Better Off Dead. That little sperm was my pride and joy at the time. Now it's just embarrassing.

I was hired at Blue Sky right after college. I got lucky! I first heard of Blue Sky when I saw the first Ice Age during my senior year at Cal State Fullerton. Before then, I was focusing mostly on traditional hand-drawn animation; but once I saw Ice Age, it was very clear to me what I wanted to do. I wanted to work at Blue Sky.

I spent the next few months getting my demo reel ready. An animator's demo reel consists of two to three minutes of their best work, and usually submitted on a DVD. That summer, with over 20 demo reels in hand, I went to a huge convention in Texas where all the animation studios were represented, including Blue Sky.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought at best I would get a handful of callbacks from small start-up companies. But to my surprise, my work caught the interest of Blue Sky. They called me back, I interviewed the next day, and it went great! I had one semester left before I graduated, so I spent that time animating day and night, finishing the last two animations that I submitted to Blue Sky, which sealed the deal.

FilmFather: As a lead animator, what are your roles and responsibilities?

Hans: My responsibilities are split between helping supervise other animators and animating my own shots. We have two supervisors and two leads. The supervisors often need assistance overseeing the 40-70 animators in our department (the number changes depending on the stage of production).

As a lead, people can come to me for creative advice. I'll also assist in hiring new talent, representing animation on interdepartmental issues, supervising animation and imagery for marketing, etc. I recently directed the animation on a McDonald's commercial featuring Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs characters.

It's nice being a lead. I get experience in different areas, and I still have time to do my own work as an animator.

Surfer Jay: You use to be a tan California lifeguard who spent all his time on the beach checking out chicks with your binoculars, saving lives, sporting a yearlong tan, and surfing all the time. Now, you’ve turned in your surfboard to become a desk jockey. The last time I saw you, you were whiter than my 12-month-old baby’s powdered butt, sporting a farmer tan, wearing skinny jeans, and flabby as the marshmallow man. But of course, now you are making awesome animated movies. So was turning in your lifeguard trunks and surfboard worth it?

Hans: The California beach lifestyle sucked. I hated waking up in the morning on a beautiful sunny winter day, just to ride my beach cruiser a few short blocks to the beach, hop out on my board and surf a nice NW swell with offshore wind. And as far checking out chicks on the beach, I'm married and have been for the last ten years. What hot chicks on the beach? I never noticed any. Also, I prefer to be fat and butt-white. I like the soft ivory skin look. Chicks dig it.

Even though I have missed many things that I loved back in California, it has been worth it for these last 6 1/2 years that I've been here. But I'm excited to say that we are finally coming back! I just got a job at DreamWorks and I start this November. Woohoo!!

FilmFather: Blue Sky Studios is based in Greenwich, CT (just outside New York City). What are the advantages of working on the east coast versus California (the land of Disney/Pixar and DreamWorks)? Any disadvantages?

Hans: The east coast is quite different from where I grew up in southern California. The only potential advantage about working on the west coast is as an animator, you have more options in terms of employment. There are tons of studios to choose from in California. It's not quite the same on the east coast. There are not many animation jobs in feature film animation over here. Actually, there's only one: Blue Sky. But there are plenty of jobs if you want to work in commercials or kids’ television shows.

FilmFather: In your films like the new Ice Age movie, are you part of the recording sessions when the actors create their voices?

Hans: We aren't usually a part of the recording sessions, but I did have the chance to sit in on a few with Simon Pegg via satellite, as he was recording from Britain. That was very cool to see. He is a great actor! He has so much range in his voice and he's quite creative in the choices that he makes. He voiced Buck in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. I had a chance to meet Simon when he came to our studio. He sat down with me as I showed him all the work we were doing with Buck. That was a cool experience!

Surfer Jay: Your previous animation work on Ice Age: The Meltdown, Robots, and Horton Hears A Who! was spectacular. So given your talent and expertise, do you ever think about creating your own cartoon?

Hans: I've thought about that a lot. I think one day I will want to create something of my own, but as for now I am very happy doing what I'm doing. I love being involved on big feature film projects.

Surfer Jay: It’s apparent that in the Ice Age movies, you gave Crash the opossum blue eyes because you wanted him to look like you. How much creative control do you have over the characters, such as their movements and stunts, their facial expressions, and the camera angles?

Hans: I get quite a bit of creative influence over the characters’ look and performance. But the truth is, there are many people involved in creating the final product. The character's personality begins taking shape when the script and story are being developed. At that point, a character designer comes in and begins to develop what the character will look like. The character gets sculpted in clay and then built digitally in the computer.

During this design process, my input is very important. I have to make sure the design of the character is going to allow me, as animator, to achieve the performance and personality the director is looking for. If I feel something isn't going to work well, the design will need adjusting. As an animator, we concern ourselves mostly with things relating to how the character moves, how they walk, talk, run, and interact with other characters.

FilmFather: Does your work require you to be away from your wife and kids for extended lengths of time? How do you balance your work with family life?

Hans: I don't usually travel for work; once in a while, they fly us somewhere to recruit new animators. But balancing work and family life can still be difficult. For the last few years, we've been working 60+ hours a week for six months a year. During the last few months of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, it got even worse; we were working around 80 hours a week. It was insane. I definitely didn't get to spend a lot of quality time with my wife and kids. But even when I work a lot of hours, I make sure I see my kids every day. The best part of my day is playing with my two kids, Annika and Eli. They are a ton of fun!

Surfer Jay: For every movie you’ve made, you give your brothers the company shirts, which were made by and for the animators only, and not sold to the public. But I can’t help and wonder: Why don’t you send your favorite brother more free movie loot? I mean, you have access to all the character toys and posters and clothes and bobbleheads, and you don’t even send me anything. What’s up with that?

Hans: I hoard it all. I have a HUGE stockpile in my basement. One day when it's worth millions of dollars, I will sell it for an early retirement. Maybe I'll give you first dibs.

FilmFather: What's your next project?

Hans: Our next project is called Rio, which centers on a nerdy parrot who leaves the comforts of his cage in a small Minnesota town and heads to Rio de Janeiro. I'm not allowed to say much more than that.

Surfer Jay: Do you think it’s okay to mislead our kids into believing that dinosaurs are real, that llamas can talk, and wooly mammoths sound like Kermit the Frog? Okay, scratch that: How are you going to convince fathers to spend ten bucks a pop, not including popcorn and a soda, to go see your new movie?

Hans: You should take your kids to see our movie because they will learn that sloths can talk, not “llamas." And you don't buy movie popcorn and soda at the movie theater. Buy it for half the price at the nearby convenient store and smuggle into the theater. That tip just saved you ten bucks.

FilmFather: If you had to animate your brother Jay in one of your projects, what direction would you give your team?

Hans: Animating Jay would be easy. Now that he's Mr. Mom, he plays all day with his cute chubby baby, and also plays video games while his wife goes out and earns the dough. So I'd tell my animators he's good with a joystick. Not a bad gig, if you ask me.

Somehow he stays fairly muscular, even though he never exercises. He has a talent for breaking surfboards. He has a shoulder that dislocates on command. He has a really great artistic eye, and he has used that talent to become an accomplished, award-winning photographer. He's a creative writer and I'm sure will take advantage of that skill someday. And growing up, he learned how to defend himself from his four older brothers. He has a really hard left kneecap and will use it as a shield if you try to punch him in the stomach. Beware, if your fist makes contact with his knee, your knuckles will shatter into pieces. And it friggin’ hurts! Well, that's what I heard.

Surfer Jay: I’ve asked you several times to send me your rough, unfinished, top-secret animations during the making of your movies so I can post them on the net. Why don’t you ever hook a brother up?

Hans: I'll hook you up, if you promise to provide my family with free room and board while I search for a new job.

Surfer Jay: One of the really cool things about being a part of these films is that you get to have your name in the credits. Your kids’ names are also in the credits, which is also really cool. Being immortalized like that must be exciting for them. How did that happen?

Hans: All they had to do was be born during the production of one of our movies. Every film we make, we save a section at the end of the credits for the all the "production babies." It's really special. I love that our studio does that.

Surfer Jay: I remember you as a kid always acting like a cartoon character. You would sing, dance, and make goofy faces, making noises and mimicking movie characters and voices. Even now, you talk in funny character voices as if you were one. So when will you realize that you were destined to do character voices, and animating is merely a gateway to get into that? Jim Carrey’s got nothing on you. When will you start being in the movies you animate?

Hans: I'm glad you enjoyed my singing, dancing, and silly voices. I thought I was just an annoying kid. I would love to do voiceover work one day. I did have a few opportunities to do voiceover for some of our movies "in progress," but nothing I did ever made it into the final films. They hire only SAG members for that. Although, one time on Robots, my voice made it into a movie trailer. That was exciting! Honestly, it's very tough to make it as a voice actor, especially in animated films. You have to be a famous celebrity to make into feature film animation.

Read FilmFather's interview with director John Wildermuth (The Taking of Pelham 123)

Interview with John Wildermuth, First Assistant Director, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

FILMFATHER: As a first assistant director (AD), what are your roles and responsibilities?
JOHN WILDERMUTH: Someone asked me that once and I simply said I’m responsible for helping the director by managing the crew. A producer was nearby and said, "Are you kidding? He tells a crew of 300 mooks what to do every day!"

As a first AD, I’m the director's right hand. The director is responsible for overseeing all of the creative aspects of making a film, and it’s my job to help him or her realize their vision. I’m responsible for making sure everything and everyone is there for each scene. I begin two to five months ahead of the start of photography, breaking down every scene in the script and creating a shooting schedule. It’s like a giant puzzle that’s continually changing and evolving as locations are found and actors are hired.

On Pelham I had five months of prep, beginning with a two-week scout of New York City locations with [director] Tony Scott, executive producer Barry Waldman, production designer Chris Seagers, and location manager Janice Polley. We started with an MTA track safety class so we could scout subway stations and tunnels with active trains all around us. I also worked on hundreds of versions of the schedule as we continued to scout and figure out how to shoot each scene in the most exciting and efficient manner.

Once principal photography begins, I’m by Tony’s side every minute of the day, helping manage all the elements needed to shoot the scenes on the schedule. I have a staff of 10 ADs and production assistants to help speak to the crew and direct all the background action, cars, and stunts. Often, the script is being re-worked and I continue to change the shooting schedule to accommodate any revisions. For Tony, I type up notes each night to help him prepare for what we’re shooting the next day.

FF: What’s the biggest difference between the new version of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 and the 1974 original?
JW: The original Pelham is a quintessential New York film and set the template for action movies that continues to this day. It’s a classic film, but today's audiences are different and Tony was looking to do a "re-invention" rather than a traditional remake.

The new Pelham takes place in a post-9/11 New York City. There are no longer Transit Police [like in the original Pelham] because the NYPD now has authority over the MTA. Also, Denzel Washington did not want to play a cop. Tony is notorious for his extensive research, and he’s always looking for real people to base characters on for his movie. Denzel's character is an MTA executive under investigation for taking a bribe on new train contracts. He's demoted to a train dispatcher pending the outcome of the investigation, and he just happens to be on [duty] when the call comes in that Pelham 123 has been taken. John Travolta's character is also based on a real person, a smarter and more dangerous man than the classic Robert Shaw character. I won't say any more because I don't want to give away too much.

FF: In addition to being an AD on Pelham, you’re also an associate producer. What additional responsibilities come with that?
JW: This was my seventh film with Tony, and my involvement in his projects is on a much deeper level than just being an AD. Most films today have an executive producer, the hands-on person overseeing the project from start to finish. Usually, this person is a former AD, having learned the nuts and bolts of filmmaking from the ground up. Although I desire to direct my own movies, I do help produce [the films I work on], and the associate producer credit is a recognition of the role I play on Tony's films.

FF: You mentioned you’ve made seven films with director Tony Scott (including Crimson Tide, Man on Fire, and Domino). What draws you to work with him so often?
JW: Tony is the most challenging director I’ve ever met. He’s also the hardest-working director in Hollywood. I’ve been drawn to him time after time because he challenges me to be at the top of my game every single day. The experience I’ve gained standing at his side and helping him make his movies for 14 years has given me a lifetime of experience from one of the modern masters. I’m planning on using that experience to direct my own films and follow in my mentor's footsteps.

FF: At your blog, you often write about time spent on film locations versus time spent with your kids when you’re home. How hard is it balancing the two?
JW: When my children were young, it was hard to be away from them, but it was also easier for them to come with me. I was still married to their mother and, for example, on Spy Game they came and lived with me in London for six months. As they get older, I’m finding it increasingly challenging to be away from them. They are 10 and 12 now, and it’s painful to go so long without seeing them. I’ve tried to take several months off between projects in recent years to give me more of a balanced life, as movies with Tony are 7-day-a-week jobs. I’m doing a movie now which shoots in Vancouver – a shorter project with a director who doesn't work 7 days a week and is allowing me time to fly home to Los Angeles on some weekends.

FF: Your IMDb page says you worked on 1992’s School Ties. My wife has a huge crush on Chris O’Donnell, so she’d kill me if I didn’t ask what he was like on the set.
JW: Chris was great, a super-nice guy! I was able to re-schedule some scenes so he could go to New York to audition for Scent of a Woman, and you know the rest. I'm happy that he’s gone on to have so much success, because I think he really deserves it.

FF: What’s your next project? You mentioned on your blog last month that you were scouting locations for a movie based on the Marmaduke comic strip…
JW: Yes, I’m working on Marmaduke; we start filming in July in Vancouver with some scenes to be shot in southern California in September. We’re using real dogs, and the visual effects team from Beverly Hills Chihuahua will animate their mouths to make them talk. It’s a lot like a 1980s John Hughes movie, with the dogs playing out their high school scenes at a local dog park. This movie is way outside the box for me, but my kids have been asking me for years to work on a kids’ film and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity. The movie comes out around Easter 2010 and I’ll write about my experiences on my blog this summer.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 opens Friday, June 12.