Kathleen Kennedy (producer, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, so much more) talks to Chris about how she went from a director's assistant to producer, working on her first film and what she has learned from all the films she worked on. She also talks about getting her job at Lucasfilm and how much fun they had making Star Wars: The Force Awakens!
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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
What are those by guess? Number seven. Seventy two! What you gotta manoeuvres: community court, where there's a group that measures view chimes I'm fastened by under the funny music project, their bunch guys, you decided they are just gonna continuously right, funny, songs, which is the thing that I know we all know and love, and they just did their thousandth song. Why Ormond? They have now been a thousand songs, so that's a real miles
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it's pretty cool. It's very very need to watch somebody who's really double down, like I'm a make a thing, and then America thousand thanks man. What do you you haven't even coming up December thirtieth, rare improv, tax out and scrambled? I love that brain emperor and December thirty first
is Eve, Meroz Improv, and why members Improv Night Myra this episode of the past.
Yes, I am. I was
pretty flipped out to have this person on she is legitimately in my pantheon of big deal, and I got to meet her this calving Kennedy and Calving Kennedy. Eve is, I mean, just go to her. I am DV patients and you will find that she is responsible for
bobby all of the things that you love. I mean it surely couldn't be, let's say gremlins and the innate online. I, when I went to list with other trade, I lie within the last. It's a thing and also at source
to meet her. When I was moderating the STAR Wars panel, the force awakens panel COMECON. It's an amazing people. J J is really great funny. Brain works, great, really funny Lawrence cast in and then Kathleen
has been Frank Marshall with it, and I don't know we also use a hit it off and you know even in this kind of like stressful. How are we gonna? Do
So this panels all done right. You know they're, very meticulous about it and and very thorough and great, and but there was a lot of ever was laughing and fond and funny in, and it just elevated my level appreciation for her and and I sort of his blurted out what kind of talk unit coming on the pod cast and cheap solomos team. A little taken aback like, oh sure, sure. Why not you know like it, I don't know. I really did blurted out like a black event. We will you come on. If I get some time and and she did we- you know during one of the star wars. Press days
that out with us and she's, someone that I would want to talk to four hours and hours and hours I actually mail. I e mailed her off. As you know, we even Kathleen would be interested in
getting a leadership mentor like could I may be so listening to analyse door. Someone did really there. That's that's amazing, listing Zante start as some sort of an assistant to powerful people and then rose up to run star wars. I was very invest as she's, fantastic and just a wonderful person, Kyle Powerful,
There's a difference you can have us both kill these at that level. No, no, no you gotta go be her assistant is what I'm saying
update my residence prisoners by gives never seven. Seventy do with Caviling Kennedy, Katy role disgrace, nor entering merit
STAR, com area. This is our guess, work and most people, but on the Prague Castle asked. Maybe you and I have two years have signed it and it's pretty
I mean it's pretty intense, so there's barely any room left, but there is room for you. You're gonna have to pick by the end. You can either sign on Billy Crystals Page or Tom Hankses senator going to sign on Hanks age. You won't do it afterwards, ok cause, then what have you here
that's not what I'm going to sign your stupid book and then you knock them down and put the table. Ok, aretas. Malaysia, where weirdly
large theatre, which feels like an operating theatre
like an old time, the Nick
I believe it is the other way around. Eleven Vivere does its riches, this future wife,
from Bosnia's worry that I did Stanhope last night
and then and then, but I'm that we're clear at MIT, just a microphone and a hand.
College kids. Somebody you talking about
It's funny when you do a college. The link I had to
how about a lot of the more adult themes and
in like dirty. I just mean like I'm getting married next year is like things that are more that are outside their reference zones.
I find a lot of times algae. If I need to all
chuck the material, and you start talking to people in the audience because the college's love it when you make it about them out. That's all was their MIT kids they're pretty.
Pretty smart yeah, I am accidentally wandered into the
seek the convention? Is here? Yes, just there's, there's a convention of of of Indian see
oh and I was not in the right space at all and security guards like. I think this has to be here and I go. I don't think. Are these people cause
like not legitimately completely superfluous, but think tank
This really is a
was wandering around they, but you guys have put together a really amazing and an eye
and I don't know how you are able to do it: a nice, low, key relaxed environment. For this thing. That obviously is
everyone's freaking out over so much it's unbelievable, pretty exciting. It is low key
we need the wandering around seeing people nice? How are you gonna do manage to do that? We just got really tired,
recently a year or two at the end of the year. Now I mean how we manage to do it. I think it is all part of the
and obviously leading up to the premier of the movie on the fourteenth- and I think, John
only. I do think everybody is really tired, they're, pretty exhausted and ere. I know changes, but were he nonstop? Twenty four seven getting the movie finnish, which we just turned over about five days ago, so everything
moving right to less every once in a while just text I'm gonna go, I'm really excited about your space movie eddies. Indeed. Indeed he doesn't it
I'm, but he always takes me back. Analogies amazing, I'm so excited, and we are now we're at a point where we're ten days out and we just can't wait to get into the theater and see people react to this. That's that's what you end up so
shifting you're thinking about looking at the movie anymore. It's about wanting to watch the audience this might be if this might sound like we're question, but it is really are you a good give if
have a present for some one. Are you good at keeping it the secret ordeals? Do you like display?
Gobs Gonna give it to you, because I can't wait now, I'm pretty good at that. When I'm terrible at or surprise parties,
for some reason. I always end up being the one, the blows that tell somebody or innovation, but recent
reason. That's were away:
will. The reason that I ask is because you, you know, you're a of a small group of people who know what the movie looks like a very small group of people, and how do you keep that in is a mean cause you're. I know you're a fan as much as you are involved. You know, I'm a creative
we all keep that in and keep it a secret, because we know how important it is to everybody to want to walk in and be surprised. That's what I hear from people more than anything is it they like.
I'm not reading anything. I don't wanna know anything. I wanted to be a surprise and that I think that's why we ve been able to do this because everybody involved wants to protect that for themselves
yeah. I don't. Normally, I've done almost eight hundred of these pike S and I dont ever look at notes. Ever I just like to talk to people. These are just conversations, but you are someone- and I have one and on the high costs for so long, and I know when we got to do the
The panel COMECON in San Diego, it was even just the pre stuff, was so much fun before the actual panel, and I and at that time I said please I just please please come on. I would love to have you on and you and you agreed, but you and I'm I'm sure people know this, but you are so responsible for so many things that people like myself that define what we love and you are the backbone of all of it. It's it's unbelievable. So I just I know people know, but just in case they don't know- and I know I'm not. I don't mean to embarrass you, but I just have to quickly go through just so. People get a sense, your produce on e t, you're, poltergeists toilets and the movie temple of doom gremlins goonies back to the future color purple money pits which is still one
favorite comedies of the eighties american tail amazing stories, inner space empire, the sun better, is not included Roger Rabbit, landlord time dad back the future. To always back to future three gremlins, to which I also loved, keep fear hook. Tiny
goons I mean all. The elements are five: all
shimmers lists the bridges of Medicine County, I'm just I'm right, I'm trying to get through their slick sixty or seventy of these a I sized Westport, three c biscuit war, the world's driving down the butterfly crystal Sky.
I mean it's. It just goes on and on and on and on all the way up through star wars. Force awakens mean that is. Do you understand how responsible have you are course? So much of our pop culture do even have a concept
I do think the only thing that is destroyed
being now is when somebody comes in and meets with me and I'm really sorry to meet them. I think I got this film
gradually love and they go to
me. I saw e t when I was five I get really
because it's like he's living clocks that serve document time going by, but because I don't feel any different, I don't think anyone ever does a man. I think the most important thing you never I mean do you know I get the same thing as I've been doing television since the midnight absence.
Ninety ninety four people go, I used to watch you announce an elementary school. Let's get out of my face. I dont opera.
Your tone get up. My long journeys is that when I hear that more than anything it is amazing the power that movie, I don't get, what it is, but people come in and they go crazy about going since the perfect movie for a kind of an ordinary kid
and it's the perfect movie for someone to show like it's. It's a movie that parents could show their kids and go. This movie affected me so much and we can all watch together in the parents to love it and then the
kids, get to discover. It does also interesting centre, independence, Ici and Goonies. When you look back at those two movies and certainly
We didn't think about this when we were making it, but there are things happening in those movies and what Stephen and I did the release
the e and you realize that mom in De La
This comes in and Henrys faking Elliot's faking being sick and she's. Like
honey, and then she gets in the current drives wages. La Jane different should be arrested, he'll probably be fine eldest leave a bowl of water, maybe there's an alien in the shed Kara was, but it's you know at the start of it, you did. You have a sense of
really something special it when you win when you and Stephen first started to work together and did, did you feel like we're at that we are standing at the precipice of what will be a long,
a journey of amazing things that we're going to do now.
I don't think we had that kind of foresight. I think what we had was between Stephen and Frank, and I we loved doing what we did and we couldn't believe how much
We were having especially when we all did raiders, alas, dark and when each he employed.
Guys were developing those two movies that was
that we literally looked at one another and said: oh maybe we can do
more than one movie at a time, but that was our business model
What one movie be. We were doing one you haven't you now. What do we do more? So, let's start a company. What how do you know? How do you,
via your attention, when you, especially in a business that I feel like, is a lot of putting out fires. I assume its putting out fires, but so when you, when you expand that exponentially
how do you then put out that many fires? Well, you know I I I hesitate to say that's all it is you know and to me
The most fun I have is in the development process, putting the script together, casting getting all the elements figuring out the crew, who do we want to
with some other time, you're, making the movie and you're putting out fires
really find that overly oppressive and by then we usually got a pretty good team of people that we're not dealing with that level. That's too overwhelming right, but you,
If such a strong you have such a strong point of view and even presented, worked on Twilight Zone, the moon
and I know, and it would you did the kick the can't you visit the kick the can wander in in national locked. It was, but I still love a movie that and scam and for others, and so even even that as compared to the other ones. Still had this really, I don't know, there's there's something about an m. When production were you just feel like eyes filled, his feel good, like I just feel good. Was that a set of tonal it was that tone intentional. Did you did you guys get together and say we want to create this kind of feeling
Well, I think that that was inherent in how all three of us looked at the stories that we want in detail, and I think it was later
We identified that we were often attracted to hopeful stories there. The interesting thing about Stephen is a filmmaker.
Who is really driving that company aesthetically is that he is not cynical there. Really
he's in a cynical bone in his body, and it took me
while the realised that how genuine that was that that is how he sees the world, and I think that that's what's reflected
people. Now look at and say were ambling movies because it captured that sense
really it also it captured a sense of innocence. The world was a safer.
Place to be certainly than it is now her all of
those elements kind of in view.
Their way into the choice.
As we were, may he about the stories we wanted to? Tell me
ever set out to say we're gonna develop an ambling movie. We have a template.
For what an ample and movie it was only in retrospect that people started to identify what we're doing as being a gene rise sense
When you first our working with Stephen, were you
am I doing this right where you supposed to be his assistant, I was his as you were his assistance on raiders.
Storyline ninety four anyone right, ok and then at what point? Did you just say all right? I need
did do more than needed. While we are developing the treatment of any tee and as I say, we were also doing poltergeists at the same time.
And that's when he, so why don't you produce this one, and
Was a ten million dollar movies? There's people go, oh, my god, you did Ye Tenos lose attend.
Dollar movies, a little movie at perfect as a stepping stone and little did we now that this was an ex this big thing, but what's
What did to go from that all the sudden produce, even the USA, too timid, other movie producing and film stop producing a film. So what what? What? What did you? How did you approach it and how quickly did you learn what little? If any back up I had gone to films.
I had I was a camera operator. I worked in news. I did lots of sporting events. I been around production,
India go right, Santiago. So when I came up to LOS Angeles
I started working with John millions in then that's how I met Stephen because they were sharing a building. He was at one end and Stephen was at the other end.
They serve in the middle and while he was doing nineteen forty one, he would often give me these production process
One of the things you want me to do is organise all the special effects for the movie, which I did I'd gone actually up to his houses. So if reach out because he asked me if I would
type up all his notes in everything- and I was a very good type- I didn't want to see that do. That is why it is giving all your notes and I'll take it back to the office and put it together and he did
gave me all these old scraps of paper that he had done drawings on and written note. So I went back to the two ambling I spent the weekend. Really,
pouring my heart and soul, into making these little booklets and get
everything already for the production meeting and he ended up
so blown away by what I done to organise it did it was like I'm gonna, give you more things to do so that ended
really being my
for re. If you will into getting
oh him, and starting to work with him and and very quickly. I just said Wade onto raiders at last start because down with me, his next move- and there was is, like you think about things today. Were there these big production companies allotted to from people?
you know working with directors. Stephen didn't have anybody, so
this unique opportunity to walk in and to everything anything
everything that needed to be done. I got to do so. Was innocent.
Since an education.
It was accelerated way beyond what would probably happened today, and also
it's interesting to hear you say you know just did just the background that you had even getting to that point. You know there's something about there's something about success,
that, I think, is a lot of like preparation meeting opportunity. It wasn't like in just trip Miller, give you you actually what you will you see it sounded the way describes you sound like knives
focus than I was very pleasant. What I wanted to do, and so, but once you get on any
that obviously there's a learning curve? I assume we know from working in television in San Diego too, on the learning curve. So what was the? What was something? That's that that struck you
right away, that you realized, oh ok, so producing a film really is all about this. Well, I had unbelievable mentors that I can really look at the people step.
In and genuinely help me on? Eighty,
There was a man named Wally worthily. He was, he been a pretty.
Manager in Hollywood for years. He knew everything and what was great about Wally. Is
He was there if I needed him, but he
Let me sink or swim. He was. He watched very carefully what I was doing,
stepped in on anything. I needed was unbelievably supportive, but here
so empowered me to do you know. I take accountability and
be the one on the front line and that I owe him a great deal because I said
easily could have been on that movie and he did everything and I just stood on the sidelines but he'd. He didn't do that here,
really allowed me to to step into the job, so that was huge in and by the time.
I went on to raiders. That's when I met Frank waiting,
married for nine years and we didn't date until bout six months after I had done a tea, but he was
also somebody who had had a huge amount of experience. You ve been in the directors company, with Frances cope alone, freed, kin and and Peter by
out of it. You need me nine movies with Peter he worked with Orson Welles he'd work with Marty, Scorsese IE, so I had Frank
Robert Watts, who had done all the star wars movies, who was the production manager on raiders I'd David Tomlin, who was considered probably one of the best ideas in the business.
Every single one of those guys were unbelievable to me in giving me the support and guidance, and so in a sense I had some of the best teachers in the business
but they were obviously recognise that you were worthy of it. I mean because a few you know they obviously saw this person's really focused and she's, really capable and she's like they wouldn't like people of that. Caliber aren't just gonna start. You know like that. Really, like a favour, they obviously recognise.
Something about you. I know it's interesting cause. I now try to do the same thing with people that are trying to move up to the ranks. I think on a movie. What you do is you look for people who you,
You recognize a sense of good taste,
where he telling ability, passion and you give them
to do and they do it well, please, you have to use a lot
of initiative in this business- and if you do it well, then they begin-
gradually rely on you, that's the process, and then there is it. There's a out of.
Reliance, there's a trust that comes with that and
I certainly find that with people than I work with. Is that I look for those things and I depend on cause. You can't do this alone sure and try to find people who have similar sensibilities or people who tests to one of the things that Stephen has brought up about me
that I can reflect down because I've heard him say it, but I realized myself. I I do this is I have a point of view and as we would be talking about
raise be involved in development. Beyond the sat talking about things, I wasn't it.
Aid to say what I thought and I really
eyes now that that
probably had have a lot to do with getting me where I am
today because there is a time
and see with certainly people like a Stephen where people feel intimidated.
And they stand back and they're not willing
to say: hey, you know, I actually dont think that such a great idea here is a thought of a different way to go, which is in fact what you're looking for when you're making a movie movies. You want people who have good ideas and and contributions to make you want them
speak up. It only makes the process better and directors there to be the curator in
hence to say, yeah great idea, I dont want
Do that or great idea, I'm gonna go, do that and that's
That's where our relationship was forged is fit. He began to depend on me to have opinions
sure and then were more successful. Someone becomes the more and more people are afraid of rocking the boat and yet, but there actually not doing.
If he has any errors and they're not gonna grow if they're, not even in our own, their ideas, but that's a good, that's good!
your ship Tipp to is hearing. You say that it's important to trust other people in that you need other people. You know because some some people are such control, freaks that they can do everything alike, but you can't do anything. You have to know how to you have to know how to identify people who are experts.
And then just pull it altogether. So how do you when you say you know someone has to have good taste, which is just a thing that people are difficult,
Maybe you can be learned, I don't know, but but obviously you you know you are really good.
Taste. How would you attributed to? Is that just a happenstance of your personality, I don't know I mean- I think one of the things that I find in the people that I love working with is that their very eclectic and their curious and they're interested in lots of different things in their pay.
Attention to what's going on in the world and their growing is it
human being, and there are huge,
this taken? They have values and- and that's where a point of view comes from- and I just I think that that those kind of vat
Use, are infused in the storytelling process and I'm attracted to being around people like that. That's that's where I think the collapse.
Really of art form is so exciting.
Did you get a lot of people in the mix with strong opinions and
well read an interested
what's going on in the world and culturally
Do you're gonna you're gonna have you're gonna, have wonderful ideas come out of that right, but when you guys are, but it still tough to know when you're making something, especially if you're so close to it. So in the process, how do you know
just got me nicely sown with experience but got no. I think it's God. I need guy and I think gradually over time its experience. I think, there's a huge value, inexperience because
it before moving to move in a movie, what its taught me is. I know where to put my emphasis. I know where to concentrate my time and
increasingly of learned where I can let others take the
burden of certain responsibilities because focus
being in on certain areas of the creative process become
Willie really important, and you want to devote his much time and energy? That is you can? What do you think is your best asset as a producer, I suppose communication
I love getting to know the director getting too
and a vision, understanding how to help people translate and execute
what somebody's trying to visualize that's oftentimes hard to articulate and, I think,
that's something I enjoy doing and I enjoy the press.
Some understanding. What tat is and then extrapolating from there and finding a way to help communicated to large group of people that have to execute evasion. Is there anything that you can? Is there a story that you can think of that? Maybe is tied to a film where you thought you know, and this one movie we really want.
Do this and we are really bomb that we couldn't do this thing for whatever reason, but in the end it was actually better that we didn't, because you know it, the movie was ended
in perfect the way that it was a
I'll tell you in in the broadest sense, I think. What's interesting is Steve and I watched put limitations on himself after one thousand nine hundred and forty one. He didn't need a studio to put limitations on me put limitations on himself because he knew that.
He had an open cheque book any could do whatever he wanted. He wouldn't make a good movie that he needed boundaries, it sort of like what you do and raising a child in Eldred there there can be better behaved. Theory understand how to offer
within boundaries and I think movies are very much the same way. I think, however,
the processes that you you begin to create boundaries, and you are forced to identify simple.
Ideas inherent in storytelling that that obvious question. You ask all the time
What are we trying to say? What is this about? Is the hardest court,
into to answer every step of the way that you making the movie. What is this
What is this scene about? What is it?
story about
You literally have to say that out loud, and I find that that's you know often a process in
financially, you
You never have enough time. You never have enough money. It doesn't matter how big the movie is. You're, all
trying to pull it into a framework
It makes it better when you can do that shortly
every movie improves from that has caused the boundaries force you to be creative to react.
His horse you to be created for your money in the world. You can now money it stuff, they knew they won't get you just wasting money, but do so through the process. When you're saying what are we trying to say? What are we doing here? Can that answer change? Is that? Ok? If then, answer changes, I think should change. I think I think every idea, if it's going to get better needs to constantly be evolving its inorganic living breathing thing. It's it's good
You know damn story boards per annum, attic, sir previous. Whatever it is you want, but if you just
use that religiously and you stop the creek
process once you start making a movie it again here? That's that's not theirs
what creating a movie is all about its about recognising how to make those choices along the way, because it's not an exact science
and if your shooting, outside or you're dealing
with elements is always gonna be things that are going to change
What it is you have to do. You have to be flexible and I find the best.
Those are the ones that are flexible, that actually
Love, the challenge of things being presented today,
have to solve creatively and being
lying by the sea to your pants, is a part of the process of that's when the magic happens. You know it's that thing that everybody talks about between the frames, because its
is that feeling of? Oh, my god, here's this incredible idea. They just feels like it. You know came out of thin air
It's usually like an athlete. It's at that point, where you're so connected to the creative process that it just U Channel whatever. It is you're solution, you're. Looking for what it almost seems like you need, you need the stroke.
To be in place so that you can do that. Obtain example, and I was sitting by the monitor one time with Stephen on Jurassic and Anna
how halfway through the movie, we we killed. The t, Rex and
he was sitting there and he goes calf gap come here. We can,
kill the t Rex has he been watching the movie in his head is were shooting at work
you know we're halfway through the process were nearing this moment
we're. Gonna shoot the seeing where we kill the t. Rex news like now the Texas
are the movie, we can't kill him. So we call
reduction designer Rick over we literally
by the monitor, started to talk about how
we're going to change that
seen and the entire
you're in the film as we were making it so that we could keep our minds
leading actor that in some areas it is amazing to watch that movie and go cut. It still. I mean obviously at the story holds up, but all of the effects camp I mean it looks as good as anything
and there that's a moment in time where we had created, see effects in a sense we done the first see.
Fact in young Sherlock Holmes. When the stained glass windows is soldiers, steps out into the church,
and that was actually done by John lasted or in a camel a while, and then we evolved.
Three now, four years later, with Jurassic and at the
time that we were getting ready to make the movie we were working, withstand Winston were building full size dinosaurs but Dennis Mirror in it. At Lucasfilm was,
Ireland was realising that this new tool,
Knowledge was making things more,
and more possible inside the computer, so each literally like each month, we were saying will Dennis how many having shots. Do you think you could do any at first? He was like. I think I can do fourteen
ok, take those more and then over time, a grew and remember the exact count, but I think there's approximately ninety.
In the whole movie, everything else is,
a tearing in full size dinosaurs, but it's a movie that feels like it's a big effects movie full of you know a thousand sieges shots, but it's in fact under a hundred and their job, but they're just ignored,
spy to carry through the thing that was great, was we used the computer to do any movement that we just absolutely couldn't physically do so in the
When the rapporteur jumps up on the table in the kitchen, that's a sea, jeez
but everything else is puppeteer it. Oh wow, I mean it's, it's still, it's the perfect mix and even back then I'm sure,
they must have realised Michael. It's too much see G its can now
because we didn't have an idea of what that was. We didn't even
who's going to look good. So what are you going out of that point? Just like well just cross our finger
everyone seems Yasser Dewey, where we were hoping. We were down
say scary proposition, but we did have full size, puppets and full size dinosaurs and we we and other options, but
everything about this e g process. We were literally it was. It was all unfair
building as we're making that film. So is there a movie that ended up becoming something completely different than what you thought or had intended from the beginning, or you guys pretty pretty clear, although
through about each one. We know we ve always been fairly clear. The
secure Shin is always
something I find exciting. When you open a script and say: oh, my god, how we gonna do this, but by the time,
near shooting. You know.
We usually had a pretty good idea of what the execution would be.
Is there a movie that is particularly personal for you that you are that? Did it really that you gravitate towards, I think, probably each
because it was the first thing I had produced some way. I there everything about that still resonates was me, so I would I hesitate to compare cause they're all different experiences, but that one probably the most it so interested to think of a time where someone didn't go
Yes, let's make three of these urinary: let's just keep making these revers like it, just it just stare at just. It stands alone, as this perfect tat movie- and you know it's interesting because
There were a lot of conversations later on where people have in.
Studio of approach, Stephen
And said you know what you ever make another eighteen, that's the one that,
he says over and over again never yeah it that is on its own. It will always remain on its own because it just it's such a it's just a special perfect thing. I mean I'd, even know what I know what you could tell about that again, that liquid continuing saga really know now, and it was
personal for them, but you did get to see that you did good to see that it is. There was, though there was a scene in one in one of the star wars. In which it was was an attack of the clowns. There is one where there is basically the big.
Like the big Senate seen by whom- and there were a little aliens all the bad. There seem to be like a few of them buried in there somewhere
Maybe George was paying homage to Stephen with that I don't know, but they're not eat he's not in
No, no, no, no doubt but tat go there to look as though so that brings me to the demonstrators like a movie like Roger Rabbit, which I
still hold. As I mean I know with the with wreck it they did. It a little bit in terms of like crashing alot of ip together, but the the legal marvel of who framed Roger rabbit is so
unfathomable, invalidate climate. It is very much value. How did they get daffy and how did they? How? How do you make that malino its planning because
I don't think anybody was struggling with that. Then I mean now. All of that has become so much more complicated on the beach.
Business side of moviemaking, but
when we were doing that. It wasn't. That was in our focus. The real focus was: how were we going to technologically blend
he's animated characters in delight action. That was, that was what everybody was focused around and how to do it. How did you start solving that problem? Well again, I mean that's: Bob is Bob's megacities brilliance. He did
that I think Bob any still is doing it the more complicated something can be. The more excited Bob
and the more somebody says you can't do that he wants to figure
how to do it, so that again was a process much like Jurassic Park, where
We started down this road of trying to figure out how to do the execution with I'll m, and we
making it up as we went along. We didn't really now and thank God
studio with Jeffrey Katzenberg in Eisner at the time were they were supported
they really really you know took a flying.
And said: will let you try to figure out how to do this? That halfway through them
We had to explain that it was far more complicated than we have ended up being twice as expensive as we saw it as a consequence, but they they hired insupportable so worth it. You know just jumping around a little bit, but I d be:
but how we organise a universal and they. I am saying this because it's important the story, but they gave us a guide to sort of go around, so we can go through everything really quickly which the pretty spoiled, but one way to do it, but we were able to kind of walk around and just look at the
town of he'll Valley, basically the town Square Meal Valley, court houses, it's the structure is there, but the courthouse kind of hidden behind these. This stratified layers of other productions that have been
on top of it, but I mean that's another one where do have any
idea what you're making as are making it area is going well this then, I think this is funny
I don't know, hopefully people like this. I think that's exactly what happened is that everybody got caught up
in believing that they were having a good time and then it meant something to them, but we had no idea, I mean with ball, Roger Rabbit and backs the future, which were both movies. That
really were brainchild of a box and with back to the future, even the title
with something that this studio was questioning in saying that does mean anything what they haven't. They actually island memo still where they were suggesting that we call it space man from PLUTO has ever meriting. Mcfly's then things work has so now is insisting on Brazil is man from PLUTO, oh my god, and now the total inside joke in the way that another people was amidst broadcasters. When I referred about, fishermen are growing in space based on four pollutants. Recent proposal, it's gotta, be space and I mean that production duke of you, started with an entirely different Marty, Mcfly and in kind I headed start over. That was really bold. I mean, I have to say the decision. We had always model
character after Michael J Fox, and I think it soon and then no offense to Eric who was trying his best, but Bob realized week after week after week that he just wasn't.
Finding Marty Mcfly and what he was shooting and he finally came to us and said that we got to make a change so Frank and Bob, and I decided we would go sit down with Stephen and convince him that we had to make a change words.
Sweets into shooting. How do you convince us once again now shooting, but we were young and fearless Lenin, and we made the case and that we show the footage in and Stephen rightly
let's get said chamber again here and he was the head of the studio at the time, and so we we looked at all the footage with Syn,
he paced around the room. Looking at us like we're all insane, and he said you, people are crazy
and said they know a thumb. If I'm right and I support you, then I look
the genius and if I'm wrong, I'm in a blame you. But there is a certain amount of you have to be willing to take blame Joe,
That is part of that support is part of. I think that you know owning anti.
The possibility for what you're doing when you're taking risks, creative risks in try new things and
with any kind of innovation. That's part of the job, you know, that's you work hard, not to be a failure, but you have to be willing to fail in order to try and do new things, and I think it's something I still think about all the time. It's it's. It's part of what its part of the the risk of innovative filmmaking is too
be willing to keep doing that. Well, how do you sleep at night? I mean how do you I mean being fearless. Obviously it has some emotional toll on you. I would imagine so how are you able to when you have all these when you're kind of juggling all these big things? You know how are you able to separate yourself from that when you go home well to some extent, I probably dough entirely separate myself kiss my work. I think everybody now days because we carry around cell phones in computers area.
We can't completely disconnect, but I I have two daughters. I have a life. I have lots of other interests say I really try to pour myself
and then in that's how I disconnect from work. But I don't know I just I've. I think I've always been fearless. I I'm exhilarated by that. I want to try new things because I think, there's, I think, there's a thing in our culture now words and I'm guilty of a tools like no others. There's valor and working yourself into you can't stand up anymore and dry and grinding yourself and
under the older I'm getting unlike I is there the leg is it isn't a goal to be happy and enjoy things? I think that that absolutely is to go. I mean
every time I am involved in a movie. The part of the the experience is, I want to go in
castigate the place I mean if I am travelling on its meeting, the people that you made
That doesn't necessarily mean just the people that are working on the movie, but getting to know you know people in extenuating circumstances where,
like, for instance, I'm working in London now I've now over thirty years made movies in London. I have as many
friends in London as I do here. So it's really wonder
gotta go
the city in, and I have these connections to people who
I haven't some- I haven't seen in a wild and I get to reconnect with some litter and theatre some litter and
art galleries, summer, running restaurants and that's part of life. That's the great thing and to be able to travel and
I ain't it cited about all of you said pretty balanced and nutritional. So just a couple more questions is resort wrapping up. But how is it? How has it been taking over Lucas, film and sort of Vincent?
fantastic. I mean I will say this is
anybody sitting out there saying that sounds like a pretty cool job. It is a really really an. I got very lucky and I walked in with some amazing people that were already there, because George had a thriving
company and now that the dizzy company has bonnet its thriving,
on steroids, I mean what we ve been able to do in a relatively short amount of time, because they ve been
so supportive in so willing to to give us whatever resources
we want and need, as the fact that I get to sit in meetings and talk about games that are being developed. I get to talk about the theme parks that are being developed, get to be involved in the creative process with those concerned
we're products was thriving inside Lucas, film already and its even more so inside Disney, so that our executive team, every time we get together and we we have this group of people that are about I see about thirty. Five people were one of the things I don't come out of corporate culture. So am I I don't
Sincerely look at this as lines of business. It's actually a term that I've learned in the last three years to me
everybody in the room should have something to say whatever it is, I don't care
where somebody it in Ireland
is commenting on something to do with the game or somebody inside the story. Department is.
Commenting on animation or commenting on the feature were about to make the great thing. Is it every
in that room has a contribution they can make and we just pool ideas, weaving created the development departments, so that all the people working in development.
Touch everything they sit in a game meeting. They sit in the movie meeting, they sit in an M animation meeting. They sit in a parts meeting. So the way that way, the people who
know what we're doing with the saga films, for instance the standalone films,
consider again meeting and they know what we're doing it's not
Oh that you know, that's the development department.
As the movies. I don't know anything about that. They know they ve been part of those discussions, so I find that
that's how I make movies, so I sort of I've sort of taken all the structure
and the model of how I tend to set up a movie and I've just applied that,
how to run the company in its its proved to be really wonderful will. Lastly, what are you most excited about? The I mean is it is, it argues, excited Perforce awakens commander, you excited for that to happen so that you can then get into the saga films in the right. Now. I'm unbelievably excited to have foreseen.
In because just being able to go sit and see it with an audience. Just like everybody else. I want that sense of community and excitement in.
And seeing that movie and sort of witnessing the fact that star wars movies, organist
to get made again at some crazy. So I mean tat, someone said we would work. Does it I mean? Are you worried with more worried? Are why would I know
More of a thing that I love like. Why would I do not want a ton of that? So
and the amazing thing is
every single person out your what they're doing in the process comes to,
This is a fan, so you get is a credible passion from every single person. That's making a contribution. So how can avail drunken fail? Will you
I've done everything right. As far as I can tell, and I'm super excited I just bought a BBC while at it again
stop yesterday because I couldn't stop myself. I bought this act, partial
Yes, I'm like I've already has just buying star wars that I can't stop now. I have to admit. I was in Venice about three weeks ago and I walked by this window, and this is really cool DES Stars teacher I went in and you will not get a pretty cool
the thing is complicated? I liked area o is there. Maybe this is outside some of you know where this recover this, but it's going to be another gremlins movie cause there's like tittering India. Now Stephen and dig keep having take diner keep having a conversation about it,
so within the union's dal. Again at some sort of a thing you know now is gonna, be they keep talking.
Maybe I'll go in and say bring it into Lucas fell and we'll get it back to as well. I is so wonderful to sit down at you in and then I want you to merely druv or write a book. If I really hope you do at some point, because I really think that I know people know who you are, but I think the way that you seem to do things time and time again in the balance,
seem to have your such an, I believe, you're such an amazing role model that I really hope that you share the wisdom of what you ve learned with people in a larger sense, because I think it will be very beneficial flows over. I don't know, maybe you thought about it, just something about I'll think about our. I definitely
I feel it you're a little busy at the moment when you re not it's not something. I can really turn my attention to, but at some point thank you. So much
here and buried Orient attacked. You do again now leaving noticed tat com.
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Transcript generated on 2020-06-30.