May 3, 2013
Steven Spielberg to direct ‘American Sniper’By Derrik J. Lang, Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Steven Spielberg has his sights set on his next project, a movie about former Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle.
A spokeswoman for DreamWorks Studios says the filmmaker will direct Bradley Cooper in an adaptation of the best-selling book “American Sniper.”
“Spread” screenwriter Jason Hall wrote the script based on the autobiography of Kyle, who was killed along with a friend earlier this year while at a North Texas gun range. An Iraq war veteran who they were trying to help deal with PTSD is charged with the killings.
Kyle is considered to be the deadliest sniper in U.S. military history. At the time of his death, he was working on another book, “American Gun: A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms.”
The film will be a co-production of DreamWorks and Warner Bros.
Studios go direct to fans for social-media boostBy Sandy Cohen, Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sometimes you just can’t wait for Comic-Con — whether you’re a fan or a filmmaker.
With the summer movie season now beginning in early May (“Iron Man 3” opens Friday), studios are co-opting the July pop-culture convention’s model of stoking interest in anticipated films by bringing sneak-peeks of new material directly to super fans, who then, it is hoped, spread their enthusiasm via word-of-mouth and social media.
For “Star Trek: Into Darkness,” which opens May 17, Paramount shared early photos and videos with Trekkies devoted enough to download an iPhone or Android app. Other aspiring blockbusters, including Disney’s “The Lone Ranger” and Sony’s “Elysium,” were subjects of their own individual Comic-Con-style events recently: Studios invited fans to local theaters, where they heard directly from the films’ stars and were the first to see the action-packed trailers and other select scenes.
Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer took questions from fans at “The Lone Ranger” event in Las Vegas in a segment streamed live online. Matt Damon and “District 9” writer-director Neill Blomkamp participated in the “Elyisum” showcase, held simultaneously in theaters in Los Angeles and Berlin. Only those who regularly follow the films online find out about such special events.
Studios value the approach because it allows them to reward devoted fans while building early buzz for their films. It also circumvents, in a way, the more traditional method of staging promotional events for entertainment media and then depending on those outlets to spread the news to fans.
There are no better ambassadors to get word-of-mouth going,” said Marc Weinstock, Sony’s co-president of worldwide marketing. “Movies are such a viral thing.”
Asad Ayaz, senior vice president of marketing for Disney, said one aim of “The Lone Ranger” Las Vegas event last month was to generate as much international interest as possible in the film’s trailer, which made its public debut there. Fans from as far away as China submitted questions for Depp, Hammer, director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer via Twitter during the online broadcast.
One wanted to know what other characters Depp wants to play.
“Carol Channing,” the actor said. “I mean that. She’s fantastic… Another guy that I would love to do the life story of is Don Rickles, which I don’t know if he’s well-known in China.”
Such starry mini-screenings can help raise a film’s social-media profile in the crowded summer marketplace, Ayaz said.
“When we did our event for ‘The Lone Ranger,’ ‘Lone Ranger’ was trending on Twitter worldwide and in the U.S. for several hours during and after the event, and that’s because of fans tweeting,” he said. “It’s all about getting eyeballs on our trailer and getting people to see this amazing film, so the social-media aspect just makes it. It’s a giant halo and it spreads the word.”
“The Lone Ranger” opens July 3.
Weinstock said the positive Twitter response to the “Elysium” event was just what the studio had hoped for.
The film’s writer-director, though, confessed that he’d rather keep its content under wraps until the movie opens in August, but that’s not the way the marketplace works.
“I try to show as little as I can,” Blomkamp told reporters after the fan screening. “The thing is, if you’re a responsible, functioning filmmaker in the 21st century, you can’t spend $100 million and then try to behave as though you’re going to wrap it under a blanket… Rationally, I understand that people have to get to know about the film and word has to get out there. Personally, I don’t really like it.”
Not all film marketing experts are sold on the ultimate value of fan events. Ben Carlson, president of market tracking firm Fizziology, believes the biggest social-media boost still comes from online trailer releases.
“As soon as you put a good trailer out, it almost immediately becomes a trending topic on Twitter,” he said, adding that in-person showcases like those held by Disney and Sony don’t have the same social media impact.
“It’s more for the influential film bloggers. It does some nice heavy-lifting there,” he said. “I don’t think the mainstream moviegoer who might be in Kansas City or Memphis or Helena, Mont., is going to necessarily be paying attention to what’s happening at an event with a few thousand people, but they will read about it on Ain’t It Cool News.”
Carlson said the trailer for another anticipated summer release, Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim,” premiered for a group of fans before making its online debut, and it was the latter that resulted in a palpable Twitter bump.
“Instantly thousands and thousands of people were talking about it, and that’s without any kind of special push to it at all,” he said. “People just love the content.”
Still, in a hyper-saturated media world, there’s something about being the first to see something really cool, never mind seeing movie stars like Depp and Damon in person. Disney’s Ayaz said he expects the studio to hold fan-focused events for future “tent pole” releases such as “Thor,” ”Captain America” and “Maleficent.” Sony previously held an event for “The Amazing Spider-Man,” and is releasing the sequel next year.
“People are more distracted than ever before and they have a lot of different mediums to get access to our content, and what is more basic and more powerful than having a live event where you have your creative (people) — the actual filmmakers and the actors and the talent from your film — directly answering questions and showing their work to the fans?” Ayaz said. “It’s a basic idea but it’s still one of the most powerful ideas when you’ve got the goods and you’ve got a really good movie.”
DreamWorks buying AwesomenessTV for about $33M
GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) — DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. is buying AwesomenessTV, a YouTube teen network, for about $33 million in cash as it looks to tap into the popularity of online content.
DreamWorks said Wednesday that AwesomenessTV founder and CEO Brian Robbins will continue to direct growth at that company while also developing a DreamWorks branded digital family channel.
The deal includes the possibility of additional cash payments of up to $117 million if certain earnings targets are reached in 2014 and 2015.
The deal is expected to close this month.
AwesomenessTV features talk shows, scripted and reality programs and sketch comedy. The company has released a movie with AMC Theaters and expects to have a television show on Nickelodeon.
Its network of more than 57,000 YouTube channels has 14.4 million subscribers. The more than 1 million videos on the network have been seen 809 million times.
Benjamin Mogil, an analyst with investment bank Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., said in a research note that the purchase was “strategically prudent” and likely ends the possibility that DreamWorks will buy a pay TV channel as an outlet for the animated content from its franchises such as “Kung Fu Panda” and “Madagascar.” He said the acquisition will likely hurt DreamWorks’ earnings per share in the short term.
Rachel Egan, a spokeswoman for ad-buying network TubeMogul, said the purchase “seems like a broad recognition by DreamWorks that their younger audience — like the rest of us — are increasingly streaming content online, on mobile devices and in social media.”
The announcement came a day after DreamWorks announced quarterly earnings that beat analysts’ expectations on both revenue and profit, although both showed a decline.
Shares of DreamWorks, which is based in Glendale, Calif., were up $1.44, or 7.5 percent, to $20.72 in late trading Wednesday.
Conde Nast launches Vogue, Wired video programming
NEW YORK (AP) — Conde Nast is launching a slate of Web series inspired by its the fashion magazine Vogue and the technology monthly Wired.
The media company announced the new digital programming in a presentation to advertisers on Wednesday. The Vogue- and Wired-inspired shows follow similar digital video initiatives for Conde Nast’s Glamour and GQ.
Amid dwindling print profits, the venerable publisher has been seeking to capitalize on its popular stable of magazines. It recently formed the Conde Nast Entertainment division to develop digital video, TV shows and films that trade on the brands of its magazines.
Conde Nast said Wednesday it’s adding a total of 30 new lifestyle series based on Vogue, Wired, Glamour and GQ.
PepsiCo pulls Mountain Dew ad after criticismBy Candice Choi, Food Industry Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — PepsiCo is once again learning the risks of celebrity partnerships after an ad for Mountain Dew was criticized for portraying racial stereotypes and making light of violence toward women.
The soda and snack food company said it immediately pulled the 60-second spot after learning that people found it was offensive. The ad was part of a series developed by African-American rapper Tyler, The Creator, and depicted a battered white woman on crutches being urged to identify a suspect out of a lineup of black men.
A goat character known as Felicia is included in the lineup and makes threatening comments to the woman, such as “Ya better not snitch on a playa” and “Keep ya mouth shut.”
The woman eventually screams “I can’t do this, no no no!” and runs away. The word “do” is in apparent reference to the soft drink’s “Dew It” slogan.
Mountain Dew, known for its neon color and high caffeine content, is generally marketed to younger men and sometimes attempts to have edgier ads. But the controversy over the company’s latest spot illustrates the fine line that companies must walk when trying to be hip.
It’s not the first time a major brand has taken heat after trying to align itself with a celebrity to appeal to younger consumers.
In fact, Mountain Dew also was criticized recently because of its endorsement deal with Lil Wayne, whose rap lyrics compared a rough sex act to the tortuous death of Emmett Till, a black teen who was murdered in 1955 for allegedly whistling at a white woman. And last month, Reebok also ended its relationship with Rick Ross after he rapped about giving a woman a drug to have his way with her. Women’s groups and rape victims issued petitions in protest.
“For brands that are going after a young demographic, they’re always walking that fine line between getting in trouble and appealing to their audience,” said Laura Ries, president of Ries & Ries, a marketing firm based in Atlanta.
If PepsiCo had created an ad for Mountain Dew, Ries said it might not have been considered edgy or cool. But by handing over control to a celebrity, she said the company ran the risk of having an ad that wasn’t appropriate.
PepsiCo Inc., based in Purchase, N.Y., apologized in a statement and said it understood how the ad could be offensive.
Jen Ryan, a spokeswoman for PepsiCo, said the company learned from its consumer relations team on Tuesday that people found the ad offensive. She said the company was told by Tyler that he would remove it from his YouTube channel as well.
Ryan said that Tyler had “final approval” over the ad but did not know the details of PepsiCo’s involvement. The ad was never intended to run on TV, she said.
A publicist for Tyler, the Creator did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. His raps have been criticized for being misogynistic and homophobic at times but he has also expressed support for the singer Frank Ocean, who revealed he was bisexual.
US home video spending rises 5 pct in 1QLOS ANGELES (AP) — The home video market showed further signs of recovery in the first quarter, rising 5 percent thanks to growing sales of Blu-ray discs and the rise of subscription streaming services like Netflix.
That’s according to an industry consortium, The Digital Entertainment Group.
U.S. spending of $4.7 billion was helped by sales of home movies that were strong performers in theaters, including “Skyfall,” ”The Hobbit” and “Wreck-It Ralph.” The business-boosting Easter holiday fell in the first quarter this year, instead of the second quarter a year ago.
The gain marked the first year-over-year increase since the third quarter of 2012.
Sales of physical discs rose 2 percent to $2.1 billion, spending on rentals fell 12 percent to $1.0 billion, while spending on digital formats rose 26 percent to $1.6 billion.
J.C. Penney ad apologizes to customers
By Mae Anderson, Retail Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — J.C. Penney is sorry and it wants your business back.
That’s the gist of its latest ad, a public “mea culpa” which the mid-priced department-store put on its YouTube and Facebook pages.
The ad, titled “It’s no secret,” shows shots of women working, playing with their children and doing other everyday activities.
“Recently J.C. Penney changed,” a voiceover states. “Some changes you liked, and some you didn’t. But what matters with mistakes is what we learn. We learned a very simple thing, to listen to you.”
The ad comes after the Plano, Texas-based company last month fired its CEO, Ron Johnson, after 17 months on the job and rehired his predecessor Mike Ullman
Johnson’s ambitious changes included getting rid of most sales and bringing in new, hip brands. The strategy was designed to attract younger, wealthier shoppers in a bid to reinvent the stodgy retailer, but it alienated Penney’s loyal customers and caused sales to plummet.
The ad acknowledges the missteps and asks customers to return to its stores.
“Come back to J.C. Penney. We heard you, now we’d love to see you,” the voice-over states.
The TV spot is in contrast with the chain’s “fair and square” advertising campaign that accompanied Johnson’s revamp. Those ads were colorful and whimsical and did not give specifics about products. In one spot, a dog jumped through a hula hoop held by a little girl. The text read: “No more jumping through hoops. No coupon clipping. No door busting. Just great prices from the start.”
The new spot buys the company some time, but the hard part is next: telling customers what specific changes they’re making, said Allen Adamson, managing director of branding firm Landor Associates in New York.
“When you are in a freefall, you sometimes need to call a time out and say, ‘Wait a second. We’re going to get this under control,'” he said. “The answer may be further down the road as to why they come back.”
J.C. Penney Media Relations Director Daphne Avila said the idea for the ad began several months ago after an “extensive” review of customer feedback.
“We want to give customers our assurance that what they loved about J.C. Penney — trusted brands, great style and affordable prices — will be inherent to every shopping experience,” she said.
Shares fell 23 cents to $16.19 in afternoon trading. They have traded in a 52-week range of $13.55 to $36.27.
IBM makes tiny movie by pushing molecules aroundWHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) — Scientists have taken the idea of a film short down to new levels. Molecular levels.
IBM says it has made the tiniest stop-motion movie ever — a one-minute video of individual carbon monoxide molecules repeatedly rearranged to show a boy dancing, throwing a ball and bouncing on a trampoline.
Each frame measures 45 by 25 nanometers — there are 25 million nanometers in an inch — but hugely magnified, the movie (http://bit.ly/17ZmHIt ) is reminiscent of early video games, particularly when the boy bounces the ball off the side of the frame accompanied by simple music and sound effects.
The movie is titled “A Boy and His Atom.”
Videos showing atoms in motion have been seen before but Andreas Heinrich, IBM’s principal scientist for the project, said Tuesday this is the first time anything so small has been maneuvered to tell a story.
“This movie is a fun way to share the atomic-scale world,” Heinrich said. “The reason we made this was not to convey a scientific message directly, but to engage with students, to prompt them to ask questions.”
Jamie Panas of Guinness World Records said Guinness certified the movie as “Smallest Stop-Motion Film.”
IBM used a remotely operated two-ton scanning tunneling microscope at its lab in San Jose, Calif., to make the movie earlier this year. The microscope magnifies the surface over 100 million times. It operates at 450 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (268 degrees below zero Celsius).
The cold “makes life simpler for us,” Heinrich said. “The atoms hold still. They would move around on their own at room temperature.”
Scientists used the microscope to control a tiny, super-sharp needle along a copper surface, IBM said. At a distance of just 1 nanometer, the needle physically attracted the carbon monoxide molecules and pulled them to a precisely specified location on the surface.
The dots that make up the figures in the movie are the oxygen atoms in the molecule, Heinrich said.
The scientists took 242 still images that make up the movie’s 242 frames.
Heinrich said the techniques used to make the movie are similar to what IBM is doing to make data storage smaller.
“As data creation and consumption continue to get bigger, data storage needs to get smaller, all the way down to the atomic level,” he said.
Paltrow, Parker launch Web series for AOLNEW YORK (AP) — AOL is making its most substantial dip into original video programming with new series from Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hank Azaria and Nicole Richie.
The Internet company unveiled 15 new digital series Tuesday in a presentation to advertisers in New York. AOL is making a push into original programming in the wake of similar efforts by YouTube, Yahoo and Amazon.
Parker will produce a docudrama on the New York City Ballet. Paltrow and Tracy Anderson will host the Ryan Seacrest-produced series “Second Chances,” in which they interview women who’ve overcome hardship.
Azaria hosts a parenting series called “Fatherhood.” Richie will star in a show based on her Twitter feed.
AOL is also partnering with Tribeca Enterprises for the series “Acting Disruptive,” which follows Hollywood professionals launching tech startups.
Candice Bergen producing film on her famed fatherBy Lynn Elber, Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Candice Bergen is producing a film about her late father, the famed ventriloquist Edgar Bergen, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.
The big-screen project will tell the story of Bergen’s dad and his ventriloquist’s dummy that became an unlikely celebrity, spokeswoman Heidi Schaeffer said. The movie will be based on Candice Bergen’s 1984 memoir, “Knock Wood.”
In a statement, “Murphy Brown” star Bergen said her father was overshadowed by the 3-foot-long wood character named Charlie McCarthy, who got the best lines while the reserved Edgar Bergen played straight man.
“This creation took over and eclipsed the creator,” Candice Bergen said. “It was the dummy that wouldn’t die. All the fan mail initially went to Charlie. And Edgar wasn’t really welcome at parties in the beginning unless Charlie was with him. It was totally surreal.”
James Francis Trezza and Pam Widener, who are producing the film with Bergen, said they want to introduce a new generation to the early days of American show business, from vaudeville through the birth of TV, and explore how Bergen navigated its changes.
Barbara Turner, who worked with Trezza and Widener on the Oscar-winning Jackson Pollock biographical film “Pollock,” is writing the script.
Charlie “was truly Bergen’s alter ego and, perhaps more interestingly, he was America’s alter ego,” producer Widener said in a statement. “At a time when manners and standards ruled the airwaves, Charlie said the unsayable and got away with it.”
A flirtatious radio exchange between Charlie and sexy actress Mae West in 1938 drew NBC’s ire, but the popularity of Bergen and his sidekick was unaffected.
“I find it endlessly fascinating that a reserved man, a man who had difficulty expressing his feelings, fell into the profession of a ventriloquist on radio,” his daughter said. “And that the person he created was this devil-may-care, no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners dummy.”
Edgar Bergen died in 1978 at the age of 75, after beginning a farewell series of performances in Las Vegas. Charlie McCarthy found a home at the Smithsonian Institution.
A release date for the film, titled “Charlie McCarthy,” was not announced.
Woody Allen’s new comedy to star Colin Firth, Emma Stone
NEW YORK–Woody Allen’s new, untitled comedy will star Colin Firth and Emma Stone. The Gravier Productions film is produced by Allen’s longtime associates, Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum.
Set in the South of France, Allen will shoot the film this summer, once again collaborating with cinematographer Darius Khondji (“Midnight In Paris,” “To Rome With Love”), production designer Anne Seibel (“Midnight In Paris,” “To Rome With Love”) and costume designer Sonia Grande (“Midnight In Paris,” “To Rome With Love,” “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”).
This latest film marks Allen’s second time filming in France and his eighth set in Europe. His previous European films are: “To Rome With Love” (Rome), “Midnight In Paris” (Paris), “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger” (London), “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (Barcelona), “Cassandra’s Dream” (London), “Scoop” (London) and “Match Point” (London).
Allen’s upcoming film, “Blue Jasmine,” will be released on July 26 by Sony Pictures Classics.
Tribeca Fest draws more than 450,000 attendees
NEW YORK–The 2013 Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) today announced that more than 450,000 people attended screenings, panels, talks and free community events – including the Tribeca Drive-In series, Family Festival Street Fair, Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day, as well as the Storyscapes installation at the Bombay Sapphire House of Imagination, the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards and the Tribeca Film Institute Interactive Day – during the Festival’s 12th edition.
From April 17 through 28, the Festival hosted nearly 400 screenings and panels with more than 95% attendance. A total of 89 features and 60 short films from 37 countries were screened for more than 117,000 movie-goers and panel attendees during the course of the 12-day Festival.
“Experiencing the films and events with our audiences over the past 12 days has been incredible,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder, Tribeca Film Festival. “It is so rewarding to watch their reactions and hear them engage with our filmmakers at the Q&As after the screenings. It proves there is no better audience than New Yorkers!”
Audiences from across the country received front row access to exclusive Tribeca content through the fourth annual Tribeca Online Festival (TOF), which returned with free streaming of a selection of three world premiere features and four shorts, as well as panel conversations with filmmakers and the TFF awards ceremony. TOF also hosted a new online contest, the #6SECFILMS Vine Competition, a juried competition using the six-second, micro-movie making app, as well as video highlights from the “Future of Film Live” conversation series, featuring seven talks during TFF with filmmakers and industry leaders on the evolution of the film industry.
The popular free community events returned with the Tribeca Drive-In movie series on the Hudson River, which featured the classic Hitchcock film, The Birds, followed by Tim Burton’s beloved comedy Beetlejuice and a screening of Lil Bub & Friendz, co-sponsored by AT&T and JetBlue, and hosted by Brookfield. Despite the unseasonable weather, more than 6,000 visitors came out for the free, outdoor films and participated in games and activities, including movie trivia, a live bird show performance, a ghoulish costume contest, face painting, prize giveaways and more.
Festival organizers and NYPD Community Affairs Officer Gene Schatz estimated that a crowd of 325,000 enjoyed the signature Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair and Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day on Saturday, April 27, including live performances from the casts of Broadway shows and visits from New York sports teams in the Tribeca neighborhood. The day also featured a sneak preview of the upcoming summer comedy The Smurfs 2, along with a free family screening The Smurfs with appearances by cast members. More than 2,400 attended the Festival’s free talks, including the “Future of Film Live” program, and the Tribeca Talks: Industry and Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper panel discussions.
Zach Braff raises $2M on Kickstarter in 3 days
NEW YORK (AP) — Zach Braff has met his goal on Kickstarter, raising $2 million in three days to fund his follow-up to “Garden State.”
The actor-director’s crowd-funding campaign follows Rob Thomas’ wildly successful use of Kickstarter to finance a movie of the defunct TV series “Veronica Mars.” Thomas pulled in $2 million in less than a day, eventually gathering more than $5.7 million in 30 days.
But some observers have criticized Hollywood stars for using the Kickstarter website to dip into the pockets of their loyal fans. Braff has said this is the only way for him to direct his first film since “Garden State” with final cut and his desired casting.
After passing his goal Saturday, the “Scrubs” star said on Twitter: “I will not let you down. Let’s go make a killer movie.”
Jerry Lewis makes appearance at Tribeca sessionBy John Carucci
NEW YORK (AP) The Tribeca Film Festival has ended on a royal note with Jerry Lewis showing up at the 30th anniversary screening of “The King of Comedy.”
The 87-year-old comedian-actor walked out to thunderous applause after the screening Saturday, joining co-star Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese.
Lewis answered questions about the making of the film and he brought the audience to laughter with a tale about a guy he met on a subway train.
In the movie, Lewis plays a talk show host kidnapped by a deranged comedian played by De Niro.
De Niro founded the festival with producers Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff as a way to rebuild the neighborhood where the World Trade Center fell in the 9-11 attacks.
Eastwood says he’d love to be directing at age 105By Jake Coyle, Entertainment Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Clint Eastwood may be 82 years old, but he dreams of making films for two more decades.
In a wide-ranging conversation Saturday about the art of film directing, Eastwood expressed admiration for the 104-year-old Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira.
“It would be great to be 105 and still making films,” Eastwood said. Chuckling, he called such a hope “the ultimate optimism.”
Eastwood last directed 2011’s “J. Edgar,” a biopic of the FBI head J. Edgar Hoover. After acting in last year’s baseball drama “Trouble With the Curve,” he has several films in development.
The “Million Dollar Baby” and “Unforgiven” director joined fellow filmmaker Darren Aronofsky for a staged talk at the Tribeca Film Festival following a screening of Richard Schickel’s documentary “Eastwood Directs: The Untold Story.” Eastwood regaled the Tribeca Performing Arts Center crowd with the accrued, pragmatic wisdom from his late career as an acclaimed filmmaker.
Some of the highlights:
— On preferring to begin a take with “Go when you’re ready,” rather than the traditional “Action!”: “‘Action’ puts a bad connotation out there, like some firecracker that goes off to get everyone going.”
— On his willingness to take suggestions for a scene from anyone: “You have to steal a lot. You have to have a criminal mentality to be a film director.”
— On the role of the director in a film production: “A lot of people fell in love with the auteur theory, but you’re merely a platoon captain.”
— On studio executives who told him no one wants to see a women’s fight film (the best picture-winning “Million Dollar Baby”): “Who the hell wants to see anything? You never know until you get into it.”
— On struggling to get films green-lit: “In the early days it was more of a fight. Now, they go, ‘Oh, well, if he’s the old guy.”
