It's great to see what people respond to and what they don't. Seeing all those cuts with audiences helps you refine the film and keep the best material that generates the best response. Even when they were experimenting with the Frankenstein-cuts, I would still go and watch them all objectively to see what worked. Luckily, thanks to the whole fan movement, we got the movie back and made the best possible cut we could.
When fans first saw Fanboys at conventions, some of the cast were still relatively unknown. But now, it looks like an ensemble comedy cast since many of them have made it big like Seth Rogen, Kristen Bell and Jay Baruchel.
I'm just proud of the fact that our team of casting directors had the foresight to really cast some great people who were on a trajectory. We just recognized talent when we saw it. Guys like Seth Rogen who played three roles in this movie, before that no one was really giving him the option to play multiple characters like Peter Sellers in one film. And Jay Baruchel is really taking off thanks to his role in Tropic Thunder. I think we were really ahead of the curve. I wanted to portray fans as real well-rounded people who have lives and jobs. These are people you would want to hang out with.
You've described Kristen Bell as a modern-day Princess Leia -- what uniqueness did she bring to the role?
Not only is she beautiful, but what's really amazing about Kristen is her personality and charisma. When you work with her you realize she can do any role you throw at her. She's extremely smart, sassy and very professional. She knows how to deliver beyond what people expect from her. Plus she's a big Star Wars fan. She can throw down obscure references too. She's very approachable and she brings that to her character of Zoe. Kristen fit the character so well, and gave it some weight and wit.
The cast of Fanboys really delivers during the film, but some of the Star Wars cameos truly steal the show. Of all the guest stars in the film, who were you most excited to get?
William Shatner was great. He's not only an icon, but a real pro. Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams had the best stories to tell too. Ray Park was a friend of mine before we even made the movie. When I got the film, I wanted to have him do something cool.
When we got Carrie Fisher to be in the film, we all wanted her character to not be a downer, but instead be helpful to the characters. After all, she's Princess Leia and everyone knows that. So we left a few pages of different possible scenes in her trailer to look at. We threw in a scene that we didn't think she'd ever do and that's the one she picked. I think she knew exactly what would get the fans riled up.
What are some of your favorite inside jokes you put in the film especially for Star Wars fans?
Our recreation of the classic set piece in A New Hope of the trash compactor should excite hardcore fans. That's a giant visual gag. You're in a really spot-on version of it in this universe. To watch it be constructed and painted and decorated, and then put your characters in it -- that was surreal.
After directing Fanboys, do you feel like you can relate with some of he challenges George Lucas had when he was filming A New Hope? What have you learned from the whole Fanboys experience?
Only tackle projects you're passionate about because you really have to want to see it through to the end. With this, I could never have given up on Fanboys. I just care too much about it. I wanted to make sure no one was slandering Star Wars fans. This wasn't going to mutate into something negative to a community that supported us and that I'm also a part of. I felt like it was entrusted to my by Lucasfilm to do it justice. I wanted to do a love letter for Star Wars fans, so I wasn't going to give up on it until it sent the right message.
No matter what you think you're prepared for or plan for, there's always some new challenge. That's the thing with filmmaking -- you're always a student. You almost never master it. Each movie has its own set of issues. It's never ever easy. It takes a lot of hard work. When I look at what George Lucas did with Star Wars -- it's just a monumental achievement. Every scene of the original film is so groundbreaking. When I think of how he maintained that creative focus despite having all those challenges -- sandstorms, droids that would break down, and effects that he was inventing as he went along -- it's just kind of mind-boggling. It's nothing compared to me just having problems making a normal movie.
It was the journey for me, not the destination. The end product is something I'm really happy with, but what I didn't expect was how awesome it would be during the making of it. It's been hard and challenging, but because of that we made such amazing friendships with the 501st Legion and other fans. The Fan Force really helped us make this movie. The rewarding thing is the whole process I went through and I don't know if I would change anything. I met my wife and there's all these great things that came out of it.
Do you think fans who have been loyal to Fanboys will be happy with the final cut?
I am so excited and relieved that it's finally coming out. I think that the version we're releasing is the best we've ever had. It's the version that we initially put together. We stuck to our guns and stayed true to our vision collectively with the writers and the producers and the actors and myself.
I hope they smile when they leave the theater, and that the movie makes them think about their past and the things they really love, and not let that passion die. You should never hide what's a part of you. I would love it if the movie reignites people's desire to debate about Star Wars, or get out their dusty collection of action figures, or to just re-watch Empire with their friends. I'm really proud of the final cut, and I hope the fans will be too.
What are you doing post-Fanboys?
I'm developing a bunch of projects including a sci-fi comedy. I'm doing a project about Wolfman Jack with Dan Fogler from Fanboys, and Ernie Cline wrote the script, and Jaime King is in it too. I have a comic book movie that I just got in the script for today that's called Emo Boy and it's adapted by the series creator Steve Emond. We will do justice to the Emo music culture.
That might be the perfect film to give the Star Wars van a cameo!
That's the best idea I've heard in awhile.
Read more about Fanboys on the Official Starwars.com Blog, and be sure to check out the trailer on the Fanboys movie site.
