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Quint has a brief chat with Danny Boyle about SLUMDOG's reception, the awards run and the upcoming Oscars!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a little interview I got with Danny Boyle at the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Now, I interviewed him before the film came out, when he came through Austin on the festival circuit. That was a much longer, more in-depth interview and can be read here, but what’s interesting about this is it acts as a kind of counter-point interview.
When we first talked SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE was a relatively unknown picture that was just starting to build some buzz on the festival circuit after being dropped by its original studio. Now, Boyle, his cast and the picture have won the top Golden Globes and SAG Awards and have been nominated for a ton of Oscars.
I’m not lying to him when I start off by saying that SLUMDOG is my pick for Best Picture and I’m relatively certain it will take the statue. This isn’t an ass-kissing moment. I’m gunning for a chat with David Fincher later today and I really like BENJAMIN BUTTON, but if I should get the opportunity to chat with the man I will not tell him that he’s my pick for the Oscar.
So, here’s a quick chat about the mania of the Awards season and some very interesting technical information about the making of the movie. Enjoy!
Quint: When we last talked you were telling me then that you were on an amazing rush, because this was only something like four or five weeks after everything shut down and you thought the movie was just going to be lost and then it started hitting at film festivals and now… You are my pick for best picture dude. Honestly. I’m sure that everybody will come up and say that to you, but I’m not throwing that out there lightly. Maybe if WALL-E or DARK KNIGHT had made it up there I wouldn’t be saying this to you, but right now I really do think SLUMDOG is the best film nominated.
Danny Boyle: What’s incredible is that when you meet, because you meet people now like Roger (Durling, SBIFF head honcho), who were at Telluride and Toronto and you can think back right at the beginning of it, when it all started off… It has been extraordinary, what has happened since. It’s been a lot of work by a lot of people. You tend to take it for granted as it has happened, but actually while it’s happening, you work and work and work and the people at Fox Searchlight are brilliant.
Quint: They really seemed to unroll it very well. It is a grassroots success story.
Danny Boyle: Yes, patience… It was very small to begin with and then you let the word of mouth surround it and the internet...
Quint: And patience isn’t what Hollywood is known for, at all.
Danny Boyle: No, it’s very difficult to keep that patience, to keep steady and calm, because everything is kind of instant. That’s the whole thing of our times, isn’t it, it’s this instant thing…
Quint: Movies have one weekend. If it doesn’t open big, then it’s a failure…
Danny Boyle: Yeah, but they just kept going and that’s just brilliant.
Quint: That’s great. So, one thing that I hadn’t realized about the making of the movie was that you actually filmed with a digital camera for the running through the streets. Did you film 35mm for the rest of it?
Danny Boyle: No, about 75 percent of the film is shot on digital, on this new system called an SI-2K. It’s from Los Angeles and it’s called a Silicone Imaging 2K and it’s the same as the Red camera, but it isn’t manufactured yet, so it’s not in a body in the way the Red is.
So that was hugely to our benefit, because although there were teething problems with it, its flexibility was incredible. I think once it’s manufactured, it won’t be as flexible, but for ours, because it was a prototype, it was incredible. It was incredible and like I said (during the Q&A for the movie), it was just a notebook on the guy’s back, with dry ice to keep it cool, because that’s one of the problems. Because it’s not manufactured yet, there’s no cooling system or fans, so we did it with dry ice to keep it cool.
You can put any lens on it you want. You can put a huge lens on and put it on a crane. You can put a small lens and keep it in his hand and he can run. Unlike handheld film canisters, he can separate it from the body.
Quint: So, that’s how you got all of the liquid motion?
Danny Boyle: That’s how you get that kind of feel on it.
Quint: Did you have to have a big DI (Digital Intermediate) process, then?
Danny Boyle: Yes. You have to save money for that. When you work on digital, everybody knows that’s the only thing you’ve got to do. It’s relatively cheap to work on itself, but you’ve got to keep money back for the DI and the processing costs and all of that kind of stuff and we did do that, but you can see… I know people have been saying it for a long time and we shot 28 DAYS LATER on a much lower system, on mini-DV, but you can feel it coming…. It’s coming…
Quint: That’s insane. I’ve seen a lot of Red’s stuff before and there’s still something about it that feels plasticy, but there’s nothing about your movie that feels at all like that, which is why I was shocked to hear you shot digital.
Danny Boyle: That’s the cameraman. Even with a nice camera, you still need a great cameraman. There is still some wonderful stuff you can do with it. It’s brilliant, I think and it also helps actors, because it doesn’t have the same classical myth as film and you can run it, just run it and run it and (if it doesn’t work) erase it, but if you want kids especially to feel like “Hey, it’s just party time…”
Quint: No pressure…
Danny Boyle: There’s no turnover now or anything like that. You can just run it. Also in the slums… people there are devoted to film and if they see a proper film camera, they think there will be a Bollywood star along and for the next five days (they’re like) “we will wait here until he gets here,” but they see these little cameras, they think “Oh it’s a documentary or something…”
Quint: Yeah.
Danny Boyle: “It’s just annoying” and they ignore you and that’s a big advantage as well there. That was a big advantage for us as well, which again was luck. I wasn’t planning it as such, it was just luck and fortune that played into our hands and it’s a wonderful way of capturing the place, because it’s about dynamism rather than absolute quality control.
Quint: Completely. I love how you were saying that that was the inspiration for photographing the slums, the energy of the area. I have been reading all of these things about poverty porn in and it’s like “Really? Guys, did you see the movie?”
Danny Boyle: You will always get that and I didn’t explain it well, but the thing you get there is the law of the universe, you know that law of the universe? “To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction,” you get that in India millions of times over, these forces go back and forth. What you have to do is not fight it, you just kind of go and absorb them and especially you are, as a film maker, you are really privileged anyways to be a filmmaker and you have to also accept the blows as well, sometimes when they come.
So I’ll stand and defend the film against anybody, except I wont defend it in a defensive way at all, because we behaved really well in the way that we made it and we made it in the right spirit and I think the spirit of it comes across in the film, I think. It’s one of the things that helps make the film convincing to people, I think there’s a spirit in it that is genuine and that comes across somehow in there.
Quint: So, what are you going to do Oscar day? What are your plans?
Danny Boyle: I’ll tell you one of the most amazing… The Golden Globes. I’m on English time and I was awake at 5am, like you are and I turned on the television and it was the football from home, Manchester United, who are from my hometown. We beat Chelsea 3-nil in the morning and then in the evening we got four Golden Globes, so it was like a knockout day, which there will never be a day like that again.
We are trying at the moment to get all of the kids to come, because we have tried to protect the kids from exposure to it, the younger sets of kids, there are six of them al together, and they are desperate to come, because they read about all of the stuff here and they are desperate to come here. We are trying to protect them from it and look after their best interest, but we just agreed, actually, that we are going to try to get them here for it if we can, because it’s very complicated.
Quint: It’s everybody’s victory, too, if it happens.
Danny Boyle: What was wonderful last night with the SAG is, you know what they do at SAG? Gold statues, they give one to every actor who is in the film in a major role, so for our film they got eleven or twelve statues, so each of the kids will get statues.
Quint: Oh really?
Danny Boyle: They will each get one of them, which I am really pleased with.
Quint: That’s really nice.
Danny Boyle: That’s really cool. We took the Globes to India, so that they could see the Globes. We took all four so that the kids could see them as well, so that was really cool.
Quint: I will definitely be watching. As I said, I think it’s going to be your night. I don’t want to jinx you, but I do think it’s going to be your night.
Danny Boyle: You know the guy in the film… well you know the guy obviously, you know Benjamin Franklin, he said “Nothing is certain in life except death and taxes.” That’s what it is whenever anybody says that and of course we can quote him, because he is in the movie as well.
Quint: Fantastic. Thank you so much for talking with me again. I really appreciate it.
Like I said, a quick chat, but hopefully an enjoyable one. Be back soon with more coverage that includes Kate Winslet, Penelope Cruz, Clint Eastwood and a few more reviews!
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
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That's what they look like when they talk.
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More power to ya.
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How do you people like these movies? They were so formulaic and unimaginative.
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I meant the Pak...uh The east indian people.Bobble heads...yup. I TEL YOOOO!
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Oh well. Danny Boyle makes great movies, he should be honored.
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I hope they're well taken care of and protected.
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Well executed story of typical archetypes and story cliches...
Glad Boyle is getting props though, just disappointed it's going to be a legacy award like the one Scorsese got for Departed. -
this was my favourite movie of 2008. Ahead of TDK, Button, WallE, Frost/Nixon which are all in my top ten. I just thought this movie was a positive, exciting urban fairy tale - and if you can't find anything to like about it, I sincerely hope you find something to love, otherwise life will be very lonely.
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Boyle's built up a solid body of work over the years, but before now the only film of his which really had much of a shot at the Oscars was Trainspotting. I'm not convinced Danny Boyle's name being attached has that much to do with Slumdog's success.
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That came out wrong. I just meant that it's a shame that he's getting his due recognition from the mainstream for this movie (not that it was bad) over his way more influential and memorable one (Trainspotting). Whatever, I suppose that happens way more than lees in this case. Hindsight is 20/20...
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...but it sure smells good!
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...is that he just keeps chugging along making movie after movie. Some are good, a few not so good, and then every so often he blows us away with something brilliant. The world needs more filmmakers with that work ethic (Soderbergh and Linklater are two others from that same mold).
Slumdog is a great film and deserves any and all awards that comes its way. -
It looks amazing as all fuck! Red camera looks like a suped up DVX(the image quality). That was a good read and am going to read up on this camera they used... sounds very interesting.
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Dark Knight was better.
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Does anybody every mention Millions with him? A very underrated film. And Shallow Grave is an incredible film, which few people talk about. You mention it briefly in the last interview, merely that it was playing, but you don't ask him anything specifically about that film.
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The movie was okay. It's not gonna be a CRASH-type fiasco when it wins, but it wasn't close to being the best movie of the year. The best thing about it was those kids, so they better get them to come to the show. Especially since they paid them in jelly beans. J/K btw, does he look like Morrissey to anyone else? Are they related?
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I have no doubt it will win.
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Slumdog is good and worthy .. definitely. But The Reader over TDK? I am not even a die-hard comics fanatic and I still say WHAT THE ***K. Maybe some performances in Reader were pleasing, but BEST PICTURE??? HAHAHHHAHAHAH
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Kate Winslet + WWII Holocaust + adaption of acclaimed book = Golden Naked Man. It's right there in the AA charter...
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its supposed to be like a fairytale, except surrounded by the mass developing india....kind of like an indian version of charles dickens
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Those things cannot add to less than an oscar.
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I knew that format was the point of the film, fairy tale convention ala Bollywood, in the harsh reality of impoverished India, but it didnt change the fact that I could predict the story before it developed, which made it hard for me to become truly emotionally vested with what was happening on screen.
It's still a solid movie, and if Boyle didnt direct it would have probably sucked balls, but I just didnt get that special feeling in my neither regions I get when I watch a movie that really does move me.
However, I will say that looking at the noms for Best Pic this year, I do hope it wins cause I liked it better than the other noms, though nowhere not as much as the movies I did think should have been nominated but got snubbed.
Also I hope this means studios will throw more $ at Boyle from now on and makes it easier for him to do what he wants... -
The dude seems so freindly and aproachable.he seems greatful to be doing what he's doing and never comes of like some self important hollywood douche.Cheers Mr.Boyle may the oscar gold be yours.
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For proof, please see MILLIONS + 28 DAYS LATER!
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Jan 30, 2009 9:31:55 PM CST
Legacy Award or not...I'd rather it be Boyle than Fincher or How
by dannyglovers_dickblood
Boyle has given me a lot more viewing pleasure.
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Jan 30, 2009 9:53:25 PM CST
Danny Boyle = most versatile director in Hollywood
by nasty in the pasty
Who else could skip from Trainspotting to 28 Days Later to Millions to Sunshine to Slumdog Millionaire while still keeping his particular vision each time out?
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he's not your pick for the Oscar?
"Hi Dave. How you doing? I don't think you're going to win the Oscar. Anyway, here's my first question." -
Got my 'not' placement mixed up. Please disregard.
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...he looks like a grown-up version of Butters from 'South Park'.
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I'm pulling fo ryou Danny Boy!!! you deserve the Oscar.
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Truly one of the worst, most audience pandering pieces of crap I have ever witnessed. Almost as bad as Benjamin Butthole!
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Jamal is grown up a bit and has to raise a 10 kid family with Latika down in the slums since his telemarketing operator job just aint cutting it, but from his past popularity he must now contend with the terrorist connected drug trade down there and appease them by occasionally smuggling in drugs in condoms inside his anus across the Pakistani border until he has enough money to migrate elsewhere for his phone operator skills until UH OH his family is kidnapped for ransom and he's forced to pay his hard earned drug money for their return but WOOPS they've dissapeared until their body parts are discovered in restaurant freezers and Latika's head in a box with the note "dont fuck with us". despite this bleakness the ending is like the Coens would do it, all profound and message-y, something like always make sure you know what youre being served if you eat in India.
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This one presented horror after horror until finally I expected the dancers at the end to whip out knives and kill them both, and BB was a CGI catastrophe rendering actors obsolete while telling us child-old man flirting is great and so are prostitutes!
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Jan 31, 2009 2:06:16 AM CST
Slumdog lawsuits, kids screwed over by Hollywood
by hardboiled wonderland
Why didn't you ask Boyle about this? Nice how Slumdog Millionaire is making big bucks, but not a cent is going back to the community in India the film is based on, and used for filming. The kids apparently get a fund to see to their education etc -- but in reality, they were enrolled in an english school for poor kids that is FREE, and they haven't seen any details of these so called funds.
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The studios. Not a fucking cent has gone back to the slums in India where filming was done.
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...for best picture itd be 'milk' without a doubt. of the 5 nominated its going to be fought out between the film thats nowhere near as good as it wants to be: benjamin button. the pretty good little film thats getting far more kudos than it deserves: slumdog millionare. and the film that will almost certainly be consigned to the "deserved to win but didnt" dustbin: milk. milk is the best film of the year. superbly acted, moving, melded human emotion with humour and brotched an issue so seldom seen or recognised. it's the other sort of civil rights. more than being a seriously good film milk is an important film. its sad that it wont win because its head and shoulders above the others nominated.
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Just as I'd love to see Fincher up there as well.
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The filmmakers used India's poorest to make a feel-good film, are raking in the big bucks with critical acclaim... and the poor people they used to make the film are forgotten and ignored and left to live in squalor, with no hope of a happy future? FUCK YOU HOLLYWOOD. And FUCK YOU AICN.
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Jan 31, 2009 4:17:27 AM CST
Here's what the Slumdog makers think of the real slumdogs
by hardboiled wonderland
Open your eyes, AICN, the Slumdog filmmakers have shat all over the Untouchables the film is about. Read this:
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http ://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/film/whod-want-to-be-a-slumdog-millionaire/2009/01/27/1232818491640.html
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The lack of responses are as the self-righteous tone of your one-sided diatribe puts people off engaging with you. Example: story says those kids were paid three times the average adult salary, are having their food and school books paid for, and will receive a further lump sum when they reach 18. Your translation: "the filmmakers have shat all over them". Please get over yourself.
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I only wish he would've given us a little more time to weep before jumping into that dance number. But I get it - the dance was their celebration of being united and in lurrve.
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I guess I'll be waiting until SM hits cable. I can't see myself plunking down $10+ for something with song and dance numbers in it.
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...a Hollywood douchebag. Maybe it's because he's Scottish. I'm guessing he also doesn't live in LA.
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And it's right as the end credits begin, so if you don't like it, you can leave.
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http://tinyurl.com/dl2uw2
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He did make Trainspotting which along with american beauty are my favorite movies of all time/So i'll have to agree dannyglovers dickblood
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This is the one and only time I'm going to say this about a movie: the dance number at the end was actually pretty cool. I dont even know why it was, it just was. I loved SM, I'm not sure how you manage to accomplish making a film that feels completely cliche (in a good way) and completely fresh at the same time.......but then again, if anyone could do it, it would be Boyle.
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It was nice to see the entire cast celebrating.The first set of kids were amazing.bobble heads and all but amazing.
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reminds me of Giancarlo Gianini
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Ever since I watched the movie, I've been pronouncing the word "millionaire" the way he did. Because it's awesome.
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Danny Boyle is as versatile a director as they come. The shiny gold, bald dude is gonna be his for sure.
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