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AICN Downunder: Latauro throws down with Morgan O'Neill! Be there!!!

first who cares by dead youngling	Jun 20th, 2006 06:57:38 PM

I care, said the farmboy to the corellian pilot by Jimmie Dimmick	Jun 20th, 2006 07:22:09 PM

Hack by RAINBERG	Jun 20th, 2006 07:44:40 PM
This is just another Australian film about Australia. The film isn't worth watching. It's just better than the other crappy aussi films. So, that makes it half crap.
8th? by THE KNIGHT	Jun 20th, 2006 08:03:36 PM
I wanna thank my momma and daddy...
Rainberg by Latauro	Jun 20th, 2006 08:14:26 PM
"Another Australian film about Australia" ? You wanna say something else really stupid that proves you haven't actually seen the film?
Oh snap! by DomDomDoooom!	Jun 20th, 2006 09:59:59 PM
"You wanna say something else really stupid that proves you haven't actually seen the film?" OH SNAP! Again Latauro speaks volumes in but a single sentence. Nice interview.
Conspiracy by Leedrick	Jun 20th, 2006 10:07:53 PM
Latauro, after reading here since 96, in my opinion your articles are the best thing to happen to this site (aside from the tessellated king kong background image of course). Keep up the great work. Your comment on your contractual obligation to say "lowdownunder" made me laugh:) That was an interesting interview, and I think Morgan came across as a well-spoken interesting guy. I do sympathise with his comments regarding the "conspiracy". With such a small industry it must be hard not to bump into people you know. Rainberg, thou art a moron.
Cheers by Latauro	Jun 20th, 2006 11:20:45 PM
...to Dom and Mr Drick, both for the comments, and for helping me to push this interview talkback further up (or onto) the Top Talkbacks list to the right. For what else is there to strive for? Morgan was quite well spoken, and a damned fast talker, too. It's one of the shortest (time-wise) interviews I've ever done, but is nearly the longest. True story.
Go Socceroos! by The Wrong Guy	Jun 20th, 2006 11:26:24 PM
Sorry, don't have anything worthwhile to add to the discussion, so I thought I'd just throw that bit of patriotic support out there.
Seconded! by Leedrick	Jun 21st, 2006 01:54:10 AM
Being in perth, the croatia match is at 3am for me. If it is anything like the japan match it will be well worth being useless at work the following day Only 2 more posts to match moriaty's dvd shelf review!
That damned World Cup... by Latauro	Jun 21st, 2006 03:21:23 AM
I'm taping the Croatia match. Tried getting up at 2am after two hours sleep for the Brazil game. Spent the first ten minutes barracking for Brazil because they were wearing gold. Even thought "Hey, they have a player named Kewl as well!" until it dawned on me what was happening. I blame the weakness of my coffee.
BANNED by RAINBERG	Jun 21st, 2006 05:00:52 AM
I am legend. Remember that.
I Am Legend? by raw_bean	Jun 21st, 2006 07:53:53 AM
Great book. Pretty pointless post though. --------- That was a good interview, really informative.
The Brazillianroos by Leedrick	Jun 21st, 2006 08:24:59 AM
That's hillarious Lat. You didn't find it surprising that we had somehow recruited ronaldinho and ronaldo? Bad coffee can do that I suppose...
LAST!!!! by Borgnine JR	Jun 21st, 2006 09:12:27 AM
prove me wrong, Silent Bobs.
Cool Simpsons ref Borgnine JR by Regicidal_Maniac	Jun 21st, 2006 09:36:56 AM
Hey LAt good interview but this is AICN where is all the (giggles) (scratches itchy nipples) (clears throat) (titters like a Japanese schoolgirl) (adjusts crotch) and such? It just seems too well written for this place without that. At least some kind of oral sex comparisons or whatnot, didn't Harry every send you the AICN Style Guide man?
jayjew by Latauro	Jun 21st, 2006 10:14:51 AM
What tougher questions would you have asked him? I'm honestly asking. The onus wasn't on him to pick the judge or insist that Worthington be replaced, so aside from asking the same questions only whilst shaking him by his lapels, I'm wondering how could have been legitimately tougher? (By the way, I did have another "tough" question for him, but decided during the interview that it was inappropriate, so I didn't ask it. I won't say what it is, but if you go back to the original article that broke the controversy, you may be able to figure out what it was.)
Thanks Regi...the later eps don't get.. by Borgnine JR	Jun 21st, 2006 01:42:40 PM
...enuff love.
jayjew by Leedrick	Jun 21st, 2006 08:27:59 PM
(clears throat)How much money did Saw make? I didn't see it, but that was written, directed and partially acted by two-bit australians (giggles). If box-office draw is how you rate a film, then I hear that did pretty well (mentions girlfriend).
Release by Leedrick	Jun 21st, 2006 08:30:29 PM
Has this film already been given a national release, or did you see some kind of preview screening lat? Has project greenlight already been aired?
Solo's release by Latauro	Jun 21st, 2006 09:00:09 PM
Like I said at the end of the interview, July 6 is the magic day. I did indeed see a preview screening, which included a Q&A where Morgan told an awesome anecdote about meeting with Colin Friels... I wanted to get him to repeat it in the interview, but ran out of time. I'm sure if you listed to him in interviews over the coming weeks you'll hear it a few more times.
Coffee by Leedrick	Jun 21st, 2006 09:37:57 PM
So you did... I haven't even had weak coffee this morning, so give me a break. I assume based on you mentioning that your friend watched the whole project greenlight series that it has already been shown and I missed it. Despite pointless posts containing stupid questions, your article still doesn't appear on the "top talkbacks" list. I'm starting to think the people who wrote the articles shown there might know the owner of the site personally... Do I smell a hard hitting interview, or have I just stepped in something unpleasant?
Conspiracy Debunked. by Leedrick	Jun 21st, 2006 09:40:20 PM
It must only be updated daily. It now shows articles with more posts than yours. Damn.
Going postal...ing by Latauro	Jun 21st, 2006 09:49:50 PM
Yeah, the top talkback thing isn't actually all that important... and to get up there you need to print something a tad more interesting to the wider populace. Like go on a rant about Star Wars and George Lucas. That REALLY gets them in, trust me. Project Greenlight: Australia played last year, and there should be a new one in a few months.
Topics by Leedrick	Jun 21st, 2006 10:18:23 PM
True. Next time you should entitle your article: "LOTR vs Star Wars: Final Verdict" or, "United States might not be the Greatest Country in the World(tm)".
jayjew by Leedrick	Jun 22nd, 2006 12:13:14 AM
I agree with you that MOST australian films don't make much money. I don't think Saw is a poor example of a film made by australians that did make money, but I would agree that it is only one film and doesn't make a good argument. It wasn't intended as an argument for Solo doing well. By the way, what do you guys think is generally considered to constitute an "australian film" ? Australian director/producer? Does it have to be funded by a local company?
Australian Films by Leedrick	Jun 22nd, 2006 01:44:38 AM
Ok, so you were specifically talking about films with australia as the location/subject. I feel that the producer and director being Australian should decide on whether the film is credited as being "Australian" - the location and subject is irrelevant, but I am more curious as to what the mainstream media consider the criteria (AFI awards?). Almost certainly a movie about Australian issues (whatever they are... shooing flies?), set in Australia is not going to make much cashola overseas.
ow by Leedrick	Jun 22nd, 2006 01:46:19 AM
Was that an intentional misspelling? Nasty.
jayjew: master interviewerer by Latauro	Jun 22nd, 2006 02:08:37 AM
"I'm not gonna tell you what these techniques are, look em up. its the only way you'll learn." Uh-huh. Again, I ask what would have had me do differently? Morgan O'Neill was not responsible for picking the judges, nor was the onus on him to demand Worthington be replaced. Should I have just kept asking him the same questions over and over again? I think I covered the topic enough, and there were other things I wanted to ask him about. Feel free to be as smug and faux patronising as you want, but until you come up with some actual suggestions as to what else I could have asked him, it will continue to be clear that you have no idea what you're talking about.
Hey Jayjew... by Timmay	Jun 22nd, 2006 04:09:01 AM
just out of curiousity, at what stage were you knocked out of the greenlight comp? Were you one of those screaming that your fellow entrants were all retarded when you didn't even make the shortlist? Or did you experience the brief thrill of making the top 100 before the professionals had their say and you decided the whole thing was corrupt? I'll admit the O'Neil/Worthington thing could have been handled better by Movie Network & Screentime (although it's also valid to say that this is a small industry, where the lines between professional/ para-professional/ amateur can be a bit blurry) but it didn't change the outcome of the competition one iota. I was at the top ten screening, you weren't. Several hundred people walked out of the screening knowing exactly who'd won, even though it wasn't formally decided or announced for another three days. And when I come across some geeky fan-boy's wet dream of a script that completely ignores the specs in this year's comp, I'll knock a couple of points off my score in case it's yours.
Uh, Jayjew... by Timmay	Jun 22nd, 2006 05:38:47 AM
Far be it for me to suggest that someone would lie on the internet of all places, but could you tell me anything that would verify that you actually were at the top ten screening? Something mentioned in one of the speeches? Something about the clips shown of the non-winning contestants? What canapes were served at the after-party? (yes, those who were there in reality instead of in our imaginations got free booze... and canapes!).
The best thing I could be doing with my time... by Latauro	Jun 22nd, 2006 05:39:14 AM
...is arguing on the internet. Yet I continue. Jayjew, you realise how ridiculous you sound, right? Oh wow, you totally called me on that Flinders street screw up! Man, am I embarassed. I was hoping nobody would notice that, which is why I wrote about it in the first place. My face is so red. You totally pwned me there, dude. Once again -- and for the absolute last time -- I ask you where you think I dropped the ball on the interview. Do you actually think there's anything else I should have asked him, or are you just being a grump because your script didn't get chosen? 'Cos you're complaining a lot, but the only thing you can offer back when called on it is "Look up how to interview someone, jerk!" which is the sort of thing you say when you realise you don't actually have a valid point, so you just yell back. It's impressive stuff, dude. Good luck with it.
That question by Latauro	Jun 22nd, 2006 08:39:33 AM
Well, I check my talkbacks regularly because I feel obligated to, having written the article and all. Look, I was going to ask That Question (it sounds like you know the one I mean), but my only source was an anonymous talkback post. I'm not a professional journalist, but to me that seems like it would be incredibly poor ethics. I need a better and more reliable source if I'm going to make pretty harsh claims, even if they're phrased in the form of a question. And to ask that question without any solid proof -- or anything approaching solid proof -- would have been a pretty insulting thing to do. Believe me, he was nowhere near ready to crack. He reacted to the "controversy" as if it were a mere misunderstanding not worth spending any time over. He was non-plussed, and I think both you and I know what the answer to the question would have been. Look, I wasn't afraid to ask it; I just didn't feel right in doing so. If there is any, any proof about the legitimacy of the script to Solo, then I will get back in contact with Morgan and I will ask him flat out about it. But until I have something to back it up with, I need to have a certain degree of respect for my interview subject.
Yo Latauro... by Timmay	Jun 22nd, 2006 04:59:34 PM
... as someone said to me recently; arguing on the internet is like running in the special olympics, even if you win you're still retarded. Get back to writin your column dude. Much as it goes against my base cynical instincts to say so, people are smart enough not to need you to point out that some posters are full of shit.
Timmay by Latauro	Jun 22nd, 2006 08:10:08 PM
Regardless of the petty insults that seem to be flying over the net, I do actually want to get to the bottom of this. I honestly don't feel it was appropriate to ask Morgan that question, and I want to know why jayjew thinks it was; and, if he has any proof, if he could proffer it. If he was just a basic troll, I would have left this talkback a long time ago. And don't worry, there should be a new column within the next twenty-four hours...
The Three by Leedrick	Jun 22nd, 2006 10:18:11 PM
I wonder who JayJew is - obviously someone VERY important! Woah... maybe he and Morgan are the SAME PERSON... and... so is LATAURO! That would explain why lat didn't ask That Question(tm)! Latauro is arguing with himself now after quickly answering his own questions... On top of that, has anyone ever seen Latauro and Timmay in the same room together?
Socceroos FTW! by Leedrick	Jun 22nd, 2006 10:19:05 PM
That is all.
Missing the boat by Latauro	Jun 23rd, 2006 12:26:31 AM
No, I didn't. You missed the boat by not giving me any information to verify. Should I have just gone on a blind "trust me" when you wouldn't even tell me who you were? If you'd asked for anonymity, I would have provided it, but I'm not going to make claims like that when I have nothing to back it up with but the word of a talkbacker. So in other words, next time you have a big piece of information like that, give me a reason to believe you.
I feel like Deep Throat too... by Timmay	Jun 23rd, 2006 03:06:06 AM
... but where would you get some this time of night? Boom, tish! Latauro, if you can let this go for a little while, I think the imminent DVD release of Project Greenlight Australia (yeah, I was surprised too, but apparently the first batch has been pressed) will clear a few things up for you, like who's full of shit. I attended the 'top ten' screening, where finalists screened a three-minute scene from their scripts. I could feed you a line about how important I am that I can't risk telling you how I got in, but the reality is that I, along with about 30 other contestants, managed to get tickets the sponsors didn't want by replying to an e-mail the PG people sent. Morgan O'Neil's three minute clip was AMAZING. If anything, the feature doesn't live up to the promise of his winning submission. The 'elephant in the room' we were all ignoring that night was the fact that a competition that technically had three days to run already had a winner. Of course, Jayjew's interpretation of this is that "..I was at the screening too, and let me ask you this: When hundreds of people agree that a corrupt hack deserves to win this comp, Do you ever wonder why the industry is in the shitheap that its in..." which conveniently ignores two important facts: 1. There was hardly any industry representation at the screening, apart from a smattering of Movie Network people. The majority of the audience was the sponsors, as well as the family & friends of the contestants; and 2. The screening took place BEFORE 'project redlight' sent you his initial e-mail, and the subsequent article in one of the tabloids about the supposed corruption. Even if people believed the "co-author" allegations (and most don't) they would have had no impact whatsoever on how people were feeling about the competition that night. Actually, a better liar would have picked up fact two from the information available on this here very site...
JayJew by Leedrick	Jun 23rd, 2006 03:16:09 AM
And with that, JayJew and his stupid points of view blinked out of existence in a puff of methane.

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AICN Downunder: Latauro throws down with Morgan O'Neill! Be there!!!

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