I gather youre indebted to some fishermen for the idea ofMonsters… Theyre not getting any of the back end profits, though!
And after a while I was like, Was that really the first time Id ever thought about it?
Ad content continues below
I was having this exact same conversation with my girlfriend last night.
She remembers that moment.
Imagine there was a creature on their boat.
Watch how they behave.
It would be totally realistic.
And she said, Yeah, it would.
That was the first time I could definitely put a date on it.
I was hoping theyd affect suburbia, homes and towns and stuff.
Thats what I did in my graduation film.
You wouldnt ever want to watch it.
Id burn every copy of it if I could.
But it was a monster movie set in suburbia.
So, I thought, why dont I embrace that, likeBlair Witch.
So, I had to forget about that, and move on.
Were you influenced as much by books as film?
I dont read as much as I should.
I need pictures and colouring-in sections in my books.
But Ive read a lot of John Wyndham.
And what I like about him is that he doesnt explain the world.
He takes it for granted that you understand the crazy situation youre in.
That makes it more realistic than if he said, What happened here was this.
But he never says it out loud.
Its only through the way he describes the ruins of Big Ben, or something, that you know.
And I love that.
I love that assumption.
The producers would always want big establishing vistas of London.
As a character walks in, theyd want the camera to turn around and show everything.
It gives it more scope.
I feel like less is more, and more is less.
I thought, Oh, right.
So they went to Paris, New York, and London.
So, you could fill in the blanks for yourself…
The more you show off, the more the world gets smaller, if that makes sense.
Yeah, for sure.
Does he hold his book like this?
Does he take notes?
Its all these ideas you wouldnt normally get.
When youre in a real situation, they happen for free that add to the realism.
If we get this, were going to get the greatest film ever made.
I think thats bollocks, really.
I thought that was a good idea, but lets do this.
But because the budget was so low on this film, they werent so precious about it.
They were really good about that here.
They werent nervous at all.
Just get something, and well figure it out in the edit.
And on the plane back it dies again, and is reborn in the edit.
Its like, Hang on.
I thought this script was perfection?
Why are we having to change it?
Shall we all admit to each other that the script isnt perfect?
Maybe we should adapt when things dont work.
Its so frustrating, the way Hollywood works.
Only when an idea doesnt work do you address how to fix it.
Stand there instead, and maybe dont say anything.
We were free to do that, because there wasnt a contract as such.
Hes taken over the plane and hes going to crash it.
Does that make you more choosy about what youll do next?
There are certain projects that are just so tempting.
Thats what everyone wants to do.
One review ofMonsterssaid that it could imagine you at the helm of a huge special effects laden blockbuster.
Is that something that would interest you, then, if it were offered?
I tell you what Ive learned on this film: you might make a movie for nothing.
it’s possible for you to make a film for 10 grand, 10 million, whatever you want.
I was there at the weekend, and there areSkylineposters everywhere.Skyline,Skyline,Skyline.
Its a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I may be wrong, but on its opening weekend it made 15 million, because it was everywhere.
Thats the thing that would be heartbreaking.
Thats not what Id want.
I want everyone to like it, and everyone to see it.
Only studios can afford to do that kind of crazy marketing campaign.
or, We think you should have an ending more like this?
Its the ultimate dilemma for any first time filmmaker.
So, someone achieves it.
Is it because of the filmmaker?
I dont know, but its at least possible.
The reaction toMonstershas been incredibly positive.
Whats been your favourite reaction to it so far?
Ive managed to get it in front of a couple of my heroes.
And I was like, Hi, Im Gareth and thanks for coming because I know youre really busy.
And as I was saying it, I noticed, Quentin Tarantino.
And I got really nervous.
Does he hate it?
And when I go to play that tape, I didnt record any of it.
Im Quentin Tarantino, and Im talking to you right now.
I dont know what he said.
And when he left, everyone came up and said, What did he say?
What did he say?
and I said, Ive no idea!
So, things like that are really freaky.
I really did seeReservoir Dogsseven times, and it changed my world.
I was trying to useReservoir Dogsas the example.
Its good sometimes to think, No ones going to see this.
Its all going to be okay!
Ridley Scotts going to see it!
Quentin Tarantinos going to see it!
When we were filming it, we thought it was going to go straight into the bin.
Is this even going to get a release on DVD?
Will it even edit together?
We didnt know back then.
Were we just wasting two years of our lives?
Gareth Edwards, thank you very much.
