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nollyBy the time I got inside Thursday, it was too late to make any of the panels I'd wanted to hit. Oops. Better plannig next year. I did, however, catch up on Supernatural Law, Strangers in Paradise, and pick up the new-since-last-year books from Jim Ottaviani, as well as browse most of the floor, acquiring freebies of various sorts. I joined the throng at the Paramount booth, got my pass for Stardust, and headed over to Horton PLaza an hour or so later. I got in line 2.5-3 hours before the screening. I was about halfway back, maybe a little more.
Stardust was excellent, other than the cheesy song over the first part of the credits.
All panel summaries are paraphrased based on my notes; I don't think I've gotten the gist of anything wrong, but unless noted, no wording is an exact quote. Ive also turned a lot of 1st and 2nd person wording into 3rd.
Q1: How long did it take to make?
A1, Neil: It's nebulous, depends on how you count. In March of 2005, Matthew Vaughn called Neil with the idea, Neil called Jane. November 2005 was the first readthough of the script. March-July 2006 was filming. In Septemer 2006, the ghosts were added, and the final sound edit was June of 2007.
Q2: Where did the concept come from?
A2, Neil: Neil wasin Ireland in 1987 and saw a wall, with one gap, stretching across a field. In October of 1991, he was in AZ to receive the World Fantasy Award; Charles Vess was also there. Neil saw a meteor, the ideas combined, and he went and found Vess. It went from there.
Q3: Stardust is opening during a meteor shower. Was this planned?
A3, Neil: It's a coincidence, but a great one.
Q4: Neil works in many media, but keeps returning to writing. Is it the easiest medium for him?
A4, Neil: He likes writing because he has the most control there, but it's not necessarily easiest.
Q5: Many elements from the original are missing from the movie -- was this because of Paramount's influence?
A5, Neil: Not Paramouunt really, reasons vary:
Time -- some of therse scenes may turn up on the DVD
budget -- one scene was cut because it would have been $1.5 million for 90 seconds of film, and they just didn't have the money, so they couldn't make it.
general feel -- some things that work on paper just don't work on film
typo on one UK paperback edition -- had Tristran instead of Tristram, writer referenced it, and by the time error was found, it was late enough that they didn't change it
The details shift, but the heart of the story is the same.
Q6: Favorite bit to see on film?
A6, Neil: the ghosts
A6, Jane: agrees with Neil, also the flying ship
A6, Neil again: agrees with Jane
Q7: Did they have any say in casting?
A7:, Neil: Both he and Jane did. Paramount put auditions on a private web site so they could see them. However, the director had the final say.
Q8: What character was the most fun to write?
A8, Neil: the star, also Septimus and the witch. Also Ditchwater Sal and the little hairy man
A8, Jane: the ghosts and Captain Shakespeare were fun to write, but she lovel Tristran most.
Q9: How often does Neil read his own stories?
A9, Neil: Rarely. Tells story about being stuck somewhere with nothing else to read in the bath and trying to read them as though he hadn't written them.
And that was Thursday. I'll continue in another post, so those who don't want even minor character-name-level spoilers can avoid them.
Stardust was excellent, other than the cheesy song over the first part of the credits.
All panel summaries are paraphrased based on my notes; I don't think I've gotten the gist of anything wrong, but unless noted, no wording is an exact quote. Ive also turned a lot of 1st and 2nd person wording into 3rd.
Q1: How long did it take to make?
A1, Neil: It's nebulous, depends on how you count. In March of 2005, Matthew Vaughn called Neil with the idea, Neil called Jane. November 2005 was the first readthough of the script. March-July 2006 was filming. In Septemer 2006, the ghosts were added, and the final sound edit was June of 2007.
Q2: Where did the concept come from?
A2, Neil: Neil wasin Ireland in 1987 and saw a wall, with one gap, stretching across a field. In October of 1991, he was in AZ to receive the World Fantasy Award; Charles Vess was also there. Neil saw a meteor, the ideas combined, and he went and found Vess. It went from there.
Q3: Stardust is opening during a meteor shower. Was this planned?
A3, Neil: It's a coincidence, but a great one.
Q4: Neil works in many media, but keeps returning to writing. Is it the easiest medium for him?
A4, Neil: He likes writing because he has the most control there, but it's not necessarily easiest.
Q5: Many elements from the original are missing from the movie -- was this because of Paramount's influence?
A5, Neil: Not Paramouunt really, reasons vary:
Time -- some of therse scenes may turn up on the DVD
budget -- one scene was cut because it would have been $1.5 million for 90 seconds of film, and they just didn't have the money, so they couldn't make it.
general feel -- some things that work on paper just don't work on film
typo on one UK paperback edition -- had Tristran instead of Tristram, writer referenced it, and by the time error was found, it was late enough that they didn't change it
The details shift, but the heart of the story is the same.
Q6: Favorite bit to see on film?
A6, Neil: the ghosts
A6, Jane: agrees with Neil, also the flying ship
A6, Neil again: agrees with Jane
Q7: Did they have any say in casting?
A7:, Neil: Both he and Jane did. Paramount put auditions on a private web site so they could see them. However, the director had the final say.
Q8: What character was the most fun to write?
A8, Neil: the star, also Septimus and the witch. Also Ditchwater Sal and the little hairy man
A8, Jane: the ghosts and Captain Shakespeare were fun to write, but she lovel Tristran most.
Q9: How often does Neil read his own stories?
A9, Neil: Rarely. Tells story about being stuck somewhere with nothing else to read in the bath and trying to read them as though he hadn't written them.
And that was Thursday. I'll continue in another post, so those who don't want even minor character-name-level spoilers can avoid them.
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no subject
Date: 2007-08-05 05:12 am (UTC)I do agree that it was a very good movie.
no subject
Date: 2007-08-07 06:16 am (UTC)That's so very Neil, isn't it? :)
no subject
Date: 2007-08-11 04:19 am (UTC)Really? I was worried, because I love the book so and books I love seldom make good movies...
(But I trust your taste, because ... AASIF!!!)