Source: Collider.com | Posted By: Dan Geer
After seeing the first teaser trailer for Dreamworks’ Real Steel, I’m sure many out there are now quite curious about the film and what director Shawn Levy‘s vision is for it. Clearly the movie is quite different from the comedies and family-friendly films he has done in the past (Night at the Museum, Date Night, etc.), so his latest “robot boxing” movie has been slowly generating a lot of buzz.
Collider.com recently posted a highly insightful interview with the director, which sheds a lot of light on the direction the film is going and what Levy intends to accomplish with it. Check out some of the highlights below!
Highlights (from Collider):
- Danny Elfman is scoring the movie
- Levy wants to leave some scenes without any score because the fights will be loud and each one will have different music. Also, you can’t have the volume turned up all the time, you need to have some quiet moments
- The music will be a mix of hip hop and electronica
- No 3D release. They thought about it, but it’s not happening. The movie will be released in IMAX
- When asked about the tone, Levy said he’s trying to make “a f***ing cool movie”
- There are 5 major fight scenes and each one is between 2 and a half to 10 minutes. The film also has 2 fight montages
- Levy recently showed 40 minutes to Steven Spielberg (who is producing)
- Sugar Ray Leonard is a fight consultant
- Says “there’s no shot in the teaser that I’m not really happy with.” Meaning the effects
- Describes “every punch is a car crash” and he’s concerned about “sonic exhaustion”
- Every robot will have an internal sound presence (a hum). Like the way Darth Vader has a sound when he’s just standing there
- Every fight will have its own song/sound and he’s reaching out to a lot of musicians and hip hop artists
- Says Real Steel has “benefitted mostly from Avatar.” He’s talking about the tech used to bring the movie to life
Since I was an extra in the film, I was able to witness some of the special effects techniques Levy discusses in this interview, which, by the way, are extraordinary! The “SimulCam” technology in particular was fascinating, simply because he was able to view the robot fight sequences in pre-viz format right there on set at any angle he wanted to shoot at. Really mind-blowing if you ask me.
The interview also touches upon the fact that the film is really 30% robot boxing and 70% character and story – much like Rocky. The film will obviously look and feel much different than Rocky, but the intent is to have a similar balance of story and action. Levy even likened some of the story/character moments to that of E.T. as well, which, if done right, could really sell the film in my opinion.
Whether you’re skeptical, curious or just plain excited about Real Steel, this interview is definitely worth a read. It is also available in audio format as well since the interview is pretty extensive to say the least. Head on over to Collider.com to check it out!
Real Steel, directed by Shawn Levy, stars Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly and Dakota Goyo, and will be released in theaters nationwide October 7, 2011!
