At the Tribeca Film Festival recently, a series of conversations took place in what was called the Directors Series.
These are notable not just for who took part, but just for the fact that they are lengthy, in-depth conversations with filmmakers about film, art, and the realities of moviemaking.
We posted one of these previously betweenJoss WhedonandMark Ruffalo, which got up close and personal about Whedons career and Marvel, but this next hourlong conversation is a bit lighter in tone but no less interesting.
J.J. AbramsandChris Rocksat down for over an hour to discuss Abrams career and, well, pretty much everything else.
Rock admits up front he did little preparation, so what follows is very much a conversation that touches on some of Abrams work in televisionincluding a pretty goodLoststoryas well as his directorial features and the experience of working with someone likeTom Cruiseon his first movie.
But the two also talk about what TV shows theyre watching now, Rock rails againstBatman v SupermanandFantastic Four, and they discuss their philosophies when it comes to hiring actors and directors as a producer.
Image via Paramount
This last point leads to a great story from Abrams about working with a difficult performer onAlias, which shaped how he approached casting from then on.
And then, of course, Abrams talks aboutStar Wars: The Force Awakensand addresses the criticism that the film hinged too much on nostalgia by explaining the movie very deliberately hit upon familiar beats.
The full interview is absolutely worth a watch, and Rock keeps things entertainingparticularly during theBatman v Supermanportionso check it out below, viaThe Film Stage.
Image via Lucasfilm
Image via Paramount
Image via Paramount
Image via Lucasfilm
