- Jul '01
- <Luke Perry added to the cast>
- <Don Davis soundtrack started>
- <Cadillac prototypes in sequels>
- <Cypher tired of getting killed>
LUKE PERRY ADDED TO THE CAST >Source: Coming Soon
The cast keeps growing and growing:
A breakdancer named 'Reinen' from the "Rhythm Bugs" crew has apparently scored a job on the upcoming sequels, and according to Coming Soon - so has ex-90210 star Luke Perry.
Meantime Steve Bastoni talked with Sydney newspaper The Sun Herald about what he's up to at the moment - "I'm in heavy training for general fitness before the Sydney shoot begins. We've just finished some of the larger action sequences in San Francisco, and they just looked incredible". Filming kicks off next month in Sydney.
DON DAVIS SOUNDTRACK STARTED >Source: IGN Filmforce
According to IGN Filmforce, Don Davis has already been working on the score for the Matrix sequels:
IGNFF: What's the next project on your plate?
DAVIS: I'm just cruising until Matrix 2 and 3 come around…
IGNFF: Have they given you a tentative ETA on doing 2?
DAVIS: I think I'll see it around June of 2002. I did some pre-score for Matrix 2 for a scene that involves visual reaction to music, which they shot to in Alameda.
IGNFF: Is that the kind of thing that most likely will be changed by the time the final score rolls around so it will be more integrated, or does something like that usually stay intact?
DAVIS: When I first read the sequence, I though that it would involve orchestra, but now that I come to know the scene a little better, I think it will remain more of a source kind of situation – what you see is what you hear. Jason Bentley, who is the producer of the song album, had some material that they were shooting to as well, and it may involve segue-waying from my music to the song, or something like that. It's kind of in flux at this point.
CADILLAC PROTOTYPES IN SEQUELS >Source: Movie Headlines
In late 2002, Warner's "Matrix 2" will be released. General Motors Corp.'s Cadillac provided several million dollars worth of prototypes, or hand-made cars, according to an executive close to the situation who asked not to be named. The spotlighted Caddy is the CTS sedan, which won't go into production till late this year and goes on sale early in 2002. The Cadillac Escalade sport utility also plays a major role in the film. GM has a long-term contract with Warner. As part of the deal, GM must promote the film, although the deal doesn't specify whether that's in measured media or via events and promotions. The automaker's plans aren't finalized. A Cadillac spokesman declined comment.
MATRIX COMIC ILLUSTRATORS >Source: USA Today
USA Today published an article about comic illustrators in the movie business, a great addition to the <making of... comic to movie> section which you can find on this site.
Josh interviews Comic book illustrators Steve Skroce and Geofery Darrow , who played integral roles in mapping out the original Matrix, as well as the upcoming two sequels: Filmmakers Larry and Andy Wachowski "had the entire movie in their brains, and I was a translator for their ideas," says Skroce, who drew up storyboards for the original film and has worked on such comics as Wolverine. "Comics are all about image, and The Matrix is as well. You could stop the movie in a number of places, and it would look like a comic book page."
It also helps that there are comic book-friendly directors working in Hollywood. The Wachowskis and Dogma filmmaker Kevin Smith have even worked in the comic book industry. In fact, Skroce got his job on The Matrix because he illustrated the Wachowskis' first comic. Smith has worked on a number of comics, including Daredevil and a series of books based on the superhero Green Arrow.
For comic book artists, the move into films can be difficult. "With comics you can take more liberty," Baker says. "There are certain disciplines you have to follow when you're doing storyboards, like making sure you work left to right, that you don't have to do when you're doing a graphic novel." But Atlantis producer Don Hahn says that having someone with a comic book background on his film was enormously helpful. "They give you tremendous imagination, tremendous graphic style and tremendous clarity," he says. "When you are forced to get a couple of ideas down to a page, you can't be vague. Comic book artists give you a clear graphic vision."
Some in the comics field believe comic book artists have unlimited visions to bring to the screen. "It's very hard to generalize comic book artists," Mignola says. "We can be as different as night and day."
INTERVIEW HUGO WEAVING >Source: AP
AP had an interview with Hugo Weaving aka Agent Smith:
"I do like to do different work and different roles and different characters," he says. But the 41-year-old actor has avoided big-budget American films more for personal reasons than for professional ones. "I moved around the world a lot as a kid and so deciding to live in Sydney was important. Went to drama school there. Working in theater there. Working in low-budget films, because most of the films made in Sydney are low-budget. And then having a family," says Weaving, who with Katrina - his partner of 17 years - has two children: Harry, 12, and Harley, 8.
"There are other considerations in my life now - things that are more important to me rather than trying to be famous or trying to get big in Hollywood." Weaving's dad worked as a seismologist for an oil company, which required him and the family to live "one year here, two years there." Weaving was born in Nigeria, and his family left there before he was 1. They resided in England, Australia, back in England, South Africa, back in England again and, finally, when he was 16, in Sydney, Australia.
Weaving thought the peripatetic existence was great. His older brother and younger sister continue to move around a lot, but he satisfies his wanderlust mainly through traveling to movie locations. ...
For Agent Smith in "The Matrix," however, he doesn't require a deep psychological understanding of the character. "I think the approach needs to be varied in order to make those characters varied as well. We're all different people and we all have different backgrounds and we all have different modus operandi," he says. "I think the way that you develop a character is as important as what the content of that character is."
Weaving trained for four months to do the martial arts moves in the "Matrix" sequels. "I'm very fit, and I'm not injured yet," he says, recalling that he was on crutches awhile the first time around. He's looking forward to playing Smith again in the two sequels, which are being shot at the same time. "I don't think you can play a villain and not have fun. Otherwise, it's going to be a disaster," he says. But Weaving recalls his initial reluctance over the original film. Since it was a big studio picture, science fiction and was going to be shot in Los Angeles, "I thought, oh, dear, it wasn't really my cup of tea." He was won over, though, after he saw Andy and Larry Wachowski's feature debut, "Bound," met them and found they were funny, then read their script and saw that Smith "was written with a sense of humor."
CAPTAIN NATHANIEL LEES >Source: The Dominion
Here's an article taken from the New Zealand Magazine "The Dominion" concerning Nathaniel Lees being a captain of one of the ships in The Matrix 2.
NATHANIEL LEES is a goodie in a world of baddie machines. It's not often you get to save the world, but for more than US$ 3 million (NZ$ 7.3 million), the New Zealand star in the sequels to The Matrix is willing to give it a go.
Lees has spent the past three months in San Francisco on the set of the multimillion-dollar films, directed by the Wachowski brothers, in which he has a leading role alongside Hollywood mega-stars, including Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne. It is understood that Lees is earning up to US$ 80,000 a week for his role as a captain of one of the spaceships, though he would not talk about how much he was being paid.
Samoan-born Lees, who lives in Thorndon, Wellington, will go to Sydney with the cast and crew next week to continue filming Matrix 2, which is being made back to back with Matrix 3. They are likely to be completed by next June with the release of the second film scheduled for Christmas next year.
Sequels have a reputation for being fizzers, but Lees said Matrix 2 and 3 were destined to wow die-hard fans and create a lot of new ones. More of the special effects seen in the first film, which have been re-enacted in commercials and television shows, could be expected, with some impressive fights, he said.
Though Lees is a well-established theatre director and actor in New Zealand, having starred in productions such as Hercules, Xena and, more recently, The Lost World alongside Bob Hoskins, Matrix 2 and 3 are his first blockbusters. And though he admits missing his home and family, working on such a big project has been a lot of fun. As the only Kiwi on the set, he had generated interest about New Zealand, he said. "They are really interested in finding out where it is and whether everyone was a Once Were Warriors type, but I have done a really good PR job for us."
CYPHER TIRED OF GETTING KILLED >Source: Calgary Sun
Joe Pantoliano, who plays Cypher in the first 'Matrix', hopes he doesn't get killed in the 'Sopranos': "I'm not going to presume to tell David how to write his series but if Tony has to die, I know Ralphie would be only too happy to oblige. "My fear is that it's going to be Ralphie that gets whacked next season and then everyone else will come back for fifth, sixth and seventh seasons. "It seems to be my lot in life," says Pantoliano referring to his character's death in The Matrix. "I really wanted the Wachowski brothers to find a way to bring my character back but they didn't want to continue with him. They said they have enough new villains to deal with in the two sequels." In Cats & Dogs, Pantoliano provides the voice of the little hairless dog, who is a computer expert. "At least they didn't kill my dog off, so if there is a sequel to that one I can come back."
MATRIX SFX-COMPANY NEWS >Source: Variety
Stephen Brain, a former Stan Lee Media and Fox Animation Studios exec, has been named chief operating officer at motion capture studio Spectrum Studios, which is currently creating f/x for the next two installments of "The Matrix."
Brain, who has been working at the Marina del Rey company for the past five months as a consultant, reports to David Forbes, CEO of Global Animation Holdings, whose family of companies includes Spectrum, ImagineAsia, Neon Noodle Prods. and VirtualMagic Asia.
Spectrum's facility and technology records the movement of humans, turning them into digital characters for use in special effects sequences such as crowd scenes for films, TV shows, musicvideos, commercials and videogames.
Besides working on the upcoming "Matrix" sequels and the accompanying videogame, the nearly 2-year-old company has focused on demonstrating its technology, co-developed with Motion Analysis, to the f/x biz.
Brain said Spectrum is in an enviable position as production increases of photorealistic computer-animated pics such as "Shrek" and "Final Fantasy" and the need grows for digital humans to perform in live-action f/x sequences.
"The demand for motion capture is growing tremendously," Brain said. "My goal is to say, 'Let's go beyond what people have done before. I don't want to hear this is how we've done things before.' 'The Matrix' demonstrates that."
Most recently, Brain was exec veep of production for Netcaster Stan Lee Media, where he oversaw the production of animated Webisodic series for comicbook icon Stan Lee. Company shuttered earlier this year.
Brain said that although it's a new company, Spectrum provided more security than the dot-com arena. "There's a structure here that is sound," he said. "For me, it was a comfort knowing that the company would be here a year from now."
Before Stan Lee, Brain was senior VP-general manager of 20th Century Fox's feature animation studio in Phoenix, which produced "Anastasia" and "Titan A.E." before closing. He also served as exec veep for Joel Silver's Warner Bros.-based Silver Pictures and as director of operations and administration and veep of studio operations for Stephen J. Cannell Prods. In addition, he founded film and TV production company White Tiger Prods.
INTERVIEW CARRIE-ANNE >Source: Flare
Carrie-Anne Moss was interviewed in LA by the Fashion Magazine, Flare. Interviewer Dagmar Dunlevy asked Moss some Matrix-related questions. Here are those clips:
Dagmar Dunlevy: You've taken dramatically diverse acting roles. Are you avoiding typecasting?
CM: I've played some roles that are different, but I didn't think of that when I was saying yes-or no-to things. You say yes or no for different reasons every time.
DD: Were you getting Matrix-type scripts more often?
CM: Not really. I don't think there are very many scripts like The Matrix, so it wasn't really a problem [laughing].
DD: Since the Matrix sequels are being filmed simultaneously, will you be in Australia for more than a year?
CM: Yes-Australia and San Francisco, actually.
DD: We hear so much about the grueling training for The Matrix. How disciplined are you?
CM: I start my morning by myself, then I meet with the other actors and a wire team and the trainers and we train from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. That includes kicking, stretching, kung fu sequences and working out with weights. I'm doing Pilates for a good hour and the treadmill for an hour. It's a full-time, exhausting regimen every day.
DD: Making movies back-to-back sounds draining.
CM: Being away from home for all that time can be overwhelming-I think the only way you can handle something like this is to take it a day at a time. I love the movie so much and I love the character I play and the people I'm working with, so I'm choosing to make it a really positive experience for me.
DD: There was a rumour that you'd been replaced in The Matrix 2.
CM: Really? Well, it's something I don't know about [laughing].
DD: Were you injured during your Matrix training?
CM: Yeah, I broke my leg. I had a brace because I wanted to do body work on it to try to heal it as quickly as possible. I've healed miraculously, which is a godsend.
DD: There's a mystery about you that comes across on the big screen. Do you think you get cast in diverse roles because of that?
CM: I'm not aware of that. I really try to not think about myself too much, especially how I might appear to other people, because who I am is who I am. Every character I play has pieces of me.
DD: So you never questioned why you were chosen to be in The Matrix?
CM: I don't ask myself that. I just say thank you!
DD: How has your relationship with Keanu Reeves changed, especially now that you're married?
CM: All of us in The Matrix are like a family and Keanu and I are especially close because we have a really special connection. It'll be different only because we've all changed. When I did the first Matrix three years ago, I was very green and scared and now I'm a little bit more confident. I've done a couple of other movies that have taught me things and it's very exciting. I don't ask for things to stay the same. I'm open to relationships changing and growing. I really look forward to it.
DD: I'm sure it's top secret, but Keanu tried to tell us a little bit...
CM: He did? I'm shocked! No, he didn't...
DD: About the love story portion...
CM: I can't say anything! I promised that I wouldn't talk about it. I don't talk about it with my family or anybody. I adhere to that because I wish I didn't know what was going to happen, so I could just watch it fresh. I think it's going to be very exciting. The stories are beautiful. They're spiritual. They're grounded and I think people are really going to enjoy them. I can't wait.
DD: Do you have any idea what you are going to do after the sequels are completed?
CM: I want to have some babies!
STEVE BASTONI ADDED >Source: Corona
In the "Sydney Confidential" column in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, the paper broke the news that local actor Steve Bastoni has secured a role as "a goodie" in Matrix Reloaded. The paper also stated that filming is scheduled to get underway in the city in October, but Bastoni had already visited the set in San Francisco to film scenes involving his character.
JET LI EXPLAINS >Source: Movie Headlines
Why didn't Jet Li feel obligated to join the cast of the Matrix Sequels? Here's what the man, himself, had to say:
I don't listen to what people in Hollywood say," he notes, sitting on the balcony of one of the town's most luxurious hotels. "I just do what I think I should do." That meant turning down "Matrix 2" and "Matrix 3." "I liked 'The Matrix' very much," he says, "and the (writer/director) Wachowski brothers are friends of mine. I guarantee the sequels will be successful without Jet Li, so why do they need Jet Li in them?
SOUNDTRACK NEWS >Source: Tracksound
What can you expect from the Matrix Sequels Soundtracks? Composer Don Davis gives us a feel:
CC: Can you talk about your work The Matrix Reloaded and the third installment?
DD: Well, I did write some pre-score music (music which is being shot to). I actually completed that before beginning work on Jurassic Park III.
CC: Are you working on both the second and third films’ scores?
DD: I’m not actively working on them because there isn’t a lot to do other than sorting out thematic material …at least until they have a cut for me to see. That won’t occur for about a year, but I have been signed to score both of them.
CC: Will the soundtrack be a mix of your score with electronica pieces once again?
DD: Yes. Jason Bentley produced the song score for The Matrix and is also working on The Matrix 2 and 3.
CC: So it will be the same sort of blend?
DD: Well, there will be a blend, but I can’t say if it will be “the same” or not yet. I have been speaking with Jason and there may be more collaboration with me this time. This way they’ll be a bit more integration between the score and songs. The concept I’m going on at the moment is that we are going to expand upon what was done in the first Matrix. I think there may be more opportunity for more melodically thematic material in the next two films.
REPORT ON ZION SET >Source: Countingdown
A report by a citizen of Zion:
The Zion set I saw was incredible. It was an old hanger on the outside and an underground cave near the Earth's core on the inside. The set design had incredible detail. The only thing remotely as impressive as the set were us extras. On the best of days there were as many as 1000 of us. We were decked out in thin revealing clothes and stips of battered leather. I'm not sure how it will look on film but there was some delicious amounts of T&A curving sheer clothe on set.
There were several scenes that we were apart of:
1) Morpheus pep talk, Zion wall shaking celebration
2) Kama Sutra like dance session In the Zion celebration
3) Aaliya and Harold Perrineau dancing together
4) Warriors bloody from battle
Seeing the set for Zion was incredible, but even on set amoung the extras we could only speculate about the total plot. From what I've seen and heard, I can say I don't think that "the Holodeck theory" of false reality within false reality is true.. but what do I know, I'm just a dirt-bag extra.
The Wakowski brothers were very focused individuals. They know exactly what they want in every single shot. When Lawrence did the "ZION! Hear me" speech Andy would go up after each take (about 15) and fine tune his performance. They are men of vision. I wish more movies were made with that kind of conceptual genius. You can see the appreciation they have for storyline in BOUND. One thing I found really cool was standing next Gaeta the bullet time creator.
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