Ask The Boss, Part Due

Ask the Boss Part 2

From: Boogy

Will we see a trailer online first or do you expect to show it at the theaters first as the feature upcoming promo?

Personally, I would love to see the trailer in theaters first (just the difference between a 15″ Macbook screen and seeing a kick-ass trailer on a 70 foot theater screen, y’know?), but I’m sure it’ll pop up online. If they (“they” being the people who get to make final decisions on this stuff) premiere it online, I think the thing I love most about that is that it would reward the fanbase first and foremost. Nothing against a general movie-going audience (they’ll be the thing that makes this movie a financial success and a better chance at a sequel), but the online fanbase has been what’s keeping this project (and me) going. And I think nothing would be cooler than giving that first glimpse there. And on top of that, I’ve had such great support from the main online sites on the project – IESB, CHUD, Shock, IGN, Bloody, etc. In fact, we had them all visit the set (I think a few of them had great set visit reports… or at least teases) and be in the movie as decaying and forgotten zombies trying to eat a dangling Sam Huntington above them. It was a lot of fun. And for that reason, I have such an allegiance to everyone online. Between the fans and great guys like that, you can’t go wrong.

Do you plan to be at Comic Con in July, having a booth or showing the movie clip, maybe even having cast there again?

As for Comicon, I know at least I’ll be there personally as I haven’t missed one in probably 16 years. As for the movie being there with me, I’m not sure. Again, that’s a producer/studio question. To put all this in context – we are just finishing color timing (where you play with the saturation, contrast, colors, etc of the film) and sound mixing. We should have the final film done at some point in May, with it being output to film stock, digital print, etc. So in theory, come July, we’ll have had the final film for some time. If there wouldn’t be a sneak peak of it, I think it would be a major lost opportunity. I know that I would, as would all of the cast, enthusiastically be there with bells on if needed. We had a blast last year with the trailer teaser and signing posters with me, Brandon, Sam, Anita and Gil Adler. I’m sure they’ll get something going for it.

When will the new website be open?

As for the website, I know it’s still being worked on. In addition to all the cool ramp-up things that I’ll know will start to be put up there, there will be something VERY cool for fans. Somewhat of a coup, in my opinion. We’re all really excited about it here.

From: Xabaras

How did you familiarize with the world of Dylan Dog, and when did you first heard about this fummeti?

I first heard about Dylan Dog when I was doing some development work at Dark Horse Entertainment (the TV/film division of Dark Horse Comics). At the time they had access to the property of Martin Mystery and I was developing it for a TV show that ultimately didn’t happen. But that’s when I was exposed to the Bonelli line up. And in it, I found a property called Dylan Dog that I thought looked really really cool. Found out they didn’t have any English translations, which just led to a big online search that brought up small fan groups. And all I remember was asking them if they had the rights to Dylan, and they said “no”. So cut to close to 10 years later, and I get a call from Platinum Studios and Hyde Park asking if I’ve ever heard of “Dylan Dog” as they had a script they wanted me to read. And I just smiled. If you’re ever looking for proof, that’s the universe at work right there.

As far as familiarizing myself with the world, I read the English translations with the Mignola covers.  Did a lot of online research to look at the background and history. And then probably the most helpful was just listening to one of our producers, Gioj DeMarco, speak so passionately about the character and the books that she grew up with in Italy from childhood. You can’t beat real enthusiasm as an inspiration to do a good job and understand the zeitgeist behind a property.

Zeitgeist. That’s right. I said it. I stand by it.

How many issues have you read, and what is your favorite?

I answered the “favorite issue” in an earlier post. Not that I don’t want to ignore your question. BUT, I’ll give you another tidbit about the book to make up for it. 🙂 Our last night of shooting was an exterior location, with Dylan speaking on a payphone. (naturally, as he’d never use a cell phone, being a technophobe to some degree) We fought long and hard to get this, as I thought it was more his character to do that, even though it would have been WAY easier to have him on a cell phone at… (fill in blank New Orleans location). So we found a great rural location… right next to a take-out Daiquiri Shop in New Orleans. (there are a ton there… but that’s a whole other post) And yes, that was totally on purpose. Anyway… when we finished the last shot, Brandon gave out wrap gifts to everyone on the crew from himself. And they were the new Dylan Dog collection that were printed last year. And he inscribed a personal note to every person on those covers. Hopefully not betraying any kind of confidence here, but that’s how nice and genuine of a guy he is.

And, while tenuously an anecdote relating to Dylan Dog comics, I figured it was a nice story to pass along.

Have you met Tiziano Sclavi, did he gave you any advice, and did he see the script?

Maybe I’ll think of more! And thanks to Kevin for bringing Dylan Dog to the movie screen!

I have never met Tiziano, and I’m not sure if he read the script. This script has existed for almost 10 years to the day when we started shooting. It’s been around for quite a while and has probably gone through many iterations with many different producers. But, as always is the case in Hollywood, we went back to the very first draft when we started developing the shooting script. I never read any of the other ones. Maybe Mr. Sclavi may have read one of them, but I’m not sure. And we have a great reference to him in the movie as well. While not as on-the-nose as having Stan Lee in the movie as a cameo… he has a cameo of another kind. 🙂

From: Cool Monty

1. Without jinxing the movie, let’s imagine the this film is successful and a sequel is ordered, and you decide to incorporate Dylan’s primary antagonist and father, Dr. Xabaras. Knowing his character from the research you’ve done on DD, who would be your dream casting for the role?

Good question! For Dr. Xabaras, I think I would cast Hugh Laurie (the guy who is Dr. House on TV). I think he has a phenomenal villain character in him, with a wicked sense of humor.  Almost like a young Vincent Price. Y’know, casting is always a funny thing. I kind of look at casting like life – you think you can control it, you think have all the right answers, but somehow what’s supposed to happen happens… and it turns out that’s the way it should have always been from the start. And there are actors like Sam Huntington who were my first and only pick for his role, and there are others we found along the way. Or actors who found us. Or who we managed to pick up for a fun day of shooting. I might make a casting post sometime on the Facebook fanpage.

From: Diogo

Maybe this question is old, but, is Dylan still English in film?

No, Dylan’s not English in the film. I can see it being crucial in a lot of ways (not just because that’s the mythology of the comic world), but in a lot of ways, Dylan’s character is very English in his dry wit, affectation, etc. But then once you see Brandon embody that role, it feels that way in spirit, so I think we’re still being very truthful to the franchise in that respect. We didn’t get a wise-cracking, always-has-to-be-funny, off the wall character portrayal for Dylan. THAT to me would have been a much bigger infraction. As an example, I actually liked Keanu Reeves as John Constantine – he wasn’t blonde and wasn’t English, but he still was a great movie-version of that comic character. I think Brandon nailed the essence and the subtlety of Dylan – I’m proud of what he did.

As a sidebar, we also hint at Dylan’s international past in the movie. So I think the idea that he lived in London is still perfectly intact. New Orleans just happens to be where we find him now. I mean, if London is THAT much of a part of who he is as a character, then imagine what horrible event compelled him to leave? That’s a back-story I’d love to see in a sequel…

Vampires. werewolves and zombies we have seen a lot over there, who different/unique will be this monsters in Dead of Night?

Yeah, that’s been one of the challenges of this project. There are a lot of those movies out there. Rarely do we see all of them together, but there has to be something more to it than just that. I really wanted to showcase how one of these creatures could live in our world, undetected and protected. That’s a pretty unique approach to these creatures that I don’t see a lot in movies these days. Especially with our Zombie characters. But as far as UNIQUE type of characters, we have a couple of them. As a tease, both are played by Brian Steele. One is a cautionary tale about what happens when a Zombie who is trying to harmoniously live among humans starts eating human flesh.. it ain’t pretty. Ok, so that’s just a super-Zombie… not that new. BUT, Brian is also playing the Armageddon creature in our movie… the creature that is threatening to come back to life throughout the movie. And no one knows what creature race is trying to bring him back. Ok, so I might have just spoiled it… as if we cast Brian in the role, then we probably have him in the movie. Ergo, the creature comes to life… maybe I should stop now.