SYWTBAW Movie— Directors?

[thespaceship.livejournal.com]

I know there is already a topic on casting thoughts.... but since I am a film nerd, and just for the sake of getting some discussion going, I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on directors?

As extremely excited as I am, I am still a bit worried about the idea of a movie. I'm not very trusting of Hollywood when it comes to how they deal with fantastical movies. Only a select few I really think paid the genre the respect it needs.

Dear Lord, I hope they choose a director who falls in love with the books as much as we have!!! (God, I'd give both of my legs to work on the SYWTBAW movie....)



These books for me have been almost a secret, personal experience, so the thought of it being flung into mainstream culture and being bastardized by distributing companies frightens me a little, but that is always a risk. I just hope they go the more indie route (quality over glitter) and really try to appeal to its built-in fan-base rather than HP's or Narnia's fan-base (take a look at how Terabithia changed. It was trying to compete with Narnia a little too hard, so it will never have a lasting quality to it).

I'd love for Alfonso Cuaron (The Little Princess, Y Tu Mama Tambien) or Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) to take a stab at it... or even someone new to the genre, but could bring the story and characters and humor to the forefront, like directing team Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine)

Sorrryyy.... had to be a film nerd there for a moment. :-)

*excited*

Comments

[paxluvfelicitas.livejournal.com]

Ooooohh... Joss Whedon. I hadn't considered that before, but... Maybe. His style is very different from the books, much more humorous and reference-based, but I'm a sucker for it, so I'm willing to ignore the disparities.

Actually, I think a scifi edge is very in keeping with the books, but that's just me.

[bad-mushroom.livejournal.com]

Actually, when you put it that way, it sounds just like the books to me!

[oop-ack-chee.livejournal.com]

Believe it or not, you're not the only person in the world who didn't like Little Miss Sunshine. I, too, have no idea why it was so popular. Sure, the kid was cute... but everything else was just icky.

Having recently discovered Firefly, I totally put in my vote for Joss Whedon too. That would be awesome.

[adiva_calandia]

I think Joss has a great sense of emotional drama, action, and clever dialogue -- all of which, I think, would be vital for a YW movie.

Not to mention he's good at teenage drama. *grin*

[thespaceship.livejournal.com]

Oh man, i totally forgot about Joss Whedon... He would be an excellent choice.

Yeah, Little Miss Sunshine is just one of those films you either love or just sit and bear it. It's an odd one.

And I agree, I think that a more sci-fi edge would be fitting... if they made it too "kids movie" i'd be disappointed

[bad-mushroom.livejournal.com]

Wow, I didn't know you disliked Little Miss Sunshine (one of my favorite movies of all time, stereotypically)! We really don't share a brain XD

But did you really think it was stupid-funny? Because I would say it was the opposite.

[bad-mushroom.livejournal.com]

I thought that might be it. Even if you didn't like it...stupid funny it is definitely not :)

Yeah, me too. With the exception of stupid-funny-to-the-point-of-brilliance stuff like Wayne's World and This Is Spinal Tap.

[leaflass.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about directors (off the top of my head, my favorite director is Tim Burton, and I don't know how he'd do with a Young Wizards movie, it'd be pretty *out there*), but I know that if they got the same guy as Pan's Labyrinth the movie would be frickin' amazing. Or... maybe the guy that did V for Vendetta. I could kind of see that.

(I don't think I introduced myself to this community--hi, I'm almost 16, and I love everything Young Wizard. My mom bought me the set of the first three books, thinking they were like Harry Potter, little did I know at the time these books were way better than any HP book. :D)

[blackjackrocket.livejournal.com]

I couldn't see Tim Burton directing it, but I could *certainly* hear Danny Elfman do the score.

[warrior-camilla.livejournal.com]

Not to sound a bit egotiscal, but I'm a film major and would oh-so love to direct even help make the movie( if it will be done). I've been a fan for the past four and half years and I've dreamed of playing the title role of Nita, but sadly I'm 18 now and I don't think I can play Nita any more. But if I found a way to help make the movie, I can assure fans that the movie may have a chance. The second movie could be a hassle though. A major part of the book takes place underwater!

[thespaceship.livejournal.com]

hi fellow film major! :-D

i've often wondered myself how one would put Deep Wizardry on film... because half the time the main characters are whales... and how would one direct whales to emote?

[lunalovegoddess.livejournal.com]

Excellent point, there.
Cg-I? Voice-overs? While really good voice-acting would capture the sheer panic of Nita's realization that the Silent One is a sacrifice, a good portion of the movie would take place down in the deeps. I've seen amazing advances in technology over the past few years, so I feel confident that something can be done. I wonder more about the budget for potential films.

As for the whales, not only is it difficult to study social interaction amongst different whale species, and therefore you must anthropomorphize a bit, but then there are the fight sequences to map out. (I once did a storyboard of how the battle would go.)

If not live-action, I would suggest Deep Wizardry in graphic novel form or completely animated, because it would allow for the fullest expression of Diane's undersea world.

[lunalovegoddess.livejournal.com]

Sorry... meant to add that the director must consider how to film Deep Wizardry before working on So You Want to Be A Wizard?. For continuity...

Of course, one approach would be how the movie Enchanted is filmed. Like Mary Poppins and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, it combines Disney animation with a live action modern New York City. (An animated princess ends up in NYC, in live action form.) I'm not sure if the Young Wizards series would go that route, but it might work.

Either way you look at it, there is a lot of work that goes into making a movie, let alone a whole series.

[warrior-camilla.livejournal.com]

Yes, plus can you imagine if it was turned into a moive and all the parents wanting to take their kids to it? Mamy parents complained about Bridge to Teribethia and how they falsely adveritised it. If anything, whem these movies come out, they should be independently produced. And have plently of warnings for parents that kids under 13/14 should not watch it beacause their are plently of scenes in the book where mature topics are dicussed, and many "bloody' scenes. The 4th book, 6th, and 7th book has the most action. Save for the third which maybe is the easiest.

[reticent-lass.livejournal.com]

Ooh, good ideas! YW graphic novels would be amazing as long as the artist made sure to read the books very thoroughly beforehand. Also (and this is very selfish of me), comics might help keep the fandom from being completely inundated with the twelve-yar-old Suethor fanbrats that flock to movie adaptations.