Emmy Winner Michaela Coel has become an entertainment juggernaut. Starring in the much talked about series “I May Destroy You” to this month’s highly anticipated Black Panther sequel, Wakanda Forever. We had the pleasure of interviewing Coel at the Shooting Stars event at the Berlinale a few years ago. The multi-hyphenate actress is on the brink of becoming a household name.
The battle over the state of modern cinema took a funny twist recently. Director Martin Scorsese weighed in by saying Marvel Cinematic Universe is not cinema. The backlash was swift. Do not attack a cultural movement. Martin, like so many others in Hollywood, has been left wondering what is his place in the new franchise driven film business. A critics darling, Scorsese has never been a box office magnet. His most successful films drew on the star power of Leonardo DiCaprio.
As his latest film, the acclaimed “The Irishman” premieres for Netflix, the helmer has taken aim at modern cinema. The free market economy does not count when it comes to buying tickets. “Marvel films are theme park attractions”, said Scorsese. Theaters should stop booking hem. According to this logic, as an exhibitor is better to choose “his idea of artistic integrity” over making a billion dollars.
Budgeted at $160 million “The Irishman” has a running time of 209 minutes. Translated; if this were a feature film, there could only be 2 theater screenings per day. It would need to earn $500 million to recoup production costs. Plus, an addition $50 million for marketing and prints costs. Martin Scorsese’s highest grossing film to date: 2006’s “The Departed” with Leonardo Di Caprio earned $291 million. No small wonder why the director had to turn to Netflix for financing his latest mobster film starring frequent creative partner Robert DiNiro. As the economics of the film business shift to even bigger tentpoles, Scorese’s view of cinema has been sidelined.
A filmmaker of the 70’s auteur movement, when studios gave directors autonomy over their work. Scorsese did not move into the blockbuster realm. Nor did he crash out like Coopola, DiPalma, or Bogdanavich. His was a world of dysfunctional characters on tee edge. Even his family friendly work, “Hugo” from 2011, a great look, but a times came across like a puzzle with missing middle pieces. Lacking an emotion. I felt no empathy for the characters. The film lost over $100 million at the box office.
Do not attack a movie genre for being successful. If the theater going public pays $20 per ticket, the film earns $2 billion at global cinemas. That is cinema.
Stay Tuned for more Chat Cinema Podcasts.
Chat Cinema crew Stevie, Kristin, and Breck are enthused about some film trailers. While others they find less appealing.
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London born actress Actress Michaela Coel is effervescent. When it came to chatting during press interviews at the Berlinale for the European Film Promotion program, Shooting Stars, she exploded with energy. Admitting to not having filters, a character trait since childhood, her confidence glowed during the round table press chats. A two time BAFTA winner, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama graduate appeared in films including Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Television audience probaly recognise her face from 2 episodes in the Black Mirror series. A true social media fan, her philosophy is follow no rules when it comes to posting.
Michaela’s first lead role is in the romantic film Been So Long by director Tinge Krishnan. Currently, there is no release date.
#Thisberlinale18 sponsored by Canon Camera and Pringle of Scotland
Inhumans is the latest television series from the Marvel Universe. Created in 1965 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Inhumans is the story of ruling family and their court on a distant planet split by intrigue and ambition. King Bolt flees to Hawaii because of a successful upraising on his home world, resulting in Earth’s and Attilan’s fates becoming tied together.
Starring Anson Mount as Black Bolt, Iwan Rheon as Maximus, and Serinda Swan as Medusa, the television show will have an exclusive release in IMAX cinemas on August 31st and September 1st before debuting on the ABC Television Network in the United States, September 29th.
Black and Paper sat down in Berlin to speak with Dutch Director Roel Reine after the IMAX screening of some scenes from his new project, Marvel’s Inhuman.
How many episodes were produced for Season 1
8, I directed the pilot and the first episode.
There are two versions of this story, one IMAX and another for TV. Are the two different?
Yes, the same story and structure but the IMAX version will have bigger, wider shots with the scope and framing. It will be the complete experience of a massive screen in the theatre.
Making a television show look like a movie, was that hard?
I specialize in making small budget films look like big budget films. The production schedule was for TV but I used IMAX Cameras for scope techniques.
As a creative person were you intimidated coming to the Marvel World?
I was. The Marvel movies are very successful. Their TV series are diverse. As a creative you feel it on your shoulders. That was the challenge I liked. As a director pressure is a part of the job. Marvel was supportive providing me with a great working environment.
The CG for Medusa’s hair, was this difficult?
It’s tricky. Hair is the most difficult CG element, making it move and the fluidity. Finding the right effects house, then, designing the right shots to tell the story. I designed long takes to show what her hair can do. The continued shot allows the audience to be more involved.
Lockjaw is a CG character, the first on TV. We had a good visual effect house, Double Negative. I had a big foam dog made for the actors and camera crew to interact with during production. It gave them guidance.
What is the series source of the Inhumans?
The source materials are from the comics of 1960’s and 1990’s. The show also draws from the present world; politics, inequality, diversity, Brexit, and Trump in America.
Will Inhumans connect to the Marvel Universe?
The Marvel Universe is surrounded by secrets. The company is protective of it’s properties and tie ins. We have to wait and see.
For more information go to: IMAX.com
This is the first trailer for Marvel’s Inhumans. A new television premiering this September 1 at IMAX theaters and then on ABC TV.
The Black and Paper interview with show director Roel Reine coming soon. Stay Tuned.
For more information on Inhumans go to: IMAX.com.